how to get out of a wyndham timeshare presentation

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation: Tips you Need to Know

• Post author: Scott Fix
• Post published: February 11, 2021
• Post category: Couple Travel / Travel Tips

You are here because you want to know how to survive a timeshare presentation. How do I end the sales pitch? How do I resist timeshare sales tricks and just say “no”? After going through the process ourselves and chatting with a sales insider, we are here to share what we have learned. Read on for all you need to know to escape the formidable high-pressure timeshare pitch.

What’s the Deal with Timeshare Presentations? 

Everybody knows the classic “high-pressure timeshare sales pitch”.  You get offered 3 days and 2 nights at a fabulous resort for free, no obligations – you just have to attend a sales presentation.  They promise the pitch will be pretty short and that there’s no obligation to buy.  Sounds great, right?  But we all know the catch – it’s infamous.  The timeshare presentation is excruciatingly long.  Every time you think you’ve said “no” for the last time, they bring in a new salesperson or take you to a new room to start pitching you all over again.  It’s a high-pressure sales marathon.  To top it all off, if you don’t meet your obligated time at the presentation, you’re on the hook to pay for your accommodations.  So why do people still go to these things?  Well, because a free “3 days and 2 nights” at a resort is just too good of a deal to pass up sometimes! In fact, many travelers are trying to find out “How can I attend a timeshare presentation just for the free vacation?”   Well, we wanted to see what all the hype was about. When we got a call saying we’d “won” a vacation package, we shrugged and signed up.  Worst case scenario, we walk out and have to pay for the hotel stay.  

When we started asking around, so many of our close friends had either fallen for the timeshare pitch themselves, or knew a family member that had. We heard story, after story, of high-pressure pitches, salesmen that were insulting or rude, being led between rooms for hours upon hours, etc.  Hearing stories of people so close to us motivated us to write up everything we learned from our experience. 

The Initial Screening 

Cecilia signed up for a “contest” on Facebook that would enter you into a “drawing” for a free stay of 3 days and 2 nights at a resort and a $150 gift card.  We got a phone call saying we’d “won” while we were driving.  

We were asked some basic “info” questions (i.e., name, phone, address), followed by some “survey” questions.  The survey questions were things like:

When was the last vacation you took?

How much did you spend on accommodations?

How often do you travel?   

They also asked us if we only needed a reservation for 2, or if we’d like to bring anyone else up to 4 total.  Of course, we opted to take the 4-person reservation because the more the merrier, right?  

After all the identity information, survey questions, accommodation arrangements, and a spiel about our vacation/gift-card winnings, then came the hook – we’ll have to attend a timeshare presentation.  We were assured that we were only obligated for 90 minutes to 2 hours of the presentation; and with that, my wife and I looked at each other with a “do we believe that?” stare.  

But sure – in for a penny, in for a pound.  

Two things caught both of us off-guard towards the end of the phone call: 

One, we had to book the dates for our stay immediately.  We had to pull over from driving to frantically look at our calendars and figure out a weekend that worked in both of our schedules. The caller would just suggest a block of days from their availability, and we had to tell him if the range worked out for us.  

Two, we had to pay a $99 “refundable deposit” using a credit card.  When he asked for our credit card information, a giant alarm started going off in my head, yelling at me “this sounds like a scam!!”  I almost put the phone on hold to have a conversation with my wife about backing out of the whole thing.  I took a deep breath and reminded myself that our credit cards have fraud protection on them; and we’d just have to keep a closer eye on our credit card statements for awhile.  

Although we haven’t completely confirmed this, our strong-suspicions are that the initial phone call is really a screening. They want to see how susceptible you’re going to be to the timeshare sales pitch. It felt like a test to see if we were people that would make a fast decision, without much information, and commit money instantly for a “too good to be true” deal.  

Well, whatever we did “worked,” because as we later learned, they put us in the “prime candidate” group for the presentation.  More on that later.  

Arriving at Our Destination 

Because of the Covid-19 policy, only one person from our party was allowed into the lobby to check in to our room; our timeshare presentation was scheduled for the second day of our stay at 8 am. Only the person who checked-in signed any paperwork at all; and the other 3 members of our party didn’t sign anything or give any names. 

8am, bright and early, we drove over to the location for the timeshare talk and waited in a small line for a teller.  The person in front of us was having an unfriendly banter with the teller.  The only thing I picked up from my eavesdropping was that all the members of his party weren’t there so he wasn’t able to get signed in. We got called next and checking in only took a few seconds.  She asked if all members of our party were there, we said yes, and she said to wait in a corner for our “agent” to come and get us.

After a few minutes, our salesperson came out of a room, introduced himself, and walked us outside.  He said because of covid restrictions, he wouldn’t give us a tour of the entire facilities and grounds. Instead, we would drive separately over to a condo where he would give us a talk.  

We loaded up into our vehicle and were on our way without ever signing any official paperwork.  Also, we had been told over the phone, and on our “terms and conditions”, that we needed IDs and a credit card, but we didn’t need anything. I’m not sure if that is normal, or just because we showed up during covid restrictions.  

The TimeShare Pitch

We followed our salesperson’s car to a condo. On the ground floor, they had free continental breakfast and drinks set out on a table behind a rope, and someone with gloves handed us whatever we asked for.  We took an elevator up a few floors and our salesperson took the stairs to meet us at the top, then he showed us to a room and left so we could eat our breakfasts without our masks. We thought the room was stuffy, because we were all in our winter jackets, so we opened all the windows.  It was ~30 degrees outside.  When he came back, he sat in a chair across from our sofa.  I imagine he thought we were trying to freeze him out, but we were just hot.  

For the first 20 minutes, there was some minor small talk about nothing. It might have been to put us at ease?  Either way, we were pretty guarded with personal info.  He probably expected us to talk more about ourselves, and we were expecting him to ask us more direct, pointed questions.  

When he started to transition, I asked for an outline of what to expect for the meeting. How was our time going to be broken down?  What is our obligation?  How many people will we talk to?  Are we going on a tour? What is our time frame?  

He said we were there for a timeshare presentation – “yes, it’s a sales pitch.”  We had to be there for “an hour and a half, or 2 hours – whatever they told you.” Then when it was over, he’d take us back to the main building where we’d get our $150 gift certificate and a voucher that waived the cost of our stay.  

And then our “presentation” began.

He flew through a lot of “numbers” and acronyms. He talked so fast, to the point where none of us absorbed anything. To this day, I have no idea what he was even saying. Either way, as fast as he spat out numbers, the topic would always change.  I’m not sure if it was him, or us, or both; but we talked about movies, Pokemon, shoes, horses … just about everything except timeshares. 

After 40 minutes of struggling to sell us, he took us to a luxury apartment in the same complex. I think the intention was to give us a tour and really sell us, but other families walked in on us. Because of covid, only one group was allowed in at a time, so we left and let them see the rooms; but then we just kind of wandered off, back towards the door of the building.  I feel kind of bad for the salesperson, because trying to keep track of the four of us was like trying to wrangle cats.  He’d try to show us to a room, or tell us to wait for another family to get done, and we’d just wander back towards the exit.  He’d run to cut us off, and we’d just all meander around him, chatting about something else.  

We weren’t intending to be rude or purposefully being space-cadets or anything. There was just random downtime, so we’d do what any group of friends would do – we’d chat amongst ourselves. We also were never given any real clear instructions on what to do, so we’d just assume we were done and start walking back.  It wasn’t until we looked back on our experience that we realized we were probably sabotaging his sales pitch without meaning to.  

We went back to the “pitch room” and by now it’s about 1 hour and 10 minutes in.  Cecilia leaves the room to go to the restroom. (She was 3 months pregnant at the time, so bathroom breaks happened ALOT.) The salesperson looks at the 3 of us and says, “Okay, just be honest with me here. Why in the world are you guys at a timeshare talk?” There’s a pause while we all just stare at him, wondering what we should say and he fills the void with, “if you’re all so scared of covid that you’re even opening the window when it’s 30 degrees outside to get fresh air, why did you come here in the first place?”  I reply,

“… well, you want honesty?  My wife clicked a link on a Facebook contest that said we could win 3 days and 2 nights at a resort.  They called us while we were driving to say we’d won.  My wife was excited, and I wanted her to be happy, so I said sure, I’d go along with it.  The guy on the phone asked if we had 2 friends that would want to go, too, and we said we weren’t sure; so he said he’d put us down for 4, just in case. We asked our friends, they said they wanted to come, and here we all are.”  

He nodded along; looked at the 3 of us; pulled out his phone; and started playing Pokemon Go.  

Once Cecilia got out of the bathroom, he ran through his pitch at lightning speed.  He showed us a piece of paper with numbers on it that had a large down-payment. He rambled on and said, “but you don’t have that much in the bank, do you?”  After a pause, Scott said “no comment” – because the entire morning, none of us gave away any information about our financial situations.  He instantly flipped the paper over and showed us another price, the “only for today” offer with a lower price with financing; and asked if we wanted to buy at that price.  I said “no.” He said “alright then,” and texted his boss, then went back to playing Pokemon Go.  

Related Content: Traveling Alone or With a Companion: Which is Better?

Leisure Suit Larry 

After a few minutes of the party chatting about nothing again, in walks the boss – we’ll call him Larry.  Larry looks the part.  He’s wearing an olive-green suit that has the kind of texture that looks expensive; and a very high-maintenance hairstyle with a lot of gray speckles.  Larry’s entire presence is summed up by the uncertainty of whether his hair was naturally gray, or if it was purposefully dyed to look older.  

Larry has a calm, methodical delivery any time he speaks, like someone reciting a script that’s been rehearsed to perfection but then delivered so many times until it’s lost its meaning. He speaks without pauses, taking a big breath before each section of his ramble. He would emphasize words by deliberately stretching out the word, not by raising his voice.  Every point he made was framed as if the decision has already been made for you – you will lose money if you don’t make this choice because you are already spending money on vacations. 

Larry is what a used car salesman would be if used cars sold for more money.  

Larry ended his spiel with a piece of paper, which had a unit available for “today only.”  They’re always “only today.” 

He passed the piece of paper over to us, and the age of the paper suggested it wasn’t the first time he’s handed it to someone.  

The number on the paper was drastically less than any of the previous offers – it was less than half of the previous lowest offer.  I looked at the paper, folded it back in half, handed it back, and said no.  Larry was reluctant to take the paper, and asked “why?” 

We knew this moment was coming and prepared for it.  We reminded ourselves that we don’t have to justify any of our answers.  Socially, it’s polite to justify yourself; but you’re never under any obligation to justify yourself.  

We answered, “we don’t make large financial decisions that quickly. We talk through financial decisions together.”  Larry gave another ramble – this one I honestly didn’t listen to.  I just zoned out for a moment.  Then Cecilia answered him, “and we have a kid on the way, which makes it more important to spend time on big financial decisions, so the answer is still no.”  

Larry asked, “so … is there anything I can do or say that’s going to change that decision for you today?”  I said “no,” expecting to have to say that a lot at this point.  But then Larry abruptly said, “Okay, thank you for your time,” stood up, and walked out without a second look at us.  It was just an immediate withdrawal.  

The first salesperson, who had been sitting there quietly during Larry’s entire spiel, slapped his thighs, said “okay, I’ll take you back to the main center to claim your prizes” and visibly ripped up the piece of paper he’d shown us earlier.  He started to make some comments about wasting his time, but we were already walking out the door and didn’t really catch them.  

The Final Boss

We drove back to the main center and through a conference room that, in non-covid times, would have been the first room.  He took us close to a receptionist’s desk and asked us to stay put while he went to talk to someone.  We wandered up closer to them, trying to look out of a window to see a pool, which was just close enough to eavesdrop on the salesperson’s conversation.  He was giving her details about the conversation we’d had with him and Larry – that we “don’t make large financial decisions that quickly.”  He was giving her everything she needed so she would know the right angle to close the deal!  

It turns out, the woman he handed us off to was the Final Boss.  She asked us to go into another room, and Cecilia wandered off to the bathroom.   The three of us walked into the room, realized Cecilia wasn’t there, and wandered back out.  When she got out of the restroom, the four of us went in together to see the Final Boss.  She was sitting behind a small table with two chairs set up in front of it.  She said we could sit down, but we remained standing.  There were four of us and only two chairs.  You could tell that having 4 people there instead of 2 really threw their usual gameplans off.  

She asked us what the final price Larry quoted us was, and I told her; then she said “What if I could offer you that same unit at this price?”  She wrote a number on a piece of paper that was, again, exactly half of what Larry had offered.  

We repeated our line, “We don’t make large financial dec–” She interrupted, “Okay, take this slip into the next room and we’ll settle you up.”  

We hadn’t noticed, but there was a slip of paper already sitting on the desk in front of her.  With the paper in hand, we headed into the next room and handed it to an old man who was polite, friendly, jovial and looked like he was having the time of his life at work.  He slapped a stamp down on the paper, handed us a voucher, and we were out in no time.  We managed to survive the timeshare presentation.

Total time: 1 hour and 39 minutes.  

The Aftermath

After we left, we spent a lot of time talking with one another, trying to understand why we’d been let off so easily.  All of us had heard the nightmare stories about high-pressure timeshares – that people spent an entire day being shuffled from room-to-room, the aggressive salespeople, the insults, the good-cop bad-cop routines, etc.  We got none of that.  We were practically shoved out the door at one point.  

One theory we had was that we were a group of 4 that weren’t related to one another.  We were 2 couples, so they couldn’t pin one of us against the other.  They also couldn’t sell to all 4 of us, because we would never buy something together.  

Another theory was that we were just too chaotic for them.  We constantly changed the conversation – but not really on purpose.  We just filled the silent pauses with jokes or comments that became side-conversations.  

Timeshare Presentation Basics: Insight From an Industry Insider

We had to know why our experience was so different from the ones we’d heard about, so we called up a friend that used to be in the industry as a timeshare salesperson.  

Here’s what we found out:  

The reason some salespeople are pushier than others is because if they don’t sell for awhile, they’re suddenly given “one last chance” to sell, and if they don’t sell on that day, they’re fired.   If someone wants to keep their job, they have to sell; and that can lead to a very high-pressure sale.  

Sometimes they’ll get mad if you’re rude or just blatantly not interested from the start of the talk. They’ll toy with you and keep you longer on purpose out of spite. This can happen when you tell the salesperson from the start: “look, we’re just not interested in buying, we’re only here for the free stay.” 

Often, the salesperson lies about their background to identify with the “prospect”, like saying they have kids too; or they will lie about how long they have been selling; or that they have a dog, are also divorced, etc.  When our insider told us that, we all blinked. Had our salesperson lied about everything he told us the entire time?  At one point, he gave us his kids’ names – and now I’m not sure he even had kids.  

If a salesperson makes a sale on the previous day, then they get “first pick” in the morning; and the 8am timeslot is reserved for people they think are absolutely going to buy.  We were the 8am timeslot.  I have no idea why they put us in that group.  

If enough people are lined up that day for talks and they don’t have enough salespeople, they go on rotation.  As soon as a salesperson finishes their talk, they can go back and get another prospect.  The earlier they can pick a prospect, the higher the chances of getting a sell.  That’s why there’s more incentive for them to end a tour earlier if they know you aren’t going to buy and your tour is in the morning.  Tours in the afternoon aren’t so lucky.  

What if someone owns a timeshare and gets someone else to sign up for the timeshare talk? The timeshare owner gets a kickback – usually waived fees. 

But ultimately, why did our salesperson let go of us so fast?  Because Cecilia was pregnant.  At one point, our salesperson asked why Cecilia was going to the bathroom so much.  We told him she was pregnant, and when she came back in the room, he commented, “I didn’t even notice you were pregnant until you said that.”  That’s when he started flying through his presentation.  That was the change.  Apparently, people who are expecting a child don’t make sudden or “big” financial decisions. They’re too focused on what’s good for the baby.  

Tips on How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation

So here we are, everything we’ve learned boiled down to our top tips for surviving a timeshare talk.  

1. Go in prepared .

There is no reason to be mean or rude.  Just know your stance, be assertive, and remember that you don’t owe anyone anything.  It’s not impolite to say “no” without an excuse.  “No” is a complete answer that doesn’t need to be justified.  

2. Remember that you’re in a sales pitch .

For salespeople, ‘being nice’ is part of the sale. Similarly, ‘being relatable to you’ is more important than them telling you the truth. They butter you up in order to get information out of you, and they rely on the information you’ve volunteered for their pitch.  Things like your job, hobbies, or even your last vacation are used to determine your personal wealth and spending habits.  

3. Silence is your strength.

It’s really, really tempting to argue, or to call the salespeople out when you catch them in a ‘blunder’ or ‘ah-HA’ moment.  But just remember: if you argue, you just feed into their pitch and you’ll end up staying even longer.  They want you to argue so they can sell you harder.  Don’t get into a back-and-forth. 

4. Be on guard for the angle.

The salesperson is always fishing for an angle. If they don’t know what is important to you they cant sell you. They’ll try to get you emotionally invested.  They might try to insult you, or dig at your ego, with things like “you can’t afford this, right? This is too much for you.” Don’t defend yourself. Don’t justify yourself. Just say “no” and leave it at that.  

5. Decide on a secret reason against buying and never disclose it .

If they don’t know why you won’t buy, then they can’t give you a pitch or argue against it.  For us, we knew that a timeshare is just a bad financial decision.  The financing is really expensive, and you don’t “save money” in the end.  That was our secret reason; and when the numbers were explained to us, and we saw the paper showing that it was a bad decision, we didn’t go “ah-HA!”  We just nodded along and kept it inside.  They can’t sweet-talk their way around your roadblock if they don’t know it’s there.  

6. If you really want a timeshare, don’t buy at the pitch.

7. and, of course, if all else fails – be pregnant..

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This post has 15 comments.

I like the idea of timeshares—in fact, my inlaws own several—but I hate the high-pressure sales tactics they employ. It’s such a turn off.

That is such a good point. The concept of a timeshare isn’t all that bad, but the high-pressure talk and the difficulty of selling a timeshare should you ever change your mind are huge turn offs.

I love that the title includes SURVIVE, because that’s totally how it feels! We had to say “no” to like 10 different people before they would let us go!

We have heard so many horror stories like this. So glad we survived our first timeshare experience and came out on the other end with some bits of wisdom. Hoping this article can help out a few others so they do not have to endure a situation like yours!

I always wondered about timeshares. I like the concept but the sales tactic is highly annoying . It makes me wonder if it’s worth it .

You definitely have a point. High-pressure timeshare presentations are exactly that, high-pressure. They aren’t necessarily meant to be enjoyable, but I do think the experience depends on the salesperson. If you are assigned to a pleasant and respectful salesperson, then the experience really isn’t all that bad! It’s just playing roulette to see what kind of salesperson you wind up with.

Loved this. Your title caught me and made me laugh. Your last line made me laugh. My in-laws have had a time share for years and have dumped so much into the “maintenance fees”. It is a nightmare now for them to try to get out of it! Moral of the story: Whatever you might spend on the time share, you could simply put toward a nice hotel for your vacations and probably still come out ahead. Don’t fall for the pitch!

That’s such a good point. We haven’t heard of too many people who have been happy with their choice to purchase a time share. I think personally we will stick to the hotels and Airbnb’s as you mentioned!

Ive stayed at friend’s time shares a few times, and they can be really nice, but those pitches are such a turn off! Now I know, mention that I’m pregnant and if we do want to buy, don’t buy it at the pitch!

It’s a pretty good deal for a free holiday for you. 🙂

Great article with good suggestions. I do these as a travel hack to get free stays and freebies in Vegas. The key is to have an ironclad will and not be afraid to keep saying “no.” No matter what the reps try yo say or do, YOU are in control. They are obligated to give you the gifts and you are under no obligation to be polite or give reasons. The worst thing that can happen is you’ll get berated or insulted. There are worse things to endure and you basically get a free hotel stay. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.

I like the Hunger Games reference. Thanks for sharing your personal experience with surviving timeshare presentations. It takes a strong will to make it through without buying anything, but like you said YOU are in control and have the right to say no.

Well they get you drunk in Mexico I bought a timeshare in Cabo and they kept serving me and my friend drinks to loosen me up. I fell in love with my salesman and finally gave in he was so nice and now I am one of the happiest timeshare owners on the planet. Going to Cancun booked a 1700 square foot 2 bedroom 2 bath bringing 3 friends with me. Hotels are soo soo expensive and with a timeshare I am saving a ton of money and it is making me travel more which I love. Life is short live it to the fullest and don’t look back. I was all ways jealous of friends that owned Timshares but now I get to enjoy all the benefits and I am saving a ton of money.

I LOVED your article and learned a great deal! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge. We definitely will do the things you have suggested. I might even buy a pregnancy belly to wear. Lol

Hahaha good luck, let us know how it goes!

Love your angle and how you shared your experience along with your post realization analysis. We’ve done a few many many years ago and found the perks of going to a high-stress 2 hour meeting somewhat worth it, but then again agonizing.

We are about to go to another in the next month and this was helpful to get us mentally prepared.

Thank you for taking the time to share.

Comments are closed.

LUXURY under BUDGET

How to Get Out of A Timeshare Presentation Fast & Enjoy Free Vacation!

Timeshare presentation deals are attractive because they can get you a free vacation or an incredible discount, but they can also be a huge pain if not done right. Whether you just got a timeshare presentation invite and are considering signing up or you already booked your vacation and wanted to learn how to get out of a timeshare presentation fast, this is the guide for you!

My husband and I have been to a fair share of timeshare presentations in the past few years, and some of them were truly nightmares. We were once stuck at a timeshare presentation in Cancun from early morning till almost 7 PM. The pressure to buy into a timeshare was just too much, and we were not equipped with enough knowledge about the industry to deal with the high-pressure sales tactics.

But not to worry, because you’re here, and you will learn all that I wish I knew before signing up for a timeshare presentation deal. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to freedom!

1. Understand Timeshare Deals and Vacation Club Ownership Promotions

If you want to survive a timeshare presentation, the first step is to do your research ahead of time and know what you’re getting into before you go to the presentation.

🏠 What is a timeshare?

A timeshare is a vacation property, usually a vacation home or condo, that is shared by a group of people. Each person has the right to use the property for a certain amount of time each year. Timeshares are typically owned by companies, and they will sell or rent out the units to timeshare owners. There are many different types of timeshares, and they can be used for vacation homes, rental properties, or even primary residences.

Though it is certainly not for everyone, timeshare has become an increasingly popular vacation option, especially for families because it offers the opportunity to own a piece of prime real estate that can be used for vacationing year after year. Many big hotel brands have their own affiliated timeshare division, such as Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Inn Vacation, Club, Hyatt Residence Club, and Disney Vacation Club, etc.

There are many different types of timeshare ownership plans available, but the two most common ones are points-based and deeded-week.

• A points-based program is a system in which each year, you have a number of points that can be redeemed against nights at your timeshare. For example, if you have 2,000 points, you could redeem them for two nights at a studio for two people or one night at a one-bedroom suite for four people. Points can be accumulated over time, and there is no limit to the number of points that you can have.
• A deeded-week program, on the other hand, is a system in which you have a “week” of the year that you can use your timeshare. For example, if you own the 26th week at a timeshare, you would have that same week every year to use for your vacation.

I’ve met a lot of people who were timeshare owners and they seemed to truly enjoy the ownership, but one thing I have learned is that timeshare is certainly not for everyone. There are annual maintenance fees that must be paid in order to keep the property in good condition. Timeshare properties can be swapped for other properties, but the process can be complicated. If you decide to sell your timeshare later, it’s important to know that it doesn’t hold much value in the reseller’s market. All of this is to say that if you’re considering a timeshare, be sure to do your research and understand all of the pros and cons before making a decision.

🏠 What is a timeshare presentation?

A timeshare presentation is a high-pressure sales pitch for vacation ownership in which a company tries to convince you to buy a timeshare. The company typically offers incentives such as free tours, free event or show tickets, free transportation, or an incredible hotel discount to lure you to attend a timeshare presentation with the hope that you will make a purchase.

The promoter usually promises that the pitch would only last 90 minutes or two hours, but the time varies depending on how long you take to tour the property. It will also take much longer if you haven’t had much experience dealing with the high pressure of their timeshare sales tactics.

During the timeshare presentation, the presenter will try to convince you that owning a timeshare is a great investment. They will likely talk about how much money you can save by vacationing at their resort, and they may even offer some sort of incentive, like a free stay or a discount on future purchases.

🏠 What really happens at a timeshare presentation?

At check-in, you will be asked to present your ID and credit card for verification purposes. If you attend timeshare presentations in Mexico , you will be asked to sign a paper which basically states that you can’t come back for another presentation at the property. Our sales representatives explained to us that it’s part of Mexican law to protect customers from being pestered again and again. However, they would later use that as part of their high-pressure sales tactic that if you don’t make a purchase then, you won’t ever be able to buy from them!

After check-in, you may be presented with snacks, drinks, breakfast, or lunch while you wait for the sales representative. It usually starts with a casual conversation where the sales presentative tries to understand your finances and travel patterns, before explaining to you how vacation ownership at a timeshare property can help you travel for a fraction of the cost.

They will make you the first offer, which is usually very expensive, but it comes with several perks like an extra free stay at the current property or another property owned by the company. They will position the timeshare deal as a golden ticket to luxury travel for cheap!

If you hesitate, the representative will throw in more offers, of course, at lower prices and fewer perks, making the first offer look like it has better value. If you don’t commit to buying, another presentative will be sent to convince you. You will most likely see several rounds of sales representatives, each pushier than the last. Some of them will try to convince you to buy a timeshare by making false promises about the benefits of ownership.

They use very high-pressure tactics to ask you to commit right then and there, as the offer is no longer available when you leave the property.

2. If you’re interested in buying a timeshare, negotiate for the best deal

While timeshare is not for everyone, it can be a good way to save money on vacations for certain people who enjoy coming back to a favorite destination every year. Timeshare owners have familiar accommodations to return to each time without the hassle of having to manage a fully owned property. 

If you have the intention of buying a timeshare, it’s important to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. One way to do this is to pressure the timeshare company for the best deals during a presentation.

Never accept the first offer and keep asking for more for discounts, freebies, and other incentives. If the salesperson isn’t willing to budge (which usually doesn’t happen), show that you’re ready to walk away and look for a better deal elsewhere.

When you push hard enough, the sales representative may have to check with the manager/director, but they will usually be able to accommodate a better deal. With a little bit of pressure, you can get the timeshare presentation you want at a price that’s right for you and get extra benefits.

We have successfully negotiated several timeshare deals, some from around $30,000 down to $10,000 and with even more points and perks. The sales reps will make it sound like every offer they throw at you is the best, but if you turn back the pressure on them, you will be surprised at what kind of a deal you can walk away with!

Book a one-on-one coaching session on timeshare negotiation for $399!

3. If you don’t have the intention of buying, be upfront and firm

If your sole intention is to get free gifts and discounts during vacation, it’s understandable that you will want to get out of the timeshare presentation as soon as possible. In that case, it’s important to be upfront and firm with the sales representative from the very beginning.

Let them know that you’re not interested in buying a timeshare and that you’re only there for the free gifts. If they try to pressure you into making a purchase, politely decline and excuse yourself from the presentation. By being honest and assertive, you can avoid wasted time and unwanted pressure.

The salespeople are trained to pressure you into staying, so you have to be stronger than they are. Tell them that you’re not interested and that you want to leave. Be polite, but don’t give them any room to negotiate.

If they sense that you’re even remotely interested, they will try to hard sell you on the timeshare. Some of them will try to guilt-trip you into buying because of the free gifts you’re getting, but remember that you’re not obligated to buy anything. The free gifts or discounts are purely incentives to get you to attend the presentation.

If you follow the above steps, you should be able to survive a timeshare presentation without too much trouble. Want more? Grab my free timeshare survival kit with things you could say to get out of the timeshare presentation fast!

Key Takeaways: How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation

Timeshares can be a great way to save money on vacations, but they are certainly not for everyone and can become a major financial burden.

A timeshare presentation is a way that companies use to woo you into buying a timeshare. For some people, it’s not worth it to have to endure hours of pitches and high-pressure sales tactics just to save a few extra bucks on vacation. For others, timeshare presentations are the golden tickets to luxury travel on a budget.

The trade-off is that timeshare presentations are often long and tedious, and can be very difficult to get out of. Only you can decide if it’s worth it for you or not. But after all, I hope this post has equipped you with the important knowledge and tips to help make your escape from the timeshare presentation easier!

The Awkward Traveller

5 Ways to Scam a Timeshare Presentation for Travel Deals and Freebies

I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates Program, so basically I earn a small commission if you use any of the affiliate links on this post - at no extra cost to you! Dope right?

Who doesn’t love a travel deal? EVERYONE. Well, unless you’re one of those people who like paying EXTRA to prove a point or something (couldn’t be me). Regardless, I’m sure you’ve heard about attending a timeshare presentation or promotion in exchange for a literal FREE VACATION.

Like. What?

How can a hotel offer 3 nights accommodation plus water park tickets and a $100 restaurant gift card for $129?

How can watching a short video reward you with a free flight and lodging for a weekend across the country?

Well. That’s because these promotions are from timeshare companies looking to introduce their resort, and timeshare ownership, to new people. Remember what Andrew Lewis said, if you’re not paying for a product, YOU are the product.

Little do these timeshare presentations and companies know – I’m a very fickle product.

And by fickle, I mean I want all of the reward without any of input. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. First, we should probably break down timeshare presentations.

Table of Contents

So What ARE Timeshares?

Timeshare sales are big business! Like, REALLY big. In 2019, there was $10.2 billion (yes billions!) in timeshare purchases in America. That’s almost twice as much as Sephora’s sales. The global timeshare market is expected to reach $40 billion in 2023. And yah, that accounts for the whole COVID pandemic. I mean, it might have even increased it.

But, as with any industry, in order to grow their business, timeshare companies need to pivot and begin selling timeshares to younger generations – aka Millennials (specifically young/cusp Millennials) and Gen Z. Yanno. ME.

And maybe you too. I don’t know your age. But I’m assuming you might not have had a timeshare property before, so I’ll just lump you into the target audience as well.

So what IS a timeshare? Timeshares are partial vacation ownerships of condo-like units in resort developments. They are owned, operated, and maintained by independent resorts, small chains, and large timeshare companies like Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Club Wyndham, Marriott Vacation Club, and Disney.

I mean, you might have stayed in a timeshare rental before without realizing it. I know I did in Napa, California, and it turned out to be one of the most affordable options in the area! And it was REAL NICE TOO.

Okay…So What are Timeshare Presentations?

Just like car sales, timeshare selling is most effective IN PERSON. But companies can’t just stand outside of grocery stores like Girl Scouts selling cookies and try to guilt trip you into buying something.

So timeshare companies hold timeshare presentations, or pitches. Basically they invite you (or a group of people) to the presentation, give you ALL the pros, explain through any of the cons, and really try to sell you on the idea of having a timeshare property.

And to really sweeten the deal, they throw in some awesome perks for just ATTENDING the timeshare presentation! Usually a free weekend stay at a hotel or resort, flights, food and drink credit, activities, the works. So I mean…if you really want to get flewed out for the absolute minimum amount of work, attending a timeshare presentation can be a pretty sweet deal!

What’s the Catch?

I mean….

What’s your time worth to you?

Two hours of your time can “fund” vacations to resorts across the country. You can score unbelievable travel deals by attending these timeshare presentations, but it’s important to educate yourself so you don’t get pressured into buying an unwanted or overpriced timeshare.

Is it possible to still reap the benefits of attending a timeshare presentation without…yanno, ACTUALLY buying a timeshare property? How do you talk you way out of a sales pitch?

I’ve personally only been to one timeshare presentation (and snagged a free trip out of it!), so honestly I’m not the BEST to help guide you to making these companies spend their coin on you. That’s why I’ve enlisted the help of my buddy Monica, who has actually been a timeshare owner for fifteen years. Trust me, know one knows more than her about squeezing all that you can out of those promotional presentations. She will be dropping her five best tips for making out like a bandit without spending a dime! Monica, take it away.

Double Check that You Meet Their Qualifications

These deals can be an amazing way to travel on the cheap, but you have to meet the qualifications outlined in the Terms and Conditions. 

There’s always a barrier. But no worries, they’re not TOO out of left field. Remember, by making this type of promotional reservation, you are confirming that you meet their requirements and promise to attend a timeshare presentation. Here’s a variety of conditions found in the fine print to give you a sense:

Example of Timeshare Presentation Requirements

• Couples living in the same household with combined income of $50,000; Must have the same address on their ID; Must attend the presentation together
• Single people 30 years of age and older with annual income of 45K or more may qualify
• Must be currently employed
• Must be creditworthy (no bankruptcies, foreclosures or liens in the past two years)
• Cannot be in the process of home loan modifications/refinance
• Must pay 13% room tax and $20.00 daily resort fee due at check-in
• Must have a credit card that is not connected to a debit account
• Only for the U.S. Residents that reside in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KT, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY.

That said, when I attended my first timeshare presentation, the only thing they checked was my ID and which state I lived in. They didn’t even check if my partner and I had the same address (we didn’t), so. Just putting that out there. They might though, but if you’re already in the door, they usually want to at least try to keep you there.

The Sales Presentation is Required. Seriously

By booking your reservation, if you get an offer where you travel to the resort FIRST, then attend a presentation there, you agree to go to the sales meeting and cannot skip it.

Point. Blank.

The reason they are offering room accommodations for free, or close to it, is to get people to attend their sales pitches. A majority of timeshare purchases are made during these presentations, so timeshare companies know the more people who attend, the more sales they can make.

Listen, they are not playing around with this requirement. If you do not go, your credit card will be charged the full retail price of the accommodations, or a flat fee around $300, depending on the resort. Usually, it’s whatever is more expensive. You have to hold up your side of this travel deal and can’t get out of it. 

On the flip side, if you get an offer where you have to attend a timeshare presentation first, THEN they’ll fly you out, you don’t have too much to lose if you don’t show up. Well, except your potential getaway.

Set Your Phone Timer

You agreed to attend their meeting to get this offer, but only for the amount of time listed in the promo fine print – and not one second longer .

You’re on a vacation after all, don’t waste half a day in a hotel conference room.  If the promo you booked says “a 90 minute sales presentation,” start your phone timer the minute the presentation starts. Once you’ve given your time, your obligation is fulfilled. Period. 

Do not let them tell you otherwise, make you feel bad, or talk you into spending any more time with them. It’s unnecessary. Something as simple as, “Thanks for sharing this information with me. The required 90 minutes is up. Take care :)”

Get out of your seat and go back to enjoying your vacation. Badda bing badda boom.

However, if you attend a timeshare presentation that does not state a time limit (usually the ones that give you the trip AFTER), you really just have to muscle through their multiple sales tactics. If you are uninterested in buying, be stern and make that clear. Any sort of wishy-washy “mayyybeeee”s will just make them keep you longer.

Keep Your ID and Credit Card in Your Own Hand

Yes, you are required to “present” an ID and/or Credit card, but present it in your own hand. Do not let them keep it or take it anywhere .

If I was at a car dealership shopping for a car I’d do the exact same thing.  If they give you a hard time, play their fine print language back to them, and stay friendly. “I’m presenting you my ID. I only give my ID to customs at the airport. Or when a police officer pulls me over for speeding.” Laugh, and smile! A little light heartedness goes a long way!   

This piece is critical because if they have your ID or credit card, it will be very hard to get it back once your phone timer goes off. If you have all of your items in your wallet, you can leave once your part of the deal is done.  If they have your stuff, you’re kinda a hostage. Stay ready and you won’t have to get ready.

Arm Yourself with a Resale Listing

Are there some bad apples in a barrel? Yes.

Are there some timeshare sales people who are aggressive? Yes.

If you find yourself in a very uncomfortable position, especially if you are usually a more quiet or shy person (or just a people pleaser), getting out of a strong sales pitch can be difficult. I am one of those people.

To have some backing power, show them a print out of a resale listing for their exact resort and ask them if they can match the price. 

Spoiler: They can’t. You’ll be at the pool before you know it. 

Hold up hold up hold upppp. Wait a minute….but what exactly is that?

What Is a Timeshare Resale Listing?

Did you know there is a resale market for timeshares where existing owners sell their unwanted timeshare to other people?

Yup, just like a car or house, people resell their timeshares too! It’s not like you’d have a “new” timeshare anyway since you’re just buying a specific time to use the property.

You can save 75%-99% of resort sales price by buying a timeshare in the resale market. Timeshare Users Group (TUG), the oldest and largest timeshare owners group and advocacy organization, hits it right on the head when they say, “Why would anyone buy from a resort if they could get the exact same “used condo” week, at the exact same resort property, for pennies on the dollar from an existing owner?”

Where Can You Find Timeshare Resale Listings?

If you ARE interested in buying a timeshare property rental, there are a few places you can go that will be hands down cheaper than getting it at a timeshare presentation.

One of the best places to find timeshare resale listings is TUG’s owner-to-owner marketplace .  It is one of the largest and most visited timeshare classified ad sites on the internet with $30 million in timeshare sales, $18 million in owner-direct timeshare rentals, and one-week vacation exchanges between timeshare owners. If you can’t find the resort you are visiting there, check out Redweek.com , the largest online marketplace for timeshare sales and rentals.

Plus, both sites are fantastic reliable resources to arm yourself with information during a timeshare presentation.

If you’re curious about buying a timeshare for up to 99% off and want to read about “Best Buys” check out Monica’s article: Timeshare Purchases 2021: How to Get The Most Bang for Your Buck. 

Getting the Most out of a Timeshare Presentation: Conclusion

If you love to travel and are trying to find ways to afford it, timeshare presentation promotion deals are certainly an opportunity. Also, if a company is going to treat you like a product, at least make them pay you for it!! I’m not saying go out and ROB them –

-but definitely take advantage of the opportunity! Follow these five tips and you’ll feel confident, and empowered, to attend a timeshare presentation, say NO to buying, AND walk out with a free getaway. Now go on and get yo goodies!!

Have you ever attended a timeshare presentation? How did it go? Let me know in the comments below! And, if you want to know more tricks about working perks in your favor, check out my post about soft-core scamming your loved ones into payin g for your travels . I promise no family memebers or friends will be hurt in the process 🙂

I want to give a special shoutout to Monica for writing up and providing all of her expert knowledge on timeshare rentals. Basically, she’s the Timeshare Fairy Godmother you never knew you needed. Seriously, if you ever want to know about timeshare vacation tricks and tips (or even what to do around the NYC Metro Area) SHE’S YOUR GAL. Check out more of her stuff over at PlannerAtHeart.com !

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There are a lot of great tips here, and to be honest I had heard of timeshares but didn’t know the details about them, so thanks for sharing all of the helpful information!

Yayyy!! I’m so glad you found it helpful!

Really useful post lady!

I do value my time, so I am not desperate to spend 90 mins listening to a presentation for a timeshare I don’t want to buy…but it is a pretty amazing deal! I guess I could daydream my way through it.

We were actually approached by some timeshare sellers in Whistler last year. They offered us 4 nights for $200 (normally it is closer to $200 per night, so we were VERY tempted.) The problem was they wanted the money up front before we could choose our dates, so we didn’t want to commit. I do regret it a bit as it would be nice to stay up there for multiple nights!

Awww man, I get that!! If I wasn’t sure about my availability, I’d be super hesitant to commit as well! But now that my entire calendar year is free….hahah

Ok I was SO excited about this free travel hack until I saw that it’s only available to American citizens, haha. I always wondered why I didn’t hear about timeshares here in Canada, I guess it’s just an American thing!

Maybe!! I wonder…why….

I have always heard of the timeshare rewards, but never thought of making it a way to get free trips and more! So thank you, thank you, thank you! I am going to have to try this sometime and didn’t even know I could look up “events” for it.

Let me know how it goes!! Thanks for reading!

Great article!! This past weekend, I went on a vacation to Las Vegas and was approached to attend a presentation and would receive a free mini vacation, $50 visa gift card, and $100 slot play. Their presentation was not about timeshares, but was trying to sell you their website that allows you to have access to cheap deals for hotels, flights, etc. I came with the mindset that I am NOT buying any of it, but my boyfriend was falling into their trap. However, I got him together and we took the free things and left. I’ve been obsessed with trying to find more presentations like this!!!! I went to the websites that you posted in this article, but having trouble seeing what deals are offered with their timeshare.

AHHH!!!! Thank you so much Kylie!! That literally means the WORLD to me haha. ALSO YAAAAAS getting those deals!!! So the websites I posted are not directories for timeshare presentations – they’re just a directory for timeshares resells (by the owner). Kinda like a timeshare zillow/redfin. But that’s a great idea, I should put together a post of where to find the presentations themselves – thanks for the idea!

Kylie! I would love to see what you have assembled for places like this!

How do I sign up to receive promotions to stay at hotels for timeshar presentations?

The most direct way would be to call the timeshare company and ask if they have any promotions/presentations going on. The website VacationPeople dot com is another resource to browse!

do you happen to have a list of these timeshare companies?

I’m headed to St.Petes beach on a timeshare presentation that i bought 3 nights for $160. I’m prepared to go to the presentation and set my timer for 2hrs. The more pressure people put on me the more i back away. I’m ready, but your article gave some great pointers.. thanks!!

My pleasure!! Thank you so much for reading 🙂

Your information about the secondary market is not COMPLETE. You can buy points but you receive non of the benefits of ownership. And the timeshare company has right to recession meaning they have the right to buy it first. Also all you are buying is the maintenance fees that go up 4% per year. And additionally. Just say no it’s classless to bring up the secondary market in a presentation.

So the point of this article isn’t actually to buy anything at all, secondary market or not. It is a leveraging tactic to get out of buying anything. The bottom line (regardless of pros/cons of the secondary market) is that the price cannot be matched, and is an easier way to pivot out of an aggressive sales tactics for those who may find it harder to “just say no.” In my humble opinion, judging others on their social confidence and navigating aggressive sales pitches is more “classless,” but maybe that’s just me.

It’s also classless to correct someone so publicly.

I’ve been on about a dozen time share presentations in my lifetime. I currently have 3 vacations in my coffers to cash in on during the next year. I enjoy making the salesmen work and work and work to try to force me to take their offer. Just remember that you have all the power, until you sign the contract to purchase….so I never purchase and I retain my power over them.

Have you taken advantage of their free vacation and is it legitimate? I attended a presentation and got a voucher for Orlando trip but I need to send a money order for $100 that’s refundable and then 60 per person for taxes. Is that correct?

I personallyyy wouldn’t pay out of pocket for any offer that’s supposed to be free.

I’ve used this opportunity many times! Once I had a sales man yell at me because he thought I was truly interested in buying. I guess I have a good poker face! Haha!

cant believe people like you think they’re actually getting somewhere in life. absolute loser. I’ve owned 3 programs for 15 years and NEVER have spent my valuable vaca time with my wife and kids on another presentation. if you already own one and are doing presentation you are an imbecile wasting your most valuable resource, your TIME

Ahhh interesting, but you DO use your valuable time to comment on something irrelevant to you? Lol Okayyyy Nick

I signed uip for a 3 day 3 nite timeshare “promotion” in Las Vegas – there were many things offered for attending the sales presentation – and they wanted $399 down for the ‘package deal’. However, when I got there, I wasn’t allowed to attend the sales presentation (they said I was 15 min. late). When I tried to reschedule and told them I was willing to pay for an extra nite at the hotel in order to attend a rescheduled time/date – they offered me a second chance 2 days later. But when I tried to go to that, they cancelled on me. I felt “scammed” as I got the hotel – but had to pay for the last nite there in addition to the $399 plus all the resort fees plus hotel taxes. This was a real “Bait and Switch” on the travel company’s end. Who do I complain to? Undoubtedly they are doing this to a lot of people coming to Las Vegas.

Mmmmmm yeah, this was a good example of the timeshares turning the scam on the guest – and unfortunately they usually write it into their fine print that they are allowed to do it since you were late (I would not be surprised if you were even a minute or two late and they just exaggerated your lateness). You could try complaining to the timeshare company, but in truth since you decided to stay and didn’t get it in writing that you would get reimbursed for the extra hotel nights then…they probably won’t do anything for you. In this situation, the best thing to do would to NOT pay out of pocket for extra nights at the hotel and just head home and consider it a $399 vacation deal.

Hey There! Leaving Sunday for a 4 night vacation. I was promised a bunch of gift cards but when I see reviews it says that if you say NO than they refuse to give you your promotional items! How do you get yours? Suggestions?? Thanks so much!

Mm so you can think of this in two ways. The first and potentially the “best/easiest” is that either way, you’re getting a 4 night vacation, which is pretty sweet in itself. So even if they don’t give you the promotional items, hey at least you got something. The second way to approach this would be to get everything in writing. And specifically ask if it is still valid with no purchase required. Then you have more ground to stand on if they do not give you your promised promotional items…which they still might not.

I am going to a vacation presentation that is 120 minutes. When does the 120 start? Is it the time of the appointment or when you first meet with the salesperson. I would like to know so I can set my alarm. Thanks.

That is correct!

Hi ! I recently came to a Orlando trip and was approach with a timeshare sales rep unknowing after already agreed to attend presentation due to promotion. I was very hesitant about the deal as she only inform I have to show up to a grand hotel tour and they will discuss about “vacation packaging they offer” and a view of the hotel. Also they said and I quote “marketing strategies “ because in return I will attend the presentation and just share word to mouth about my experience. She stated if anytime I would want to cancel it would be fine and no fee will be charged. I was pursued to attend an appointment during my stay but a few minutes later as they gave me my flyer with information of the hotel . It stated information about timeshare which I was never informed until they actually gave me the form. After I notice and was very upset. I asked to cancel and they didn’t want to give me a confirmation of cancellation. I put a deposit of 100$ just “confirm my seat” they also put my income information incorrect. They didn’t fly me out or stated they will give me the promotion after I attend and obtain my certification. I’m really concerned about them not being honest with the cancellation and returning my deposit. If by any chance they keep the deposit and charge me for not attending can I dispute with my credit card?. I have prove of the paper of appointment and them writing canceled but they didn’t want to put there signature it was a very frustrating situation. Please give me some advice or tip would help thanks !

Yeah I would dispute that with your credit card if they do keep the deposit. You have the agreement in writing AND you reached out to them, so its more than likely your card won’t even question further and wipe the charge (if needed)

We did this with Marriott in Cabo. We attended the presentation and they kept telling us it is NOT a timeshare. So we signed up. When we got home we did research and realized it IS a timeshare! The cool thing is, we live in Colorado, and they have a law that says if you cancel within 3 days you can get out of (any) contract for real estate. So we canceled. We have had no issues whatsoever AND we enjoyed a lovely vacation for four days in Cabo for $300. Plus we probably made the sales guy feel awesome because he got us to sign up for everything. Hehe.

EYYYYY!!! Now that’s a GREAT trick!!! 🙂

I’ve done several of these. Vegas, Orlando, Myrtle Beach. Usually when I book at a property like Hilton, once they know you have a credit card they ask would you like to hear about special offers, say YES. That’s when they switch you to the department that SELLs you a Great Deal for a special price. Most of these are NOT FREE. But, more like $199. For three or four nights at a luxury property. You MUST attend the Timeshare Tour and You MUST be on Time with The Spouse, if you told them that you have one. They will have snacks. Take a tote bag. The tour gives you a chance to see their top of the line suites. Act nice, go back to the “boiler room “ and say NO to everything. They might get a little nasty, or they might be glad to get rid of you and get on to the next customer. Don’t take it personal. It’s their job to make you feel like crap because you didn’t buy their product There will always be ONE LAST Person when you think you are getting away. The vouchers for future stays are worthless because you have to pay first at someplace that costs three times the voucher. In Vegas we got dinners and show tickets that were worth it. Count the wasted time as part of your trip. In places like the Caribbean you are more likely to get breakfast or lunch. Your not in the states so be careful. They might pick you up, but not take you back to your resort and you end up with an expensive Uber or taxi bill. Finally: if you get a random call: make sure the trip is to somewhere you want to stay. There are people offering some real dumps.

Great tips!

Thank you for the resale sites And all the other helpful info especially the timer.. You’re brilliant!.

Thank you so much for reading!!

our friends think we are nuts but who can beat 6 days 5 nights at an all inclusive resort on the beach in Puerto vallarta for $549.00 For 2 adults and 4 kids! Plus we got a free vegas trip and a free excursion while there. I’m really good at saying no to the sales ppl and think it’s kinda fun to get all these good deals!

I have done a few timeshare presentations in my life and found it was worth my time to save $$, however, I have just hit a new stumbling block. I booked a 5 night vacation in Cancun for 399 with presentation, I then paid another 280 for taxes, fees, and “white glove service “, still not bad for all inclusive. I then purchased our non-refundable flights. I was the contacted by the resort and told they have a max age restriction of 68 for the presentation, my wife turns 69 2 days before we get there. Waiting to hear back from booksi now to see if they can bypass this. I don’t have a good feeling.

Good luck!!

How can I get my payment back for a vacation that didn’t happen yet, from a time share Market place? I just found out about the 90 min presentation after the fact. I tried to cancel, but I was told it’s no -refundable. Our reservation is on Aug this year. I really wanted to cancel that vacation. I paid $2500 for 7 nights and 6 days Cancun vacation for 5 persons. I bet there will be additional surprise charges I am dreading about. Do I have a case getting my money back?

You could try going through your credit card to cancel.

I was scammed into buying a so-called hotel package that I later found out had a timeshare presentation requirement. By the time someone pointed it out to me it was past the timeframe to cancel and get my money back. So I’m now stuck with this package. On top of that when I called Booksi/Monster Reservations they revealed that it’s also a requirement to make at least $60k. They never asked me that question when I bought the package! They gladly took my money to get this hotel package, but didn’t bother asking me about my income or tell me about the requirements. Is there a recourse for this?? What if I only make say $20k? It’s their fault that they let me purchase the package anyway, without asking me what I make beforehand. Wouldn’t that be reason for them to have to cancel and give me my money back?? Also every time I call in and speak with someone I get told something different. A few people told me that if I didn’t want to deal with the presentation that I could just choose a variety of other hotels other than than the one I purchased the package on, that don’t require you to attend a presentation. But then today a couple reps said it doesn’t matter which hotel I choose I will have to attend a presentation no matter what. Plus it’s only May 1st and they conveniently have nothing available until July. I’m so frustrated and angry that they are in for quite a “treat” for when I arrive for this presentation. Definitely not getting one more cent from me and I’m not going to feel one bit sorry for any of them. I don’t even care if they start crying. In fact them crying just might make me feel a little bit better about all this. I want them to feel how I feel and how I have been crying over this huge headache of a situation. That’s how upset I am! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kay.

It seems like you’re on the right track. Sometimes you get roped into a presentation that is so ridiculous that the only thing to do is attend…but you don’t have to be excited about it! I’d recommend leaving immediately after whatever the required time is up, then go enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Hi there, This webpage is terrific! Really great information! My question is how can I find these Promotions? I searched all over the internet and I couldnt find any places offering a Promotion to sit through a Timeshare Presentation.

Ideally we would like to go to an “all inclusive” resort for 5 nights to the Carribean or Costa Rica. Do you have any suggestions as to where I can find some options? Also, do any of these promotions ever include credit for airfare?

Thank you for your help!

Been in two presentations. I keep my shades on and don’t say nothing. I don’t engage in any small talk. A no from the start and I shut down. No information about me or my family. I make it uncomfortable. They might as well be talking to themselves.

There ya go!!!!

our tips on staying firm, setting time limits, and staying focused on your travel goals are invaluable for travelers who might encounter these presentations. The personal anecdotes and real-life examples you’ve shared add a relatable touch, making the reader feel well-prepared and empowered to handle such scenarios. Thanks for shedding light on a topic that many travelers may find awkward, and providing them with the tools they need to make the most of their travel experiences. Your thoughtful guidance will undoubtedly help fellow travelers navigate timeshare presentations with confidence.

We are going to Myrtle beach next week and we were called by the crown reef we booked our hotel through for a presentation. For a free 5 night stay at any crown reef resort at various cities they have. I was skeptical and asked the proper questions. The only thing I had to do was answer questions and go to this presentation for a fee for reserving my seats for fifty dollars. They said I get it back in a visa gift card and a free 5 day stay. He ended up upping the stay to 8 days. So what signed up. They said I was only obligated for two hours of my time. They also said if I don’t show up I would be out the fifty because it would give others the opportunity that I passed on if I didn’t show. So further reading after i agreed, that is a form of saving money on resorts and such and it’s basically a time share. We are nervous to attend because we have kids but there’s a specific area for them to play and you can see them while the presentation is going . Okay fine. I agreed. Even though this presentation hasn’t happened yet, I agreed to the most two hours which they stated. I agreed to the fifty charge on my cc on a recorded line. We figure get a free stay at a resort is worth the two hours but we aren’t buying anything. The question I have is, they stated if I don’t show they keep the fifty. That’s fair. But I also read some other time shares they can charge you credit card for more if you don’t stay the whole time or meet the requirements. I also met the pre requirements on the phone but I’m not staying anywhere free for this presentation. I bought my hotel for the week stay and they called me so I’m asking is if I bail I should only be out the fifty?

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How to get a deal by attending a timeshare presentation

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Booking hotels with points earned from the best hotel credit cards is a great way to save your hard-earned cash.  But did you know there’s another way you could score a great deal?

Many of the major hotel chains offer timeshare properties under a different brand, and they often have huge incentives to get you in the door to listen to their sales pitch!  These incentives could include certificates for free hotel stays, gift cards, bonus points, and more!

Getting your hands on these incentives just for sitting through a timeshare presentation might sound too good to be true.  In many cases though, there’s not much more to it than just that.  Hotels build the “giveaway” of these incentives into the cost of doing business.  They know that these sales pitches are a numbers game, so they wouldn’t be doing it if wasn’t profitable for them in the long run!

In many ways, it’s a win-win for everyone. They spread the word on their timeshares, and you’ll have the opportunity to learn about whether it might be a good fit for you. Check out team member Meghan’s experience with a Hyatt timeshare sales pitch in Arizona , and another timeshare presentation in Belize .

If you’re curious about whether timeshare ownership might be worth it, we’ll go through how you can get invited to one of these presentations, what to expect, and which major hotel brands offer timeshares. Worst-case scenario, you’ll find that timeshare ownership is not for you, and you’ll still walk away with a gift card, bonus points, or some other incentive.

How to save money by attending a timeshare presentation

Hotels often give folks lucrative incentives to get you in the door to their timeshare presentations.  You’ll know what the incentive is before you attend, of course, and they’ll usually offer things like certificates for free hotel stays, bonus points, and gift cards.

Sometimes, you might even be able to negotiate a better deal! I was able to find reports online that stated different people were given different incentives for attending the same timeshare presentation.  So the lesson here is that if you’re speaking with one of their representatives and the incentive isn’t enticing enough, ask if they can offer something better!

You usually won’t have to pay anything to attend one of these timeshare presentations, so your only “cost” will be the several hours it takes to sit through their presentation. And even if there is a fee for attending, the value of the incentive oftentimes outweighs the initial fee. 

For instance, I found a report from Stephen at Frequent Miler who stated he paid $150 to attend a timeshare presentation, and in return was awarded 45,000 Wyndham points (enough for 3 nights at any Wyndham hotel) and a 7-night stay at a timeshare resort. I’d say those incentives were well worth the $150 fee!

How to get invited to a timeshare presentation

Many of the major hotel chains, like Hyatt, Hilton, and IHG, offer some sort of timeshare brand.  If you’ve ever stayed at these hotels, you could be targeted either by phone or mail.  Being a member of the hotel’s loyalty program could also get you targeted at some point.

If you end up staying at one of their timeshare brands on a trip, you may also see some promotional materials around the hotel, so keep your eyes open!  For instance, team member Meghan took advantage of this on a trip to Arizona .  When she was checking in at the Hyatt Residence Club Sedona, Pinon Pointe, she saw a sign in the lobby that mentioned something about a $100 gift card in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation!

The most direct way of getting an invitation though is to simply call the general number of the hotel chain you’re interested in, and asking about timeshare ownership.  They’ll transfer you to the right department at which point you can ask if they have any presentations available in your area, or if there are any promotions you might be eligible for.

What to expect out of a timeshare presentation

Before you attend a timeshare presentation, be aware that they can be VERY aggressive in their tactics!  I’ve been on the receiving end of a very high-pressure sales pitch and realize how difficult it can be to say no, even when I know it’s not something I want to sign-up for!  The best thing to remember though is that you can always say no, very firmly, but politely.

Also, be aware that attending these timeshare presentations can take several hours out of your day, so you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it, especially if you’re on vacation!

Tips for getting out of timeshare presentations quickly

You’ve got an appointment.

This is probably the oldest trick in the book. But if you’re looking to get out of a timeshare pitch, set a deadline for yourself by telling the salesperson that you’re meeting someone for plans (drinks, dinner, etc.) at a certain time. 

Don’t show any interest — at any price

This trick is only good for those who aren’t easily swayed. But if you can, try not to engage in the pitch. Be firm in your decision and let the salesperson know that the deal doesn’t make sense for you and your family.

Just be aware that they’ll try to push you on the price. There are reports from some readers that salespeople can sometimes lower the price by as much as 75% less than the initial offer. Again, they’re trying to make the sale. And these are tactics used to make it appear as though you’re getting a good deal.

Mention that you prefer using travel rewards

This is another trick that’ll be pretty hard for the salesperson to argue with. Simply tell them that buying a timeshare doesn’t make sense for you because you prefer to use miles & points for your travel . Why would you pay for lodging when you could stay at a hotel for free? There’s really no counterargument to that point!

Bring your children along

We all know how well kids behave when it comes to sitting still for long periods of time (HA!). And there’s arguably no better excuse to getting out of something than when you have a cranky child to attend to. So bring your kid(s) along to the presentation and make your escape when their patience has run out.

Hotel Chains With Timeshares

Hilton .

Hilton’s timeshare operates under the name Hilton Grand Vacations.  To give you an idea of the size of their timeshare operations, if you decide to join as a Club Member, you’ll be joining over 300,000 other members worldwide, and have access to vacation exchange options across over 4,300 resorts globally.

Most of their timeshares are located in the US, although they do have 3 international locations as well:

• South Carolina

Hyatt’s timeshare goes by the name Hyatt Residence Club.  Although they don’t offer nearly as many locations as Hilton, they do advertise and market luxurious stays at 16 locations in the US.

One of the neat things Hyatt offers right on their website is a section for “ Featured Vacation Offers. ”  Some people online have reported getting even better deals by calling in and referencing these offers, stating that they’re interested in timeshare ownership but want to get more information.

• Hyatt Residence Club Sedona, Pinon Pointe

California:

• Hyatt Residence Club Carmel, Highlands Inn
• Hyatt Residence Club Lake Tahoe, Northstar Lodge
• Hyatt Residence Club Grand Aspen
• Hyatt Residence Club Beaver Creek, Mountain Lodge
• Hyatt Residence Club at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
• Hyatt Residence Club Breckenridge, Main Street Station
• Hyatt Residence Club Bonita Springs, Coconut Plantation
• Hyatt Residence Club Key West, Beach House
• Hyatt Residence Club Key West, Sunset Harbor
• Hyatt Residence Club Key West, Windward Pointe
• Hyatt Residence Club Sarasota, Siesta Key Beach
• Hyatt Residence Club Maui, Ka’anapali Beach
• Hyatt Residence Club Lake Tahoe, High Sierra Lodge

Puerto Rico:

• Hyatt Residence Club Dorado, Hacienda Del Mar
• Hyatt Residence Club San Antonio, Wild Oak Ranch

IHG calls their timeshare brand Holiday Inn Club Vacations.   Similar to Hyatt, they also have a section on their website for “ Special Timeshare Offers, ” so if you call in asking about timeshare ownership or their special offers, you might be able to land an even sweeter deal and possibly an invite to a timeshare presentation with more incentives!

IHG has timeshare locations within the US in several different states.  They also have a number of locations designated as part of their “ Signature Collection ” for an even more luxurious stay.

You can find a full listing of their timeshare locations here , and you’ll see they’re located in quite a few different states:

• Massachusetts

Marriott’s timeshare brand goes by Marriott Vacation Club.   According to their website, they offer over 50 resorts, 4,000+ Marriott hotels, and 3,000+ affiliated resorts.

You receive an annual allotment of Vacation Club Points when you join this program, which you can then use to book a stay at one of their locations worldwide .

Choice Hotels

Back in 2013, Choice Hotels ventured into the timeshare ownership segment by partnering with Bluegreen Vacations as their preferred vacation ownership provider.

You’ll be able to book a stay at any of their 60+ resorts in over 40 unique destinations .  The vast majority of them are located in the US, although they do have 2 international locations as well.

• North Carolina
• New Hampshire

Wyndham’s timeshare brand operates under the name Club Wyndham.   You’ll have the flexibility of vacationing in different areas each year through their Club Wyndham Plus program, where your ownership is translated into points deposited annually into your account.  Depending on where you want to stay, accommodations are assigned different point values and you can redeem them throughout the year.

Wyndham has a number of timeshare resorts available both within the US and internationally :

• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island

International Locations:

• New Zealand

You have other (better) options for saving big on hotel stays!

If you’re nervous about sitting through a high-pressure sales pitch, keep in mind it’s not the only way you can save big on traveling!  There are still many amazing hotel credit cards that can get you free nights at your favorite hotels.

Here are a few of our favorites:

• Most valuable welcome bonus for hotel stays: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Best hotel credit card for value and comfort:  World of Hyatt Credit Card
• Best hotel credit card for big spenders: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
• Best hotel credit card for elite status:  Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Best hotel credit card for road warriors: IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card

The information for the Hilton Aspire card , and the Hilton Surpass has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

For instance, with the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you could earn enough points for as many as 10 nights in category 1 Hyatt hotels!  The card is currently offering a welcome bonus of up to 60,000 bonus points – earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more bonus points with 2 bonus points per $1 spent on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point up to $15,000 in the first 6 months of account opening.

Or if you apply for a card that earns flexible points, like Chase Ultimate Rewards points , you can also transfer the points to a hotel partner for free nights as well.

Bottom line

Attending timeshare presentations can be a lucrative way to save a lot of money on your trips.  That’s because many hotels offer incentives like certificates for free hotel stays, bonus points, and gift cards, to motivate you to attend one of their timeshare presentations.

Many of the major hotel chains have some sort of timeshare brand.  If you haven’t been cold-called or targeted for a specific timeshare offer, you can always call the general number for the hotel and ask about timeshare ownership.

If you do attend a timeshare ownership presentation, be prepared for a very high-pressure sales pitch, and don’t be afraid to say no.

If you’re not sure if you can make it through their tactics, remember that you can always focus on earning miles and points from the best hotel credit cards to redeem for free hotel stays instead.

What are your thoughts on timeshare ownership, and have you sat through a timeshare presentation before?

Contributor

Andrew Wan is a contributor for Million Mile Secrets where he covers points, miles, credit cards, airlines and hotels. His work has also appeared in The Simple Dollar.

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How We Survived A Timeshare Presentation & Got A Free Cruise Vacation Without Buying Any Timeshares

Cruises , florida travel , free stuff , reviews.

If you’ve never been to a timeshare presentation and you’re thinking about attending one for the free gift, be warned — you’ll probably never know what a high-pressure sales experience really is until you’ve been to a timeshare presentation!

It may have been easier walking into a car dealership flashing $20,000 cash in my hands and negotiating that dreaded onslaught of ambitious car salesmen than dealing with the series of cunning marketing professionals who ran the timeshare seminar I attended with my fiancée.

This Orlando timeshare presentation we sat through was a harrowing sales experience that felt like the longest 4 hours of our lives.

Why We Went To A Timeshare Seminar

We were at a bridal show when a vendor for a major cruise line approached us to see if we wanted to attend a timeshare presentation — in return for a free cruise and free tickets to a professional basketball game in Orlando.

Ordinarily, I’d have passed on the deal right away. But I’ve heard about these free vacation timeshare seminars for what seems like my whole life, and I thought “let’s see what they’re all about.” If nothing else, I knew the experience — good or bad — would make for an interesting story that I could blog about and share with others.

We had to give a $30 refundable cash deposit to attend — with the promise that if we showed up to the timeshare presentation, we would get back the money and also get vouchers for a free cruise for 2 people plus those pro basketball game tickets.

Would we really receive the free vacation offers? And get our $30 back, too?

I thought the experience was worth the risk. So, we went all in and showed up at the vacation club in Orlando, Florida at 10 AM on a Friday for the timeshare presentation.

The Timeshare Sales Pitch That Went On And On…

We walked into the vacation club office, located on the site of a major Orlando resort, and were immediately greeted by friendly concierge staff.

We sat down in the lobby as directed, and just a few minutes later, Mr. Salesman (as I’ll call him) kindly greeted us.

We shook each other’s hands and he took us upstairs to a loft area with about a dozen 4-seat roundtables .

It looked like a casual café dining area, but it sounded more like a nightclub — because they had fast-paced calypso music playing at a volume just loud enough that we had to speak up a little to talk to anybody farther than a few feet away.

Already, I realized what was going on here… They were setting the stage for a fast close on some tropical vacation deals . (Don’t believe me? !)

Mr. Salesman proceeded to tell us, “I know you’re here for a free cruise, but will you keep an open mind about this vacation plan?”

My fiancée and I agreed we’d be open to hearing his sales pitch and made polite conversation with Mr. Salesman, who told us a bit about his life story. He soon started showing us pictures of him and his kids having fun on various vacation getaways. Hmm…  looks like he was trying to build an emotional connection with us, his potential customers.

Before long, he knew that I’m a journalist and my fiancée is a certified nursing assistant, and that we spend a few thousand bucks or so each year enjoying road trips. (That was my first mistake — telling him we spend any money on vacations on a regular basis.)

“What would you say if you took that same amount of money and guaranteed that NOT ONLY you and your fiancée could stay in a fancy timeshare, but that the next 4 generations of your family will ALSO have access to this flexible plan?”

I’m thinking to myself, “Wha…? 5 generations?”

“Your great-great grandkids who you’ll never even meet will be thanking you both if you choose this plan,” he went on to say. (No joke.)

Of course, the first thing I’m thinking to myself is “Gosh, how depressing. He’s trying to sell me a plan for the great-great grandkids who I’ll probably never meet ?” Then, I wondered, “Will this timeshare company even still be around a century from now?”

I later found out this type of plan is called an inherited timeshare — it’s basically a timeshare contract that can last up to 99 years and can be very difficult to sell or otherwise get rid of .

I also discovered through some basic research that inherited timeshares can be a nightmare for those hypothetical, yet-to-be-born great-great grandkids to handle. I can almost hear their sarcasm now, “Yeah, thanks a LOT, Great-Great Grandparents!”

And so the elaborate sales pitch went on, and we learned that the program has like 3 tiers — one where we buy into X points per year, another for Y, and a third for Z .

In this plan, certain timeshares use a given number of points. Choose wisely and you might be able to use those points on a few different vacations each year. “I think where you guys travel a few times per year you’ll definitely want “Y.”

He then asked, “How much do you think that would cost?”

I looked to my fiancée and back to Mr. Salesman and I joked, “Um… like $80,000?”

He replied, “Well, we’ll get to that in a minute…”

Apparently a minute in the timeshare seminar world means about 2 hours — because somehow this tableside chat kept going until noon, with a rundown on the plan’s flexibility, the number of options, etc.

Then came mention of the additional fees associated with keeping this plan alive for 5 generations. It’s $900 per year to activate your points, Mr. Salesman explains. “Oh, a one-time fee?” I asked. “No, that’s per year, but that’s far less than you spend already on your road trips.”

He then led us up from the table and walked us outdoors to a golf cart. “I’m going to show you the types of places you’ll be staying in,” he said, whisking us at a brisk 12 miles per hour to a timeshare unit similar to the ones advertised in the program. “And this is a 3-star place. The ones available in our plan are 4- and 5-star timeshares,” he added.

We reached our destination and proceeded up to a 4th-floor suite. “It’s got a private kitchen, 2 bedrooms — you can fit up to 10 people in here,” he said, opening up the door to the showroom. “Remember the places where you’ll be staying are even better than this ,” he said.

Frankly, the place he showed us wasn’t too bad. But I couldn’t help but think I’d have no trouble finding similar rooms in a resort community for a competitive rate and without that century-long commitment .

“Your great-great grandkids are gonna thank you,” he said, taking us around the 2-bedroom suite.

“How big is your family?” he asked my fiancée as we look around the suite. She told Mr. Salesman about her big family and many siblings — which he jumped on right away. “Imagine bringing them here. Can you just see the look on their faces when they step in here?” he asked her, leading us into a tropical-themed bedroom.

The rest of the time in the timeshare showroom went this way — no longer involving just us, but also all of our family and those future great-great grandkids who he says we’ll never meet.

By this point, the only door I was looking for was the exit from this high-pressure sales experience. “All I’ve got to do is say ‘no’ at the end,” I kept telling myself.

For some reason, I kept thinking of Nancy Reagan and her “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign in the ’80s. However, just saying “no” wasn’t going to be so easy at this timeshare presentation.

Where’s The Exit Door?

By this point, we were getting to the 3-hour mark in what was supposed to be a 2-hour sales seminar . Even Mr. Salesman said it was getting late in the day (nearly 1 PM) and time to move on.

“OK, well thank you for showing us around,” I told him.

“Let’s head back to the sales center,” he said, motioning us back to the golf cart.

This is where the timeshare session went from being drawn out but polite to, “Get me the heck outta’ here — PLEASE!”

We headed back to that roundtable again — a little more tired and sweaty for the wear (after all, it’s January in Florida and a hot 75 degrees). Basically, we were presented those 3 timeshare contract options again: X, Y, or Z.

But this time, Mr. Salesman quoted us prices. No need to go into the messy details here, but the most basic plan began at $15,000. “You know, I just bought a car for $15,000, and now we’re looking to buy a house,” I informed him. “I don’t think the bank’s going to like me spending another 15 grand on a vacation package before buying a home.”

“But it’s a timeshare, and it’s for 5 generations,” he insisted.

“Look, I’ve got really good credit, and I don’t think buying a timeshare is the best idea right now,” I explained, assuming this is what he needed to hear to know that we were simply not interested.

Like clockwork, Mr. Salesman brings over his supervisor. “Hi, I’m Mr Supervisor, how are you?” he asked, extending us a handshake as he sat down across from us at the table. “I hear you guys are interested in buying Plan X.”

My patience was growing thin… “Actually, no, we’re not interested in buying anything. You see, I just bought a car for $15,000 — which I didn’t even plan on buying, but my old car quit and I needed something I can travel long distances in. We’re also about to buy a house, and there’s no way I’m ruining my credit now to buy a vacation plan.”

He countered, “It’s a timeshare plan.”

“I know, and I’m in no position to buy one now — we aren’t even married yet, and we need to get hitched and buy a home first before we do something like this together,” I affirmed, lovingly looking over toward my fiancée, who was sitting beside me.

“Yeah, man — but ‘happy wife, happy life,'” he said, smiling at my fiancée. He then pulled out photos of him and his  bikini-clad fiancée soaking up the sun in Mexico, the Caribbean, and several other balmy destinations.

Then my fiancée spoke up… “I don’t really believe in that cliché, ‘happy wife, happy life,'” she said. “Happiness goes 2 ways, and we we’re about to get married and buy a house.”

Mr. Supervisor smirked, probably miffed that he wasn’t going get a sale by using his typical spiel. “Look, if you sign up today, how about we double your points during the first year?” he asked. “We’ll even give you the first year of membership free ,” he added. “You mean the $900 annual points activation?” I asked.

“No, the $250 membership fee,” he replied.

“You mean there are point activation fees AND an annual membership fee?” I asked.

“Oh, yes — but don’t worry, all of this and the $15,000 will pay for itself in just the first few years as you guys go on vacations and use your points. Remember, this plan lasts 5 generations.”

By this point, whatever patience I still had after wading through all of this was pretty much gone. “Look, I know this is probably a good deal for those who have the money, but we’re in no position to sign this contract and pretty much ruin my credit score with an inquiry and a $15,000 purchase on top of that.”

Just when I thought THAT was going to end the conversation, Mr. Supervisor said, “Well, we can do in-house financing — that way there’s no credit pull!”

“Look, we’re not signing the contract,” I insisted. “Nothing, I’m signing my name on nothing . It’s been almost 4 hours now and we were told this would be a 2-hour seminar,” I told Mr. Supervisor — not angrily, but clearly ticked off at the endless path we seemed to be going on here. “I’m ready to leave.”

Mr. Supervisor pulled out what I presume was Plan D from his proverbial hip pocket. “So, I told you we’d double the points, right?” Before I could even answer back… “I’ve got to keep this quiet, I don’t want the boss to hear, but what if we knock this down to $9,500? Lowest I can go.”

I felt like I was talking to a brick wall that had 2 mouths and no ears . “Sir, look — we’re not buying anything. Can we please call it a day here?” And a day it nearly was… The clock got past 2 PM, and there was still no end in sight to this timeshare presentation.

Mr. Supervisor must’ve signaled to Mr. Boss to come out and close the deal or something, because before long another guy came walking up to the table. Mr. Supervisor sneaked off and Mr. Boss sat down. “Hi, I’m [Mr. Boss], good to meet you.”

“You, too, sir,” I kindly returned, “but I’ve already told Mr. Salesman and Mr. Supervisor that we’re not interested in buying any plans. We’re about to buy a house and…”

You’ll never believe what came out of his mouth next!

“No way!” he said. “I also manage a realty group here in Orlando. Give me a call sometime and we’ll talk about getting you guys set with a good mortgage.”

No exaggeration — all of this actually happened. 

Now the guy was trying to sell us a timeshare and a house! Were we the unassuming “victims” in a  Candid Camera  skit or something?

I really don’t know what other polite thing I could’ve said at this point but, “No, thank you, I’ve already got a credit union lined up.” (I did — so no lying there.)

“Look, you’re getting married soon, right?” Mr. Boss asked. “Yes…” I hesitatingly replied. “I’ll throw in X points more — so you can have a free honeymoon. That will leave you more money for buying the house.”

What was I to say? These guys had played on more emotions than should be legal. “Sir, listen, we appreciate the offers — thank you — but for the last time, we are NOT buying any timeshare plans . Can we please wrap this up now? It’s been 4 hours, and your representatives told us it would be 2. This is enough .”

Mr. Boss stood up from the table and stormed out of the room, and I heard him mutter under his breath, “I can’t believe this — total waste of time.”

Wow… How professional.

We were escorted downstairs to the main lobby by Mr. Salesman in a somber fashion to the front desk, where we were issued a voucher for our free cruise and pro basketball tickets .

Of course, the sales pitch didn’t quite end there…

The guy who issued our vouchers asked if we could supply the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of 10 people we’d like to invite to go through the same timeshare presentation.

“No thank you,” I said, mumbling to myself, “there’s no one I despise enough to put them through the 4 hours of misery we just experienced.”

We got our $30 back, too.

Are Timeshare Seminars A Scam?

I’m no financial guru, so I won’t spend much time talking about the cost of buying a timeshare versus not buying one. Whether or not you should buy a timeshare is something only you and your financial advisor can decide.

I have a few family members and several friends who have (or at one time  had ) timeshares — some seem to like them, others not so much .

Here’s what I will say…

From the info I picked up through this timeshare presentation, it sounds like you’ve got to count on being able to take a vacation pretty often to make it worth your while over the long haul. And that’s assuming you can take enough time off from your job.

And then there’s the amount of money it would cost in keeping up the timeshare plan  that we were advertised. These costs include:

• Activating the points ($900 per year)
• Staying a current member of the program ($250 per year)
• Booking a trip ($200 and up per vacation)

Even then, you’re confined to using only the timeshare suites that are in-network — not really beneficial to you if you’re one for backpacking through little-known places and staying in independent mountain lodges or rugged hostels.

I can’t say the timeshare seminar is necessarily a scam, nor can I say it’s a terrible idea to buy a 99-year timeshare contract. We did get those free cruise tickets, the basketball game tickets, and our deposit back, in full — so we got what we were promised.

But the timeshare plan itself certainly wasn’t for us, not at that time — not before buying a home and saving for other things like fixing a broken water heater, repairing a leaky roof, or handling any of the other things that might come up after we become homeowners.

Not to mention the fact that the grueling 4-hour timeshare presentation was emotionally and physically draining — probably not worth the free gifts.

I just hope those great-great grandkids won’t be too disappointed that we turned down a 99-year-long contract on an inherited timeshare.

More Info About Attending A Timeshare Presentation

In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some other resources to help you decide if attending a timeshare presentation makes sense for you:

• How To Attend A Timeshare Presentation For Just The Free Gift
• Timeshares 101: How Timeshares Really Work
• Pros And Cons Of Buying A Timeshare
• How To Get Free Travel From Timeshare Presentations
• Tips For Surviving A Timeshare Seminar
• How To Avoid A Timeshare Scam

I’m a Florida native, a roller coaster junkie, and a frequent traveler. (Long road trips are my favorite.) Born and raised in Tampa, I grew up visiting Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. I authored the book Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Images of Modern America, which details the colorful history of the Busch Gardens theme park. As a local historian, I’ve also written about other popular landmarks and attractions for a variety of publications. Here, on this Travel Guide, I like sharing little-known facts and fun stuff about all the places I’ve been — so you will have a good idea of what those places are like and what you should know before you go. I especially enjoy helping others plan fun trips… on a budget!

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Wyndham Timeshare Presentation Vacation Packages for 6 Select Cities

Good morning everyone.  A few days ago, I received an email from Wyndham Rewards regarding timeshare presentation vacation packages.  2 years ago, I wrote about attending 2 timeshares in Hawaii and what gifts I received from sitting through those presentations.  Right now, you can pick from 6 different cities and get a 3 day / 2 night stay for as low as $149.  You can book through the website or call the number in the email (877-393-8405).

Here are the 6 participating cities, ranging in price from $149 to $199 for a 3 day / 2 night stay.  I have never done a Wyndham timeshare presentation, so I have no idea how good these properties are, but I am sure they are worth the price.  Usually with timeshare presentations, your elite status means nothing, so having the Barclays Wyndham Rewards Credit Card will not get you anything and these stays will not count toward the current hotel promotion.

Here are the terms and conditions of the timeshare presentation.  I don’t think the state requirement is enforced because I live in California, but that state is not listed in the terms.

You, and your spouse if married, must attend a 120-minute CLUB WYNDHAM® timeshare sales presentation. Please read our Terms and Conditions to see if you meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Earliest available check-in is 8 days from the vacation purchase date. Transportation, gratuities, parking fees, room taxes ($5-$84) and meals not specifically advertised and incidentals are not included. The retail value of this package may depend on room availability, additional feature(s) and travel dates selected. Travel must be completed by December 31, 2018.

This offer is valid only for residents of the following states: AK, AZ, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY.

THIS ADVERTISING MATERIAL IS BEING USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOLICITING SALES OF TIMESHARE INTERESTS.

Please remember the golden rule of timeshare presentations: show up, but do not buy anything!  If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.  Have a great day everyone!

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33 thoughts on “ wyndham timeshare presentation vacation packages for 6 select cities ”.

It doesn’t list CA as eligible. I thought you were in California as well?

I am in CA and I did receive the email (I also mentioned that in the post). I don’t think the state requirement is enforced.

Sorry I completely missed that.

No worries. Are you planning on attending one of these timeshare presentations?

Have to convince my better half that it won’t be too painful to sit through. Did one a few years ago and it was painful (another company, can’t recall the name).

Hopefully this won’t be too bad. I’ve only done timeshares in the US with large hotel chains. I’ve heard others have had bad experiences with timeshare presentations in Mexico and other international destinations.

What is a “Spend A Night on Us” rebate coupon?

Thank you :)

This is the only thing I could find on their website: “A “Spend A Night on Us” rebate coupon for up to $100.00 cash back for a future one-night stay at any Wyndham Hotel Group destination in the U.S. booked through CLUB WYNDHAM Travel. Full details and redemption instructions will be provided on your rebate coupon.” ( https://www.wyndhamtrips.com/offer-details.asp?Dest=157&Package=9429&webid=226 )

I called on a similar email from Wyndham last year and they offered other destinations outside of the ones listed. Of note, you don’t get to stay at the actual Wyndham property. They put you up somewhere else, which I think is weird. Some properties had less than desirable accommodations.

Very interesting, I didn’t know they had other property is not listed. It’s also strange that he how do you stay at another property that’s not a Wyndham Hotel. Thank you for sharing PJ.

That was our experience with another timeshare company. It was a very dirty place and had ants coming inside from multiple places. I couldn’t understand why they would do that and then expect you to be happy enough to pay to join. Nobody seemed to care about the conditions at the property they put us up at.

Eww, that’s nasty. Sorry you had a terrible experience. Hopefully your next timeshare presentation will be better.

I own Wyndham timeshare (long time ago, wouldn’t do it again – but it is what it is) and I get calls for these all the time. I’ve done 3 in San Fran and 3 in Chicago. I’m good at saying ‘no’ so sitting through them doesn’t bother me and they often give me an Amex gift card as well as the hotel deal and the ‘spend a night on us’ cert. If you call and bargain with them (say you’re not quite sure, etc…) they might throw that gift card in. The presentation is often shorter if you’re a current owner, so I benefit from that. Yes they often put you up in a different hotel – but it’s not all that bad. There is a website you can go to that lists the possible destinations and hotels (can’t recall it now, but if I can find it i’ll repost). When you call just ask which hotels are available and pick the ‘good’ ones. SF options were the Sir Francis Drake and Pier 2620, plus another one like a Holiday Inn (there’s always one ‘blah’ one). Chicago options are the actual Wyndham property (great hotel right on the river and a block from Michigan Ave) and the Hotel Monaco (Kimpton property right down the block from the Wyndham). I like using them in Chicago and SF because where are you going to get to stay in one of those hotels for 3 nights for 149/199 total? You do have to pay the taxes for the nights. Last time I was in SF (just 2 weeks ago) was the Pier 2620 and it was 98.00 for 3 nights. Not bad. I’ve never used the ‘spend a night’ cert’s b/c I don’t stay at Wyndham properties much, but its sort of like a refund you apply for after the fact. Got another one when I was at the SF one a few weeks ago for 2 nights in Chicago (there are other choices but I picked that) for $59, so I’m going in June.

Wow, I just signed up for a 4 day 3 night SF package for $299 for late August. Wish I would’ve seen your post — maybe I could’ve negotiated for better. At least it comes with 30k Wyndham Rewards points, which perhaps I’ll use at the Rio Mar.

30K Wyndham points is enough for 2 nights at other Wyndham properties, so that is a pretty good deal :)

Found that link that lists all the cities available and possible hotels: http://media.wyndhamvo.com/details/

You might have to be flexible with your dates, but I’ve always had luck in getting the 1 or 2 good hotels as long as you call 3+months in advance.

Hi Scott, thank you for all the info. Glad you enjoy going to the timeshare presentations in exchange for a cheap hotel stay. The Chicago hotel sounds like a great deal. I really appreciate the help and hope you enjoy your upcoming stay.

They offer 4 free nights standard accommodations Tropical Adventure package at Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco last weekend plus $50 dining gc. We will go to their two hours timeshare presentation at Wyndham Canterbury near Fisherman’s Wharf. Choice of Destinations including Oahu, Maui Hawaii; Grand Cayman; Freeport, Bahamas; Orlando, FL; Cancun, Mexico; St. Thomas, USVI; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Hopefully it will work out.

Good luck at the timeshare presentation and have a fun trip.

How did It go and where will you choose to go?

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I did came at presentation at Wyndham Anaheim CA about 2hour 30 minutes and they push me all the times to buy based on our budget. It start with 450/months and up and rollover only 2 years and get 12500 credit point per years. It will change after 10 years they said. I refused it and they called another manager and force me to it and asked my wife why you didn’t do for your wife as you promised when you married to make her happy, but my answer still no, even if there’s hurt my wife feeling. The manager is delusional and hypocrite you to take that offer. But unfortunately I said that I dont have any budget at this time as a refusal to them. Anyway after all long conversation then they gave up on us. And they gave $100 groupon/restaurant.com credit. Not a gift card also with destination not in CA, NV or AZ state. They gave a tropical adventure to mexico, bahamas, florida, grand cayman, virgin island that required you to pay at front $50 plus about tax ~ $60 and any other fees. You need to buy your plane ticket for your family of course.

That sounds like a miserable experience and I’m sorry you and your wife had to sit through that harassment.

Hi! I just paid $199 for 4 days and 3 nights at my choice of several properties all over the country. I’m probably choosing Orlando Florida. I have 7 days after looking over material to cancel. Just wondering about hidden cost and black out dates? Not so much worried about sitting through timeshare presentation. They also offered $175 American Express and one night stay up to $100 at a Wyndham hotel all to be used in 6 months. I’m just worried hotel won’t be available when I want it also… To good to be true?

I would try to lock in your dates as soon as you can since they only have certain dates and space available. After you get your dates set, there should not be any additional charges for the timeshare vacation package.

I don’t think I would do this for a few hundred dollars in savings and I would book dates of travel not buy open dated packages. There are all inclusive resort packages that save about $900 per family but are out of the USA. I’ll consider Wyndham while we are in San Fran. Thanks for the info. Tom

Hi Tom, I believe there are a few Wyndham timeshare properties in SF, but the properties look a little old to me.

I am travelling to clearwater, FL and they are offering me $200 package with $200 back in Visa. I have to pay taxes, resort fees, parking etc. I am on the fence that date change fees is $20 and there is high chance it would happen. I wanted points and certificate but they were not willing to offer it. Anyone got anything better from them ?

That sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

I bought a $149.99 package deal, where I have until Dec 31st to travel for 4 days 3 nights and up to 6 people. I know I have to pay the taxes for the room per night, and for travel and parking and what not, but I cant seem time find where I go to look up the locations I want to stay and how to book them since I already paid the $149.99. All I can find is like where you would book a room regularly and pay for the whole stay rither when you book or arrive at the property. How do I book this trip?

Hi Brittany, you can see all the locations here: https://www.wyndhamtrips.com/vacation-package-destinations.asp

I think you might need to call to book the timeshare vacation package by calling 877-393-8405.

Let me know if you have any other questions :)

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Tips for Surviving a Timeshare Presentation

The key to making it to the end, and claiming your prize, is simply to survive. Before you attend a timeshare presentation, make sure you are clear on how long the session is scheduled to last, and what you will be eligible for at the conclusion.  Confirm that this is offered even if you do not go through with the buying process. The tips listed below can help you assure you will not be roped into a vacation ownership you do not desire, and ensure you can get through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Tips for Surviving and Escaping a Timeshare Presentation (Without Buying):

• Before you go to the presentation, find out when the busiest times are, and go during one of these times. This will give you the upper hand – when a resort is overbooked and understaffed, your likelihood of getting through the presentation in under 90 minutes is dramatically increased.  You are also less likely to be the victim of high pressure sales; the salesperson will just move onto the next person if you seem uninterested.
• Before your session begins – tell them you will be up front with them, and that you expect the same treatment from your salesperson. The “If I like it, I will get it” approach will deter the salesperson from badgering, or otherwise pressuring, you into something you have clearly told him you are not interested in.
• Keep to yourself and try to be as boring as possible. Timeshare salespeople will use any personal information you provide to try and strike some sort of common ground with you, making you feel as though you can trust them. If they offer some sort of tale about how they know so-and-so from your town, just say that is nice, and ask to focus on the issue at hand – getting information about the resort.
• Hold them to the time frame that you have been promised for the timeshare presentation. If you were quoted 90 minutes, set your alarm for 70 minutes, and remind the salesperson at 70 minutes that they now have 20 minutes to finish up the talk.
• Do not lead on the salesperson. Do not pretend you are interested only to let them down at the very end. If you have no intentions of buying be sure to act that way.
• When they ask how much you make, lie. Pick a low to average income when asked how much you make per year. Admitting or saying you have a lot of disposable income is just going to make your experience that much more painful – think multiple salespeople all over you for hours on end.
• Tell them you already know about timeshare and its benefits, this way they will need to be more focused on the amenities at the particular resort, thus, shortening the presentation.
• Try not to talk too much, again, be boring. The less details you offer up about your personal life, the better.
• I am not interested in buying, I just want to trade to go to other resorts.
• I just bought a new house, I do not have any extra cash.
• I am swamped with bills – car payment, credit cards, new RV, home remodel, etc.
• The resort just does not fit my lifestyle – not enough activities for kids, location is too cold, lack of surrounding activities, etc.
• I can not afford it, it is much too far out of my price range. Be ready for them to offer ownership every other year, tell them it is still not affordable enough.
• You like your other timeshare better. This is a pretty solid reason, as there is no way they can haggle price to rope you into buying.

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259 Comments

Wow. My wife and I went through a horrendous presentation in Orlando after being promised a three night stay in a hotel near Universal studios and we barely made it out of there in 2 hours after some real hardcore then, what turned out to be, rude sales pitching.

I would heed all warnings about the way that they try and sell you a piece of resort luxury for thousands and thousands of dollars (of course they never discuss dollar amounts up front.) Here’s my advice if you were not ALREADY considering buying timeshare after A LOT of research and TALKING with friends and family about their experience: 1. When they say two hours, hold them to the time. Perhaps you need to pick up your 89 year old mother at the hotel at exactly 11:00 or she will become agitated. 2. Do not engage. Do not tell them about family or friends (unless it’s your 89 year old mother who would NEVER stay at a timeshare with you, so there goes the ‘family time’ excuse to buy more property.) They will use every angle to hook you and connecting to family is a big one. 3. Do not talk. 4. Say no. 5. Say no again. 6. Say that you will never by timeshare because a. you rarely stay at hotels b. you do not like resorts c. you cannot afford it d. no. The answer is no. But be careful. Our salesperson held the “Well, we might have to reschedule you again” bit. (Which would have meant paying hundreds that I didn’t plan on spending for the hotel stay that they gave us in return for the presentation.) Don’t bite it. Say that the paper, the e-mails and the information you were given is what you are abiding by. So if they say “Two hours” it’s two hours. Whisper loudly to your wife about your close friends who are lawyers. That is all. Hope this helps. And btw, if you can, don’t even bother!

On 3/15/2020 we attended a Wyndham TimeShare Presentation. We were lured by the “FREE Gifts” while attending a Home Show exhibition in Seattle. The “Free Gifts” were: 7-Nite Resort Vacation Certificate + $150 Dining Credit + 30,000 Wyndham Points. Sounds great doesn’t it?? The reality: the Dining Credits are called “Dining Dough” from Restaurant.com We thought we could spend $150 at a fine restaurant—NO!! Dining Dough gives you $25 off of a $50 meal with LOTS of restrictions. Limited number of participating restaurants. So NOT very useful. The “amazing” 7-Nite Resort Vacation Certificate?? Maybe we will be able to use it, but there are MANY restrictions. The ONLY valuable item we received for 3 hours of our time was the 30,000 Wyndham points. We had the opportunity to get $100 in Dining Credit and 45,000 Wyndham points. Unfortunately we chose the almost useless extra Dining Credit. We tried asking several times during the presentation about the Dining Credit—but they refuse to answer any questions about it. (The salesmen KNOW they are almost worthless). Therefore be VERY specific about WHAT Wyndham offers you. The best bet is to ask for MORE Wyndham points.

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My wife and I have gone to a dozen of them over the years. We really enjoy it because, amongst other things, it’s a inexpensive vacation. I won’t lie though, at this point we’re also going for the sheer kicks and giggles of the whole thing. We know their Schlick. The into, the tour, the probing, the puke price (an actual industry term), and everything else. When the right time come I will start asking them probing questions. My favorite is about how much the maintenance fees are. That’s when I pull out what they fear the most…a calculator. $500 for a studio means that it’s costing them $13,000 a year just to maintain one tiny unit? Com’n! I have a 3000 sq. foot home that needs only a fraction of that outlay. They have no answer and then, when they try finanancing (15-20%), and I tell them that a bank will do it for 3%, they have no answer. I ask them if they will wave, in perpetuity , the fees and taxes and of course they won’t. They’re already dying to get rid of us when, on cue, my wife says that she has a call and steps away for 5 minutes and then, when she comes back, she shows the sales rep a few on EBay that didn’t sell for even $1. More crickets from them. Another ploy is that I get up and tell them that I wan’t to run this past my financial advisor. They don’t like that one either. T/he last trick is to ask for the contract to review it with our realtor, etc. Nooooo…it’s a one time deal only offer and you can’t even take the contact out of the room. We also make a point of making our objections loud, but always polite, so that the other people in room can hear them. Of course, before any of this is done we haggle better stays in better places, more cash, etc. over the phone. It’s hilarious and a real interesting study in human nature. We’ll enjoy the 3 days for free and fortiet part of one as our “bill”. Some other things to say, that bug them.” -/we like to cruise because we don’t have to worry about cleaning up, cooking, and so forth. My wife likes turndowns too.

-I want to see the world and really don’t like seeing the same place twice

-(this one only works in Vegas), I never have to pay for lodging anyway because I get the room for free because I gamble, and can use their pool and stuff whenever I want.

If you’re really dying to have one, then just go on line and find one to rent. Their are plenty of people who can’t use them on time, or just want to recoup their annual fee, that will practically give you the week for a few bucks and take a lesser loss than a full one.

You can’t sell them, can’t write them off on your taxes, can barely rent them….turning the tables on the sharks is just giving the them what they deserve.

You don’t have a clue about how timeshare works. You seriously have no respect for someone who works off of commission. You and your wife and your enjoyment of wasting someone’s time is disgusting. That timeshare rep may have 3 or 5 kids at home that they are supporting and you are simply wasting their time. People like you are scum just like those on welfare. You all want something for nothing. Next time why don’t you spend your money and leave the presentations to those who will actually think about better vacations and saving money over their lifetime of vacations.

That person has nothing to feel sorry about. I was called by a timeshare place. I was under the impression that I was receiving a free gift through ihg’s reward program. I already had plans to travel to one of the offered locations anyway, so I accepted the offer. After paying a down payment I googled the place and realized it was for a timeshare pitch and immediately tried to cancel, but they would not return my “down payment”. These places use pushy tactics to lure you into visiting them and charge outrageous monthly places to people they are able to convince to buy in. The sales reps that work there know that what they’re selling is not a good deal for most people. They are the true scum.

I don’t think it’s right to waste folks time, but as a timeshare salesperson you’re a liar if you reckon you’re selling a good product

We bought a Wyndham timeshare, unit base is Orlando. They have nice facilities. I took a break from the salesman, saying I was going to the pool to ask people if they thought it was a good deal? They liked it, so we bought the two year plan. I hated the cheesy group presentation. The so-called breakfast was a joke- coffee, juice, and packaged doughnuts! We don’t use it a lot and the points get transferred to RCI (participating hotels). Holiday Inn RCI had horrible units! The good thing- less chance of lice, compared to hotels; suites, and nice facilities. The bad- maintenance fees and taxes. They call the heck out of you afterwards to upsell you. I finally got a different phone number. The “information update” presentations are horrible! They claim something like 45 minutes, but it’s actually at least twice that. I objected strongly and a woman got belligerent, saying she was just trying to help us! I know they wanted to upsell, but nope, I’m not doing it! I’ll never go to an update or another timeshare presentation again. If you do want a timeshare I recommend Wyndham.

That’s exactly how I feel about people like YOU, who LIE, LIE and LIE just to sell. You are the scum!

It isn’t “Something for nothing.” The “Something” the attendee gives is his or her time.

Maybe so BUT I was sold a “vacation” recently with the understanding that We would sit thru a timeshare presentation…. The girl made her offer, we said “no thanks” she then offered the hotel stay plus the same amount of gift cards minus 25.00 we had to spend on the “vacation”, again we said “no”. Then she offered all of that plus a free cruise for 2…At that point we signed up, she knew VERY well going into it that we had no intention on doing anything and even told us that if we took our toddler that we would get out faster…she was just trying to make a sale which we agreed to with her knowing that we would NEVER purchase a timeshare at the presentation…so they kinda get what they deserve when they are that pushy…if they don’t like working for commission they should find another profession and not try so hard to give stuff away to get you to listen to them.

Yeah I feel sorry for them, alright. Must be pretty hard up to join the army of salespeople who descend on those there for the “one hour” pitch. Didn’t you see Wyndham was forced to pay millions to a whistle blower who exposed how the teams were told to say anything they wanted to close a deal, especially for elderly visitor, as long as they didn’t write it down in the contract. An army of Wyndham lawyers lost that one. Ironically, the award went to the whistle blower for being fired, not to those who got bilked out of their retirements. Was no different when I bought Marriott. First thing I hear on my last Wyndham vacation, “you need a parking sticker to use the garage”. To get one, you need to run the gauntlet of sales associates. I get to my room, unplug both phones. They knock the next day and say it appears my phone isn’t working. What’s a family need to do to be left alone?

Might you know the parties who won the Wyndham caee?

I am seriously considering taking RCI to court. We were very specific on what we we’re looking for in a timeshare. EVERYTHING the sales person told us was an outright lie. The timeshare he sold us is completely useless to us and does not one thing he assured us it would.

Any help would be appreciated.

Feel sorry for them?! Ha! Didn’t you see Wyndham was forced to pay millions to a whistle blower who exposed how the teams were told to say anything they wanted to close a deal, especially to the elderly, as long as they didn’t write it down in the contract. An army of Wyndham lawyers lost that one. Ironically, the award went to the whistle blower for being fired, not to those who got bilked out of their retirements. Was no different when I bought Marriott. My last Wyndham vacation, “you need a parking sticker to use the garage”. To get one, you need to run the gauntlet of sales associates. I get to my room, unplug both phones. They knock the next day and say it appears my phone isn’t working. What’s a family need to do to be left alone?

Justin, maybe those who work off commission should find a better job with more reliable income if they have 3 to 5 kids to feed lest they end up as “scum just like those on welfare” (your words), not mine. I totally agree with Toni’s advice. Not all, but a great majority of time share salespersons give high pressured sales pitches to people who simply can’t afford it. They wear them down and guilt them into debt that they cannot afford. Don’t you think if people could afford a 4 day/3 night vacation they would pay for it themselves instead of giving up 90 to 120 minutes of their time? I know my time is a lot more valuable than a time share, but if you offer a nice gift, I’m willing to give up that small amount of my time. The presentations with the high pressure sales pitch will keep people there for longer than they’re actually required to stay. Time share companies are not stupid. They are well aware that they need to offer some type of benefit to lure potential customers. If someone is actually that interested in purchasing a time share, the company would not have to offer free dinners, show tickets, etc… The benefits that attract serious buyers are the benefits of owning the time share and the rest are extras. It’s a cheap way to get a vacation. My husband and I were offered a 4 day/3 night stay at our choice of available Wyndham resorts simply because he had accumulated more membership reward points for a stay at a Wyndham hotel. We intend to take advantage of it and Toni’s advice is spot on! It’s not a matter of respect for the salesperson’s earning potential. It’s a matter of respect the salesperson has for the customer who is not interested in the sale. Instead of pressuring someone who’s not interested, be polite and move on to the next potential customer for your commission. It’s usually the salesperson’s pushy tactics and pretend interest in a customer that costs them their commission.

Please don’t try to survive the timeshare pitch. I always felt so ashamed for what my guests had gone through when they approached me at the entrance to the theme park that I worked at with vouchers which they thought we would get admitted at the front gate. No, this voucher must be exchanged for a ticket so these guests waited in line at the ticket booth after having half or more of that day’s park hours wasted sitting though timeshare hard-sells.

I don’t think that y’all are a bunch of thieving moochers. I think that you probably had the same experience that I did when I spent my wedding night at a timeshare presentation in Reno for a “free” room after we had come with enough money to pay for our own lodging. My husband and I were young newlyweds who had never heard of timeshare before, which I don’t think was even called timeshare back then because it was 30 years ago. Thank heavens I could see that this was not in our best interest and told them one lie to counteract the many that I believed that they were telling us. I was asked about work and told them that I worked for a law firm much more powerful and bad-ass than where I actually worked. This was clearly disturbing to the salesman because he left quickly and returned with a supervisor who thanked us for our time and got us out of their quickly. We checked out the next day with no further pressure about buying a timeshare.

I then went to a timeshare presentation many years later, alone, just to see if they were any less slimy than I believed that the first place was since this was a different company. I got up to leave because I did not care about the gratuity once I saw that it was the same game but with the new name of “vacation club”. I was asked to wait for a second by the salesman who said that they owed me a “free gift”. I just wanted to forget about it, but I have done sales work and know that it is really hard so I took pity on this guy whom I thought seemed like a rookie and sat back down. I was then faced with two more people who wanted to hold me captive and so I reached for my handbag and sweater no longer caring how rude I was being. Then a third person stopped by the table and asked me what was holding me back, meaning of course holding me back from signing the papers. My response since she didn’t ask specifically what was holding me back from buying but simply what was holding me back I replied “Nothing. I am leaving”. When I was then asked what was the hurry, I told the truth that I had transcripts to type. Again, I was then quickly dismissed with cash since that was the “gratuity” this company was “offering”. They did not want to deal with a court stenographer while trying to get away with their crooked conduct.

I no longer work as I am now in this country’s Medicare crowd, but the reaction of the timeshare scammers to my profession both times told me that they knew what they were doing was wrong.

I know live in the theme park capital of the work since my husband took retirement, and I immediately say that I don’t believe in timeshares the second that hear someone at a mall kiosk or whatever say “Where are you from?” I know what is coming next. Even telling them that I live here in Orlando doesn’t shut them up so I just match their rudeness if that is what it takes, which it often does.

The sad part is that I really do think that a lot of timeshare sales people apply for the job not realizing what is expected of them. Take a look at the local paper to see that timeshares are hiring all of the time. They advertise for timeshare sellers more often than they advertise for maids at these resorts, and a company’s turnover rate tells you all that you need to know about a company.

“I no longer work as I am now in this country’s Medicare crowd, but the reaction of the timeshare scammers to my profession both times told me that they knew what they were doing was wrong.”

You lie. This is the 2nd example you give about your lies. You go on a fly buy for your honeymoon. Who is the scammer here ? Stay home, in Orlando no less – pretty much the birthplace of timeshare. Never heard of timeshare before. And you go AGAIN. Alone. You should have been NQ. Non-Qualified.

You are more useless than the people you are complaining about. They are doing a job. You don’t want them to come to your office telling you how to do your job either.

The companies doing these things are more successful than yours. Why else would you have to lie about your “profession” ? Hilton, Marriott’s, Sheraton…Disney…!?

Go home. Turn on the thermostat. Buy some Coronas. Put a palm tree screen saver on. Stay at home. Do not pass start. Do not collect your (almost) free holiday (for your honeymoon no less).

Welfare. I bet you play Minecraft.

You know, I agree with both of you. If the timeshare company is pushing you to attend and you want to even though you state you aren’t interested, playing games in the presentation is fair game. I remember in Vegas, I repeated said no and after 10 sweeter offers, the last one being a 200 Visa card, I said ok. Well, they were frustrated with me and gave me the 200 Visa card after 45 minutes.

But if you are stringing any interest to get a freebie and then play games, that’s wrong.

Now, I always say no and stick with no as even the 200 is t worth it. I’m on vacation, and want to keep it that way.

I find it quite hilarious, and a bit sad the comments I am seeing. Either way, I have attended several timeshare presentations and they are relenting in their pursuit of your money. I ended up purchasing a timeshare with my sister because they literally called in the every sales person they could find, I’m guessing because they saw two women and they knew they could get us. What was more insensitive about it was we were on vacation and it was wayyyy over the 90 mins they promised, it was just about allllll day and our kids didn’t get to go tubing. Needless to say we ended up not ever using it or went back to the resort in VA (Massnutten). That was over 10 years ago and I have since gone on several, some just as bad, others no so much. I attended one where the sales rep asked me in the first 5 mins how serious I was, and when I told him I really wasn’t he said “ok” let’s do the basics and get you out in time to enjoy your day.. he asked for a few referrals, which I was happy to give since he didn’t attempt to strong-arm me into something I didn’t want. That I appreciated, not the “calling in reinforcements” tactics that only piss me off. I will attend a presentation in July with my family,however I am not in the market to buy and plan to employ the same tactics as the sales rep used on me just the opposite. Look I know why I’m there.. he knows why I’m there. I paid a small amount to go on vacation, and in return they get 90 mins of my time.. and I will stick to just that 90 mins. So for those who had very bad experiences, I’m sorry you had them, however next time, just be firm and remind them what your obligation was to them.. an that if they want any referrals it would be best that they adhere to that time-frame and leave out the strong-arm tactics. Another thing I will add.. IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO DEGRADE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU DON’T AGREE WITH THEIR VIEW OR THE EXPERIENCE THEY’VE HAD?

Wow, do you really think it’s worth your time, to spend half a day at a timeshare presentation to get maybe $100? Is your time only worth $25 per hour, taking time away from your family on vacation? If you’re that poor maybe you shouldn’t go on vacation!

The associate assured me it wasn’t a sales pitch. After all, I was already a Wyndham owner, right? They just wanted to invite me to an information session where owners would be able to voice their concerns and give the company some input. Right. A two hour armbending session to convert from simple weeks I had over to a point based system for my choice of plan, $35K or $80K, financed for my convenience. Nope. I paid only $3K for my 2 bedroom 1 fixed week in Kona Hawaii. After nearly 3 hours they gave up on me. I scored another week in the same place. I’m wondering if they’ll invite me to attend the session again. “Information session my foot”. They took a chance on me. They judged wrong. I knew it was unlikely to be an “info” session and that I wouldn’t buy anyway. Do I feel guilty? Of course not. Vegas rules apply. The house always wins in the end, but sometimes, the guest does.

My friend bought into a 2 bedroom unit.. 2 weeks a year… Or they can do 2 2 bedroom units for 1 week a year if they need more space. They paid $22,000 about 10 years ago and pay $750 in fees annually. They asked me to help them sell it by looking online and seeing the best way to do it. I looked at some sites that are selling the same kind of deal for exactly $1. Sooo many people are trying to get out of their $22,000 upfront purchase for just $1!!! Just so they don’t have to pay the fees anymore because they no longer want the timeshare. My friend is now trying to give the unit away… free! Anyone that is going to suffer their way through one of these presentation, I beg you to please first look online and see what people are selling the units for in the same place you are getting the presentation. You will then be able to tell the salesperson that wants you to spend thousands, exactly how much you can buy the place for on the private market. P.S. They offered me their place for free… I didn’t take the deal.

I got several calls from someone who offered us a stay in Whistler BC for a low price. We lived in Washington State, probably not 100 miles the Canadian border. They told me it was for homeowners and there was an age group and we had to make a certain amount of money a year. While we fit into the age group I told the caller we didn’t own a home and we didn’t make the amount of money we were required to make. They still kept calling us and said it was OK if we went. We would have a 90 minute tour and presentation. I thought we would be among a lot of people for the presentation and if we were interested we would talk to someone after and make arrangements. We took the train up to Vancouver and then took a bus the rest of the way. We were given times for the presentation to attend and I told them 9 a.m. I wanted to get it over. When they gave us our voucher it was for 3 p.m., right in the middle of the day. We arrived for the presentation and to my dismay it was a very pregnant saleswoman who was talking just to my then-husband and I. We had been trying to get pregnant for 12 years so the fact that she was 7 months pregnant did not encourage us at all to be cooperative. She handed us a sheet with prices – beginning at 30K Canadian, which would have been 20K American. “Where would you like to vacation?” “Alaska,” I said. “Oh, they don’t have timeshare in Alaska. Anywhere else?” “We are saving to take an American History tour with a group of people. We’ll go to Washington DC and Boston and New York City and Philadelphia and places like that.” “Oh, well I will tell you how you can own your vacation. You buy a timeshare and you will pay $280 a month and get a weeks’ vacation.” “We don’t want to come here every year.” “You don’t have to–you can trade. You stay in a timeshare in Boston for a week or you can stay in Washington DC for a week or whatever.” “We don’t want to do that. This is a three week tour. We will only be staying in one place for a night or two.” “Oh, but you really save money. To get a room in Whistler you have to pay $200 a night.” “we clean and decorate the rooms. We have expert interior designers.” Really, if I own something I want to have it decorated the way I want it. Then she led us to a room where there were other people and we watched a short video. People in the video were talking about how much they loved the timeshare. “I like to make my own coffee” a man stated. Good for him. We don’t drink coffee.

I thought this would end and we could all go our separate ways–but no we were led back to the office to argue with this pregnant Ha ole woman from Hawaii. She had told us how wonderful timeshare was in Hawaii as well.

She repeated herself. We would own our vacation. They had expert designers to decorate. Then she gave us an option that was cheaper and we could get a week every other year. It went on and on and on. Finally I said, “Ma’am, we do not want to do this. We have listened to your presentation and this is not for us.”

“OK. You know we invested $400 in you.” She gave us a gift certificate for a restaurant and we left.

So why did you go to the presentation? Did anyone force you?

You should have replied: “And I gave you 90 minutes of my time, which is worth much more than that. Have a good day.”

Not really, because if it was truth, they woudln´t spent their “worthy time” to get that little discount.

Ok so my parents went to a timeshare presentation to get 400 extra bucks because we were staying in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and it rains a lot there so they figured what the heck? They wanted time to think over the offer which was that we got that trip and the next for free and a pretty cheap time share. My parents wanted time to think it over but the presenters said they had to decide right then. They were very intense and aggressive about it. My parents decided to say no because they thought that something was off. The deal was way too good to be true. Was it a scam or not? Also, are there any tea hares that you would recommend… Like hotels that are well priced but have multiple locations and are fairly nice? Thanks!

Your parents did the right thing by saying no. Most timeshares can be bought resale for pennies on the dollar. Remember that for Mexico you are not protected by any American law, an extra disadvantage. There are all kinds of nice accommodations to be had through TripAdvisor, HomeAway, Airbnb, etc. for less than payments on a timeshare (including rentals by desperate timeshare owners). If you really want to learn about timeshare systems, go to tugbbs.com and they can give you a LOT more detail. I am not affiliated with that site, but found it when researching how to survive timeshare presentations as well.

just to make this clear when you buy from resale you get what you buy when you buy from a good resort you actually recive incintives that alow you to vacation in multiple seasons and have tools to help you save money and others dont i sell timeshare and we offer amazing add ons for free and things like personal service that you dont get when you buy online there are 1000’s of things i can do to personalize a timeshare for a family if you buy for pennys on the dollar you get what you get

Old sales like weeks are terrible. I know Hawaii you have to be a licensed real estate agent and disclose everything.just a thought.

I read through most of the comments but I still have questions. My partner and I would like to purchase a timeshare before the close of this year. We aren’t married but my income is qualifying for most terms and conditions I’ve read (30 yr old). I called a company today to gain more info on just the process of timeshare ownership prior to visiting but no luck. When I agreed to book for what is possibly the best deal around I was lied to about the room accommodations. Am I being too picky requesting that I know in advance, prior to paying-if my room will be oceanfront or poolview? The discount will be helpful as we intend to view two other states prior to purchasing. Exactly how does this work.Am I to just accept any room because of the rates? Will I be staying in a room that is an available timeshare? Any advice and tips are welcomed. Be nice, you all are a tough bunch. Thanks.

It seems like so many people are in the same band wagon of “I hate timeshare or only buy resale” I am a very happy timeshare owner. I purchased my points 7 years ago for about $19,000 and have a maintenance fee of about $600 per year. I take 1-2 vacations literally anywhere I please. In the past 7 years I have been to Paris, Australia, Egypt, Disney, Napa Valley, Steamboat Springs(co), and a handful of destinations like Las Vegas etc.. If I had paid out of pocket for each trip with comparable accommodations I would have spent double or tripe that amount. I did consider buying resale myself but would have given up so many of the perks buying from the developer. I did like the additional bonus points I received and the fact they pay RCI for the life of my ownership. I’ve read some people on here say they can buy a vacation or RV for the same money and are absolutely right.Although it will be a rinky dink RV and a sad little vacation home. You will still have maintenance and insurance to pay for annually on both of those items. If you like quality and flexibility like I do, buy a timeshare with a large and reputable company. So yeah my maintenance fee is $600, I just booked a trip to Singapore for 8 just using my points. Can a non-owner stay at a 5 star resort for that rate?

You must be a timeshare salesperson. I owned a timeshare property and thought it was the worst 5 years of my life. None of my friends who still own one thinks it’s the best investment ever.

You probably did not use it buddy

Of course he’s a salesperson. Why else would he be trying so hard to push people away from the resale market and to buy from the developer?

Why do I need a 5 star place? I often go on a package that includes several people or I stay at a Motel 6 or in a college dorm. I would like to try hosteling. A room to sleep in? Why do I need to be fancy just to sleep?

You don’t. You can continue to squeeze people into your motel 6. The clanking heaters or air conditioners,the yelling running baseball teams of 9 year olds, the drunken partiers, and the bugs all come for free too, since you like to travel so cheaply. Why not stay home, be more comfortable, save every dime, and not bother?

Which timeshare company do you work for?

if you dont use it or can not afford it wrong thing to do if you will use it and can afford it awsome thing to do

Either you are a salesperson or bought into a scam. Why pay for one condo for thousands of dollars, with an 18% interest rate, for one week AND pay $400-$800 year maintenance fees?

The price for ONE $50,000 condo.

52 individuals purchase ONE unit = $2,600,000 PLUS interest 52 individuals pay a $400 annual maintenance fee=$ 20,800 PER YEAR Maintenance over 15 years for ONE unit is $312,000

Within 15 years, these same 52 individuals could have purchased a 2 million dollar home for less than one timeshare.

The price for ONE $25,000 condo.

52 individuals purchase ONE unit = $1,300,000 PLUS interest 52 individuals pay a $400 annual maintenance fee=$ 20,800 PER YEAR Maintenance over 15 years for ONE unit is $312,000

Within 15 years, these same 52 individuals could have purchased a 11 million dollar home for less than one timeshare.

I am due to attend ‘another’ presentation, which unfortunately is a requirement of my free holiday gift received at a previous presentation over 6 months ago. I already know how it works and have no intention of buying. I do not want to waste anyone’s time but have been told it is part of the conditions. My gift is for three free nights at a luxury resort/spa which I have already stayed in several times before. My only cost is a AUD$29 booking fee potentially saving over AUD$1500 (off peak).

I am disappointed that having already earned the gift I am having to again sit through 90mins of hard-sell but I don’t appear to have any other choice.

Stop thinking life is free.. u get something start appreciating and giving back or life will no longer give u anything. If u do go. Be happy and thankful u had this opportunity. . It is for people who see the value and not for cheap renters.

Agree. I am a happy owner who has stayed in castles and great resorts and not had to pay anything except some maintenance. I don’t mind paying that for what I get. I have gotten my money back many times over.

Perhaps don’t go or pay the $1500. You will be not only wasting their time but yours if you know it is not for you.

How old are you? No one is forcing you to go, are they? But you did want that cheap prize right? Lop

Geez louise people!!!! We just got talked into a cheap trip so I find myself here learning! they quickly threw in there that this Fourth of July special for bass pros new resort would include a quick timeshare share presentation, no further explanation. My husband, who is very intelligent didn’t even catch it! I did but am interested in learning about it so I said why not! You are sales people lurring in possible commission! Stop pretending like you’re the victim here. You know EXACTLY what you are doing! Stop attacking people that are smart enough to do a little research prior to making a possible large investment with there hard earned money. They agreed to a small amount of time not buying! Back off! If it’s such a great investment you might get further with Presenting the benefits rather than bullying and intimidation! Your responses has me further from purchasing than I could have imagined! and miss Pamela, I like your idea of giving back. There are many ways you can give back that will fill your life with much joy that by far surpass anything you will get back from giving money to a timeshare salesman or resort, right thinking, poor application! Your grand idea is also known as karma, so goes both ways, you get back from the universe what you put in so might want to consider taking your own advice next time you leave a Nasty message to a stranger;) namaste

I’m a westgate timeshare rep I help owners upgrade to bigger units and help them on exchanges, and believe me when I say timeshare works if you own in a high demand location.. One of my owners made $43,000 last year off our referral and travle partners programs plus renting out his additional week.. now if you want to go on vacation for free and travle the world for virtually nothing go timeshare. But if you want to stay in the same cheap hotel with two twin beds no privacy and no kitchen then don’t go on tour.. This is for people who want to own thier own vacation not work around complies like hilton or quality inn..

Keep drinking the westgate koolaid. TS industry is a scam and you are the bus driver to the hell it is. Fool.

Westgate sales are reps are so entertaining. They’re certainly the biggest scammers out there but I’ve somehow managed to find the humor in their sales pitch.

I feel for you guys, such s depressing life to have to rip off families. Keep fooling yourselves into thinking you’re doing all of us THE BIGGEST FAVOR EVER!!

“…if you want to go on vacation for free and travle (sic) the world for virtually nothing go timeshare.”

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

That’s a good one! I needed a good laugh today!

Timeshare is Vacation Insurance. I work in Mexico, and you can get up to $500 USD for attending a presentation. Why do you people give up your vacation time to go on a presentation? My wife’s Resort has partnered with Cirque du Soleil . It is a permanent venue now in Playa de Carmen, and they are building one in Nuevo Vallarta now. They are also building a theme park, that will surpass Disney World! There is one mandatory maint. Fee in 10 years. If you don’t vacation you don’t pay. 70% of sales in timeshare are from existing owners! If it was so bad, why do they buy more? Your money is safer investing in family memories, than in the Stock market. Would you like people to come to your job, to waste your time? Sales Reps get fired because of people like you, and we know if you are lying to us.

We attend your presentations Pepito because you ask us to come. And who does the lying????? You guys start off with what you say is the best deal and then if someone guts it out, you practically give it away. Nothing worse than a cry baby used car salesman.

They ask you to come? You can say NO! If someone asked you to shoot yourself I am sure you would say NO to that! The only people that regularly attend timeshare presentations are cheapskates who could never afford a nice vacation anyway.

Wrong Barbara. Most of us could afford a nice vacation on my own. But if they want to exchange a timeshare presentation for a vacation, I’ll take it. We pay them with our time, which is worth more than the vacation they offer anyway

You must be another salesperson attempting to justify a scam. I really don’t know how you sleep at night.

I stopped listening to this loser as soon as he said his wife is building a theme park that will surpass Disney World?!?!!? Haha what a joke he is sale pitching right here in the comment section LMFAO!

It’s the Mayan Palace, also known as the Palace of Lies. They keep changing the name to avoid the BILLIONS in lawsuits. It is outright fraud. I ought to know, I work there. We are conmen. IT’S A SCAM. Do a quick search for Mexican timeshare fraud and the number one offender is the Palace of Lies, even though they are affiliated with the Cirque de Soleil

You are a lying sack of &@$%. Scum sucking TS sales people are all the same.

Quit going to the presentations then! Sheesh!

LOOOOOOL these people are illarious. I have been a salesrep for over 6yrs ive worked for Westgate and now im with Sheraton. one thing i wanna say, even the newbies knows when you guys are lying. i try not to blame you guys why cause maybe you were not raise that way. Motel 6 or quality inn always have great deal. all we ask as a sales person if i may speak on their behalf you still can go on a presentation and not purchase its ok, but try not to lie some of us take our job very seriously and we have on going training just to make sure of helping our customer better. you are on vacation not us, this our job. jerk will be jerk by all means but vacation ownership does work for those who deserve it. and can trully afford it.

I hope your sales pitch delivery is better than your spelling and grammar. Wow.

I was lied to during a presentation and at closing both sales rep and loan officer told of what my benefits include. Now i find myself on my final downpayment month have spent 2300.00 innocently called asking questions on booking first trip and was told i can only use share once a year when i was told i could use it as often as i liked…WTH! Now i can stop future payments but will be reported to credit beareau as failure to complete promise and i LOOSE monies i have already paid!!!! Customer service rep was going to forward for assistance but doesn’t look good. I sure hope they can resolve this or i will plaster their name on every post to help someone else from being shammed……. And that my cyber peers are how the rich keep getting richer, they’re no different from a common street thief

Disappointed,I purchased a Timeshare in Cabo and I have attended several others it is very clear that you are only buying 1/2 weeks a year. I find it hard to believe that someone told you (I don’t care how bad the sales rep was) that you could use it anytime you wanted that is not how ANY Timeshare works.

Don’t be so quick to disbelieve what ‘Disappointed’ says, Vicki. I just attended a Timeshare presentation last week and our salesperson said the same thing… that we could use the resort as many times a year or book rooms at exclusive resorts all over the world, for only $139 per night whenever we wanted. We were also told of incredible deals on 7 day cruises through all the major cruise lines for as low as $249 per CABIN, not per person, and air fares so low you would jump at the chance to purchase one of their Timeshares just for the incredible travel discounts and deals. Of course, none of these additional perks were in writing.

Westgate rep lied and said i was getting an upgrade, but i got stuck with a third week that i could not afford and did not need. Now my credit is ruined because they foreclosed. Our government should put a stop to these scams.

True, if this person speaks the way they write, their income must be well below the poverty level.

Zaya, I have a question for you about Westgate tours. If you are married your spouse is required to show for the presentation, but what if she didn’t travel with me? If I put down that I am single, would anyone even check? Thank you 🙂

For a person who has been doing this for several years now your presentation is terrible and your lack of fourth grade grammer and vocabulary skills is stunning. I have a hard time believing you have been doing this for as long as you say. I agree no one should lie but the reason people lie to you is because of your lack of understanding the word no. I have been on a few of these presentations before and some were good with knowledgeable sales staff and others were like high pressured thugs trying to shake me down. It is funny you bring up Westgate. My wife and I attended an Westgate presentation and the sales people purposely attempted to split up my wife and I so they could pressure her alone. I made the mistake of using the restroom. Unbeknowst to me while in the restroom they were soliciting information from my wife that I already told them that I was not comfortable talking about. Towards the end of the tour they asked my wife if she liked the place and she said it was nice but we were not interested. The salesperson had the nerve to call my wife a liar. Which she is not and happens to be the most honest person I have ever met in my life. These places are all alike with high pressure sales pitch and their inability to conduct the presentation as promised. I’m not saying all sales people are bad because they are not and they are most likely bullied by their bosses as well. The flat out truth is that timeshares are ripoffs and there is absolutely no benefit of having one. The price they charge I could permanently have a house trailer in Florida which I own and could sell.

Yes they will check and if you are normally an honest person you will get caught reps know when you are lying!!!!!!w

Here is a novel thought just don’t go don’t take our money you are a parasite and a corporate welfare recipient – plenty of people love their timeshare this is NOT FOR YOU Professional Freeloader so just don’t go and don’t take our money because you can’t afford to buy any way

If people knew better, they would understand that your organization represents corporate welfare. They take advantage of people with hard sales pitches, pressure, gimmicks, and lies. The sales reps are trained to manipulate. They use unscrupulous tactics by aligning skewed “truths”. They don’t allow individuals to evaluate or research their “investment”. If timeshares were fantastic investments, they would sell without manipulation.

Zaya if you are a timeshare salesman go find real work. “If a timeshare salesman lips are a moving he/she is lying”

Your job has no ethics if you keep living life on a lie you begin to believe the lie.

Excuse me, Zaya, but did you ever take an English grammar course? When did you drop out of school or were you too busy hustling on the streets to attend classes? Nice people are your mark. Nice people are what selling times shares are all about. Hard working folks in good moods, on holidays, in exotic locals, in vacation mode, are your game and you’re the hunter! Nice people are basically trusting and honorable. Greedy? No! Yes, they or we do respond to all the grandiose representations you boys and girls make in your hustling rooms. Nice people generally do not just get up and tell you to screw yourselves and walk away. And you love those nice folks, don’t you? You study your prey, get a feel for what their weaknesses are, what their dreams and life aspirations and the financial class they’re in. You wait for each squiring rebuttal from these good men and women and you’ve seen it a thousand times before. You’ve rehearsed your lines, role played with your sociopathic gluttons on the sales staff, and you’ve listened to the second and third level instruct you on how to defuse each rebuttal from your mark, your chump, your patsy; the nice folks who are now sweating, fidgeting and nudging one another to just leave. You’ve learned just how far to push, to gently insult, to wave that lottery ticket before their eyes. You know how to ware them down, pit then against one another and in the end you offer up the bigger prize, the special just for them, the magic key to the kingdom.

I know you. I’m a shrink who has worked in prison settings. I’ve listened to you at corporate board meetings. And some of us have even voted for you. You’re sociopaths without conscience, without empathy, without souls. And you know that the rest of us just do not know how to disarm your charm, your slick tricks, and twitching tongues. You’re heartless cons. And

But, the masses are getting smarter which is why TUGS is a brilliant site. Folks, wise up. We live with these tricksters in every arena of our lives. Look at what happened in the election in 2016. The corruption is such that it takes those who have convicted warlords and crime families to shut the likes of these empty suits down. And when one scheme is exposed, you’re grifters who just move on to the next scam, the next easy mark the next plaything. Many end up incarcerated, but some of you are too clever and move about just inside the law. Timeshare salespeople are among the sleaziest, tricksters on the lower rungs of criminality. And, yes, you even stung me once. Never again.

I’ve only ever attended one of these timeshare presentations with my now wife during one of our early vacations to Orlando and can categorically say it was not worth it. We was in Universal and my wife saw a woman at a booth holding up some of the novelty Universal dollars, the ones with Betty Boop on them. My wife wanted some of these and rubes that we were we soon found ourselves booked onto a Timeshare Presentation for 9 O’clock the next day and $20 dollars refundable deposit lighter to ensure we weren’t going to be no shows. The next day we were picked up in a swank limo which was late and already contained an Australian family and we were taken to the Mystic Dunes resort complex. We were then checked in and assigned to a salesperson which took about 20 to 30 minutes and offered a cold buffet breakfast which looked like it had been sat out all night. This poor excuse of a breakfast lasted a further 30 minutes all the time we were being probed by our salesperson who had joined us with questions about where we were from, our holiday plans etc. None of the above time which was about an hour in total or the traveling time to the resort is included in your presentation time so 90 minutes in we were still waiting for the actual presentation to start. Luckily for us we got a salesperson who hadn’t been doing this long because after the obligatory golf cart tour of the complex when we got down to the number crunching my wife who is a Math Teacher back home blew her figures out of the water because the salesperson had given us a sales pitch based off vacation figures if the buyer lived in the US and because we reside in the UK my wife pointed out with arrows and using the salespersons pad that we would actually be worse off due to the ever rising air fares if we bought into timeshare than if we just continued to stay at motels during our vacations. This gaff by the salesperson effectively ended her own sales pitch and she seemed embarrassed and unable to recover from it so admitted to us that she was new and had to continue with the presentation as part of her training. We said that this was OK but that we would not be buying and by now we had switched off anyway and I honestly can’t recall anything else that she said until she asked my wife “So how would you like to pay? Check, Card or Finance?” My wife said through gritted teeth “None! I told you before we don’t want it!” At this the salesperson looked defeated and called the Closing Manager over and we all sat there in awkward silence for what seemed like an eternity and waited for him to come over. This silence was only broken when the salesperson once more tried to feebly defend her figures and sales pitch but by now she knew she had blown it. My wife just gave her a withering look and her words trailed off into silence as by now the Closing Manager arrived all jovial and tried to lighten the mood. Needless to say we eventually refused the Closing Managers offer and counter offer and was then given a ticket to redeem our gifts and the deposit we’d handed over at Universal and was then left to wait outside in the baking Florida heat for the promised taxi ride back to our hotel on I-Drive. We never did get the Universal dollars because they claimed to have run out. So they said they would have to give us real dollars to the same value instead until my wife said that wasn’t acceptable and they would either have to compensate us by giving us more in real dollars than the value of Universal dollars they had promised us or go and get some Universal dollars. The Closing Manager who had escorted us to the gift desk was a huge imposing 6ft guy and said to me “Haven’t you anything to say? as if to say “Keep your woman in line” I just smiled and replied “I don’t need to do I?” He huffed and just said to the lady behind the counter “Give her what she wants” and walked away glad to be rid of us. In the end though it cost us approximately 6 hours of vacation time from being picked up at our hotel to being dropped off again and did ruin the mood for the rest of the day slightly so I personally wouldn’t advise going on one of these presentations unless you really are considering buying.

Mr. H, Sir for one thank you for visiting the United States and I hope you do not feel this is a real representation of America. Though my experience was different from yours it still was the same. The lies, deception, phony math and the outright insults to our intelligence.

Just my experiences… I have owned timeshare and sold timeshare for 10 years. Clearly the best thing I have ever done for all of my loved ones. It’s not intended as a good financial investment, although neither is having children but we still do it because being a parent is priceless, so are the experiences and memories you have with them. That’s what it’s all about is the experience. The same reason why we go to events and restaurants, you can go to McDonalds and watch it at home or you can experience life and enjoy a hot dog and go to a game!

Thousands of International travelers, particularly from the US and Canada, have fallen victims oftimeshare fraud while vacationing in Mexico. Resort developers hire skilled salesmen to represent their timeshares as many different attractive packages, such as financial investments, deeded properties, or vacation clubs, just to increase their sales.

First I’d like to thank all the smart people that don’t endorse outright lying to their sales person. Second as a sales person myself I have to tell you that one we do know you’re lying, two we don’t just give up on actually earning our livelyhood, and three none of these tips actually work when you get a real salesperson. My only advise is hope you get a newbie and hope he gets rattled by these tips.

Let me make sure I understand what you say Mike:

You are saying that “a real sales person” will not give up. They will rope you in regardless of the fact that you are ready for them or not!!!

It is good for everyone to get to know the mentality of the Timeshare sales person from their own words.

Regarding your real sales people will not give up. this is what I have done. I pretty much tell the sales person right away that spending the amount required for timeshare and maintenance fees for 1 weeks vacation vs owning a actual property that I can visit any time or a RV for close to the same amount doesnt seem like a deal but for the next 2 hours( the required time for presentation and tour) they will have my attention. IF I see value I will let them know. And I also set my alarm for 30 minutes from the end of the 2 hour window. at the time the alarm goes off and you havent sufficiently proven your sale then the answer will be no and I know your closing manager will come in to sweeten the deal. Heres the sweeter deal, I honored my obligation as stated.you have till the end of the 2 hours to provide WRITTEN proof of any offer we MAY accept must be included In the contract and stated appropriately and if accepted the entire document must be faxed to my lawyer before signing otherwise the time has come to leave and any perks offered as part of the presentation are now due as agreed and stated in the disclaimer.I have done sales and also live in a tourist area myself so I know ins and outs that timeshare salespersons arent aware of.

Hmm no real salesperson brings in a closing manager! They close the deal themselves

four, you’re a scumbag if you don’t honor the “no obligation to buy” promise and pressure people into buying.

We sat thru a Marriott Vacation Club presentation last year, did not buy, but loved their program. We paid $750 for a future 3 night 4 days trip with the expectation (theirs) that we would sit thru ANOTHER presentation. We arrived, went to the scheduled meet and asked them to skip the presentation and go right to the sales part; we really were considering this Timeshare. They informed us we’d have to endure the presentation or be billed the difference of $300 for room rate discount they supposedly gave us. I said how would they do that and was informed since they don’t keep our credit card number on file, we’d have to fill out a credit card authorization form. We left! My question is: can they legal tack this charge onto our credit card we used at check in? Why would they miss an opportunity to sell. We did not care about the freebies and thought the $750 was a reasonable charge for our room. After this rude treatment, we are questioning why we ever considered it in the first place. Any suggestions?

Wow, that was handled poorly by MVCI at whatever location you visited. Had someone walked in from a fly n buy promotion saying that to us here at MVCI in Cancun, we would have gladly sat down to talk about your intention of purchasing….their loss.

Hi my name is Daniel, I posted here a while back and got a link that you had a question. Lets get right to it. I would be very surprised if the Big “M” charged you for the $300.00.Read all the information they provided (if you have it) the small print should tell you the answer to this. I sold timeshare for 10 years in Hilton head S.C. and I have friends that worked for “M” On Hilton head and they told me they would tell people that just to get them to stay and sit through the presentation.

Now I will make a quick suggestion, Please don’t let a bad sales rep ruin your idea of a possible timeshares. especially if you are considering Marriott. In my opinion they are the “cream of the crop” when it comes to timeshare. They usually have the best real estate, and all the “M” timeshares I ever stayed in where 5 star, gold crown top shelf places! Super nice!

Here is my take on timeshare. IF you vacation and you like nice places and 5 star condos! you cannot go wrong with a timeshare! Jackie if you have any questions I would be glad to help you out. as I said I worked in the timeshare industry off 10 years.

Last my opinion on this article is this. The person who wrote it is misguided, because who ever it is tells you to LIE!! Straight out lie to your sales rep. I disagree with this and do not understand this? I’m sure this person is not a Christian!

If you are still posting, I just wanted you to know that I truly enjoy reading your posts. I was up late studying for my CPA when I thought I’d look up timeshare complaints before going to bed. I stumbled across this site and read some of your posts and you are a very smart person. Tell your husband he is very lucky man. We are truly blessed to have someone like you on this site trying to get people to think twice before making a commitment. I like timeshares, I believe in vacationing, and I love to travel. But, does that mean that I have to commit to overpaying for a timeshare? It certainly does not. If I were to buy a timeshare, it would be a resale. As you said, they are giving them away because people are trying to get out of those maintenance fees.

Went to a really entertaining timeshare presentation a couple of years back, was a nice diversion on our vacation and we got 100 bucks for it. We definitely were caught in the magic of the resorts which seemed really awesome. The closing was a bit crazy and overdone where we were hit by 4 layers of salespeople trying to work us. The best was the “finance manager” or some bullshit who tried to close us. Her approach was to say: “do you think about what you spend at Target? What can we do to get this package to a place where you don’t have to think about spending it?” She was progressively more irate as I said that I didn’t earn the privilege to spend at Target unconsciously by making decisions unconsciously.

Then I closed on them: “as committed as you are to getting us to sign today, we are equivalently committed to NOT signing anything today.” Game over and they shuffled us off to the “exit survey” closer-closer-closer. That gave us enough time afterward to really look into the value proposition and see that they were going to charge us about double what it really would have been worth to us.

I learned my lesson, but thankfully only by wasting an extra 20-30 minutes than I needed to.

Janet – thanks for the entertainment. The various sales reps that appear to be angered by your well thought out responses.

Very good points, thank you for the tips. I was recently tricked into doing a timeshare presentation and I’m definitely going to use your tips when I go. Basically, I was at a fair and was told that they were doing discounted stays at a resort in Florida. I agreed, filled out the paperwork, and paid. At the end of the paperwork, before the signature page, the guy said “oh by the way, you will have to do a brief presentation when you are there.” There was nothing stated about timeshares, but I did some research and figured it out. No problem, I get to stay at a resort for pretty much nothing and thanks to your tips, I won’t have a hard time with the pushy people.

If you are not interested in purchasing a timeshare, do not attend a timeshare presentation! The free gifts are not worth wasting a day of your vacation, and putting your hard earned money at risk of being scammed by the timeshare salespeople.

Uhhh wrong website Liliana. This site is for people who are not interested in purchasing a timeshare, yet want to survive a timeshare presentation

I am a timeshare shark, I’ve been in the game for over ten years.

We call these types of people “strokers”. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen them with my own eyes. There are people that will come down here on a week’s vacation and go to 5, 6, 7 of these presentations, just to get the free stuff.

These people are IDIOTS. They don’t understand that they are spending 500 a DAY to be on vacation, yet they will waste a whole day going on a sales pitch to get 100 bucks and a bottle of tequila. If they’d stayed home they would be 400 bucks ahead.

Then they will spin elaborate webs of lies. They act like they are interested during the pitch. Newsflash, morons: if you act like you are interested we are going to keep trying to close you. I have all day, I am not on vacation. I can go to the beach anytime. When it comes down to the money suddenly Grandma needs a new kidney, the dog needs braces, or the most common one-we are in the middle of closing on a new house. Last time I bought a house I went on a vacation in the middle of the closing. Seems like at least half the people here on vacation are in the middle of a real estate closing for some reason.

We laugh at these idiots. I have nothing else to do today, and I only get one shot per day, so if you are going to ruin my day by wasting my time when you have no intention of buying anything, then I’m going to ruin your day by dragging this bs out as long as possible. We know you are lying to us. We are professional liars, you are amateurs. You do this all the time for the free stuff? So clever. So you’ve been on, what, twenty, thirty of these presentations? I’ve done it THOUSANDS of times. If anyone’s gonna leave here with one leg shorter than the other from all the pulling it’s not gonna be me.

We’ll seat strokers outside in the blazing sun “while we get your gifts ready”. Then we’ll sit inside at the bar and laugh at them sweating out there. After about half an hour they will be sweating bullets and start to get really antsy. That’s when I’ll tell my buddy to go take a crack at them. He’ll go out there, they think he’s bringing them the gifts, and he just starts right in with the entire pitch all over again.

Then when they’re REALLY squealing, we’ll take them to the “gift department”. This is called EXIT and it’s ANOTHER ENTIRE SALES PITCH. We usually run a 25 percent close in the sales room AND 25 percent close in exit. This means that at least half the people who come through the pitch will be leaving somewhat light in the wallet, whether they intended to or not. WE ARE EXPERTS AT THIS. YOU ARE AMATEURS.

The guy who tells me, “I’ll listen to your pitch but I AIN’T BUYING NOTHING”??? That’s my meat.

We are MASTERS at using your own words against you, twisting them around to mean anything we want them to. We will play off wife against husband, kids against parents, one couple against the other couple.

TL;DR? DO NOT GO ON A TIMESHARE SALES PITCH.

Your obviously and a-hole and your math skills are sh@t.

“This means that at least half the people who come through the pitch will be leaving somewhat light in the wallet, whether they intended to or not. WE ARE EXPERTS AT THIS. YOU ARE AMATEURS.”

100 people show up; you sell 25% (25 buyers, 75 exit) you sell 25% of the 75 exiting (round that to 19 more buyers, 56 leave)

So mathematically, 44% (44 buyers/100 entrants) are closed.

I’m guessing your math on fees are probably similar.

I’m a timeshare salesman. The company I work for is irrelevant. People who want freebies will attend a presentation in return. That is understandable, and it is human nature. We try to sell to them, and that is the nature of a salesperson. Now, the company I work for doesn’t pressure and we stress honesty. I present a product that works, and present it honestly. People tend to appreciate that, and buy based on the benefits they see, and those benefits are not always financial. It’s personally very satisfying to get unsolicited vacation photos from my clients…that’s the icing on the cake long after I’ve spent their sales commission. Doing a straight-up presentation and job afterward also provide me with a decent client referral portfolio. That is where the real money is-getting clients to refer others.

I know what’s sold out there, and who sells what, and those of you who are reps know the same. If what you sell isn’t on the up and up, you deserve the strokers. I frankly wouldn’t waste my time or someone else’s unless I had a genuine interest. As I have read in a few comments, I also believe in karma…and that you get what you give.

My advice to people who are a little interested: do your homework. Go with a real company with a real track record and support system. Make sure what you are offered is backed up in writing, and don’t be afraid to whip out your iPad or iPhone or iWhatever and check the person’s story. Someone who is confident that their product delivers what they offer won’t bat an eyelash and won’t have to defend a thing. Like I said at the beginning, we know what we sell.

And we know you are here for the freebies. It’s up to us to show you a different way to vacation. One that works for you. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. Life is short. Spend your vacations doing whatever makes you happy. In the end, that is what matters.

Andycancun, I have a question for you about timeshare tours. If you are married your spouse is required to show for the presentation, but what if she didn’t travel with me? If I put down that I am single, would anyone even check? Thank you 🙂

As a person who is 3 weeks away from spending time in Hilton Head (attending a time share presentation during my stay that pays for my stay), I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed the banter back and forth between agents and customers presenting pro’s and con’s and being defensive about everything! I will remember everything said here and utilize all of it during my attendance of the presentation. Thanks guys!Salud!

Janet, that was an awesome read! I’ve been readin alot about various options but can’t find a list of all the different timeshare presentations available? I’ve done Wyndham and Bluegreen, what others are out there off the top of your head? Thanks.

I am a rep for Festiva and I have several comments for this blog.

#1: Timeshare companies use many different marketing companies to advertise our products and keep people coming in. With that said, our marketing department has screwed me on the back end, whether it be by people by telling them the presentation lasts an hour when it actually lasts two, or being rude to people. Anything to do with marketing has nothing to do with sales at the resort.

#2: Professional time share presentation takers: Many times in the industry, we call these people “professional mini-vac’ers”. One of the incentives we offer to come take a tour is offering a two or three discount stay at our resort in exchange for two hours of someone’s time. At my resort, this is a GREAT deal and people save about four hundred dollars on this deal. However, many people use these types of incentives at many resorts and just take up someone’s time, over and over, without any real interest. These types of people, gift getters, do help us fill tours. However, taking the same tours over and over again not only wastes the rep’s time, but the customer’s as well. For all the time they spent trying to get something free, they could purchase something at a good deal and never have to waste their time with a rep again.

#3: The timeshares you see on the market that people are begging to give up are old fixed weeks. Most companies, like mine, deal exclusively on a point system. My resort, for example, owns over two dozen resorts and members can use their points intermittently between all of them. If they like they can exchange outside the company as well. Old fixed week timeshares have no value because owners have to spend money with outside companies to exchange and it gets expensive. My company offers exchange with a fee of 117 dollars and some points. The timeshares you see with no value belong to people who did not purchase or convert to a point based system. My company is growing in size and as we add more resorts, our property value and the value of the owner’s timeshare will grow, not diminish.

#4: Reps know that only one or two out of every ten tours will buy. Stacking the numbers is in our favor so we take many tours we know own’t buy. However, the numbers always even out. I have NEVER been rude to any tour, regardless of whether they buy or not. I get paid by the hour on top of any commission so I never have to pressure people to buy something they dont want.

#5: Depending on the state, customers have the right to what’s called a “cool down” period. This means they have between three and ten days to cancel their package. When reps pressure people into buying, they just cancel, which wastes even MORE of people’s time. So my company refuses to hit people hard. What we do is show off our product, show the benefits, and let people make up their minds themselves. We do a lot of business that way because we have a great product.

#6: Timeshare, in many ways, is awesome. It saves people thousands and my particular company offers insurmountable benefits by joining. The maintenance fees can be high, but my company offers the lowest rates and has a program designed to eliminate those fees. Vacation ownership is a great way to see the world and spend time with your family.

#7: There are three important components to vacation ownership. People must love the program, be able to afford it, and have time to use it. If all three of those elements come together, I usually have a sale. If not, I still go through my presentation to practice and sometimes I a surprised by who buys (and who doesn’t!). Most of my customers have come back to me to say they felt great about their purchase, it has benefited their family, and they see great value in our product.

I understand why some people do not like the industry. There are ups and downs to everything in life though. I am really proud to work where I do and I enjoy helping people realize their dreams. I don’t swindle anyone and I am honest and upfront about everything concerning the sale. I love what I do, how many people can say they help couples stay together, or help family members spend more time together? How would you feel if your customers sent you postcards saying you kept their family together, or helped them spend time with a loved one that has since passed?

Timeshare is actually a great investment. I hope some of you will keep an open mind in spite of the negative comments on here if you ever do take a tour. You might be surprised by how interesting, useful, and valuable some of the products are.

We got tons of phone calls to do this thing. They said we were required to make 45K and own our home. We did not meet either qualification and I told them. I guess we made 45K Canadian. They said it was OK. Later when I got these calls I just hung up. I was sick of arguing with sales people. I want to try hosteling. I have stayed in Motel 6 and the like. I have stayed in college dorms–a week in a sleeping room for $150 ain’t bad and I get a chance to meet a lot of people in the lobby. I am a solo traveler and I get tired of all this private and personal stuff.

Hello – I couldn’t find my answer in this feed:

I am a 34 year old unmarried female traveling to Cabo San Lucas with my 33 year-old boyfriend, we’re looking to ‘window shop’ around for timeshares in the area. We are staying in a house in Pedregal, not at any of the actual timeshare resorts. Here are some questions I have. Please, if you can help yourself: don’t tell us NOT TO GO ON A TIMESHARE TOUR! Here are some questions I haven’t been able to find answers to:

– We will not and can NOT sign any paperwork on the timeshare tour. When should we make this apparent to our salesperson? At the beginning? – We want to get top cash gifts for our 90-120 minute tour (i am aware it may take longer than this based on others’ experiences). What proof/documentation is required to insure our gifts? – Do we have to provide proof of our income? This kind of information is a bit intrusive. – Is there any reason in the end they would change their mind on the $ cash gifts they promised?

Thanks in advance for all your expertise in this category.

U2 are prime candidates and should be offered the largest gift amount. However walking in to a resort asking to tour might leave you with less then what you’ll get by signing up at the airport. To ensure you receive whatever you’re promised get it in writing. They want to make sure that you have a credit card not a debit card, Your age is what they want, being unmarried takes a little away from your value. There is no reason not to go on tour, but like you said you should never sign anything that is a potential financial burden without carefully considering the consequences, away from the emotional whirlwind of a sales room. Anything you can buy today you can probably get a slightly better deal on tomorrow. If you go in and explain your here to learn but you both agree there is no reason to sign anything on tour they will pretend it doesn’t matter and apply pressure later. Just agree that the deal is amazing and you love it, but it would be irresponsible to make such an emotional decision. They may try to make you feel bad for not being able to make a decision, if they do remind them this type of treatment is going to make the decision no. Don’t argue with them. Don’t be defensive. Don’t try to trick them, just simply don’t sign until you have done your homework and are not on an emotional high.

If you would like I can put you directly in touch with several of the sales managers here in town.

Good luck, Mike

[Email Redacted]

P.s. most importantly, enjoy your time, and don’t let them waste too much of it!

Come on guys who is kidding who? How much did you spend for your vacation? The average cheap American is spending around 3/5,000 for seven days do you relize when you go to waste a salespersons time in getting your gifts in the average amount of about 200 dollars if you can be a tuff dealer. Lol therefore you draw your cute little kiddies with you tell all your lies to the salesperson that of course enjoys there everyday that you are actually paying them to attend your only 7 days off from work lol you have worked a year for and you spend your whole day with someone you don’t know so it ends up costing you one full day of your hard earned vacation time to get how much back in return. Do you really dislike each other that much to spend an entire day of your 7 days. Actually the joke is on you who attend the tours for a few bucks! Lol that is really stupid if you ask me. Go enjoy what that salesperson enjoys everyday you are just another number in his/hers eyes. There is about 33% of intelligent buyers that vacation on a regular bases that understands how to use their vacation club membership. So when you go and lie about your status in income and so on just remember there is something called karma! You have a job I hope also, right when people lie to you how does it feel. That’s them look stupid great way to raise your children! Great conversation afterwrds to on how you screwed the salesperson je je je the salesperson two weeks later is enjoying what you paid for the rest of there lives while you are still digging into the snow bank to get your car out so you can drive to work! The job you hate! Just remember why not be honest with yourself! Go enjoy your vacation without living and feeling proud of it later on. When one of your children ask you mommy “we really did not just buy a new car we still have the old” why did you tell the man a LIE. Lol live with that one. Great role models. Have a great vacation spend it wisely!

Way to go David, I totally agree with what you said. If people could just get over thier junk addiction and realize there are no free rides they would be way ahead in the long term. And your right about them loosing more than they gain, as most of the time those gift promises are empty promises any way. Not always but most of the time, and even when they are fulfilled it’s only to save face, and to have some more pawns with which to lure in more unsuspecting takers.

Hey Jen, How was your trip? Probably not as profitable as you had hoped, eh? No matching names/address on your id’s? Unmarried you qualify as a single lady only. Let your bf stay at the resort, you’ll be more believable that way. What did they offer you, a $100 or so? If you told them at checkin you will not be signing anything today they most likely nq’d you, right? Depending on the resort, if your excuses for not buying vary from the checkin qualifying questions they ask, you very well could go home penniless without a ride back. If you have not yet gone, I would encourage you to go enjoy your vacation and not waste anyones time including your own. btw, if you want to go and play to get paid you’ve got to have a verifiable ts ownership, then you can make $500 or more.

Exactly. Ive been just laughing my ass off at the comments with lungs super inflated in anger because WE, THE SALES PEOPLE that are trying to make a living are LYING, THIEVES, SCAMMERS and coming from hell. Well then again is our FRIKKING job. First of off this blog article is called how to survive a timeshare presentation without buying. Ha! You guys lir and are getting trained to go on every vacation and sign up for presentation to get little ridiculous gifts worth maximum 500us. That is the worth of your family and your vacations, who are the thieves here stealing our only shot for the day to buy us food? Stealing our time and chances to sell to others that are not such idiots and can actually male the math and figure it is better to vacation this way as you have been doing it. Haha. I feel sorry for you. All of you. Cheap arrogant dumb tourists. Keep training yourself in how to survive a presentation for little 200 bills. And waste half of a day. Disgusting.

We are recieving 925.00 us. Cash and nights for 2 hrs. Time. 200 would not be worth it.

Stroker!!! What kind of industry are you in? Why does someone have to pay you, to show you something you are interested in?? Get real! Greed is a sin yes or no??? If people like you just quit going to get free b.s. then the industry would shut down. No marketing equals no sales! No sales equals no business! You say you are 33 but not intelligent enough to figure this out. Your sales rep should use crayons when presenting! Just stay home or stay at the pool. Who window shops for timeshare. Go to ebay and window shop!

Hey, Jen…did you get a good look at all the timeshare store fronts. Now that you are ready and able to sign, how about buying my Marriott timeshare. Maui. It’s only $1 dollar. Is that price range in your budget? Is Marriott quality ok? What day should we set the appointment to close? I m available anytime. I ll even fly to you. Don’t worry, I will pay my way. Sound good? Deal?

Janet says: November 23, 2011 at 7:26 am Gee Mike, sounds like I struck a nerve, and I’ll say the same to you as I said to the last timeshare sales rep. above. Not only don’t I care what you think of me, I actually appreciate it, so thanks!

Ok, I get that you guys all hate each other, and you are all in need of a creative outlet for this extra emotional energy (I suppose I am included in this) but Janet, I really want to know how you did this. I mean bravo. Can you please tell me how you were able to accomplish the what you said above. No joke, you seem to have been able to combine anger and apathy, angry aloof? Yes, an angry aloof thing, but how? If you really were able to, well done!

Warm Regards Guy Typing, Esq.

I am also an avid timeshare presentation goer. However, I agree with the fact that you are the one that must end the presentation, I don’t fully agree with your in presentation tactics. I actually go in with an arsenal of stories and questions. I tell stories and listen to the stories they have for me. I ask them questions about all the other properties they have around the world and the amenities they offer. I use up the entire 90 or 120 minutes with conversation and stories and questions. As soon as my alarm hits the 5 minute warning, I wrap up. I let them know that it has been a great presentation and I appreciate their time, however their time is up. I stand up and ask to have my goodies. 🙂 Thank you for the blog. It was fun to read!

Mike I think you are a very lonely guy who needs to find yourself someone to talk to. Why don’t you commit yourself to a hobby instead of wasting other people’s time. Get a life!!!

I am not a time share rep. However, I do know from going to former presentations that it is a great deal. I couldn’t convince my husband to do it and have regretted it every since. He developed a heart problem the next year and we have not gone on a vacation since because we didnt have a vacation plan in place. you spend thousands on cars that last buy 5 years before you replace it. Timeshare is for life and we will be purchasing hopefully soon. Just my two cents. And my experience has been that the sales folks were kind.

Sue, I am a rep. With the largest vacation ownership in the world. I would love to answer any questions you might have about how to get involved if you are still concitering it. All I have to say, is if you are going to buy, make it be with the most reputable company, with the most flexibility, and the one with the most programs available to help offset maintenance fees, and other out of pocket vacation expenses. There is some valuable advice I could give you as an insider, and would be more than happy to 🙂

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Timeshare presentations are not a good way to make a buck.

If you divide the amount of time you get for vacation in a lifetime, the amount you would have gotten paid to work at your employer during your vacation time, minus the time it took you to get to your destination. It’s worth like $500 an hour. I was offered a $600 Helecopter tour to go on a presentation in Hawaii, I said no, my time is more valuable. In addition, I was not interested nor had the extra funds to purchase a timeshare. I am in food service sales, and I do not want someone wasting my time when I am working. Going on presentations where people make straight commission and basically wasting their time for $100 is bad karma. Desperate people do these kinds of things, next you’ll be hitting up the nearest car lot for free pizza and soft drinks…please get a life.

Wow wow wow someone figured out the system and knows how to spend your time wisely not wasting other people’s time with their lies. It’s unbelievable to me that people fill the brains with such non sence to share stories or use the words arsenal go play the board game SORRY!!! What kind of parents were these people brought up with…I find great pleasure in having a customer such as conartist Mike. When they are begging you to leave the table saying “your time is up” I say to a Mike kinda guy is yea you think so? I’m in control you just didn’t relize it jerk! I get to say when, where and how long the tour will take. You are going to spend the whole day with me just as you planned telling me all your stories! I love to answer WHY is that so a Mike can feel really strong in his comment for the day yea so why is that mike. If one knows how to seek out time wasters and you have to take them on tour je je je love getting lost and tour the area two or three times and a Mike says we were just here! Yes, just wanted to see if you were paying attenuation so come and visit me Mr. mike I show you the resort so you will dream or have nightmares about us. Then we get really laugh the loudest at YOU! Think about it is it really worth your time “on vacation to spend it with someone you don’t know!!! We are a lot smarter than most of us look.

You can call a person who goes to a time share meeting a “time waster” or think they are just after freebies,but in reality the marketing people working for the time share company goes out of his way to invite (insist) that you sit through the presentation regardless of your level of interest. I signed up for one today. I explained that I was not interested, and did not want to be pressured, and there was little or no chance of me ever buying. His said that is fine, you are coming to this city anyway, and for your 2 hrs. we will give you such and such. So this thing (tactic) of demeaning those who sign up and are not really interested is wrong. The guy bought 2 hrs. of my time. When I say no, it will simply be a bad investment they were willing to make and they knew it up front.

okay… New post, old thread… I used to work for west gate as an “independent contractor”. We got 500.00 checks the next morning after we closed the night before. Very competitive and I was driven. I love sales, I sold 30 timeshares in 3 months during a summer break while studying computer science.

I also really like timeshare, I use friends and buy points and weeks from folks to vacation. That’s always worked for me. I don’t think I’d own, but that’s because I’d rather save for a little cottage a block or two off a beach that I can decide what happens to it…

My “PD” project director and my manager at west gate are total scumbags and just bad people in my opinion… I was forced to quit because they didn’t like me studying during breaks, and because I would come in late a couple of days because I had class… I was on fire at the end of the summer and couldn’t quit… I tried to make a deal with the PD but in the end it failed.

I didn’t realize that once I “quit” all my commission that was owed me also was withheld… Bottom line, it’s tough on the salespeople… The highest closers always go out first, and a lot of people struggle.

I agree, with most posts…. Don’t lie…. But, I also agree that the folks that book these things are pretty aggressive… They are called OPC where I’m from, and these guys are sharks… When you’re trying to support yourself and your family, rationalization will happen… Some people will say anything to sell…

Bottom line… If you can afford it, take one presentation… Don’t be that repeat person… I’ve sold a lot of people who swore that they would never buy from me, and they did… They lied… Who cares…. We all lie…. A good salesman finds a real problem you have and presents a clear, sometimes affordable, solution… If you can comfortably afford it, and you like it, why not? If not, screw it. If the hassle you, screw them. It’s not about wasting the salespersons time… It’s about your time.

What a jerk. But it sounds to me like the guy you are busy getting lost with while you waste his time isn’t the only one who is loosing. I hope that EVERYTIME you do something like that some other salesman gets a great sale that would have gone to you. Better yet I hope that your bosses wised up and got rid of you.

As long as timeshare companies pressure people who tell they “I can’t buy right now.” into taking tours by offering them incentives don’t blame the people who cave, blame those who are offering the freebies. I’ve been upfront every single time I’ve taken a tour (about 4 over 20 years) that I’m not buying right now. In stead of just accepting that mist places up the offer. If it’s worth giving up my time I’ll accept. I’ve stayed in timeshares about 15 times. My brother owns one and gets me guest passes. Someday I hope to. But you know what I would never buy one from someone like you. As a matter of fact now that I’ve read your post when I’m ready to buy I will take a tour while telling the salesperson upfront that I can’t purchase right now, just to see how he or she treats me. Any getting lost or trying to hold me hostage past the allotted time and on the way out I will tell them “I planned to purchase today but you didn’t treat me with respect so I won’t be buying from you.

Hey guys, I just read all you posts on the pro’s and cons of timeshare. Ill throw my 2 cents worth in: A lot of people here spend their entire time going to presentations just to get a cheap holiday. Ask yourself this, if it really isnt worth buying and the presentations are so bad, why do you keep going? You guys make such a big deal on “how and why not to buy” but didnt you just get sold? some rep just made 2-300$ off you and gave you a few nights noone wanted. Id rather pay 2-300 extra and not have to bad mouth what people like the retired army seargent enjoys. And also: Ive been to hilton, disney, wyndhams and marriots, and i tell you what, its not bad at all…otherwise you guys wouldnt bother with the presentation and just pay the full price yourselves? right?

I love you could not have said it better. I know when I go on a vacation it is to relax and unwind not sit and argue or say no no no. Being a grown man and to ask if I can leave that’s the funniest part of all these comments. I mean who really is in control of who???

You ask: “if it really isn’t worth buying and the presentations are so bad, why do you keep going?”

Answer: At the very top of this page you’ll read: “There are people who make a sport of attending timeshare presentations just for the freebies offered. I am not going to condone or disapprove of this behavior, my role is simply that of an informer – letting the public know the ins and outs of a timeshare presentation.” I suppose another thread could be started that reads: “How to close effectively on timeshare presentations.” but I will go out on a limb and say it wouldn’t be nearly as popular.

Sure, there are folks that don’t have any intention of buying when they come to the presentations. But have you ever wondered why the timeshare companies don’t ask you this before your hear the pitch? Why they don’t say: “Well, if you’re here just for the free vacation then we can’t honor this offer”? I’ll tell you why, it’s because they hope they can rope in even those that were initially only looking for a free vacation. The offers say, “you get this price if you listen to our presentation, no obligation to buy.” So when folks say “Thanks, but I’m not interested,” that should be the end of it. Now I understand that timeshare salesmen need to make a living, and in most cases they have to do so by pressuring folks (sometimes successfully) into buying. Sadly, when it comes to timeshares, I’ve heard more regret stories than happiness stories (just count them in this blog). So you see, it goes both ways. The timeshare folks know that a lot of folks come in looking for a free vacation but they don’t care, and the frequent timeshare-freebie-only crowd know what they’ll face and they are happy with it, it doesn’t “ruin” their vacation, and they are not free-loaders since they gave their time (money) to listen to the speech.

Look, when the time share companies use sales people acting as customers as room fill, to deceive real people into thinking the sales room is full of customers, the timeshare corporations are just exploiting people. Their sales people pretending they are customers are not even being paid for being room fill! At least real people attending presentations for sport are giving sales peopl a break from being unpaid actors!

I have never really heard of that in my life, that does not mean that it is not happening in other resorts. You have to realise just like with anything else “buyer be ware” in any sales business there are good people providing a service, and there are bad people as well. So, not everyone that you are sitting across are not the enemy just folks trying to provide for the same way as you. You are also right, a sales rep. would rather have an opportunity to practice or to make a sale then trying to fill a room to make it look busy. I have just never heard of that but I am sure that has to be one of the smaller resorts. – Good Luck in All your Timeshare ventures- Just don’t think that we are all cut from the same cloth.

This resort area 25 miles of coast and is monopolized by timeshares to the point that rooms costs 3 times as much to stay on the beach as it does in Honolulu, Hawaii. I don’t make up the jargon, and I don’t work in the industry. I just have a friend who is an OPC.

man i work at grand crown in branson missouri and that is just dumb all tables are people looking to buy or people that made up there mind on the way there that they were just doing it for free stuff. None of which are sales reps trying to fill a room to try and make it look more busy. its timeshare we dont have to do that were always busy unless its the off season then were just travel to cali or another warm place. sorry man but your buddy is a lier. theres nothing wrong with timeshare specialy if you have kids because its not what you buy for your kids that counts its about wat you do with them because them memories re what makes them happy.

Your writing is practically illiterate. How do you expect anyone to take your comments aeriously?

You commented to it.? Also check your post. Seems you cannot spell. This post is about timeshare. Not who,s the best at posting! All I can say is WOW. I am a veteran timeshare sales rep if anyone has real questions I can and will do my best at answering them. Dw

Ridiculous quest there. What happened after? Good luck!

Timeshares are not an investment. I think most folks agree.

But further, they are not a tenable approach as a mechanism to travel and see the world. You can buy them for this purpose, just realize this is a fool’s errand.

Better options, as in MUCH more mileage for the buck, same or better quality (same places in most all cases), more options, no restrictions, no obligations, etc. etc.

Take the 20k for the unit, plus the annual ‘maint fees’ and amortize from the sum the rental of these units off the secondary market…from owners that have gotten suckered into the purchase and are looking for some temporary relief. In the end, you spend less, have no blackout dates, and don’t have the risk of a ‘cash call’ or assessment.

So if you love to eat a $1,000 burger, fine-great-dandy. Just don’t kid yourself or others that it’s a good deal…it ain’t. So long as you are not targeting the deal, and just like to spend the 20k for the bottle of champagne at closing, then it’s your moolah.

Even if I was so inclined to drop a grand for a bacon cheese, I would STILL probably opt for a fancy dinner with friends, just on principle.

Do you own one? Clearly you must to say that a timeshare is not a great way to see the world. You are mistaken. I have traveled the world with my weeks. Where do you own? Dw

Janet I just flipped through the entire blog for the first time…. My God. You don’t have a life. Maybe you should go buy a real condo…. But it sounds like you only have the money for the nearly free timeshare travels. Good luck with your little blog.

Gee Mike, sounds like I struck a nerve, and I’ll say the same to you as I said to the last timeshare sales rep. above. Not only don’t I care what you think of me, I actually appreciate it, so thanks!

My recommendation to you is first, go on on a few timeshare resale sites, such as “Redline”, ebay, etc and see for yourself exactly how much an identical timeshare at the property you claim to have bought into is selling for on the resale market. If you do this, you should be downright irate, at the sales rep., and at yourself, for buying at the presentation price, for something you could have bought for 1/2, 1/5th, and very possibly, for as little as $1. If you’re not, then I’m sorry, but I’m not going to believe you’re not supplementing your retirement pay by selling timeshares, which I noticed you didn’t deny.

Seeing as I doubt you’ll take me up on my recommendation, I took the liberty of performing a simple analysis.

So I went to ebay and ran an analysis of the last 50 completed timeshare auctions. And yes, ebay is a good measure of “fair market value”, defined as “assuming a willing seller and willing buyer, the price at which an item will exchange hands.”

Of those last 50 completed auctions, only 18 sold, meaning that 32, or 66% did not get a single bid, not even the 11 timeshares offered for only $1 22%.) Of the 18 that did sell, 6 sold for one lousy dollar (12%). 2 more sold for $2 and $5, respectively. 5 sold for an average of $280, and the remaining 5 (10%) sold for $1,026, $2,551, $5,000 $7,450, and $10,250 respectively. Those 5 however were in prime locations,such as Manhatten and Hawaii. The timeshares that garnered the most were both Mariott properties, located in an extremely prestigious section of Newport Beach. My bet is the original presentation price of those probably ran closer to $50,000, making the total loss on resale even greater.

I’m an accountant. I do the math, and I don’t care how much, or how little money anyone has. No one is OK with finding out that they just paid $20,000 for something they could have bought for as little as $1. It’s not smart, it’s foolish, and the normal reaction is outrage.

Well, except apparently for the timeshare sales reps., who, by your own admission, are really happy with all their money, bonuses and free time, that they seem to be enjoying at the expense of others.

If you bothered to look at the rest of this site, you will see the literally hundreds of people, facing financial ruin, desperate to get out of their timeshare contracts they were pressured into signing on the spot, many of them facing financial ruin as a result. Especially in this current economic crisis, with millions of Americans losing their jobs and their homes, you should be ashamed of yourself.

FYI, the rich don’t get wealthy by squandering their money, and those who do squander their money, don’t stay rich for long. The wealthy don’t buy timeshares, they buy vacation homes. The wealthy also don’t sign any contracts without running them past their attorneys first, and can’t be pressured into buying on impulse at a presentation, so it’s not the wealthy who are being harmed.

You know, with all the layoffs, my husband even quit his job because others he worked with needed the money far more. When we go to a timeshare presentation, we try to warn as many of our fellow presentations against buying as we possibly can, and regard it as a public service. I’m not just a timeshare nazi, I’m a responsibility nazi, and I’m sorry, but you’re not going to convince me that convincing people to sign contracts, committing them financially to tens of thousands of dollars to pay for extravagant vacations they may not even be able to take, much less afford, and pressuring them into doing so “on the spot”, giving even giving them time to really think it over, is anything remotely resembling responsible. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t see how anyone who possesses a conscience could do such a thing, to anyone. But that’s not the primary reason I attend timeshare presentations, and it’s not the freebies either.

YeI’m an accountant, but what I specialize in is forensics and fraud, meaning that companies hire me to find out who’s stealing and how. Determining who the thief is always easy. All I have to do is wander around for a few days and whoever hates me the most, is almost always either the one who’s stealing, or in collusion. Oh, first, they usually try to charm and con me, throwing everyone else they work with under the bus, but when they realize it’s not working, that’s when they get nasty.

Then they tell me all about my miserable pathetic life, and make all the same accusations to attempt to indimidate and discredit me. I really appreciate it too. It’s like they’re painting great big targets on their back, to help zero right in on them.

In case I haven’t made it obvious enough, attending timeshare presentations is far from a hobby or waste of my precious time. For me, it’s more like an profiling tool. Kind of like Clarese paying a visit to Hannibal Lector. Very educational, and extremely beneficial in developing my skills. So I really do appreciate your comments.

Have a nice day.

Manhattan and Hawaii, wow!

ok look the secondary market is filled with Timeshares no doubt. The reason you are seeing prime location properties for sale so cheep is because the maint. fees are so high. and they are going to sit there for a while. Timeshare is not a inverstment property. however it is an investment- all those free vacations you took you have so many wonderful memories. That is your investment… it will force a workaholic to spend one week without his cell phone and with his wife and kids. If gives those children so many great memories with there family. kids don’t care about money all they need is there parents. So, if dad and mom spend $15,000.00 or $30,000.00 dollars and have one great vacation every year for the rest of there lives who are you to take that from someone! Shame on you! for your for being blind to what it is really about. You went to disney and a resort paid for it shame on you ! those smiles on your childrens faces were not put their by your actions but the actions of another you just got to enjoy the smiles and great memories. Shame on you for thinking you know the person on the other side of the table he is a father , she is a mother , a husband a wife ! Shame on you….enjoy the vacations they were a gift that we provide your children when you can’t provide for them, Shame on you for spitting in our faces! you have so many flaws your human. But you people are the worse type of people your not greatful for a hand-out that was given to you and your family. The Gift of “Time” was given to you …. take that to the bank…. I will create a million smiles this year “What Will You do”? You may even be one of them….

You want the true way to get out of a timeshare presentation give me your credit card and I will show you.

There’s so much wrong with your post, I don’t even know where to begin.

I guess I’ll start with, no, you’re not getting my credit card, and how dare you even suggest such a thing! No one on this planet “owes” you a living, much less are you entitled to expect that anyone should just hand you over tens of thousands of dollars of their hard earned money, because you imagine they should. You’re certainly not entitled to mine. OMG!

Timeshare salespeople have families? Yeah, well so do theives, rapists, and serial murderers. So what? As far as I’m concerned, attempting to use your family in a rather sad attempt to “guilt trip” me, (and anyone else) is just yet another slimey, dispicable, underhanded BS con job, typical tactic I’ve grown to expect from timeshare reps. Shame on YOU!

I am not responsible for supporting your family, and neither is anyone else. No one “owes” you $15,000 to $30,000+ of their hard earned money, just because you need to support your family. Supporting your family is your job, don’t try to schlep it off on the rest of the world.

And no one’s children “need” mommy and daddy to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a timeshare to putsmiles on their faces either. Most children would rather their parents spend quality time with them, attending their games, recitals, etc., demonstrating their love by participating in their lives and cheering them on. That’s what puts smiles on children’s faces, and those are the times that wonderful memories are made of. Not becoming a “workaholic” just so they can hand over all their money to the wealthy corporation you work for, justso you and your corporate executives can make millions. Again, OMG!

And the secondary markets are not just filled with “cheap” timeshares, they’re also filled with timeshares that are being given away, totally FREE! Who in their right mind would actually pay $15,000-30,000 for something they could have gotten for FREE?

Even worse, is the fact that the only reason people GIVE away timeshares they actually were conned into paying that kind of money for is out of desperation to get out of the outrageous interest, annual fees and taxes–because they can’t afford them!

And even when people try to give their timeshares away for FREE, they’re not finding any takers. Charities won’t even take them.

Lodging is only a small portion of the cost of taking a vacation. You’re leaving out all the other costs: transportation, meals, entertainment, etc. None of which are covered by the costs of buying, and maintaining a timeshare.

Attempting to claim that buying “forces” people to take a vacation? That is absolutely not true!

There are myriads of sites filled with unused timeshare weeks–offered to the general public, and for far LESS than the owners are paying, just in annual maintenance fees alone. Anyone can stay at just about any timeshare they want, no need to buy in! We do it all the time, and usually only pay $199 to $299 for the entire week. My bet is that the reason the owners aren’t using those weeks is because, after paying all the expenses of buying and maintaining their timeshare property, they don’t have enough money left over to take a vacation!

FYI, this country, and in fact, most of the world, is in a recession, and in fact, the worst recession since the great depression of 1929! Times are hard, and people all over the world are losing their jobs, their homes, and having a hard time just putting food on the table.

Timeshare companies rely on luring their victims who have zero experience in this industry, and know absolutely nothing about what they’re really getting themselves into.

If even timeshare corporations believed their own hype, they wouldn’t need to entice people with free gifts, or trick them by misrepresenting the purpose of their no obligaton, 90 minute, “tour”, intentionally omitting the word TIMESHARE!

You’re not giving anyone a “free gift” of time, or anything else. What you’re “giving” them is yet another financial obligation, which most people can not afford to take on!

Maybe you should take a look at the rest of this site, and see just how many people are suffocating under the financial burden of the timeshare properties that they were basically conned into buying.

The only one who should be ashamed of themselves is you.

(my opinion, of course.)

well said..I hae went on timeshare promotions now for 12 years ..I even am to the point that when they cll me on the phone I know there tricks so I use them against them…things like it sounds great but I dont have that much monehy right now for the promotion …and they talk to their manager and within minutes have the shaved the price by 100.00 bucks!! that cracks me up..then I get extra days for much less than they orignally say….I say”hey I am coming from 12 hours away 3 nights is not even close to enough..and dont agree to just a hotel type room you want a 2 0r 3 bedroom CONDO with full kitchen..I will be going to Wyndamm Resorts Olando..within Disney Property..2 bedroom( I was promised a 3 but none available for the week I picked) Condo room for 4 nights and I am getting a 100 dolar Visa card when I am done and I only paid$159.99 orginally they wanted 299.99 just to go listen this craziest pitch you have ever heard…owning timeshares…laugh at them in your head while they are talking to you! you got a great deal and they got 2.5 hours of your time. Score: you great vacation them: NOTHING!!! and then I bought 2 nights off everave for Orlando hotel rtoom for 2 nights which gets me my full 7 nights….they did not have the other two nights available for me so I got them myself! and that was $160.00 for two nights with 80 dollars in hotel credit to spend however I want..so for about 350 dollars we are going to Disney ..staying within 2 miles at both places..we already have tickets with o expiration that we have used 4 times now and we just need spending money!! THAT is Disney on a shoe string budget without comprimising any of the conforts!! When we go to the parks we have lots of spending money..we eat at the nice places at least twice…we buy lots of pins and trade them and we always do one excursion…going on a boat and deep sea fishing…Sea World..Midevil nights etc. so we are not having a cheap vacation we are just saving where it helps the most..the room that you are barely in because you are out enjoying yourself…. I always spend several days on the internet looking at all the eals and putting in my phone number because then they call you with better deals and you can negotiate more on the phone with them..they wil do almost anything to get you to yes on the phone…it is great! when I check it and the people read what are vacation is and how much we paid ..they are like how in the world did you get it for that much?? that is an awsome deal..or they have said I ahve never seen it for that low! IT WORKS!! Debbie

Janet, You are awesome!! Thank you very much for your intelligent, knowledgeable information. I’m sorry you’ve gotten the ignorant responses you have. You are clearly educated and actually care about people, and ceasing the corruption. I truly appreciate the time you have put into writing all of this. That is a gesture of true concern. Someone who speaks the truth is always subject to the rejection of those who do evil, whether they are aware they are doing evil or not. I hope for the people who have been opposing you that they actually find a respectable job where they aren’t knowingly, or unknowingly scamming others.

I have a question for you: We, unknowing of all of this, purchased a weekend from Bass Pro for BlueGreen Resorts week. My family, through my mother, already owns three timeshares, two of which are through Marriot which is very nice. We never were interested in buying a timeshare at all. My husband just wanted to buy the week to go to Branson. They have stated the presentation is 2 hours and we will recieve a $75 gift certificate at the end…But, if we don’t show up, they will charge us $100. I’m trying to locate the original papers we signed to see if it ever said anything about there being a penalty for not showing up. Do you think we should go knowing we aren’t going to buy anything, just for the two hours, as soon as the two are up we immediately leave? I’m afraid they will take the cc number and charge something more than the $100. Also, I’m afraid that since we split the week, and are planing to use the rest of the 7 days another time, and if they know we didn’t buy in their presentation the first time, that something bad is going to happen with the second half of our time.

Do you have any advice for me? We are leaving Friday for the first part of our “destination package”.

May you be blessed beyond measure for the good you have done and the light you have shed. Lawrie

ps. FYI, if in case anyone who reads this decides to send me back a negative comment, please know before hand, you are wasting your time because I will NOT waste my time reading it. Thank you. And since now I have freed you from wasting your time writing to me, may you fill your time with something good to do. 🙂

Lawrie, I hope this response comes in time for you. I went through the Bluegreen presentation as well, but at Wisconsin Dells. Do you have an e-mail message from Bluegreen or the company that set up your visit? It probably has terms and conditions (or a link to something that does). My guess is that the standard language of “90-120 minutes” applies. So if you are there 120 minutes, tell them that you are done, and if they don’t sign you out right away, WALK OUT. As I state below, there may be state laws that apply, and if so, remind the good salespeople of them. (If they want to break the laws, why do you want to do business with them?)

Some other paperwork suggestions to bring with you: * Copies of your Terms and Conditions, if you have them. * Printouts from sellmytimesharenow.com, redweek,com, Timeshare User Group, etc. of resale prices of timeshares at that location. * You may find condos or similar units for rent through Hotwire for the time you are staying at Branson for cheap. Bring printouts of those prices. * When they ask you how much you spend on vacations, tell them that you either get free use of timeshare rooms from family or that you book great rooms for cheap through Priceline (at $40 – 50/night). For us, at least, that’s the truth, too! * REMEMBER, they will talk FAST with numbers, and quote you prices that do not include maintenance fees, club memberships, special assessments, and other charges. Boy, do those charges add up! * Check out Missouri state laws and regulations concerning timeshare sales (probably under whatever department does professional licensing for realtors and other such people). I looked at the Wisconsin website on timeshare sales and found a section on “prohibited sales practices.” If such language exists under Missouri law, read, print out, and have with you. * Don’t fall in love. Like a car, it can’t love you back. There will ALWAYS be another deal, so don’t fall for the “today only” garbage. (In Wisconsin, at least, it is against the law for them to say that.)

You will likely have to go or pay a penalty. When we got to our destination, we found that they would only schedule presentations in the middle of the day (11 AM or 1 PM), which ruins your whole day. I don’t know which is really better, but we did 1 PM and got out OK after exactly two hours.

Remember, a lot of these people are human, so at least start out by treating them like you would want to be treated. Our salesman was actually a decent guy who was recovering from a car accident (and unless he had a good makeup artist, he had a big scar to show for it). Be low key and keep your wits as much as possible. My sixth grader actually could poke holes in their presentation after the fact, so at least we got an educational experience out of it!

Very well said, Janet! Agree 100% with everything you said.

this is an awesome story…I fully agree..timeshares are not a waste of time..they are means to an end..if I want tickects or rooms for cheap ad I can handle the pressure then this is the way to go…I lkike to analyze the presentaiton people and predict what they will do or be sacrastic with them to really let them know I will not buy but I sure do like the stuff…iot is a game…they ahve their gimis ..one place I went to had a gong and everytime some really dumb person bought a timeshare they hit the gong…I started laughing….they did not like that…call their bluff about their stupid con…se what they say…if you do not want to go back to that one again…I stayed at the Westagte Toweres 5 times with huge rooms and lots of activites for free for the kids…then I got sarcastic and they made me leave the presentation. My husband was embarrased I was laughing!! I still got all my stuff!

Why would you call people dumb? That is as shady as you going on all those tours knowing you will never buy one all I can say is I’m sorry! For u! dw

Maybe that KARMA will come back and bite them in the @$$!!!!!LOL!

Janet Wow. I have a feeling you are a truly sad person that is dissatisfied with your own life. Especially to spend as much energy as you did replying to a post. I found the site merely by accident from a friend who had a bad experience with timeshare. If 99 out of 100 people hate that they bought a timeshare…. Then I’m the one percent that is very satisfied with what I bought and my salesperson. Maybe you should find another hobby instead of trying guess other people’s lives and incomes. Yes I receive 50% of my base pay. No it wouldn’t solely support me. Oh and by the way not every retired NCO is on food stamps. I have always been smart with my money, friends and investments. At 44 I need nothing. I have a great home, all the toys I want and the free time to go with them. Maybe you should invest more time in researching positive things to invest in and stop wasting your time on trying to be a time share nazi. Oh and before you try to attack my last comment, I’ll just stop you by saying that timeshare is not an investment. It’s a vehicle for me to travel to different parts of the country and world for a couple weeks a year. Last thing I’ll comment on before I leave this post for good ( because I do have better things to do than banter with your sorry, insignificant ass). I’m sure in timeshare sales just as with any other type sales there are good sales people and sorry sales people. Mine had great character. Have a field day Janet. It’s what your life seems to be about. Mike

“Wow. I have a feeling you are a truly sad person that is dissatisfied with your own life. ”

Yeah, it’s stupid for someone to think that they completely know a person based off of one experience of them posting something online.

I went on a presentation last year with the thought of NOT buying. I’m a retired Army 1st Sgt with 20 years in the infantry. I’m the last person that someone could manipulate. BUT, I saw the value in it especially since I like to visit other areas of the country every year. The last six months I’ve dove deeper into the program and found that I can actually work my week vacation into 3 maybe 4 weeks in different resorts in one year. Still only paying my one week timeshare. It may cost me an an extra $200 for an additional week but I’m staying in $200 a night resorts. I love that I was sold on timeshare and have zero regrets. I wouldn’t want to be a timeshare sales person but everyone I spoke with love their job and the benefits, money, and free time that come with it.

All the timeshare salespeople told you how much they love their jobs? What else would you expect them to say? Like any of them would actually admit they hated their jobs? Come on, you should be able to do better than that.

All of those sales rep. who told you that their jobs give them lots of free time, money and benefits? Yeah well, if they’re doing that good, then they no legitimate excuse for accusing non-buyers of being cheap moochers, “taking food out of the mouths of [their] children!”

FYI, people who imagine themselves incapable of being manipulated, in reality, are the easiest of all. In fact, in your post, you practically provided detailed instructions on what buttons I could push, to manipulate someone like you.

Your post revealed that you’re obviously proud of having been an army sargeant, so all I’d have to do is to play on that pride. First, by making up BS stories about the many, military officers who supposedly have bought in, and how happy they all were. Not just sargeants either, but commissioned officers, such as captains, majors and even generals, all of who recognize a “smart” investment when they see one, which serves to trick you into believing that all your superior officers buy timeshares, and surely you want to be as smart as they are, don’t you? (sucker!)

To build credibility in your mind, I’d then call over one, or more of my little rep. buddies, who would be more than happy to confirm my BS stories, adding a few of their own, and then we’d both tell you about the many high ranking officers we’ve sold to, this past week alone! (ha, ha, ha, you fool)

Now that I’ve got your pride and credibility, next I’ll go to work on your innermost desires, by making up stories, all about the many (high ranking) military families who own timeshares there, and how they just love getting together with other military personnel, especially enlisted personnel who have proven themselves worthy — buy buying a timeshare! Yes! I would play it up big time, telling you how that will put you in the same league as all kinds of commanding officers, colonels, lieutenants, who will all agree that you must be as smart as they are by recognizing such an outstanding bargain! (you stupid fool)

By the time I got done with you, I’d have you painting fantasy pictures in your head, of you and your family spending vacations “schmoozing” with all the highest ranking military officers, even generals. Wow! An infantry sargeant vacationing with the generals, now wouldn’t that be awesome? Yeah! Wouldn’t that make you the envy of everyone you ever served with? And gee, wouldn’t that really impress your family? Now, wouldn’t the opportunity for those kind of “bragging rights” be worth spending a measley $20-30,000 on a timeshare?

I wouldn’t even have to go so far as to say all that. All I have to do is plant enough seeds of desire in your little head, and your imagination will take of the rest for me. Before you know what hit you, your mind will be playing scenerios of you, and your entire family, having dinner at the White House with the President of the United States, all because you were “smart” enough to buy that timeshare at the over inflated presentation price, paying over $20,000 for something you could have bought for as little little as $1 on the resale market. What’s “smart” about that?

You don’t think that would work on you? Really? Then why are you attempting to do the same thing here? Trying to impress readers with your military background, as if simply being a retired sargeant with 20 years in the infantry somehow renders you incapable of “being manipulated”, which in itself, is nothing more than yet another manipulative tactic.

FYI, all those same ploys have been attempted on me, at every single timeshare presentation we’ve attended. Only, as I’m an accountant, they use CPAs, CFOS, and CEOs. All I have to say about those ploys is LOL!

Now let’s see, 20 years of military service? If you joined at the age of 18, that would make you about 38 years old now. At the age of 38, receiving 50% of your former pay, usually won’t pay all the bills, so most military personnel who retire that young, usually will supplement their retirement pay by starting a new career. Possibly, as a timeshare sales rep. Is that about right?

No? Then why else would you be here? What’s in it for you? I mean, seriously, this is a complaint board. If you are simply a “happy camper”, if anything, you’d be writing about your joy on your timeshare’s site or a travel site, not on a complaint board.

If you took 2 minutes to browse the site before posting, you’d see that this is a complaint board, and the only ones who post on complaint boards are those with complaints. On this board, that would be:

1) People who are upset because they feel they’ve been duped into buying a timeshare they neither want, need, and/or can afford, using tactics they regard as completely disreputable, and/or are retaliating against reps. who feel they are entitled to insult and belittle anyone who doesn’t hand them over $20,000 or more at their sleazy, so-called “presentations”, which I personally regard as a complete and total ripoff.

2. Timeshare sales reps. who are pissed off at having their time wasted by those only interested in the “freebies” offered, so they’re retaliating here, playing every imaginable “head game.”

Making your true agenda obvious really isn’t that clever.

Damn Janet,

You’re pathetic. Get a life, girl.

Timeshare reps have a right to make a living just like everyone else. Like any other salesperson, they have a product to sell. You either like it or you don’t, and if you don’t, you don’t spend hours trying to shoot it down, unless you have had bad experiences with it yourself.

There are a lot of people out there that are happy with their timeshares. Do you know why? It’s because they know how to use them and get the most out of them. You, obviously dislike the idea of timeshare, but I’m betting you don’t have any real experiennce with them, so you don’t really know what you’re talking about.

Nobody twists arms to make people respond to offers of free nights and other perks for attending a presentation. You rarely get something for nothing in the world, kid. And if you accept the freebies, you should button your lip and take what’s coming to you. Timeshare sales is like any other product…supply and demand. And trust me there are a lot of less anal people out there enjoying the hell out of their timeshares and have been for years.

Hey Tony, truth hurts, doesn’t it?

In saying, “timeshare reps. have a right to make a living…”, by that you mean YOU, right? You’re a timeshare rep., aren’t you? Your true agenda here is pretty obvious.

As far as telling me that I should “button my lip?” Maybe that works on your wife, but I’m not your dog, and you are not entitled to give me orders. So I won’t be obeying you.

You seem to be ignoring the fact that this is a complaint board. This board was not started by someone who is happy with their timeshare, but rather, because they are NOT happy, not at all! If you bothered checking the rest of this site, you will see it is chock filled with people who are angry, and desperate to get rid of the financial burden they feel they were both pressured and CONNED into purchasing. Quite a few are facing financial ruin as a direct result, not that you care, do you?

Timeshares are so worthless, that many people on this very board are complaining that they can’t even give them away! Most charities won’t even take them as a free donation, and neither will anyone else. Those who inherit them don’t want them either, and certainly don’t want to be stuck with the annual maintenance fees and taxes, that they can’t afford!

Have you even bothered reading the rest of the posts on this board? Do you have any empathy for the any of the posters here, in dire straits and facing financial ruin? Any at all? Are you even aware that our entire country is in the worst recession since the great depression? That people are losing their jobs and their homes, and can’t afford the payments on their worthless timeshares that you, and other reps. talked them into buying? Do you realize that roughly 1/4th of all home mortgages are underwater, and that 2 MILLION children in our country are now homeless?

As far as I’m concerned, you are earning a living at the expense of others, by conning them out of their hard earned money, and NO, I will never agree you should have the right to do that! I regard the business practices of timeshare companies as predatory, underhanded, slimey and completely disreputable, and I want to see laws passed to make what you do for a living illegal.

That’s what I want, and until those laws are passed, I will continue to inform and warn as many people as possible, and will do so while I’m attending timeshare presentations, wasting as much of your time as possible, and collecting those “freebies.”

As far as my having real experience with timeshares? Gee, my husband and I stay at all kinds of timeshare properties, only we happen to know there’s no need to “buy in.” There’s tons and tons of unused weeks at practically every single timeshare property. We’ve paid as little as $99/week by taking advantage of timeshare travel clubs’ “last minute” specials (no membership required!), and the most we ever paid was $400, and that was for a full week stay in a 2 bedroom, luxury oceanfront condo in Key West at “The Galleon”, which is less than 1/2 the annual maintenance fees that owners pay. For a 1 bedroom condo, we normally pay exactly $211/week, $1 for the bid, plus $15 processing fee, and $195 for the cleaning fee, and that’s for an entire week’s stay through an auction site called “travelauction”.

You want to talk “supply and demand”? When it comes to timeshare properties, there’s far more supply than there is demand, and that’s why they end up renting them out to the general public, dirt cheap!

I know exactly what I’m talking about, and No Tony, I’m not about to trust you, or take your word on anything. All anyone has to do is read the rest of the posts on this board and they can easily see which one of us is really telling the truth!

Here’s what I don’t understand:

Why can’t people just say no if they don’t want to buy a timeshare? Whether they can’t afford it or don’t like it, nobody held a gun to their head … a lot of people are weak when it comes to a high pressure salesperson.

Why don’t people read the fine print before they sign a contract? This seems like a no-brainer, especially when thousands of dollars are at stake.

In this day and age, why don’t more people check out timeshares for sale on the internet if they are considering purchasing one?

Why can’t people realize that accepting a discounted vacation, a cash incentive, show tickets, whatever, does not obligate them to buy a thing? All you owe is your attendance at the presentation, nothing else.

How hard is it to figure out that if you just pay for your vacation you’re not obligated to go back again next year, the year after, etc.?

There are lots of reasons you can give a salesperson for not buying a timeshare, but you really don’t need an excuse or an explanation. You don’t need to defend your “no”.

Janet, Why do you hate timeshare ?

Why do you spend so much time and effort putting people down who like it ?

If it is not for you don’t by it.. If you like it and thinks it beneficial then buy it…. People make their own choices in life they can say yes or no why do you think you have the right to decide what is best for them I don’t see you talking about anything else do you love ecverything in life except time share why don’t you blog about other things you don’t like

Timeshare is not for everybody but it is for sme people they are the ones who buy have you interviewed any one selling a timeshare i believe you are speculating on why their selling and blogging without knowing the facts….

I’m sorry you feel this way but speaking without knowing the facts is wrong…..

I have already written a number of posts, in which I have provided a wide variety of reasons why I am opposed to timeshares.

What part of my explanation are you still not understanding? Or are you intentionally just being obnoxious?

And James, the reason I am discussing timeshares, is because that is the topic of this board. If this was a gardening board, I would be posting about my garden. Seriously, what is wrong with you that you can not understand something that obvious?

As far as knowing the facts go, if you had bothered taking 15 minutes to check out the rest of this site, then you should know this is a complaint board, filled with people who hate and despise the timeshares they feel they were suckered into buying, and desperately trying to find a way to get out from under the financial burden they feel they were mislead, conned, and deceived into buying. No James, none of them like, need or want their timeshares. They want to get rid of them, but can’t find any takers. Most charities won’t even accept fully paid off timeshares as donations. Those are the real facts, that you don’t seem to want people to know.

Only people I know who like their timeshares and feel they are a good value, are those who bought on the resale market, where timeshares can be purchased for as little as $1!

If more people knew that, my guess is you’d probably never make another sale, now would you?

Janet, what other companies do you use…I wanna jump on this train!

Mike Congratulation. Dw

Timeshares are awesome for some people. People who can afford to travel enough to make them work for them. My brother owns 2 because he travels often for both work and pleasure. With just his points he can often do like you and get 3 or 4 weeks out his regular fees. Plus he can get extra weeks for an added fee. Sometimes as low as $169 a week. I know because he’s gotten me extra weeks too, but there is a $50 guest fee for that. We stayed in Vegas for 2 weeks (actually 7 nights in a week) for less than $400. If I could afford to travel enough to make it work for me I’d buy one. (Or grab one of the ubiquitous free or almost free ones that are out there) Right now I can’t justify it when I can only get away for a week or 2 a year (Other than visiting my parents.) and sometimes that isn’t in the cards if our medical expenses are high or we have several major things break down in our house. Like this year when our well pump and central air went out. I made it through the summer with a window unit. Not fun in SE Texas, but a blessing since we could have had to deal with not even having that. The year before we were blessed to be able to spend a week in Angelfire, NM (nice area very disappointing resort and we won’t ever return.) followed by a week at the Wyndham in Pagosa Springs, CO (Our 2nd trip there. Loved the area so much I want to move there. The resort is very nice and the people who work there are wonderful.) Our rooms the 1st 2 weeks we stayed in Pagosa Springs were nicer than the ones the 2nd time, but neither was nasty like the Angelfire resort. We’ve stayed at timeshares in Weston, FL (near Ft. Laud.) and Orlando. I think 3 times in Orlando and all but one was nice. They put us in the old section instead of the new one that had been advertised in the photos. That one we were only in for about an hour. We called and complained and we were switched to a much nicer resort in a larger room. Most of these were RCI resorts. Just thought I’d mention this so that if you are ever considering going to any of these areas you’ll know what at least one person thought.

YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE STATE FAIR THEY HAVE LOT OF GREAT OFFERS .ALSO TRY Silverleaf Resorts.SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS ALSO HAVE A TIME SHARE SIGN UP BOOTH.

THE KEY IS TO SAY I DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY TO WASTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I SAY IT WHEN I AM SHAKING THE SELL PERSON HAND,I THEN LET THEM KNOW THAT EVERY THING LOOK CHEAP AND YOU HAVE SEEN THEIR OTHER RESORTS AND THEY ALSO LOOK CHEAP AND YOU WOULD NEVER LET YOUR FAMILY STAY HERE.HATE EVERY THING YOU WILL BE OUT OF THERE SO FAST WITH PRIZES IN HAND.

I will have to try that. The amount of time the presentations take is the worst part of it for me. I have plenty of sales resistance. And who doesn’t like to get freebies? Where was this?

JUST FINISH ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIME SHARE ,30 MIN FOR $600 CASH.I LOVE THIS ONE AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT EVERY 12 MONTHS FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS.

I have been going to timeshare presentations for all of my adult life…needless to say I have been to disney 7 times and Mrtyle Beach 4 and Daytona Beach 4 times. I have some advice before you even decide to do it….have an esimate on how much you think you should pay for what you are getting from them on the phone…..I have cut my deal in half on the phone and got extra nights. Some examples of what to say are….I just paid my house payment and all I have left is x dollars to pay for something like that right now….ttry about 200.00 for the whole package….it really does work..it is using their own scheme against them…they will get a manager to approve it and everything…The vacation I am about to go on cost me only 159.00 for 4 nights at Wyndom resort..two bedroom…full kitchen AD I get a $100 American express after going to the presentation…so I got a 2 bedroom condo for 4 nights for 58.00 bucks!! We also did the ones where we got 150.00-200.00 cash…and then we had more money to spend at the parks…that was our go out and neat great at disney money… My husband hates them but without them we would never go on vacation and I have went to probably 20 of them and never bought but LOVED all the free stuff…also bargain for more tickets…whatever it is you want bargain for that specific thing….ticket to SEa World..Disney whatever…make them feel bad…I always say I need more nights becuse I am coming from far away and I always stay on vacation for 7 days…most of the time that gets you more days from them. You might pay a little more but it is well worth it…the condos are fabulous!! Dont just stay in a hotel for the timeshare stay on property…unless you need Disney tickets then it is worth it becasue you are gone most of the day anyways…I already have tickets that are non expiration so I work harder at nights for rooms…make it work for you not them!! and onnce you shop around on line you will ahve sale people calling you…do not just say yes to the first call decide where you want to go and what you want an d then listen to several different ones to see which is best..tell the person on the phone to call back tomorrow you need to talk to your husband…they will call back believe me..and usually they will sweetin the deal..always say no at first because they will give you more!!

We always bargain for additional “freebies” too, but then after we get our vouchers, we then see what else we can get from the amusement parks.

For example, after receiving our free Disney vouchers from the timeshare presentation, we then went to the ticket booth at Disney, and found that as long as we did so before the last day of use, we could upgrade our vouchers to add additional days, along with adding the “waterparks and more” and “no expiration date” options, turning our 3 day tickets (which included 1 option), into 7 days at Disney theme parks, plus an additional 7 days at Disney waterparks. We had to pay the difference, but the more days you buy, the cheaper the “per day” cost becomes. We also bought those upgrades several years ago, bringing our total cost to a less than $15/day per ticket, and we can use those days any time in the future.

For attending 1 presentation, we received 4 1 day tickets to Universal Studios. Universal then allowed us to add a 2nd day for $20/per ticket.

All of that though was several years ago, and we haven’t checked recently to see whether the theme parks still upgrade timeshare vouchers.

great idea..thanks for sharing. Our tikets will be running out pretty soon so we will need new ones for the next time we go..I think we only have three days left on them. we got 10 days no expiration and have used them on 4 seperate vacations to Disney….we alwys only do 2 or 3 parks otherwise it is too much in seven days…also we go to Un iversal or Sea World or last year we went to Busch Gardens on vouchers from the timneshare.. Debbie

We were just in Orlando in December, and only spent one day at Disney, and only one day when we went there this past summer as well. I agree, it’s too much, and there’s so many other things fun things to do in Orlando, especially when you go so often, curtesy of the timeshare companies!

exactly…if you stay at Westgate they have activities everyday for the kids to do and they have put put that is for free when you come as a timeshare promsotion peson…they also have a night of the week where it is a barbeque for free that you can go to or is it rfeally cheap for all your family…the kids meet other kids and you an enjoy just relaxing at the pool and not have to make dinner! I think Westgate is the best place to go on a timeshare…we have stayed ther many times but last time was the it..they have a new policy about how many times you have went and they put us on some list of families that have went on many timeshare there..we were still in the sytem from the last time or two….but now we have others to choose from..this willl be the first time At Wyndum.Bonet Creek so I am excited about a new place…

As another alternative to presentations, timeshare forums can be a great place to connect with owners hoping to recoup even just a fraction of their costs, by renting out their unused weeks or points.

My husband and I have family in Florida, so we go there several times a year. We’ve stayed at Bonnet Creek, and it is really nice, but the DVC(Disney Vacation Club) properties are our favorite.

Unfortunately, they don’t offer any free, or even reduced, stays for presentations. But I’m on a couple of timeshare forums, and on occasion, DVC owners will have points that are about to expire, and will either “rent” them cheap, and sometimes, will offer their few remaining points for free!

So, courtesy of one of the members, my husband and I just recently stayed at the DVC Animal Kingdom Villas. She only had 30 points, so we did have to “rent” a few points from another member to cover the difference, but still, we got a 3 night stay for a little over $50!

Timeshare companies that have “lists” usually only restrict you to 1 presentation at their properties per year. Fortunately there’s so many timeshare companies, especially in Orlando, that it will take at least a year to cover all of them 🙂

Just came back from a free stay in vegas, I did not know anything about all these timeshare scam but before the presentation I asked my wife not to buy but she still did. Now I’m in the process of rescinding my contract. Hopefully they recieved my certified mail before the rescission deadline is over. Oh, and I tried faxing the rescission letter yesterday and got the fax report in my hand.

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• Attractions

Things to Know Before Attending a Vegas Timeshare Presentation

Whether you’re looking for a dependable vacation rental to spend all your Vegas casino winnings, or just want a way to get free perks that include some of the best local shows and attractions , timeshares can accomplish both. 

Timeshares are nothing new, but as the way we travel has changed over the years, so has this niche industry. This guide details what a timeshare is, why they’re so popular in Las Vegas, and ways you can benefit from them—both in vacation deals or simply their free offers around town.

What is a Timeshare?

By now, many people have heard about or even stayed at a timeshare. If it’s a new concept to you, timeshares are shared vacation properties that provide you with a designated time to visit them. Think of it as sharing a vacation home with several other families. Since everyone owns the property, you will get a specified vacation time every year to enjoy it with your family, and other times are reserved for the other owners. 

This shared vacation home ownership concept has been around for decades. In theory, it reduces the cost of a vacation. However, as the travel ecosystem has changed, so have timeshares. Many companies updated the model of gifting vacation points every year that can be redeemed at a brand’s properties around the world. Timeshares now give more flexibility in deciding when and where you take a vacation, all for a lower price than if you were to book at a hotel.

Some boutique timeshare properties will offer all-inclusive amenities that include things like full kitchens, complimentary daily meals and beverages, access to pools and spas, fitness centers, recreational activities, childcare, etc. 

Some of the most popular timeshare companies you’ll find in Las Vegas include:

• Holiday Inn Club Vacations
• Hilton Grand Vacations Club
• Wyndham Vacation Ownership
• Tahiti Village Resort & Spa
• Westgate Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
• The Grandview at Las Vegas
• Worldmark Las Vegas

Many people associate the word ‘timeshare’ with scam. In response, they have adopted new terms like “vacation club” and “vacation ownership” to avoid the stigma. 

But are they really worth it?

The Popularity of Timeshare Presentations on the Strip

Las Vegas is a tourist hub which makes it a hotspot for vacation-seekers. Travelers on vacation have several things in common that make timeshare offers popular here:

• You fit the target market of someone who travels for vacation (you’re already on vacation, afterall)
• You’re looking to have a good time in Vegas
• Once you’re in Las Vegas, you most likely want to return one day. 

Many people on the Strip fit these criteria, which makes the approach easier to draw you into the world of timeshares. But it isn’t the thought of spending more money that gets people’s attention—in fact, it’s the exact opposite. 

Most owners of timeshares come across the opportunity after sitting through a presentation. These impromptu business meetings can easily get people to take time out of their vacation time by offering perks that are nearly impossible to decline. 

Suppose you come across a salesperson on the street, or even offers online with free tickets to shows , attractions , discounts, or free night stays at hotels . In that case, you’re likely being targeted for a timeshare sales presentation. 

The good news is that the offers are usually legit! If you agree to attend the presentation, you’ll get the free tickets and prizes at the end. The bad news is that everything comes with a cost, and the presentation may end up making you spend more time and money than you anticipated.

If you have concerns about being scammed, you should stick with the ones that have kiosks located in major hotel lobbies. You can also ask the front desk about them and they will let you know if it is legit.

If either the free tickets or the actual vacation property offer sounds interesting, then it can be a great opportunity to benefit from it!

What to expect during your presentation

Being approached to participate in a timeshare presentation can be in person during your trip, or even online before you travel. Online requests for participation are where you’ll typically get free nights at a hotel in exchange for your attendance. While offers may vary, some require a small deposit to guarantee you’ll attend. If you show up, you’ll get your deposit refunded. However, if you don’t participate in the meeting or cancel your trip, your deposit is subject to being forfeited. 

A timeshare company salesperson usually does in-person approaches set up at a kiosk in busy tourist areas, such as outdoors on the Strip, indoors at The Shops at Crystals , hotel lobbies, and many more. 

Many timeshare presentations have set times to attend, but due to the urgency of the salesperson, don’t be surprised if you’re called an Uber on the spot and driven to the presentation site. However, you can always decline the offer and demand a specific presentation time.

The overall goal of the timeshare presentation is to get you to purchase a property before you leave. Statistics show the success rate is higher during the initial excitement, which explains the notable urgent/pushy sales tactics used by the sales team. Keep that in mind, and don’t take anything personal! They speak to thousands of people every week and work on a commission, so they’re trying to close a sale right away to get paid. 

Each timeshare company has different processes, but these are the general activities that happen:

• Arrive in a waiting room with food/snacks
• Sit in a presentation about the property to inspire you to think about vacationing with them
• Attend a property tour of the grounds and a sample unit
• Sit with a salesperson to discuss the overall cost and potentially close the deal (most time consuming part)
• Visit the reception desk for your free perks

Presentations can last anywhere from 90 minutes to upwards of a few hours. The biggest variable is the stage of sitting with your salesperson to discuss the overall costs.

This is the part that most are anxious about if you’re familiar with timeshare presentations. As a rule of thumb, you’ll get one offer, but if you decline, they’ll present follow-up offers with slightly better deals. If you still decline the offers, the last resort can be for a trial period or even a credit card offer. Showing any signs of interest in either of the offers can drag on this cycle for hours. 

Pros and Cons of Timeshare Presentations

It’s no secret that timeshare presentations have a bad reputation, but there are both pros and cons. Here’s a quick snapshot!

• Free tickets to shows and events , attractions , or hotel stays
• Opportunity to join a travel club with a reputable company
• Time spent in presentations
• Rushed decision-making

Should you sign up for a timeshare presentation?

Contrary to popular belief, timeshare programs are not scams. They are legitimate opportunities to join their clubs. The adverse reactions to them result from travelers not understanding the full terms of the deal, yet accepting the offers on a spontaneous decision that impacts your finances for years to come. 

In an argument supporting timeshares, it’s an opportunity to have a guaranteed vacation option every year. If you’ve researched and find that timeshares and related programs are the best options, you can get great deals on them. Just keep in mind that the first offer is never the best. Make sure you understand associated fees, interest, cancellation penalties, and other costs before agreeing to sign up. 

If you’re not interested in timeshares and, more importantly, don’t fully understand the terms, these programs are not for you. High interest rates and uncapped fees can end up costing you much more than you think you’re paying. However, you can benefit from attending the presentations by simply attending to get the free perks afterward. 

You’re never obligated to sign up for a timeshare offer, no matter how pushy the sales team is towards you. They understand that many people are there just for the free gifts, and politely saying you’re not interested in the offers is the quickest way to get back to enjoying your vacation. 

We should note that if you’re attending a presentation, you cannot attend inebriated or arrive late. Doing so may forfeit your gifts and deposit. 

Attending a timeshare presentation in Las Vegas is an excellent way to get free gifts to experience the best events and shows on the Strip . Signing up for an offer is a financial decision, and you should closely examine the terms before going through with it. If you’re not interested, simply say no, and you’ll (hopefully) be soon on your way to enjoying more of Las Vegas!

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Basic Guide to Timeshare Presentations

• February 17, 2021
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We have all seen the old Timeshare pitch. Typically it goes something like “earn a discounted stay by learning more about our program over 90 to 120 minutes”. Often there are additional freebies thrown into the mix. This can be complimentary food such as breakfast or lunch, excursion vouchers, or even a visa gift card. As a result, the timeshare promotions seem too good to be true which can lead to skepticism. Is it a Scam or travel strategy? Learn more about this lesser-known topic in the Basic Guide to Timeshare Presentations & using them for travel .

In this Basic Guide

Timeshare properties.

• Checking in
• Say No (or Yes)
• Collecting Compensation

Examples of Timeshare Presentation Promotions

My experience participating in the promotions, where to find a timeshare presentation, timeshare restrictions and pitfalls, list of timeshare companies (and website links), what is a timeshare.

A timeshare is a form of travel that incorporates a shared approach to real estate. The vacation property is purchased and owned by multiple individuals who agree to split the time allocation. Traditionally, timeshares were sold in week increments. However, most companies have transitioned to point systems. Because of this, you can enjoy shorter trips throughout the year instead of using all the points at once. Similar to credit card points, the timeshare points can be used towards nights at a variety of properties within a portfolio.

A timeshare property often comes in the form of a studio equipped with a kitchen. Sometimes timeshares are located within condominiums or apartment complexes. Interestingly, I’ve noticed that some timeshare properties are actually shared by larger-scale hotel chains like Marriott or Hilton.

How does a Timeshare Presentation Work

Step one – signing up.

The first step to participating in a timeshare is signing a contract. Basically, the contract states that you agree to learn more about the property. This “presentation” will be set for a predetermined time. Typically they last for 90-120 minutes. Lastly, will be compensated with “x” for your time.

Step Two – Checking In (Sometimes Required)

The second step of checking-in is typically required when an overnight stay is involved. Usually, the terms will indicate that the guests’ must check-in at a predetermined location the day before the actual presentation. Often this will be at the hotel you are staying at. However, sometimes it can be at a location in close proximity to the hotel. There have been a handful of times that this step wasn’t required with the timeshare promotions I’ve participated in. Typically the staff would confirm the details of the sales pitch such as the date, time, and location. Afterward, I would be on my way for the duration of my stay.

Step Three – Attending the Presentation

One great aspect of actually attending the presentation is the free breakfast or lunch. In my book, this is an additional factor that leads to even greater savings while traveling. At this point, typically the timeshare salesperson assigned to you will introduce themselves and the shmoozing will begin. One rare occasion in Mexico, the salesperson actually joined us for breakfast which made for a long day of being pitched.

Note the Time –

Legally, since you signed a contract to attend the timeshare promotion. Because of this, the time commitment cannot be extended without your consent. I’ve met some other travelers who actually will set an alarm on their phones. Personally, I haven’t taken it to that extreme but noting the time has saved me a few times from unnecessary tours of hotels or additional sales pitches, etc.

The Presentation typically includes a sales pitch on travel in general. I recall one pitch actually selling the point that not traveling was harmful to one’s health due to the epidemic of increased stress levels. Eventually, the presentation will cover how the program works and the general cost of participating. Finally, the agent assigned to you will conclude with a hard pitch based on the income you provide and what he or she thinks you can afford.

Is a Hard Credit Pull Required?

It’s hit or miss if the timeshare presentation requires a credit check. Sometimes it is written in the contract that they need to perform the hard pull in order to provide the correct financing numbers based on your credit score. A hard inquiry won’t destroy a credit score nor will it be a primary determining factor in being eligible for future lines of credit. Ideally, it is not wise to add unnecessary pulls if you don’t have to.

Step Four – Saying No (or Yes?)

Remember your only commitment was to participate in the presentation. Nothing more, nothing less. However, if you are reading this blog, you are most likely already a savvy points and miles traveler . Most likely, you won’t find a benefit from being contractually obligated to a specific timeshare. Now of course, if you find value from what is being offered and it makes sense financially then by all means. In my experience, the financial commitment has never made sense for me. Personally, I don’t like the idea of contractually being obligated to pay into the program long-term for the rest of m life.

Step Five – Collecting what was promised

Finally, sometimes the 90-120 minutes drag on. You literally are counting down the seconds to get back to vacationing. Don’t get so caught up with leaving that you forget about what is promised to you. This can range from vouchers to cash, gift cards, or other random items. Typically the ‘gifts’ are provided upon completion of the presentation. Be sure to collect these before leaving or at least inquiring about how to go about receiving them!

Timeshare Presentation promotions come in all shapes and sizes. Usually, the company starts with a base-level deal. However, they could have a handful of additional perks which can be added by directly asking or being apprehensive. It is also important to note that many of these perks can be added together for a single timeshare promotional experience. For instance, here are examples of promotions I have participated in.

• 2, 3, 4, or 5 night stays for a heavily discounted rate
• Visa, Amex, and Mastercard pre-loaded debit gift cards
• Free shows and buffet vouchers in Vegas
• Excursions and massages in Mexico
• Pre-loaded Debit Cards and lunch vouchers in Hawaii
• Certificate for a future complimentary night stay
• $100 towards dinner at a handful of restaurants in San Francisco and New York City
• Hotel Rewards Points. I’ve seen Wyndham and Hilton offer bonus points for participating in a timeshare presentation. This is a great negotiating point when booking a timeshare presentation.

Overall I’ve had some very good experiences with the timeshare presentation travel strategies. My only regret is not documentation the experiences better. However, we do have a few reviews here on the website. For instance, we took advantage of the Hilton Presentation when I ran the NYC Marathon . In the future, I will continue to add more articles.

• New York City Hilton Timeshare Review
• Small Wyndham Timeshare writeup mixed into this Las Vegas Rewards Trip Review
• Grand Caribbean Vacations Mexico Timeshare Trip Review

Finding timeshare presentations can be completely random. I’ve been solicited for Timeshares in Airports, Casinos, Hotels, and even at the New York Times Travel Show. Periodically I’ll receive targeted emails from Wyndham, Hilton, and Marriott with a new Timeshare Promotion they are running. Additionally, once or twice each year I’ll receive a cold call. Typically, I am most skeptical about these as they often require up-front purchases.

There are a few strategies you can take to be targeted for these sorts of promotions.

• First, make sure you are signed up for the loyalty awards accounts with each hotel chain. Wyndham , Marriott , and Hilton are the ones that seem to send out the majority of the timeshare promotional trips.
• Next, keep your eyes peeled while traveling. Usually, you can find representatives pitching timeshares in high-traffic areas like entrances or exits. Sometimes hotels will have separate desks set up with signage about stopping by for a free gift.
• Lastly, call the general number of a hotel chain. Then inquire about owning a timeshare in the future. The customer service representative will transfer you to the right person.

How do you get the best Timeshare Presentation Promotion

One word: Haggle . I know that the thought of haggling is very polarizing. Some people love to haggle while others avoid it. Just know that the first offer that is presented is most likely not the best one you can get by saying no or being apprehensive.

In Mexico once, the sales representative initially started the hard in-person pitch with one five-night vacation per year for purchasing into the program. An hour later and a whole lot of “No Thank Yous”, he had steadily moved up in one-week increments. Lastly, he offered unlimited. visits. Clearly, there had to be a large catch with the promotion and I was not purchasing to find out.

Ultimately when negotiating the terms of the Timeshare Presentation it doesn’t hurt to ask for more. If they say no and you are still interested in the trip take the current offer. If they say yes, you earned more by taking a minute to ask. It’s a win-win situation.

There are a few restrictions and pitfalls to be aware of when considering a timeshare presentation.

Certain jobs are restricted from participating. I remember reading in one contract that travel-related jobs like working in aviation could disqualify you.

Relationship

Oftentimes, timeshare promotions are only open to couples who are married or at the very least living together. The timeshare representatives will verify that the addresses match your driver’s license.

Most timeshare presentations require the participants to have a certain household income in order to participate.

Room Occupants

If there is a discounted stay at a hotel, there is typically a restriction on who can actually stay in the room. It is usually limited to just the couple who is participating in the presentation. If you are planning on traveling with friends, they may be required to book their own room or participate in their own presentation. Sometimes there are even restrictions on traveling with others in a group and participating in a presentation.

Lying about income (or anything else)

If you are caught fabricating a higher income in order to be “eligible” to participate in a timeshare promotion it is likely that the company will charge you the standard room rate and deny and perks that were included in the contract. Don’t do this!

Be careful about what and how much you choose to drink during the hard-pitch of the timeshare presentation. There are some shady companies that will intentionally feed guests stronger drinks in order to make them more likely to sign a contract.

• Extra Holidays (Wyndham) and Wyndham Trips (Wyndham)
• Hilton Grand Vacation (Hilton)
• Hyatt Residence Club (Hyatt)
• Holiday Inn Vacation Club (IHG)
• Marriott Vacation Club (Marriott)
• Bluegreen Vacations (Choice Hotels)
• Westgate Resorts

Basic Breakdown

In conclusion, I’m a big fan of timeshare presentations and certainly will be looking to book more presentations in the future. The best experience of ALL TIME took place in Oahu Hawaii. At check-in, we received a card that said to bring it down to the concierge for a free gift. This led to an invitation for a $200 Amex Debit Card and two lunch vouchers (valued at $80) for attending the presentation.

There was a short presentation, maybe ten minutes long followed by a sitdown with the sales rep. She asked us why we were there today and I said for the free $200 and lunch vouchers. Then she asked if we had any interest in purchasing a timeshare, Lisa and I both shook our heads no. Five minutes later we had our $200 debit cards and were eating a delicious comped lunch at the hotel restaurant. I’m sure that was a huge fluke but this is what I love about these promotions!

Let us know!

Have you participated in a Timeshare Presentation? How did it go?  

I’d love to hear in the comments below or over in our 8,200+ Member Basic Travel Facebook Group !

More basic reading.

• How to Earn Bonus Points and Miles in Q1 of 2021
• Elevated Hilton Honors Offers
• Basic Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
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• Earn Free Money with these Sofi Bank Promotions!

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Timeshare Presentations: How to Get Cheap & Free Vacations

If you’re planning to visit some of the world’s most popular destinations, you can run into some hurdles if award availability is scarce and cash prices are high.

Sure, points can help offset the cost, but that means it will cost you a lot of points. What if I told you there’s a way to save those points and snag an awesome deal on your accommodation?

Well, there is – welcome to the world of timeshare presentation packages.  

What Is a Timeshare?

In a nutshell, a timeshare is a shared ownership program in which you may use a vacation property for a set time period every year.

Timeshare properties can range from resorts to condominiums to campsites. They can be a good option for travellers who have a favourite destination they like to vacation at every year.

With timeshares, these travellers will  have familiar accommodations to return to each time without the hassle of having to manage a fully-owned property while they are away. 

Most of the big hotel brands that we’re familiar with have their own affiliated timeshare division. A few well-known examples include the Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Inn Vacation Club, Hyatt Residence Club, and even Disney has their own Disney Vacation Club.

Generally speaking, there are two types of timeshares: those that are points-based and those that give you deeded weeks.

• In a points-based program, you have a certain number of points each year that can be redeemed against nights at your timeshare.
• In a deeded-week program, every year, you have a “week” of the year that you can use your timeshare.

You do not necessarily need to stick with your timeshare property either. Usually, there is a system or program for owners to swap their property for another destination or property for any given year, building some flexibility into the program.

Despite the perks of timeshares, many people choose not invest in one, as they can be a money drain if you don’t make good use of them.

There are annual maintenance fees for the upkeep of the property that have to be paid, the process of swapping properties can be quite complicated, and it can be a pain to get rid of them or resell them as they don’t hold much value in the reseller’s market.  

What Is a Timeshare Presentation?

Whether you feel like timeshares may be a good fit for your travel patterns or not, you should consider attending a timeshare preview presentation.

The timeshare market is a competitive one, and most timeshare vacation clubs will offer some form of incentive for an opportunity to introduce you to their program in the hopes of enticing you to purchase one. 

What is offered as part of the package varies by the club and even the property, and it can be anywhere from tickets to a theme park or a show, to accommodations at one of their properties for several days at a huge discount, plus maybe even some bonus points for their respective hotel award programs.

If it’s the accommodation you’re after, keep in mind that usually the package will cover a “standard” room; however, there is a possibility for upgrading, as we’ll discuss later.

What’s the Catch with Timeshare Presentations? 

To take advantage of these fantastic offers, you (and your spouse, if you’re married) need to attend a 1.5- to two-hour sales pitch about the timeshare program while you’re vacationing on your timeshare package.

During that time, they’ll introduce you to their program, how easy it is to use the timeshare, the flexibility it provides, the years of enjoyment you will get out of it, and even give you a tour of a potential timeshare unit. 

Easy enough, right? Most of the time, yes.

Some sales representatives can be pushy and will pull out all the stops to get you to sign on, because that’s how they earn their commission. You may feel pressured to buy, and they may spend a lot of time negotiating a better offer for you.

Most sales reps, however, are quite reasonable. If you’ve put in your time and made it clear you’re not ready to buy, they’ll send you along your merry way. And if you do happen to cave under the pressure and buy the timeshare, it’s not the end of the world (more on this later).

During the pandemic, some timeshares like the Marriott Vacation Club opted to do virtual sales presentations, and in lieu of a vacation deal, you’d earn Bonvoy points instead.

There have been recent offers of up to 20,000–25,000 Bonvoy points; however, you have to be a US resident to take advantage. For the in-person presentation packages, there are no US residency requirements. 

How to Book a Timeshare Presentation

Now that you might be considering taking advantage of a timeshare presentation, let’s go over how you find these offers and sign up for them.

The easiest way is through each respective club’s website. Usually, there is a phone number or online form to complete for additional information. 

Hyatt even allows you to book the package online if you reside in the USA.

Once you purchase the package, there is quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to booking. Although the terms specifically say that the timeshare has to be booked within 12 months of purchase, it is not uncommon for them to extend this deadline. I have done this on a couple of occasions myself, even prior to the pandemic.

Once you book your package, you can still change the dates, although some programs will charge a change fee. During the pandemic, there was even more leniency (I rescheduled a Marriott preview package no less than four times), although this may tighten up a bit as travel opens up.

Unfortunately, once you purchase a preview package, they are generally considered non-refundable. There have been scattered reports of people receiving refunds if they no longer fulfill the eligibility for the package, but as always, your mileage may vary and this should not be the expectation.

My Experiences with Hilton Grand Vacations

Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) has over 50 properties spread across the United States. Their properties differ from the regular Hilton-branded hotels in that they generally offer accommodations with more space, larger and a greater number of bedrooms, and ensuite kitchen and laundry amenities.

Note that not all HGV properties are bookable through timeshare presentations, and some properties are only made available at certain times. 

Thus far, I’ve done a couple of packages with Hilton Grand Vacations in Orlando , and another in Honolulu . Here’s a recap of my experiences so far with HGV. 

Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacations

View on the Hilton Grand Vacations website.

2017 Package Deal: Three nights / four days for US$199 and a US$200 “Stay a Night On Us” rebate voucher; upgraded to a two-bedroom suite for an additional US$50

A few years back, I had to call Hilton reservations to change an existing hotel booking I had. At the end of the call, they thanked me for being a loyal Hilton Honors member and asked if I would be interested in hearing about a “great offer” they currently had. I accepted, and so began my journey down the rabbit hole of timeshare packages. 

I was forwarded to another agent, who offered me the above timeshare package. I was considering a trip to Disney for my son’s fifth birthday anyway, and this would definitely help bring down the trip’s cost, so I bought the package.

When we decided on our dates, I called back, and they confirmed availability and booked our accommodation and the timeshare presentation to be done during our stay – and that was it! 

At the time of booking, my youngest was only a few months old and wasn’t the greatest sleeper, and so extra space to accommodate her sleeping situation was desirable. When I inquired whether our one-bedroom suite could be upgraded to a two-bedroom suite, the agent advised that we could do that for an additional US$50, which seemed more than reasonable to me, bringing our grand total to US$249 plus tax. 

We stayed at the HGV Parc Soleil, which is a 15-minute drive into Disney. Other than being a bit further out from Disney, it was a fantastic accommodation option for families.

It had two beautiful outdoor pools, one that was zero-entry with a water slide and another for adults only. They had a kids activity centre and some organized activities throughout the day. There was also a basketball court, tennis court, and outdoor playground for the kids.

The suite itself was spacious, modern and clean with a full kitchen and an in-suite washer and dryer. There was also a paid shuttle service ($10 round trip per person) to the surrounding amusement parks, but times were rather limited. 

We attended the timeshare presentation on the second day. It was located at the Parc Soleil, which made it convenient.

At check-in, they ask for your ID and credit card, then invite you to enjoy snacks and non-alcoholic drinks while you wait for your sales representative. You can also drop off your kids at a small, supervised children’s room (with toys, colouring, and a TV) while you attend the presentation. 

Since it was our first timeshare presentation experience, we did not know what to expect. We were also genuinely interested in learning more about timeshares, which didn’t work in our favour.

They started off with some general questions about our travel habits and destinations we wanted to visit, and then went onto discuss how HGV could make it all happen at a fraction of the cost. 

Once the sales representative realized we actually had some interest, he turned the pressure on. He would show us how he had booked various destinations at fantastic rates and began negotiating on the amount of initial investment required to purchase, while offering additional Hilton Honors points to sweeten the deal.

Each time we declined, he would go back to his manager and come back with a better deal.

This went on for a bit until he finally came back with what seemed to be a decent offer at the time, and we actually signed the papers and walked out with a timeshare after the two and half hours.

The agent offered to refund our US$199 package cost, probably as a kind gesture given that we had just bought a timeshare with him, and then sent us to the front desk to obtain our US$200 “Stay a Night On Us” rebate voucher.

Suffice to say, purchasing a time share was not our initial game plan. Luckily for us, there is a cooling-off period built into the contracts, whereby you have 10 days to rescind a timeshare purchase agreement.

With some time and space to actually think about our impulsive decision, we decided it really wasn’t for us and the next day, we rescinded.

The staff were very kind about it and it was an easy enough process, but lesson learned: do not show any interest in a timeshare if you are in it only for the cheap accommodations.

Hilton Grand Vacations at Tuscany Village

2019 Package Deal: Four nights / five days in a one bedroom suite for US$299, refunded after presentation, one $200 “Stay A Night On Us” rebate voucher OR 10,000 Hilton Honors points

A year later, my husband had a conference in Chicago at the Hilton. HGV had set up a booth in the lobby, where they offered everyone 1,000 Hilton Honors points just for listening to what they had to offer.

Jon took them up on the offer, and this time he was offered packages to either New York City, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, or Orlando. They were two- to four-night packages ranging from US$199 to US$399.

Now, you might be wondering: how often you can purchase a timeshare presentation package? As per HGV’s terms, as long as you have not attended another presentation in the last 12 months, you are eligible to purchase another. 

We were just over a year since our first package, so we bought another, back to Orlando. This time around, the offer was four nights for US$299 plus tax, so we were a little hesitant as our previous offer was better.

The sales agent, sensing the hesitancy, sweetened the package by offering either a US$200 “Stay a Night On Us” rebate voucher or 10,000 Hilton Honors points, and to refund the US$299 after the presentation. That sealed the deal for us. 

This time, we chose to stay at the Tuscany Village, located about 15 minutes from Disney once again. The décor was a bit more dated, but it still had an outdoor playground and a few pools that would satisfy most young kids.

There were also complimentary DVD rentals and a children’s activity centre, albeit a bit smaller than the one at Parc Soleil.

I enjoyed the fact that it was right beside the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets, which meant some retail therapy for me between theme park days. They also had a paid shuttle going to the amusement parks, but once again, the times were limited. 

Our presentation was back at the Parc Soleil. This time, my husband and I had a different game plan: we would tell them that we weren’t ready to buy a timeshare and to let them know early on.

This was working well for us initially, and at the one-hour mark the agent was pretty much finishing up. As we were just about to leave, he advised us that his manager had one last offer for us, which got us our third package… 

The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations

The manager came out and offered us a trial membership to the HGV program. Now this was different.

There was no set destination for the package; instead, for $1,599 (USD), we would be given enough points to redeem for seven nights in up to a two-bedroom suite at any of the HGV properties in North America, including Hawaii.

We did the math and worked out that it would be less than $230 (USD) a night. If it were any other destination, we would have left it. After looking at the current rates for Hawaii for a Hilton property in Honolulu for March Break, we came to see that it was a great deal.

Keep in mind that these are rates for two adults and two children. If you have more than four in your family, like myself, either you’re paying more, or you’ll find that most hotels won’t even be able to accommodate. The fact that we could book a two-bedroom suite was a big selling point for us.

HGV has quite a few properties in Hawaii, with the Grand Islander by HGV being one of the newer ones. We booked at the Grand Islander for four nights in Honolulu over March Break . 

That leaves us with three nights remaining, which we could have used to extend reservation to seven nights… 

…or book three nights at their New York property, West 57th Street by Hilton Club at the south end of Central Park, another otherwise pricey accommodation option. 

Either way, you can see that our $230 (USD) per night beats the above rates by a long shot. 

An Even Better Offer…

Sticking with Hawaii as our theme destination, HGV currently has an offer on their website for five nights in Honolulu or Waikoloa for $799 (USD) in a standard room, which brings the nightly rate to $160 (USD) – an incredible deal for a night in Hawaii.

Granted, it’s for a standard room, but I’m pretty sure you can request an upgrade offer to a bigger suite at a decent cost when you call in. 

My Experience with Marriott Vacation Club

We originally purchased our Marriott Vacation Club Preview Package back in 2019. This package offered a five nights at Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club for $799 (USD).

After numerous delays and postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we finally enjoyed our stay in March 2022 . 

We rescheduled our timeshare presentation after our arrival, and there were no issues with moving it to a different day. When it came time for the actual presentation, it took place in a cubicle in their outdoor Sales Centre.

We wound up going over the 90-minute allotment, and spent closer to two hours there. I was genuinely interested in the program, so it was more my fault than theirs.

Marriott Vacation Club uses a points-based system. Our sales agent offered us the base-level 1,500 points at $15.84 (USD) per point, totalling $23,760 (USD).

As a signup bonus, they were willing to throw in another 3,000 points for the first year.

To put things into perspective, a one-bedroom villa in Maui at peak season could cost up to 4,500 points per week.

We didn’t show much interest in this, and they tried to sweeten the deal with some more offers, but we kindly declined. As we had an exit interview, another sales agent came in to offer us yet another timeshare presentation package.

The first offer, which was good for the next two years, was five nights at the same property for $1,295 (USD). We weren’t sure when we would be back to Maui again, so, again, we declined.  

They approached us with one last offer: $995 (USD) for four nights at any of their North American properties, including another property in Hawaii for a $300 (USD) add-on fee.

Our family wanted to visit Kauai in the near future, and after a quick check for a four-night stay in the winter revealed prices at around $2,600 (USD) for four nights, we accepted this last offer.

It goes to show that sticking around for more offers can result in some pretty great rates!

If you’re not familiar with timeshare presentation packages, now’s the time to take a look at them as a means to very cheap accommodations in many popular vacation spots.

Timeshare presentations are a great option in areas where points redemptions are either not worth it (e.g., Orlando, where hotels are generally quite cheap to begin with), or in places where redemptions are difficult to make (e.g., Hawaii where the cost of redemptions are high).

It does require a small time commitment and perhaps a bit of finesse in talking down a sales representative, but in my mind, the savings are definitely worth it. 

• Earn 80,000 MR points upon spending $15,000 in the first three months
• Plus, earn  40,000 MR points  upon making a purchase in months 14–17 as a cardholder
• And, earn 1.25x MR points on all purchases
• Also, receive a $200 annual travel credit
• Transfer MR points to Aeroplan and other frequent flyer programs for premium flights
• Unlimited airport lounge access for you and one guest at Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, Centurion, and other lounges
• Credits and rebates for business expenses throughout the year with Amex Offers
• Bonus MR points for referring family and friends
• Qualify for the card as a sole proprietor
• Annual fee: $799

30 Comments

Amy, please clarify — you said “no” to buying the timeshare BUT they offered you another timeshare presentation elsewhere?

That’s correct!

Thanks for the great information!! Do any of them ask for income verification?

No, they didn’t.

Thank you VERY much, not even the fancier ones like Wyndham or Marriott presentations?

As a previous owner of timeshares and an attendee at multiple presentations I’ll add some comments which may be helpful: -if you buy, it is difficult to recover your purchase price because of the heavy marketing costs built into the price -I have sold my timeshares and currently have some fractional ownership properties to which I have title, which may not be subject to the same haircut on sale -my trading options (including my Hyatt property) are through Interval International which has a network of thousands of properties around the world -Resorts Condominiums International is another trading network, so you are not stuck with a specific hotel program -if you go to a place like Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas, you are swarmed at the airport, sometimes car rental places or Walmart, by sellers of these packages -I have a friend who used to fill her PV trips with different presentations, and she was often able to negotiate improved perks for the presentations themselves; she did this for a fair number of years, without buying, before they caught on to her -If you decide to buy, wait, wait, wait; I’ve seen people buy in the initial large presentation with cheers and champagne, only to see deals offered that were a fraction of the cost in later iterations -often you have to see multiple people before you escape, the deals keep getting better, but the original 90 minutes is substantially exceeded -the last one I went to took about 4 hours and I finally walked away abandoning my promised perks

Thanks for the article Amy. I was attempting to book an Orlando offer in my Hilton App yesterday but they only permit USA addresses. When I went to the International website the offers weren’t as good. Do you know of a way to get the same offers advertised on the App?

I’m not sure but you can try calling in and requesting.

Amy, do they ask to see both adult’s ID or license? We are common law marriage different last names. Can we just show 1 ID card?

When you sign up for the package they will usually ask if you are married, etc. If so, they will ask for your partners name. It doesn’t matter if the last names are different. At Hilton, they checked both ID’s but Marriott only checked my husbands (not sure if that was intentional though).

Hi Amy, thanks for the article (and love the family-geared content!). When I click through the link for the current HGV Hawaii offer and put in my zip code, I get a message basically telling me this offer is not available to me. Any idea why?

Hmm that’s interesting. I’m not entirely sure why. Perhaps certain states have different offers/restrictions.

My family has an Embarc timeshare bought maybe 20 years ago… from our experience… currently there is not enough money and points in the world to suffer the presentation. Long story but about 8 years ago, had to lawyer up to deal with them.

I have reached on Marriott Vacation Club for further information and was told there is no timeshare deal for canadian résidents at the moment but if I visit à proporty I can ask over there… not really convenient

Hi Amy, great article and tips! Just a question: is there a limitation on the number of times you can book (the rules seem to say once per year but is this per individual or per family (so a family of 2 adults could do this twice per year))? Thank you!

Hi Amy, Thank you for the great information. You mentioned you were given a trial membership of HGV. Is the $1599 USD a yearly fee? Are there any other fees associated with owning HGV timeshare? Do you plan on continuing with the HGV membership or will you likely cancel. Thanks!

It was $1599 one time fee for 7 nights. Once you use up the 7 nights, the trial is done.

I have used this strategy successfully. As a family of four, we will only stay in a one bedroom or two bedroom if it’s for any stretch of time. Having a kitchen to cook your own meals is a cost savings and easier than having to coordinate eating out all the time. In November 2019 we stayed in a one-bedroom at Maui Ocean Club Napili for only 450,000 bonvoy points. My wife and I attended a 1.5 hour timeshare presentation and received 40,000 bonvoy. The retail value of the room was $7,500 USD. Unfortunately, any type of room at Maui Ocean Club is very difficult to book on points.

I will likely have to cancel due to Australia’s continued strict lockdown, but I booked two 2 bedroom suites at the Surfers Paradise Marriot Vacation Club this December for seven days and 292,000 points each (total 584,000 points). The retail value was 14,500 Australian Dollars. You have to really hunt but can find some gems occasionally.

Thanks for the info Amy! Is there a website for all the Hilton offers available? I was able to find Orlando/Las Vegas by searching on their site, but could only find the Hawaii deal by using the link in your article. And similarly for Marriott, do they have a webpage that describes their offers? I was recently invited by a Marriott CSR to call a 1-800 number to get a similar deal, but would much rather check it out first on a website rather than have it described over the phone by a salesperson.

Unfortunately there’s no central page where all the offers are located for HGV. If you click on the various destinations they have you may see a banner at the top with an offer for whichever destination you selected. If you can’t find a particular destination offer, best to call or email them. Same applies for Marriott.

While staying at an Hilton in Washington DC 3 years ago, we were offred a timeshare presentation and visit for 10k HHONORS points. I said I wasn’t interested unless it was for 30k points which they agreed. The visit went smoothly and interesting, when we sat down to discussed the prices at one point I said it wouldn’t work out since I’m earning lots of miles and points from business travels. And that was it a total of 90 minutes of our time.

Hi Amy, how can you book the Grand Islanders by HGV in Maui? It is opening in September but I cannot find it is available to book yet. I’m looking 5 day accommodation in Maui next year. I really hope we can have the Honolulu’s deal in Maui.

I apologize, we have Grand Islander booked for Honolulu and Marriott booked for Maui. You are correct, the new HGV property opening in Maui is not bookable yet.

Hi Amy, how can you access the HGV in Honolulu? I entered my information and the site says I’m not eligible for the Hawaii deal and instead directed me to Orlando and Las Vegas only.

I would try calling in and requesting. Sometimes they do have eligibility restrictions based on where you’re located or your income. Actually, for my current one with Marriott in Maui, i had to go through a couple of agents before they gave me the offer I was looking for.

Hi Amy – Great article and timely as we’re looking to book a family trip to Hawaii this coming year. What offer did you end up getting for the Marriott presentation?

Hey Mark! $799 usd for 5 nights 🙂

Which property? Offers for me were between $799 and $999 for 5 nights depending on which island.

It’s at Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club 🙂

Nice score! Thanks

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How often can you attend a Wyndham timeshare presentation?

• Thread starter dustenm
• Start date Feb 15, 2015
• Feb 15, 2015

I have stayed at a few Wyndham timeshare resorts recently and will be staying at a few more. I finally signed up to attend one of there timeshare presentations for a great offer of $75 gift card + 1 week free vacation certificate. My question is can you attend one of these at each different resort you go to? or is there a limit of 1 per a certain amount of time no matter how many resorts you visit? They never ask me if I have attended one of them before so it makes me think it does not matter. & I am interested to hear what different resorts have to say.  

vacationhopeful

Tug review crew: rookie.

Most of us won't get sucked into a 1.5+ hour torture session with Wyndham for less the $150 gift card. Bring a kitchen timer with you and set it for the number of minutes your "guest slip" has on it. And when you check in at the desk, verify the PROMISED GIFT (and have the staff member initial both the $ value, gift week and TIME LIMIT... you don't want them to say, after 90 minutes, that the gift of Bonus Week was not offer TODAY; Today you get a plastic bobble-head doll. And with that and your timer, be prepare to stand up and LOUDLY proclaim your freedom and DEMAND your gift. Polite people NOT in control of the time, will be held for 4-6 hours, before being walked to "gifting" and out the door.  

vacationhopeful said: Most of us won't get sucked into a 1.5+ hour torture session with Wyndham for less the $150 gift card. Bring a kitchen timer with you and set it for the number of minutes your "guest slip" has on it. And when you check in at the desk, verify the PROMISED GIFT (and have the staff member initial both the $ value, gift week and TIME LIMIT... you don't want them to say, after 90 minutes, that the gift of Bonus Week was not offer TODAY; Today you get a plastic bobble-head doll. And with that and your timer, be prepare to stand up and LOUDLY proclaim your freedom and DEMAND your gift. Polite people NOT in control of the time, will be held for 4-6 hours, before being walked to "gifting" and out the door. Click to expand...

Untill people refuse to go the sales model will not change and marketing costs will continue at 55 % of sales.  

dustenm said: I have stayed at a few Wyndham timeshare resorts recently and will be staying at a few more. I finally signed up to attend one of there timeshare presentations for a great offer of $75 gift card + 1 week free vacation certificate. My question is can you attend one of these at each different resort you go to? or is there a limit of 1 per a certain amount of time no matter how many resorts you visit? They never ask me if I have attended one of them before so it makes me think it does not matter. & I am interested to hear what different resorts have to say. Click to expand...

Tug Review Crew: Rookie

• Feb 16, 2015

I stopped attending them about 2 years ago, but when I did attend them I found that it appeared to be at the discretion of the local team because I have attempted to escape presentations by lettem them know that I had attended one as little as one or two weeks prior and they did not let me off the hook but pressed me to attend. Now I don’t attend it at any time for any reason. My personal experience is that it’s like playing with snakes. Sometimes it’s tolerable and maybe a little fun but more often than not I spend too much of my vacation energy trying to avoid getting bitten. Even though I don’t buy sometimes it’s hard to keep from feeling bitten just getting a parking pass how much more sitting across from a salesman filtering through the misrepresentations and pressure to show me something broken in my ownership or life that requires me to buy more points… My personal experience is YUK... But that’s just me and I developed my position over time.  

alexadeparis

Tug review crew.

Explorer7 said: My personal experience is that it’s like playing with snakes. Sometimes it’s tolerable and maybe a little fun but more often than not I spend too much of my vacation energy trying to avoid getting bitten. Click to expand...

We went to 2 back to back in the same week. One in Chicago and one in Glacier Canyon. One salesperson said we needed Club Wyndham Access points to complete our portfolio. The other thought that Access points wouldn't help us and we needed to buy Margaritaville. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk  

Hooknslice19

I just came back from Santa Barbara and suffered through the highest- pressure sales pitch of the several I have experienced since I bought Wyndham (re-sale, of course). The promised 60-minute pitch (including a podium presentation of 20 mins. - which I didn't mind BTW; it was sort of a refresher in how Wyndham works) turned into 3 hours with a sales weasel and a rotating cast of "supervisors". Knowing that I was re-sale, they hustled us into an enticing, but isolated, oceanfront Royal Vista unit - probably to get me away from the rest of the developer-bought or CWA folks they were trolling in the meeting room. I blame myself for the 3 hours because my wife and I tend to be "nice people" not wanting to be rude, but believe me, that approach gets you NOWHERE with these snakes. I had no problem resisting their entreaties, but it was obvious they hate people like me. The weasel actually said that Wyndham may cut off people like me from future "updates" because of the cost of the "freebies" we get if we don't buy. From his lips to God's ears!!!  

dustenm said: ... Is it the check-in staff member I should have do this? Or the person doing the presentation? Click to expand...

• Feb 17, 2015

Went to the timeshare presentation today and was in and out in 90 minutes & got the gift as promised. They gave use lunch and we chit chatted a little. Then I made it pretty clear from the start that I was not interested in buying but was just there for the free gift. The guy said it was a waste of his time and mine so he did not even try to sell anything. He just went to the back room and came out with a paper he wanted me to sign saying I could leave early if I sign it. I read the paper and it was for a credit check authorization. I told him there was no way I was signing this then he said we must sit 45 more minute for the 90 minutes to be up so I said I was fine with that. He then walked away to the back room and came out only 10 minutes before the time was up and asked if I wanted to buy any points I said no and the second manager came with a backup offer. Again said no and I was on my way with my gift. Seems to me if you are pretty clear with them they don't bother you much. I don't understand how some people sit for many hours at these as when my 90 minutes are up they are always ready to get rid of me. Maybe it has something to do with us being younger in our early 30's & that I make it clear I am not buying. This was my second timeshare presentation experience & it was at the Wyndham Smokey Mountains.  

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Use Wyndham Rewards Points to Book Timeshares

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Wyndham hotels have historically had a slightly different way to redeem points for hotels. While most hotel chains have an award chart that divides out hotels into categories with different amounts required to redeem a free night, Wyndham announced in 2015 that it was moving to a "flat" award chart , where all hotels cost the same amount: 15,000 points/night.

It might seem strange that a free night at a hotel in the Caribbean would cost the same amount as one at a Super 8 in the middle of nowhere, and apparently Wyndham execs thought the same. Wyndham announced earlier this year that it was going back to a tiered award chart with the following values:

• Tier 1: 7,500 points (or 7,500 points + cash)
• Tier 2: 15,000 points (or 3,000 points + cash)
• Tier 3: 30,000 points (or 6,000 points + cash)

Booking Wyndham Timeshares for as Low as 15,000 Points

While most people know Wyndham from its various hotel brands, the company is also one of the biggest owners/operators of timeshares. The typical timeshare comes with a full kitchen and one or more private bedrooms, which can often make them attractive for family travel. Wyndham's timeshares are bookable with Wyndham Rewards points.

Fortunately though, when Wyndham revamped its award chart, most timeshare properties were not affected. All timeshare properties, except three, stayed at the same Tier 2 level, costing just 15,000 points a night. Although, be aware that Wyndham prices its timeshares per bedroom per night. So, a 15,000-point property means you'll pay 15,000 points/night for a one-bedroom unit or 30,000 points/nights for a two-bedroom unit. The three properties that are now in the higher tier level include: Margaritaville Vacation Club–Wyndham Rio Mar, Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort and Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort.

Unfortunately though, Wyndham timeshare properties are hard to book with points as timeshare owners have first booking rights and the properties are also subject to blackout dates. You also might find, for instance, availability for a three-night reservation, but not a two-night reservation. Tip: Play around with your dates if you are not finding availability.

How to Earn Wyndham Points

Wyndham doesn't offer a ton of ways to earn points, but there are a few. First of all, you can earn Wyndham Rewards points by actually (gasp!) paying for a hotel stay at any of its brands. Wyndham, Tryp, LaQuinta, Wingate, AmericInn, Ramada, Baymont, Microtel, Days Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, Travelodge and Hawthorn are some of its most recognizable brands. Caesars Entertainment is also part of Wyndham so that includes places like Caesars, Harrah's, Bally's, the Flamingo, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Rio, The LINQ and NOBU Hotel. You will earn 10 points per dollar spent at most Wyndham properties, and elite members earn even more.

Related: Earn Wyndham Elite Status with a Hotel Status Match

The easiest way to get Wyndham points is through its cobranded credit card with Barclays. There are two different Wyndham Rewards Visa Credit Card options: The no annual fee version will allow you to earn 15,000 bonus points and the annual fee version ($75 per year) will allow you to earn up to 30,000 bonus points. For most timeshare properties, paying just a $75 annual fee will net you two nights at one of Wyndham's Vacation Clubs.

Lastly, you can also earn Wyndham Rewards points by crediting your car rental to your Wyndham account at participating Avis and Budget locations and taking surveys through the Opinions Rewards Panel .

How to Book Wyndham Timeshares With Points

The good news is that if you do have a stash of Wyndham points, it is now much easier to book timeshares with those points. Previously, you had to call Wyndham to book and hope that you got a reservation agent who knew what you were talking about.

Now, you're able to find these timeshares at WyndhamHotels.com by using the Wyndham Resorts brand filter on the left of the screen.

Examples of Wyndham Timeshare Bookings

Let's run through a few real life examples of Wyndham timeshare bookings. First: the Wyndham Desert Blue Resort in Las Vegas. Compare 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points to a cash price of $207.29/night (plus tax).

Or, take the 1,330-square-foot Presidential Suite for 30,000 points/night.

Also consider Go Fast bookings, which is Wyndham's version of Cash + Points. You can typically use 3,000 Wyndham points to offset 50% of the nightly cost. (The Tier 3 properties cost 6,000 Wyndham points). One example is the Wyndham Sedona in Arizona, where I was offered these options when searching a random set of dates:

• $173.29/night
• Go Free: 15,000 Wyndham points/night
• Go Fast: 3,000 Wyndham points + $86.64/night

Paying the full Go Free amount gives you about 1.2 cents per point, which is in line with TPG's points valuation for Wyndham points . But, if you use the Go Fast option and spend 3,000 points to offset half the nightly cost, that gives you a value of 2.8 cents per point.

Alternatives to Wyndham Timeshares for Larger Families

Of course, I'm the large family expert, right? With a family of eight, we're always on the lookout for deals on lodging for large families.

Related: Tips for Booking Hotel Rooms for Large Families

There are a couple of hotel chains where you can book two-bedroom suites using hotel points . Another option is Airbnb and other similar peer-to-peer home rental chains. When our family of eight recently went to Lisbon and Barcelona, we found that the hotel prices were so expensive and the occupancy limits were so strict that even though we have a stash of more than a million hotel points, they were essentially worthless . We ended up booking three separate Airbnb rentals in a fairly expensive part of Europe for a total of two weeks for about $1,000.

If you've got your heart set on a timeshare though, you might also want to check out this guide on how to rent timeshares for cheap .

Bottom Line

Having the ability to use just 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per room is a great deal and works well not only for large families, but for families who like to spread out a bit. There are definitely some hidden gems available and if you have the flexibility, you might be able to find a great property for very little points.

Here are some more stories that might interest you:

• Wyndham "Sweet Spot" Properties That Now Cost Fewer Points
• Wyndham's New Award Chart Is Live
• It's Easy to Get Wyndham's Top-Tier Diamond Status — Here's How
• Wyndham Rewards Removing All-Inclusive Properties as of June 1

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Are Timeshares Scams?

How Many Americans are Timeshare Owners?

What to know before buying a timeshare, timeshares are never paid off, timeshares are poor investments , how to handle timeshare presentations, why it's difficult to cancel your timeshare, timeshare resale scams, ignore unsolicited contact, never pay upfront fees, find a reputable timeshare cancellation company instead, how to report a timeshare scam, are timeshares worth it.

One in 10 people who have owned a timeshare has been scammed. Timeshare scams are becoming increasingly common, with an estimated $1.5 billion lost yearly to timeshare fraud. Despite fraudulent activity becoming more well-known, timeshare companies remain a hot commodity within the travel industry. So, why do buyers consistently fall for a number of timeshare scams despite knowing it's a bad idea?

Timeshare scams can be difficult to spot, as they often involve legitimate businesses and well-trained salespeople. Timeshare companies often target seniors, who may be more vulnerable to fraud. When you step back and look at the data, you'll notice similar stories telling how someone came to own their timeshare. For example, almost everyone experiences some sort of gift offering before attending a sales presentation. Once there, they encounter highly-trained salespeople who use high-pressure sales tactics until they feel they have to agree to buy whatever is for sale.

If these vacation properties are as valuable as they allege, they should not take a deceptive approach when selling them. Let's look into what makes up a timeshare, and perhaps we will find out what you can do to avoid timeshare scams.

What Are Timeshares?

Timeshares are vacation properties sold as shared ownership. Essentially, timeshares have several different owners per unit who split up the property costs and the time spent there. On paper, it sounds like a great vacation option. That feeling will quickly fade when all the extra charges start piling up, and you find yourself with a mountain of debt and very few options to escape timeshare ownership.

Even if you are up to date on all your property payments, it can still be difficult to book your weekly vacation each year. Imagine paying thousands of dollars on a vacation property and being unable to stay there. Many timeshare owners experience common symptoms of timeshare scams: a lack of flexibility, their best interests ignored, limited access to their shared destination, and countless questions. Do you want to join them?    

Recent studies show that 9.6 million U.S. households own one or more timeshare weeks. And that number appears to be rising. Alas, the cost of these vacation properties continues to increase as well. ARDA reports the average sales price for a timeshare to be $22,942. Considering how many Americans buy timeshares at that price, these resorts now make up a ten-billion-dollar industry.

It's also worth considering the number of owners who regret their timeshare purchase. A study from the University of Central Florida concluded that an astounding 85% of owners regretted buying a timeshare. Keep in mind that as the timeshare industry grows, so does the timeshare exit industry. And it appears for good reason, too, as more and more buyers are left feeling disappointed or even scammed.

More often than not, timeshare properties are sold to potential buyers who know very little, if anything, about what they are purchasing. The truth is if more people knew that timeshares were not the highly touted investment salespeople paraded them to be, then the timeshare industry might disappear.

So, before you make a potential lifetime commitment to any timeshare management company, here are a few things you need to consider:

• Timeshares often are sold using questionable tactics
• The actual cost of your timeshare is more than you think
• The resort may not keep its promise of a lifetime of vacation dates
• It's incredibly complicated to get out of a deeded timeshare title agreement

Why Timeshares Are Bad

Not only do timeshares start losing their value immediately, but they also come with a number of hidden fees, including maintenance fees and closing costs. These additional costs are rarely discussed during the sales process and many prospective owners do not account for these fees when making their decision.

The absolute best-case scenario as an owner is that you are reserving your vacation for future years. Again, this could be ideal if you only plan to visit the same place and at the same time every year, but even then, most owners are left unaware of the specifics of their agreement. That includes added costs to be paid every year, whether or not you've paid off the timeshare's mortgage and increasing maintenance fees. The fact that timeshares are sold as investments when, in actuality, they are money pits from which you cannot escape is one of the most significant issues that owners face.

According to the American Resort Development Association, the average cost for a timeshare unit from a resort developer in 2018 was just below $21,000. So, one would think that paying off one's timeshare mortgage after many years would be a cause for celebration. Well, hold the confetti because you may be unaware of maintenance fees.

Maintenance fees often get left out of the sales presentations; if not, their impact gets drastically undersold to potential clients as minimal payments. These fees may seem reasonable initially, so many owners will just let it slide, but here's the catch:   The cost of an annual maintenance fee increases every year, and the yearly average price in 2018 was close to $900 and rising. It’s difficult to put a numerical value on the average amount of money lost to timeshares. Timeshares aren't like traditional real estate, so don't expect to be free of payment if you purchase one.

What Happens If I Stop Paying Timeshare Maintenance Fees?

With all the hidden fees that come with a timeshare, affording them can become unmanageable for many people. If that's the case for you, your first instinct may be to stop paying the maintenance fees. Well, you might not want to do that. Failing to pay your maintenance fees can result in property foreclosure, costing you your unit and a sizable drop in your credit score.

High purchase prices, insurmountable maintenance costs, and limited flexibility define timeshare ownership. Timeshare properties should hold a high value as an investment should. But, just as timeshares mask themselves as real estate, they also attempt to disguise themselves as an actual investment. If you are constantly paying for something and not receiving anything in return, or what you receive is insignificant compared to the price, it's a poor investment. That is if a timeshare can be considered an investment at all .

It is standard for owners to feel regret and shame after realizing what a timeshare truly is. They often attempt to get rid of their timeshare once they recognize their mistake in purchasing it. Unfortunately, selling a timeshare on the secondary market or using it as a vacation rental, will be nearly impossible. If you buy one of these units, expect to pay a hefty amount, but do not ever expect to get anything back from it.

Are Timeshare Presentations A Scam?

To no fault but their own, timeshare presentations have developed a reputation for being deceptive. 

Resort companies sometimes entice people to attend presentations by offering free stays at their luxurious resort or giving out lavish gifts during your vacation trip. Often, it’s the only way to get people to listen to their sales pitch. During these presentations, sales staff use controversial approaches to pressure buyers into unfavorable lifetime commitments.

Seeing through the fog of a sales pitch can be tricky. Below, we’ve outlined how you can handle these highly-pressured presentations.

The common process used by the timeshare industry to scam people is mail. Folks often receive flyers or see advertisements online inviting them to attend live presentations to learn more about timeshares. Some promoters go as far as to offer free vacations and other rewards in exchange for listening to their sales pitch. The environment at these presentations often gives the false sense that you’re already on vacation. The sales staff show off photos of luxurious resorts and even provide tours of comparable units up for sale.

Sometimes, these salespeople utilize tactics to pressure individuals into purchases. For instance, they can drag out presentations to unbearable lengths by having you meet with many people, including long waiting periods. To get you to act now, they might inform you that a unit is only available on that particular day and that you will miss out on a great deal by waiting. By the time the presentation is over, they want you to be so fatigued that you'll sign anything to leave. 

Below are a few suggestions on handling deceptive timeshare presentations and how to prevent an unwanted purchase:

• Research the company before attending a presentation: Explore their online presence for grievances from former guests. Find out what other people say about this resort developer before buying.
• Look Out For The Warning Signs : Were you offered a free prize to attend this meeting? Do the salespeople come off as abrasive? Are you stuck waiting through a presentation longer than you want? Is this offer only valid today? If you answer yes to any of these, you are likely in danger of a scam.
• Do not make decisions when under pressure from the sales staff: A timeshare purchase is a potential lifetime agreement that costs thousands of dollars. Take your time with this decision and never act on impulse in these presentations. 
• Beware of potential sales tactics used against you: If the salespeople attempt to rush you into a decision, ask why the deal is only available today. These companies set their rates, so there’s no reason for the value to change within a day. Timeshare brokers pressuring consumers should be a sign of caution. 
• Inquire about the “right of rescission:” Also known as the cooling-off period – the brief time following a significant purchase that allows you to cancel, even after signing. State laws dictate this cancellation period, but with timeshares, it’s never more than a couple of weeks. When rescinding, send a cancellation letter to the original seller by certified mail and ask for a receipt. 
• Examine the paperwork independently on your time: After the presentation, take the sales documents home and study them yourself or with a trusted associate before agreeing to purchase. All promises made by the sales staff must be made in writing to be held up. Rushing into a decision without reviewing the purchase agreement could result in getting misled into something unwanted.

How to Get Out of a Timeshare

Whether it takes one year or twenty years of vacation ownership, most timeshare owners eventually realize they have a bad deal. From the annual maintenance fees to the fact that it's a lifetime agreement, there are several reasons to ask, "How do I get out of a timeshare?" 

Well, the answer to that can be tricky. Depending on how much time has passed since your purchase date, getting out of the deal can be difficult. But it's not as bad as paying the mortgage and maintenance costs for a lifetime. First, remember there’s a rescission period directly after buying the timeshare, during which you can freely cancel the purchase. All you may have to do is write a timeshare cancellation letter to your resort developers.

Now, are you ready for the catch? Unfortunately, you usually only have five to fifteen days after the initial purchase to write and submit this letter. So, let's say you attended one of the mandatory sales presentations at the resort on one of the first few days of your vacation and purchased a timeshare. When your vacation is over, and you return home, you will most likely be out of the rescission period and stuck with the timeshare.

Once this cooling-off period passes, you can expect a more troublesome experience if you want to cancel your agreement. Most timeshare sales are lifetime commitments, and the companies don’t want to lose you as a client.

Canceling a timeshare is difficult due to miscommunication and finances. Many timeshare buyers are blatantly lied to about how easy it is to sell or rent their share of the property. Often, it’s almost impossible to do so. Timeshare companies make it very challenging to get out of their agreements and leave you with limited alternatives.

There are several financial repercussions to purchasing a timeshare. You may have paid a large down payment with your credit card or taken out a mortgage. Both affect your credit score. There's also the short term of the rescission period. Your salesperson may not have mentioned that you only had less than a week to cancel your timeshare for free. 

You were probably rushed through the signing process when purchasing, and it all seemed relatively easy. Don't expect the same treatment when trying to get out. Attempting to cancel can be a cruel course for you and your family, costing you money and time. The timeshare companies know that many of their clients will regret their purchase and attempt to exit. So, they make sure to fulfill their agreements with conditions and provisions that will make leaving very difficult.

Timeshare resorts go far out of their way to ensure the company remains financially protected if an owner ever attempts to leave. The resort company ensures it will never be obligated to the burden. Many owners feel helpless and hopeless because they can no longer afford their property costs but receive little to no help from the company to solve these issues. Perhaps the biggest downside to getting out of a timeshare is how exposed you become to potential scams.

As the number of unhappy owners has increased, the risk of timeshare resale scams has as well. Because of this and having limited regulations, the timeshare cancellation industry has seen an influx of scammers. Many claim to work in timeshare resales but are con artists. They manipulate those who desperately need help to make some quick cash. Their behavior is fraudulent and immoral. 

Timeshare resale scams call timeshare owners while assuming the identity of a reseller or real estate agent. They promise to sell the timeshare for a fair price or assert that they already have a buyer. They will then attempt to convince you to sell your property unit right then, and all you have to do is pay the upfront costs to close the deal. If you follow through, you could lose thousands of dollars and remain obligated to make future timeshare payments.

The only thing worse than a scam is getting scammed again when trying to get out of the first one! If you were scammed before, you should be aware that the chances of it happening again are high, and you need to be extra careful. Due to the extreme difficulty in canceling a timeshare and owners looking for other ways out, such as selling them, there has been an increase in instances where scammers take advantage of these people by pretending to be a timeshare resale company. 

Most owners believe that selling their timeshare is the only way out of their agreement. However, reselling is challenging and often impossible. Timeshare cancellation companies offer an alternative option to those in need. 

How to Spot Timeshare Scam s

Spotting a timeshare resale scam may be difficult. Be wary of anyone who claims to be able to sell your timeshare quickly or for a profit. Avoid high-pressure sales by hanging up the phone. Don't fall for flashy websites or well-known company names or addresses. A reseller who appears to be a local company might be a fraudster in another country.

If you attempt to sell your property and post it online, you will most likely encounter scammers. Be skeptical of anyone who calls you out of the blue, saying they can immediately sell your unit. Also, it is crucial to never pay any upfront fees when speaking with an alleged timeshare resale company.

These timeshare resale scam companies prey on those already scammed before. Knowing these people are desperate and weak, as they attempt to get out of their first scam, they will go to extreme lengths to convince you they are a legitimate company. It would be best to take your own time to research properly before working further with them.

Navigating your way out of a timeshare agreement is hard. It’s vital to avoid scammers in the secondary market. Here are a few tips on how to prevent getting ripped off:

If it is an unsolicited phone call, email, or piece of mail regarding your property's resale, it is best to ignore it. If there are warning signs, then this is one. Credible and honest living timeshare exit companies will not be cold-calling people by saying they can sell your unit. These scammers will use similar tactics to timeshare salespeople and may attempt to incentivize you to speak with them or mislead you into believing they offer a legitimate service. Whenever you advertise your timeshare for sale online, you will encounter these scams left and right, but unfortunately, a genuine buyer will not be as easy to find.

These scammers will push you to act fast and tell you that you must pay an upfront fee to complete the sale. Never pay upfront. There are many ways to say this, but it needs to be understood. That is an immediate red flag. When they ask you to pay anything upfront, hang up because they are not trustworthy timeshare resellers; they are only there for your money. You already lost thousands of dollars on a timeshare you want out of, so don't fall for another rip-off.

When looking for a way out of your timeshare, it's essential to do thorough research. Trustworthy timeshare exit companies don’t lie about their services or charge outrageous fees.

Timeshare scams are the number one complaint the Federal Trade Commission received, with more than 7,000 complaints in 2019.

If you have any information regarding a timeshare resale scam, here are the two sources to report it to:

• Always report potential fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at  www. ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• Reach out and report it to the  State Attorney General  in the state of the timeshare's location

You can help stop future fraudulent timeshare activity by reporting your experience today. 

Timeshare salespeople regularly brag that their type of timeshare membership is a ‘great investment.’ Well, financially speaking, that’s not true. Buy one today, and it will begin to depreciate by tomorrow. Match that with the fact that the expenses continuously rise, and it’s evident that timeshares are not worth it.

The timeshare industry is full of scams and dishonest companies looking to undermine innocent people into making poor decisions. Do your research before purchasing a timeshare, and if you have already fallen into that trap, then be sure to do the proper research to find a legitimate way out.

These resort chains need many owners to fill all their units and stay afloat financially, so they will take extreme measures to secure ownership, even if it is done in a disingenuous way. Once you have fallen for the first scam, you will be susceptible to more. If you are in such a predicament, the best thing to do is find credible help within the timeshare exit industry.

If you're hiring a cancellation company, look no further than   Wesley Financial Group, LLC    (WFG).* Since 2011, WFG has canceled over 30,000 timeshares and eliminated $450,000,000 of timeshare mortgage debt.   Schedule a free consultation  with WFG representatives today to plan your be

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About the Author

Chuck mcdowell.

Chuck McDowell is the founder and CEO of Wesley Financial Group, LLC, an Inc. 500 company, which specializes in complete timeshare termination and timeshare debt elimination for individuals and families that have experienced fraud, misrepresentation, and/or lies during their timeshare sales presentations.

Although Chuck is one of the pioneers of the timeshare cancellation industry, Chuck McDowell was a timeshare salesman before realizing the timeshare industry is not what he thought it was. After discovering the many deceitful tactics the timeshare industry uses on unsuspecting people, Chuck left the industry to work on the other side, fighting for consumer rights. He served as the CEO for a timeshare advocacy group before deciding to take timeshare cancellation into his own hands. Wanting to help good people get out of bad situations, Chuck founded Wesley Financial Group, LLC in 2011. Wesley Financial Group, LLC is dedicated to providing legitimate aid to those who feel helpless and Chuck’s unique background acts as a special motivator to be honest and fair to those that so often feel cheated.

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ASK AND ANSWER

Deed ownership change.

Discover questions and answers regarding your title or deed to help you with your timeshare ownership.

You will need to upload a newly recorded deed showing the ownership change in the county where the property is located. There may be a processing fee of $399. Please click on the following links to begin the request: WVR General - Complete Transfers  and  WVR General - Add/Remove.   Please include a reference to your contract or member number. Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

To obtain a copy of your recorded deed, you may contact the county recorder’s office. This office would be in the county where the timeshare is located. Club Wyndham Title Services may be able to provide a copy. If you would like to check if we have a copy available, please email:  Newsaleownershipissueinbox@wyn.com . If a copy is located, it will be sent to you within 10 business days. Please be sure to reference your contract or member number upon submission. Please note, filing fees must be collected before a copy of the deed can be provided. If you have not paid any filing fees, this would be required for deed processing to begin.

The $399 ownership change processing charge covers the cost for the internal procedures necessary to process your request. Depending on your account type, this may include the creation of documents, the review of your submission, and updating of the system.

You will need to upload a copy of the updated deed showing the ownership change. If the timeshare was part of your final divorce, please upload a copy of the final divorce decree. Three (3) pages of the decree are required: the page showing the respondent/petitioner, the page showing who was awarded the ownership, and the page showing the judge’s signature. Please note, the decree must mention Wyndham by name for it to be accepted - If your last name has changed, please upload the updated government issued identification as well. There is no fee. Click here to begin the request: WVR General - Add/Remove.   Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

Please contact Wyndham Cares at 866-434-9046 to see what options are available to you.

Please fill out the following links depending on the type of change you would like. There will be a processing fee of $399. WVR General - Complete Transfers and WVR General - Add/Remove.   Please include a reference to your contract or member number. Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

If the timeshare was part of your final divorce, please forward a copy of the final divorce decree. Three (3) pages of the decree are required: the page showing the respondent/petitioner, the page showing who was awarded the ownership, and the page showing the judge’s signature. Please note, the decree must mention Club Wyndham by name for it to be accepted. There is no fee. If your last name has changed, please upload the updated government issued identification as well. Please click here to remove your co-owner, : WVR General - Add/Remove.   Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

If you would like to request an ownership certificate to be created for your records, please submit your request by email at OwnershipChange@wyn.com , or by phone at 800-251-8736 (option 2 then option 3). Please note, if no certificate is available for your resort, a copy of your purchase agreement can be requested by contacting the Financial Services team at 888-739-4016 .

Please upload a copy of the death certificate to remove the co-owner from the Club Wyndham account. Click here to begin the request: WVR General - Add/Remove.   Please include a reference to your contract or member number. Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

To update your legal name, please submit a copy of the court-issued document including the pages showing the name change and newly updated government-issued identification. Please note, if your property is deeded, Title Services does not update deeds. The deed change would have to be done using a title company or title attorney and then be recorded with the county where the property is located. Click here to begin the request: WVR General - Name Change.   Please include a reference to your contract or member number. Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

Contracts cannot be merged together, however, if you would like all of your contracts to share one member number, the request must include all member numbers and identify which member number you would like to retain. This process requires that there is one common owner listed on all of the contracts in question. Please click here to begin your request: WVR General - Membership Merge. Please include a reference to your contract or member number. Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

Please click here to begin your request: WVR General - Primary Swap.   Please include a reference to your contract or member number. Opt-in to automated Text/SMS messaging for an easy way to get updates on your ownership change request.

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