Who had gotten to Disney by Timeshare Promotions

[djm99]

Is it just me or what? Although i "hate" the 90 min presentation i actually look for timeshare promotions to stay at some really nice rooms for a little of nothing and often free disney tickets. On the 91st minute we get up and leave - contracts specifically say 90 minutes. Not a minute more.

This year (and last) we are staying at the Westgate Resorts (the Lakes) by International Drive. A 2 bedroom 2 bath suite with hot tub - in Master bath, full kitchen, big screen tv, leather sectional sleeper sofa, washer dryer, circus on campus, day care on campus, 5 pools, spa, and soooooo much more right there. 8 days and 7 nights all of this for only ($560). We are spliting this with another couple with one daughter (like us) so we are paying only $280 each.

Talk about cheap!!!!!

 

[AJKMOM]

I don't think many people have good things to say about Westgate properties. You can do a search and see. But, I don't think they are nice, at least not as nice as some of the others you may have checked out.

 

[Robinrs]

No one, I think LIKES the 90 min presentation, but it is a way to get a cheap stay in Orlando if you can handle it.

I stayed at the Lakes back in 2001, two nights in a studio for $65 total. The presentation. was VERY painless much to the opposition of most of the reviews on this board. Since you did it last year I'm sure you know the deal already.

 

[djm99]

I know they are aggressive - we stayed there last year. A friend of ours had just left and told me there 90min presentation turned into 4 1/2 hours (they didn't want to be rude - but we were not so nice). They advised us to make our appointment at 7 am and let them know before they begin you have plans for the day and at 9 am you WILL be leaving. Your contract specifically says 90 min. You are NOT under circumstances required to stay a minute more and you can just get up and leave. That is exactly what we did. That is exactly what we will do again- in August 2003. By the time we finished our breakfast (he talked so it took about 45 minutes) and they took us on that tour (every bit of 30 minutes) he had less than 10 minute to try to convince us to buy this timeshare. We said NO, so he started going to get someone to "convince us" and "drop the price" and we politely again told him we were not interested and we had people waited on us to leave for disney. On the 91st minute we walked away and didn't look back.

With all of that we still enjoyed ourselves more in Westgate Lakes vs any hotel any day. The space, the room. I'll waste 90 minutes and a free breakfast again.

 

[Badger Brent]

We will be doing this at Westgate also and we intend to stick to the 90 min. presentation. Since the b-fast is good for the family, we will have our kids wait with our 25 yr old niece near our presentation point. With them waiting in the wings, off we go for our last day at WDW!! I guess we just have to fulfill the 90 min. presentation.

 

[kilee]

If had the guts to be firm and walk out I'd do it in a heart beat. I know myself though and I'd be there the 4 1/2 hours. I have passed by this resort and it looks amazing.

 

[FLeisure]

I'm desperately trying to understand why someone would get up and be at a presentation at 7.00am in the morning and then go through an upto 4.5 hrs presentation whilst they are on vacation.

Please folks, please enlighten me. Maybe I'm from Planet Zog but I just don't understand it. Is it really just to save a few bucks on accommodation or attraction park tickets ?

 

[nezy]

I have experienced a couple of timshare tours for the less expensive vacation option. It definately has gotten down to the land of the Mouse. I do not stay longer than I ahve to, unless I am interested in the info. I have never purchased through any of these.

I do strongly suggest that if you are interested you should stay with a reputable place-like Marriott or Sheraton. I do not trust the offers that do not have you staying on the property. The places that they put you in can range from very nice to very horrible, depending on when you go, when you book and who the timeshare company is.


Often times these tours offer free passes to parks you would not otherwise attend. for example, we woul not pay for both WDW and Universal, so a tour would give us free tix to one or the other.

 

[KathleenFL]

I know many people wouldn't go to a timeshare presentation for anything, but I've gone to 3 so far this year, & received 4 1 day-1 park WDW tickets, plus $100 Disney dollars......I'm planning to go to go to 3 more presentations when I'm in Orlando in Sept....

I have an annual pass, & usually stay on Disney property, but I'm getting the tickets for my daughter & son-in-law, & extra $ for our November trip..........I figure that the 6 tours @ 90 mins. will be worth about $600, which works out to $66/hr.

For me, it's worth it, because I go to Disney World about 6-7 times a year.....2 hours out of my vacation, including travel, is not a big thing..........

Re. Westgate..........I stayed at one of their resorts a few years ago (the one on Turkey Lake Rd.), on a promo--------The studio they put me in looked worn, & not very clean----I couldn't believe
that they would think I would buy a timeshare there, & told the salesman so........He still tried.........

 

[nezy]

Kathleen-I never figured it out dollar for dollar, but I am sure it has benefitted us as well.

You would think that if someone is asking you to invest several thousands of dollars and many yrs. of future vacation time, they would want to put there best foot forward. I ahve stayed at a place and the salesperson actually said, well when you own you don't stay in THESE rooms, but the other rooms you saw on the tour. (which were 10x better)

 

[KathleenFL]

...And to think that there are people who actually buy after hearing that.............

Maybe next year I'll do timeshares for $ only, & use it as a down payment for DVC.............lol...........

 

[nezy]

Actually, everytime we leave a rtimeshare tour, I leave w/ a smile because WE ALREADY OWN DVC!! It just reassures me that we made the right decision.

 

[jessiesue]

djm99

You can try skyaucion.com to book your 2bd 2bath for 7 nights at $280 or less. You will not have to share a unit for that price and you will not have to attend a presentation. I have used skyauction.com 5 times and have not had a problem. On one of my week stays, I chose to attend a timeshare just to see what it was like. They paid me $124 and I had paid $230 for my week stay. So I actually paid $106 for my week. That is hard to beat.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

How did you manage that? Don't you have to get them to sign off so you can get your free tickets or whatever? If it was a deal where you stayed there, wouldn't they charge you extra if they didn't sign off on something, and if they did charge extra then you would be arguing and wasting time at the end of your trip while worrying if you'd miss your plane. Btw, I have never seen a good "deal" for staying at one of those places -- they are always over $100 a night. We can do much better than that!

Originally posted by djm99
I know they are aggressive - we stayed there last year. A friend of ours had just left and told me there 90min presentation turned into 4 1/2 hours (they didn't want to be rude - but we were not so nice). They advised us to make our appointment at 7 am and let them know before they begin you have plans for the day and at 9 am you WILL be leaving. Your contract specifically says 90 min. You are NOT under circumstances required to stay a minute more and you can just get up and leave. That is exactly what we did. That is exactly what we will do again- in August 2003. By the time we finished our breakfast (he talked so it took about 45 minutes) and they took us on that tour (every bit of 30 minutes) he had less than 10 minute to try to convince us to buy this timeshare. We said NO, so he started going to get someone to "convince us" and "drop the price" and we politely again told him we were not interested and we had people waited on us to leave for disney. On the 91st minute we walked away and didn't look back.

With all of that we still enjoyed ourselves more in Westgate Lakes vs any hotel any day. The space, the room. I'll waste 90 minutes and a free breakfast again.

 

[djm99]

They have to sign off or whatever after 90 minutes. It doesn't matter. Now, you can't leave a minute earlier, but 90 minutes IS ALL THEY GET PERIOD. Now if they just say presentation (and no time frame was set), then maybe. But again, at our 91st minute we told the guy we were not interested and it was now 90 minutes, we have others waiting on us and Good bye. Also, my room for a 2 bd 2 bth for 8 days and 7 nights is $80 a night (hot tubs, washer/dryer, big screen tvs, full kitchen, etc. Take a look at www.westgatevacations.com. It's cheaper if you stay in there new hotel only - Westgate Palace ($495 plus 2 disney tickets) for 8 days 7 nights.

 

[Badger Brent]

when does the official time start? Is it when you start your breakfast or when you meet your presentation person. Trust me, I want to start timing this asap.

 

[djm99]

I usually start timing once the presenter first starts talking (usually after you get your breakfast) If they talk first, then tell you to get your breakfast, start timing right then. The key is to be 15-20 minutes early. This way whoever they assign you to can shake your hand, ask you to get your breakfast and can begin taking ON TIME (they talk while you eat). I usually plan mine early in the morning (7 - 7:30am). Also, if you have children, bring them, they are the best distraction. If you have impatient children (like me) they are ready to go after you return from the tour. At most they have a half an hour to do there thing. Impatient children can be good for something!!!!!!!

 

[Robinrs]

I stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Resort last week and they offered me the "breakfast" or "lunch" and I'd get $50 up front. I asked if it was a tour and was told it wasn't... yeah right...

Well, I went, sat down, ate a sandwich, some chips and a drink, sent my son to the playroom, sat with the guy for 15 mins and he sent me PACKING!! He told me straight out, "you're not buying NOTHING are you?" I nodded and it was the quickest $50 I've ever made! The guy told me he is told to take 15 "no's" for one "yes." That day he had two no's and two yes's. Not bad for a day's work.

Pixie_dust: Some of these presentations give you a flat price for a certain amount of days. Break down the nights and the amenities and decide if it is a good deal.

I was offered 4 nights at the Marriott Grande Vista for $199, the Liki Tiki $279 for five nights and the Summer Bay for $344 for five nights with two Disney tickets! All of these are way less than the regular rentals if you can handle the presentation.

Frankly, they don't phase me at all.

 

[Pauls4girls]

I went to Westgate Resorts.com but was not able to find reservation information...

Can someone help with where to find info...

thanks

paul

 

[djm99]

Go to http://www.floridavacationstore.com/. There you'll find their number or you can chat live with rep. Hope this helps.