Timeshare Sharks Inside Universal = Bad

[LauraWV]

A friend of mine moved to Orlando and got a job selling those timeshares in Universal (by Monster Cafe) before he could find a "real job." He actually never spent any time selling timeshares, because he was busy riding rides all day long, taking calls for prospective job offers, and getting paid that minimum pay they get before commission. We laugh about it every time we're there.

Now, 2 years later, he is a branch manager for a very prominent bank.

 

[Ziva]

We always duck and run past them, it's like a game.

 

[MIB999999]

i must look meaner than a junk yard dog cause they look at me and never approach or say a word

 

[Eclpz314]

Sorry to post a negative thread, but for my October visit, the wife and I were walking thru USF, and in front of T2 we saw some people talking to park guests. We didn't have time to talk, so we walked past them and kept going. Now I read a post in RRC which I'll quote here.

"The Scenario:
My fiance and I are walking pas Dueling Dragons at IOA shortly after the
park opened and are approached by a gentleman who asks us how we are
doing and where we are from. Don't know if my guard was down because of
how early it was or because I thought they were a typical Universal
employee, but I talked to the person for the second.

After a few lines, I discovered that the persons motivation was to sell
me some timeshare property. I politely said that I was not interested
and began to walk away. At this point, the reporesentative followed us
and became more aggressive. It took 2 or 3 more "I am not interested"
statements before the person finally left us alone. By this time, I had
probably walked more than a dozen step away from them.

Over the course of our visit inside the 2 neighboring parks, I was
approached two more times by representatives from the same outfit, plus
another employee conducting a survey (which doesn't really bother me). "

-----------------------------

Please stop them. Park guests already get bombarded with ads from the moment the leave their car.
Atrium - There's either a survey or a MasterCard promotion going on.
Front of each park - Picture sharks
And now this? The problem that I have is these people are IN the park. This takes away from being in a fantasy world. If I want a timeshare like DVC, then I'll go find it.

That's really a shame if they're allowed to chase you down like that. The only ones we ever saw stayed behind a booth type thing near Jurassic. They would call out and we just ignored them.

 

[Eclpz314]

This is starting to get some bad press, and it does make Universal look unseemly is the word I guess I would use. I realize that the timeshare sharks must pay boku bucks to be there, but is it really worth it at the expense of the park guests' experience? For the most part, we are happy AP holders, but honestly, I wish Universal would change its policy. I wish these people would be in clearly marked booths and could only talk to guests who approached them. To allow them to approach unsuspecting guests who are heading from MIB to Jaws is clearly out of line. Not to mention that their homebase between MIB and Jaws is a booth with a sign that says "Refreshments." We have been bothered several times coming out of Dueling Dragons on our way into Suess Landing as well. Enough!

Perhaps we are harassed so often because we're 30-somethings who are never seen traveling with children, and they think we either have money or too much time on our hands and want to sit through presentations.

I am getting more annoyed reading about other people's experiences and thinking about all the times our vacation serenity has been ruined because of these sharks. I can only hope that the next time this happens to anyone, a complaint is made to guest services, that time and every time thereafter. Perhaps with a plethora of complaints, Universal will actually realize the negative image these people are contributing to their otherwise good name and will reconsider selling out to Westgate.

We actually would cross to the other side of the walk near the booth set up at the back of the park...putting other "victims" between them and us.

 

[ChrisFL]

That's really a shame if they're allowed to chase you down like that. The only ones we ever saw stayed behind a booth type thing near Jurassic. They would call out and we just ignored them.

Yeah, and guess what we'll see in the next HHN, zombie Timeshare salespeople

 

[robvia]

That would be scarey, but would work with the long lines for the houses.

 

[AlexandNessa]

We actually would cross to the other side of the walk near the booth set up at the back of the park...putting other "victims" between them and us.

We do that sometimes as well .... but isn't it sad that we have to do that at all?!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . disney has their timeshare people up and running as well. They dont come out to get you, but if you are fool enough to get too close you better gnaw your arm off and leave it . . .

1) That is how they make their money.
2) Besides aa hourly rate, they get about $10 per to sens a family to a presentation.
3) This can go higher if they send bunches of people.
4) Of course, they can lose their job if they don't send enough people.

 

[Motherfletcher]

I got them yesterday with, "Sorry. I don't speak Timeshare!"
Why don't they just get a respectable job like telemarketing or something?

 

[Eclpz314]

We do that sometimes as well .... but isn't it sad that we have to do that at all?!

The only time I appreciated the time share thing was a long time ago when dh wanted the stupid freebie they offered. I was 8 mths pregnant w/severe head cold, couldn't take any real meds...........timeshare place had a spa that smelled like eucalyptus........first time my head had been clear in a couple days!!!!!!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

1) That is how they make their money.
2) Besides aa hourly rate, they get about $10 per to sens a family to a presentation.
3) This can go higher if they send bunches of people.
4) Of course, they can lose their job if they don't send enough people.

Ummm, I don't know what timeshare company you are thinking of, but most of them pay anywhere from $50-$100 per tour that they send, not $10. Most do not have an hourly wage, but a "guarantee" which is like 250.00 a week if they book under the minimum tours they are requires to book.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I got them yesterday with, "Sorry. I don't speak Timeshare!"
Why don't they just get a respectable job like telemarketing or something?

Not to condone their practices to get people on the tours, but they make alot of money doing what they do. Alot of them are single parents that are able to work flexible hours and make alot of money in a short amount of time. If one of their tours is a sale, they can get $250-$500 in bonuses. That is very attractive. They can book anywhere from 3-5 tours a day at around a tour. (The lower amount they gift, the more they make in the tour) Say in a week, they get 2 sales where they get a 300.00 bonus. For that week, they made around 1700.00 for just that one week! Who wouldn't be attracted to that?? Yes, during slow times, it is harded to book tours, but the money is still there.
Anyone want to know how to get the best value out of your gift? GO for Disney tickets. The cost is much higher on those than any other gift. Arabian Nights is the lowest.

 

[AlexandNessa]

I got them yesterday with, "Sorry. I don't speak Timeshare!"
Why don't they just get a respectable job like telemarketing or something?

Now THAT was funny!

Seriously, I don't give a rancid monkey's bum how much money they make or whether they're a single parent or have eight dozen ophans to support ... that does not give them the right to take one microsecond of my time while I am on vacation if I am not interested. No means No. They may not stalk me ... I don't care if they're making money to stop parental fighting at Pee Wee football games. They may not invade my private space by shoving papers in it, even if they are earning money to cure osteoporosis or encaphalitis. I shouldn't have to go out of my way to avoid them ... even if they are earning money to stop genocide in Dafur. I have paid my money to enter the park and rid my world of temporary insanity, not to increase it. We already have the Brazilian tour groups for that ... do know you they once tried to cut in front of Mike and me in line with 16 people?!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Now THAT was funny!

Seriously, I don't give a rancid monkey's bum how much money they make or whether they're a single parent or have eight dozen ophans to support ... that does not give them the right to take one microsecond of my time while I am on vacation if I am not interested. No means No. They may not stalk me ... I don't care if they're making money to stop parental fighting at Pee Wee football games. They may not invade my private space by shoving papers in it, even if they are earning money to cure osteoporosis or encaphalitis. I shouldn't have to go out of my way to avoid them ... even if they are earning money to stop genocide in Dafur. I have paid my money to enter the park and rid my world of temporary insanity, not to increase it. We already have the Brazilian tour groups for that ... do know you they once tried to cut in front of Mike and me in line with 16 people?!

Good, then just keep avoiding them so that they don't waste their time or gifts on you.

 

[Nan]

Good, then just keep avoiding them so that they don't waste their time or gifts on you.

I think the point is that we shouldn't have to "avoid" these people. They should stand behind their counter or whatever identifies them and wait for interested folks to make their own way over to them.

Just like I HATE for my personal at-home time to be interrupted by a telemarketer, I will REALLY HATE my Christmas vacation to be intruded upon by an unwelcome timeshare seller. Perhaps Universal should get a version of the "no call" list - those NOT interested in timeshares can wear some sort of armband or maybe those who ARE interested can wear the armband.

I just hate to think about my expensive vacation being marred by having to repeatedly try and get away from these people. Having to be rude to someone makes me feel bad and I don't want to feel bad on my vacation. But being rude or lying seems to be the only way to get rid of the timeshare sellers.

Something needs to be done.

Nan

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Now THAT was funny!

Seriously, I don't give a rancid monkey's bum how much money they make or whether they're a single parent or have eight dozen ophans to support ... that does not give them the right to take one microsecond of my time while I am on vacation if I am not interested. No means No. They may not stalk me ... I don't care if they're making money to stop parental fighting at Pee Wee football games. They may not invade my private space by shoving papers in it, even if they are earning money to cure osteoporosis or encaphalitis. I shouldn't have to go out of my way to avoid them ... even if they are earning money to stop genocide in Dafur. I have paid my money to enter the park and rid my world of temporary insanity, not to increase it. We already have the Brazilian tour groups for that ... !

OK, I was with you up until the osteoporosis cure, if they can do that I'm in for a seminar. (they are still gonna throw in the disney tickets too right?) Nah actually make it a cancer cure, osteoporosis isnt big enough.

Kidding aside, NO has to mean NO and stalking is not acceptable. Why the heck should we have to duck them when we see them coming into our paths. WHY cant they stay in their booths and have us approach them IF we want? Thats the question I want Universal to answer.

 

[Cinderella822]

Just like I HATE for my personal at-home time to be interrupted by a telemarketer, I will REALLY HATE my Christmas vacation to be intruded upon by an unwelcome timeshare seller. Perhaps Universal should get a version of the "no call" list - those NOT interested in timeshares can wear some sort of armband or maybe those who ARE interested can wear the armband.

I was just thinking the same thing. I work from home and I can't tell you the number of times I get interrupted by telemarketers in a day. And I am on the "no call" list too. Luckily, I have caller ID but I still have to take the time to stop what I'm doing and look to see who is calling.

I have no problem with them standing in a booth and waiting to be approached. But if I am paying to go into the park and relax on my vacation, then I don't want to have to fend off people pushing their timeshares on me. I go on vacation to get away from such harrassment!

 

[AlexandNessa]

Good, then just keep avoiding them so that they don't waste their time or gifts on you.

I'm sorry I offended you. Do you or someone you love work for a timeshare company? If so, my apologies.

Nonetheless, my point, like those made after yours, is 1) that we shouldn't have to avoid those people and their pressure tactics at all and 2) they should be in a clearly marked booth and only be allowed to speak to and approach guests who have approached them. Anything else is clearly harrassment.

 

[Amity 3]

this one's going bad quickly.