Timeshare Presentation ??

[Darcy03231]

You see all these ads for free tickets for sitting through a 1.5 hour timeshare presentation (that most likely lasts more than 1.5 hours) for free or reduced tickets, trips, etc.. They then have language about income levels or marital status to qualify. I've always been curious as to how they check that out. Do you have to give them paystubs, tax returns, marriage license, etc.? If not, how would they know whether you meet their requirements or not. While I can't imagine ever wanting free tickets bad enough to give up vacation time, I'm sure there are people who do it or they wouldn't do it.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

You see all these ads for free tickets for sitting through a 1.5 hour timeshare presentation (that most likely lasts more than 1.5 hours) for free or reduced tickets, trips, etc.. They then have language about income levels or marital status to qualify. I've always been curious as to how they check that out. Do you have to give them paystubs, tax returns, marriage license, etc.? If not, how would they know whether you meet their requirements or not. While I can't imagine ever wanting free tickets bad enough to give up vacation time, I'm sure there are people who do it or they wouldn't do it.

I have done it - don't think I will ever again, but they did not double check the requirements. My then-DH and I just showed our driver's licenses.

 

[seashoreCM]

Almost all of the folks who attend those presentations don't have pay stubs, etc. with them. So the timeshare salesmen never ask.

If you are spending mnore than 3 days in the theme parks, the time share tickets usually do not make sense. Most timeshare tickets cannot be expanded (upgraded). You still have to buy a ticket for the rest of the vacation and the time share ticket only lops two or three dollars a day off of your ticket budget.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/dispass.htm

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Most timeshares will state a 90 minute requirement to get whatever they are offering

However... When you get there you will be invited to go into a lounge for snacks, coffee, etc.

When you are finally taken to the salesperson is when the clock starts. You will be invited, after a movie or something, to tour the property. Ths will be in a golf cart. You will be far from the sales office when the 90 minutes is up.

Once you get back you will stil have more to go through, possibly a "manager" coming in to offer a better deal than the original salesperson.

Actual total time from arrival to departure will be closer to 2.5 hours rather than 90 minutes. Add in travel time both ways and how much time will you be spending?

Calculate your vacation time and hourly cost.

Take the total number of hours from the time you leave home until the time you return. Then subtract out the time sleeping or otherwise spent in your room. This gives you actual vacation time in hours.

Then take the total cost of your trip, transportation, tickets, lodging, meals, etc. Divide this by the number of hours. This gives you a cost per hour for your actual vacation time.

Now look at what you are getting, and consider how much it is really costing you.

BTW, almost any Disney ticket you get from a timeshare promotion (especially if you get a voucher) is NOT upgradeable; I know this as I am involved in selling tickets at WDW.

 

[nelson84]

I have gone through 3 timeshare tours. They give you a free lunch, and try to make friends with you. They don't care how much you make, they just want a down payment out of you. People say I look kind of mean so the salesman won't talk to me, so they focus on the wife. I let them give a speal on what a great deal it is to the wife and then they tell you the price. Then all I say is I saw it cheaper on ebay, and that really shuts them down, tell them you saw it listed with remax on ebay. I guarantee they will let you go and give you the tickets or the $100.

If its a rainy day what else are you going to do. I have recieved free tickets to universal and $100 and disney tickets. I take these tours for the free stuff and next time I am getting a 3 night 4 day carnival cruise for cheap if I go on another tour. Stand strong they make you feel like your owe them something, Take note of the cars they drive(BMW,Cadillac,Mercedez) and watch out for their manager he will be a real grease ball.

Its not stealing taking from the condo people, its more of a pirate thing

 

[Blondiex46]

I have done it and will do it again probably this time. Not alot of money and it works for me. I love taking tours.

 

[Mickey527]

I go usually with each trip. When they offer me free tickets I tell them I have and AP. then they offer me $100 and I stop, look interested, but tell them no, not this trip. That always makes them think I am interested so they up the offer. Last trip I was with my sister and since she lives in FL and I am in CT we do the tours but seperately. We did two, one for $150 and one for $200 each. I was able to spend some extra money on me.
We did the same last Dec. but I had to use the $200 for my speeding ticket I got coming from my sister's house to WDW. $208 but I fought it. With court fees etc I wound up paying $465. NEVER FIGHT A FL TICKET!
When you go in tell them that you are not interested in the food or whatever they are offering, that you just want to start the tour. The time it takes you to eat is not counted in as time but the salesman will talk with you and try and become your "friend". I always tell them I am not interested in buying, I have a DVC time share but wanted to check out their place just to compare.
Make sure to look at your watch when you meet the salesman and say it is 10 am. Tell them you have an appt. or reservation or whatever and you can only spend the 90 minutes with them then you have to go. If you get there at 10 tell them you have an appt at 12. Give them the 90 minutes then tell them you have to leave. From my experience they will get the big guns out (the managers) who will ask you how you can pass up such a wonderful offer. They will sometimes belittle you, be strong, just tell them you have to leave and give you the money.
It will take some time for the paperwork to get filled out by the manager and then you have to bring it down to the cashier to get your cash. Be persistant and if they keep stalling tell them you have to be out by noon or you will talk to the BBB. That usually gets them moving.
It is sometimes a hassle but it is worth the cash if you have some extra time.

 

[sbpuckett]

Funny... I actually came here tonight to post about timeshares but will respond here first. I think it all comes down to how much time you have and such. Our first timeshare experience was pre-kids and we ended up visiting the Bahamas (3 days) nice little day cruise back and forth and 2 days in Florida for around $600 total. We did a tour of the Bahama resort (and saw most of the island this way for free) and did a less exciting short tour of a high-rise in Daytona. We said no to both (although we decided then that we would eventually purchase a timeshare) and went on our merry ways. The discounted vacation and a free excursion was our payment for the Bahamas tour and we got 2 free nights in Daytona and free dinner passes (TGIF I think) for touring in Daytona. This was all preplanned and agreed on before we went, so already part of the vacation. The next time we did a timeshare thing was on the Outer Banks. That was a dud..... I don't even remember what we got out of it. The third time was in Williamsburg and we were promised free Busch Gardens passes or I wouldn't have even done it since we lived so close. We weren't interested of course and didn't get the Busch tickets because we had to change our date and that promotion ran out before we went. The last one we did was on a weekend trip to Gatlinburg. We were getting ready to drop $60 on tickets to the Aquarium and someone stopped us. Do the tour and get the passes free. We were on a budget of course, so it sounded good to us. We ended up falling in love with the resort (indoor water park and so much more) and they actually made it affordable... so we own timeshare in Gatlinburg. It's only 3 hours from us... at least until we decided to move... now it will be the same distance to Gatlinburg as it is to Disney and Orlando. That's a no brainer for us!! So that's my input. I"m sure we will continue to do timeshare tours for the freebies. BTW - even though we owned timeshare, we used our "getaways" for our Disney vacation last fall. They asked us to do a tour and give them some feedback and they gave us $75 Disney dollars in return