Westgate TS presentation - is it really THAT BAD

[1leigha]

Going in Oct, stumbled across the Westgate 4 day / 3 night "deal" with the Touch of Magic Tickets - for sitting through the sales pitch. We only have 3 days - stopping off in Orlando on the way to Tampa for a wedding - so I am fine with the non-upgradeble tickets, I am fine with the non-park hopper tickets (we never park hop, even when we have paid for it) and I am fine with the 3rd park day being a waterpark - I see it as a bonus since we were only planning on 2 days. We would save around $400 with this "offer" vs what I was looking at to stay on site (I am also fine staying offsite, we have done it both ways and don't have a preference). I am an attorney and perfectly comfortable with bullying someone that is trying to bully me - I have done timeshare presentations (w/o buying) before - so my question is, is this one really that bad and that much worse than others?

 

[JimMIA]

Yes, counselor...but they may not be ready for you!

They have a terrible reputation...even worse than Wyndham, which has a "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Not too many months ago, there was a posting here complaining that they refused to provide transportation back to the "pigeon's" DTD hotel. The poor pigeon had to cab their whole family back.

Don't play the lawyer card too early. Let them dig themselves a deep hole...and then slap them around for all of us.

Enjoy!

 

[1leigha]

The reviews I have been reading of the presentation are the absolute worst I have ever read - while the reviews of the properties are fine - I am not all that concerned with room decor and stuff we are parks from open to close type people, so only really use the room to eat breakfast, sleep & shower. So, if I am comfortable with bullying the bullyer back, then I should be fine... I won't let my husband do any of the talking

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We got a two bedroom, two bathroom villa (which was very nice) for $69 per night AND a family "VIP card" allowing us to use the amenities for the week in August 2012 in exchange for agreeing to take the timeshare presentation.

Yes, its as bad as they say. Yes, its high pressure. Yes, it takes more than 3 hours to get out of the "90 minute" presentation. Yes, they start the tour in one spot and leave you high and dry in another once the tour is over and you choose not to buy. And yes, those sales people get weasely-er and sleazier the higher up you are "escalated" (which will happen 2, 3, even 4 times ).

We loved the resort, and had a great stay. We hated the sales presentation *but* we got an incredible rate for our villa by attending. Would we do it again? Well, apparently Westgate won't welcome us back unless we pay full rack rates for the room (yes, they made that VERY clear when we said NO for the FINAL time ) but for that getaway, it was "worth it" in the end.

Don't play the lawyer card too early. Let them dig themselves a deep hole...and then slap them around for all of us.

JimMIA, I like the way you think .

 

[1leigha]

If they are going to dump me in one place and not give me a ride back when I don't buy, can my husband follow the golf cart in our car? or if I have to walk back to my car, how far are we talking? I will probably have to confront the golf car driver about the dump off from the start

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

If they are going to dump me in one place and not give me a ride back when I don't buy, can my husband follow the golf cart in our car? or if I have to walk back to my car, how far are we talking? I will probably have to confront the golf car driver about the dump off from the start

I can only speak for our experience at Westgate Lakes, but here you go....

The morning started at the Smokehouse Grill on the one far end of the property. This is where you have breakfast and get started on the presentation (after breakfast is OVER, of course....that's when the "90 minutes" start). The Smokehouse Grill was far enough away from our building that we needed to drive there.

After breakfast, the sales guy loaded us in a golf cart and drove us all over the resort. He took us through a ground floor model unit, then all around the property to see the various amenities. You could not have followed behind him in car without losing the cart as he did not stick to main roads/parking lots only.

We eventually ended up at the check-in building (after touring the spa and fitness center which is housed in the same location). This is at the far opposite end of the resort from the Smokehouse Grill. At this point, the papers came out and the hard sells started, eventually escalating us up and up and up (as the price went down and down and down). The last two salespeople got downright angry. After finally cutting us loose, we asked for assistance to get back to our car and we were told to go downstairs to the lobby. At the lobby, we were told "sorry, they should have arranged something for you upstairs". After asking several staff members with zero assistance received, we embarked on the LONG walk in the August heat. DH was seething......absolutely furious. The smoke rolling out his ears must have sent up a signal (okay, not really, but still ) because a few minutes later, some kind gardener stopped to ask us if he could give us a ride to wherever we were headed, and he took us to the Smokehouse Grill parking lot. Bless him .

I would love to hear what they would say if you asked them about the ride back to your car after the tour. Sure wish we had known beforehand so we could have avoided that whole mess!

 

[1leigha]

Very useful information, thanks. I am going to ask upfront, before I get in the cart about getting back a ride back when I don't buy. I am kinda looking forward to this confrontation now, LOL, it is the attorney in me... I am saving $400 and getting an extra day if we go with this, so I have no problem giving them in return their rightful due - but after the 90-120 mins I will get just as nasty or nastier than what the throw at me. I have no problem doing that and doing it loudly if I have to to get out of there. I will be polite and respectful with my no's during the alloted timeframe

 

[AJKMOM]

If you do go through with this, you need to update the DIS'ers about what happens. For years, I have been reading about how bad Westgate is as far as time share sales. They have been called every name in the book.

Keep in touch!

 

[Janet Hill]

Timeshare presentations are a hobby of mine. The quickest way to the exit is to not engage in conversation.

We've been out the door in 30 minutes. Salespeople are easily frustrated when they have no one to play verbal games with.

We've actually been all done and signed out before the gifting people started for the day. We just sat and waited got our gift and left.

 

[aleksandr]

Well, apparently Westgate won't welcome us back unless we pay full rack rates for the room (yes, they made that VERY clear when we said NO for the FINAL time ) but for that getaway, it was "worth it" in the end.

Luckily Westgate's rack rates, at least when booked in advance during non-peak seasons (April, non-Easter) are low enough that it is easier just to pay the rate than do the presentation.

I did the Presentation a decade or so ago at one of the other Westgate properties. Didn't fall for buying the actual timeshare, but did fall for pre-buying the next year's trip or something. Worst mistake ever.

 

[canadiandisneyfamof4]

While I am also very comfortable responding back to those who are using bullying tactics I would stay away for the following reasons.

- I read a bunch of reviews on trip advisor and noted the following:
The sales pitch can end up being 3-6 hours, my time on vacation is precious and even for $400 in savings I'm not sure if be prepared to give up a day of vacation to get it.
I've read that you have to pay $20pp to secure your spot and if you don't buy you don't get the refunded, this already cuts into your savings
I've also read that people have not received their gifts after not buying so potentially you sit through the presentation and end up not getting the tickets
Sounds like they are quite content to lie and misdirect so I'm not sure that confronting them about the drop off/pick up would keep you from getting stranded

I am a big vacation budgeter, but even to save $400 I would not give up a day of my vacation to spend it in a time share presentation - and the reviews of the actual hotel isn't great either.

 

[Judyat]

We sat through a presentation afew years ago. Had to say no several times but it was worth it. We paid less than $200 for a 2 bedroom for one week. Also received several perks while there ( mini golf etc. package) and a $25 gift certificate at the restaurant next door. We did the presentation in the morning and it took maybe 2 hours. Had the presentation and lunch. They kept coming down in price. We kept saying no and that was it. You just have to say no afew times and that's it. Not bad and we did have a nice stay there.

 

[1leigha]

We sat through a presentation afew years ago. Had to say no several times but it was worth it. We paid less than $200 for a 2 bedroom for one week. Also received several perks while there ( mini golf etc. package) and a $25 gift certificate at the restaurant next door. We did the presentation in the morning and it took maybe 2 hours. Had the presentation and lunch. They kept coming down in price. We kept saying no and that was it. You just have to say no afew times and that's it. Not bad and we did have a nice stay there.

Thank you Judyat

 

[disnee4mee]

Thank you Judyat

Don't know if you went or not or how your experience was. They require husband and wife to both be present. They are nasty, and I have been through MANY t/s presentations. This is the WORST. We were there over 4 hours and then had to fight for our tickets.
I would never go again, not that they want me to.
When I argued over their failure to give me the promised tickets they threatened to call the police. I wasn't nasty, just persistent. I didn't take "no" for an answer. I'm not a lawyer but a claim rep so I'm used to presenting my "case" too.
Didn't matter: they didn't want to hear it. I eventually bought discounted tickets w/ my credit card and then disputed the charge: which the credit card company allowed. So I won, but not without a lot of effort.

Good luck to anyone that goes.

 

[Lorajo]

I would not ever do it again.

Its just not worth it!!

 

[shalom]

I hang out on TS boards (although not so much since I've started hanging out on the Dis ), and Westgate is notoriously awful even with people who make a habit of hitting TS presentations. Westgate wins the "worst TS presentation" award so often that some people starting "Share your worst" threads will add "no Westgate" just to up the variety.

 

[NinaBella]

You can refuse the presentation. DH has refused many times. We stay there with the military discount rate. Just tell them you are not a married couple, that your wife/husband is back home in XX state. They have to have both parties present.

 

[kathy884]

I wouldn't do it. // $400 savings for 2-4 hour of your time (figure transportation to and from into the equation -- maybe walking time back to your car). I realize the savings is after tax, not before, but still maybe put an hourly rate on your salaries after taxes and do a comparison? I just can't see this being worth your time.// It wouldn't be worth it to me to waste precious vacation time on something like this. Plus I don't find high pressure sales presentations enjoyable. I'd actually prefer a root canal. // If you're fired up about seeing how you'd deal with high pressure sales B.S., want to see if you can intimidate the sale people, I guess you could go for it. Most timeshare sales people, though, don't seem particularly knowledgeable about law or particularly logical, so logical discourse or legal knowledge I don't think would really get you that far or give you the satisfaction you might be looking for. Of course, go for it if you want. I'd personally rather spend my time at WDW with friendly cast member and other happy people and feel like a kid on a very short trip to Orlando. These are just my own personal thoughts of course.