We went to a Marriott presentation last summer, and we intend to purchase a time share within the next few years. We really liked everything Marriott said, but we're not going to spend that much money without checking into what the competition has to offer!
After the presentation, I bought a book on timeshares -- it was something like "Time Shares for Dummies" -- and it was very informative. I liked the book because the author wasn't trying to sell me on any particular product, so the information was unbiased. It fully explains lots of things that you really need to know before making a decision. It'll go into the details of week-trades vs. points-trades, lock-out units (the only thing I'd consider buying!), and more. It discusses how some timeshares are deeded (meaning you can leave them to your children), while others are only good for X number of years.
Things I learned/noticed at the presentation:
They are very persuasive, and their product is very nice. No matter what you've decided ahead of time, at least a part of you will be tempted to throw caution to the wind and say, "Okay, I'll sign on the bottom line."
They will instill a sense of urgency in you to BUY TODAY. We visited the last week of July; they explained to us that Phase I was just being completed, and once it was done and Phase II was begun, the price would increase substantially -- so we'd better buy quickly before August 2nd. They also offered some nice things if we'd sign right then -- I think they offered to pay the taxes or something like that. They know that if you leave and look at the re-sale market, they'll never get you back.
They showed us the Marriott Grande Vista resort (a top of the line timeshare), but wanted to sell us a unit at Horizon Marriott (an "entry level" timeshare). Um, no. In my opinion, if you want any trading power, you'd better buy the best.
I'd already looked into re-sale values, and I knew that they were about half the price of buying new from the developer. When I asked the salesperson (politely) why I should buy from her, she said that we'd receive some extras for buying from the developer -- and the things she mentioned were nice things -- but the look on her face said, "I'm not making a sale today; #$%$#% informed consumer."
We took our two daughters along. They played in the kids' room, which was filled with toys and computer games. They were the only kids there, and an adult babysitter was present. Security was good: they were visible to everyone through glass doors, but the babysitter kept the door locked. We were given matching wristbands for pick-up. The girls didn't want to leave.
One last thing: Time shares may be a good value, but they are also expensive. Be sure you can afford it before you decide to buy. Realistically, you are buying it for the use your family will get from it. It is highly unlikely that you'll ever be able to sell it and get your money back.
