What's up with the Timeshare sells going on in the parks?

[AlexandNessa]

I forgot to add this in my trip report, but Mike and I were bugged by the Orlando Vacations people working in the parks.

They weren't there in March on our last trip. Is this something new or just a seasonal thing? We felt like we were in the airport with Hare Krishnas. You'd see them coming at you with either a clipboard or flier and ask, "Where are you guys from?"

We ducked and hided whenever we saw them coming.

The last thing I want to do on vacation at a theme park is listen to a timeshare sell or vacation package deal.

Hope they aren't here to stay, but if they are, do you think Universal would consider just having booths that people could walk up to if they were interested instead of being harrassed on your way into Twister? And Jimmy Neutron? And on your way into Suess Landing? And.....

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by AlexandNessa
I forgot to add this in my trip report, but Mike and I were bugged by the Orlando Vacations people working in the parks.

You'd see them coming at you with either a clipboard or flier and ask, "Where are you guys from?"

Do you think Universal would consider just having booths that people could walk up to if they were interested instead of being harrassed on your way into Twister? And Jimmy Neutron? And on your way into Suess Landing? And.....

Actually the Orlando Vacation people do just stay at their booths and don't carry around clipboards. They also don't walk around the parks. There is only one booth at Universal studios and it is between Jaws and MIB.

The people you were avoiding with clipboards asking where you are from are survey people. They are not selling anything and you will actually be paid for doing the surveys. They ask where you are from to see if they still need anyone from that area of the world for the survey.

If you fit the criteria they take you in another building to compare products. I did a survey comparing Pfisher faucets. I just picked my favorites and told why and got paid $10 Universal bucks to spend anywhere in the park. My husband did one comparing features on washing machines and got paid $20 universal bucks. I've also done one which was a blind taste test on different brands of mashed potatoes and made $5. A month ago I did a survey trying out a fingerscan and handscan for annual passholders that they are thinking of using. I got paid $7 Universal bucks.

The only surveys that you don't get paid for are the surveys when you enter and leave the park. Those surveys are for demographics and park suggestions and improvements.

The surveys for products usually take less than 10 minutes and you always leave with Universal bucks. If you want to make a few bucks and do a survey, the surveyers are usually between Twister and Monster Cafe , Earthquake (across from the bathrooms), and Mummy by the little circular park, Jimmy Neutron, and Shrek (by the movie cars).

So the people you were avoiding, many of us like as we get out of the heat, sometimes eat something and get paid for it.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Then why did we get flyers & brochures about Orlando hotels/vacation properties and get a sell, I wonder? I promise they didn't want anything to do testing products. After 2x, we just started avoiding everyone who asked where we were from.

 

[phamton]

Are you sure, you didn't get the flyers and brouchers by MIB/Jaws area? They have a booth there and will stand in front of the booth there and hand out brouchures. I am at Universal/IoA several times a week and have never, ever seen them anywhere in the park except by MIB/Jaws area. Maybe you got some brochures handed to you there and then assumed the other surveyors were also from a time share. I know several of us who post here like me and Slacking have done numerous surveys and been paid. I've never been solicited for timeshare except by MIB.

The survey guys wear white shirts with reddish/pinkish pin stripes on them. They are the ones who pay you for your participation. Their standard places to stand are near earthquake, the cars behind shrek, by Twister and across from that little walkway park near mummy.

ETA: I'll check tomorrow and see if there are any timeshare people in the park except by MIB. I don't hit IoA except maybe once a week and so I can't say for sure about IoA. They seldom do surveys for $ at IoA though. Most of the surveys are done at Universal.

 

[T-10X]

There are 2 hotel desk in USF, 1 is by Jaws and MIB the other is right next to the T-Rex by The Yard. They have nothing to do with Universal and is a outside company that pays Universal alot of $$$ to advratise inside the parks.

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by T-10X
There are 2 hotel desk in USF, 1 is by Jaws and MIB the other is right next to the T-Rex by The Yard. They have nothing to do with Universal and is a outside company that pays Universal alot of $$$ to advratise inside the parks.

Matt, do they solicite with clipboards around the park or just stay at their booths? I've never been solicited by them unless I was by their booths. Now the survey guys with the Universal bucks are everywhere but I love them.

 

[T-10X]

Yes they stay in their area, they do sometimes have clip boards but that just depends on the person.

 

[ickyviz]

AlexandNessa,

You're not imagining it - we also got accosted several times at the beginning of October, between Jimmy Neutrons and Twister, they were generally not to pushy, but on our last day there (12/10) the girl would not take no for an answer - we told her we were flying home the next day, and she said that it was ok, cos the time share presentation was before the parks opened - Like we were really going to get up that early for a time share presentation!

It's a shame we didn't see any other the other survey people though, I love taking part in Market Research - although they probably wouldn't have wanted our British opinions!

 

[phamton]

I'll check to see if they are still soliciting near jimmy Neutron/ twister and make sure that some of the higher ups at Universal know it is aggravating guests.

T10-X (the poster above) works right there at Twister so I would think he would have seen or heard about it. Like I say, I've only seen them near MIB and so they have always been easy to avoid. They were always in their booths like the Disney vacation club booths around WDW. I'll look into it though and make some complaints.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Thanks. This happened to us a few times between Jimmy Neutron and Twister, and I know one time we were somewhere between Jurassic Park and Suess Landing.

I know for sure that they weren't survey people because one girl seemed pleasant enough and asked where we were from. Then she asked how long we were here for. And where we usually stay while we're here. Then she handed us info on vacation time shares, and it took us a moment to register what was happening. Didn't she know we had to eat a quick dinner before Stay & Scream?

A few other people approached us in that area as well, but we avoided it from then on. I really didn't see anyone near MIB/Jaws.

I could have sworn we were working our way from Dueling Dragons back toward Suess Landing when another lady started walking with us. She said that she didn't have to ask where we were from because she saw our APs (they were hanging around our necks). She assumed we were locals. We each got an orange flier from her offering us incentives to sit through a time share presentation - I think I remember one incentive being express passes. Wished I'd saved the flier now. She abandoned us after 25 feet or so.

 

[Darwineffect]

They are from an outside resort not Universal, I believe it is the Wyndam (sp?) resort, if I remember correctly. The people who work for Universal don't really bother you, and the surveys are not that bad because they usually give you something but the timeshare people that have been showing up over the last year or so are very annoying. I tend to get hit by them in the Lost Continent area by the games.

 

[Figment22]

Originally posted by phamton
A month ago I did a survey trying out a fingerscan and handscan for annual passholders that they are thinking of using. I got paid $7 Universal bucks.

Ugh! I hope they don't go this route. I hated when Disney put in those finger scan things. And my kids love having photo ID's.

I'd do some more surveys in a flash. I did one survey about 2 years ago and haven't been approached since. I got $10.00 for about 20 mins. of my time. (Real money too--not Universal bucks!) It was in the heat of the afternoon when everything was crowded already so I was only too happy to get in out of the heat into an air conditioned office!

 

[phamton]

I hate the 2 fingerscan at Disney and I told them why. They also had one that you just lay your whole hand on and I liked that one.

 

[pathubia]

I did a survey in October for salsa, they grabbed me near Twister, I only got $2 universal bucks....and I forgot to spend them....Now I have to go back in January to spend them....

Patty

 

[Mad4Dizne]

I vowed Never Again!!!

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by Mad4Dizne
I vowed Never Again!!!

Y'all have got to hit the big paying surveys!

 

[Metallicat]

First they started parking new automobiles around the park. next came the credit card people (get your "free" backpack people! and now they have timeshare booths around the parks?? OMG, what will be next? (and no thank you, I don't like yogurt)

I have been getting recorded phone calls and e-mails telling my AP is about to expire even though I just renewed it last month. I REALLY wish USF would get their act together. back the way it was in the late 90's!

 

[T-10X]

If you just renewed your AP would know that they took the cars out 4 months ago, and the credit card people are no longer inside the parks.

 

[Motherfletcher]

We got $3 for a corndog survey. The temps they hired were nervous and didn't know what they were doing and wasted way too much of our time. The bright spot was the fun that my son and I were having making fun of the whole thing. I about died laughing when he acted like he was going to hurl after trying the 5th different corndog. I thought they were going to have to separate us like in school. We could have fun at an all night dentist!

 

[Metallicat]

Originally posted by T-10X
If you just renewed your AP would know that they took the cars out 4 months ago, and the credit card people are no longer inside the parks.

I was there 2 weeks ago and I know for a fact they were there. (credit card people pushing the Universal CHASE card) they were in the moving walkway area (close to the dome) coming from the parking garage. that is still Universal property isn't it?? I know because 2 or 3 of them aproached me with their el-cheapo "free" backpacks. you have to dodge your way around them because they are in everybodys way. also, some of us re-new our AP's by phone, don'tcha know?
I didn't notice the cars being gone, but if they are, GOOD!