# How BAD might traditional Welk get?



## Guitarmom (May 15, 2013)

I'm here to pick the brains of TUG members. My hubby and I think that you are the only folks in the world whose collective wisdom might answer our question.

A few years back we bought a resale Lawrence Welk 2 BR annual Villas on the Green. We both go there and trade it, and overall we love it. The only thing not to love, quite frankly, is the well known, high pressure sales force. We thought that by buying at Welk, we'd be freed from the high pressure sales tactics they'd use on us when we were trading into Welk. We thought wrong.

Every time we visit Welk, we have to spend ten minutes at the concierge desk refusing to go to an "owners update." Twice a year, Welk calls our home to say they have a representative in the area who wants to tell us about Welk's "internal changes." Once, to get free theatre tickets, we said OK at the resort and went on the "owners update." I posted elsewhere on TUG about how awful that was. Bottom line, we could spend thousands of dollars and increase our MF by $400 annually to add flexibility to what we have now. I don't need that kind of flexibility.

So last night, the phone call came again: internal changes, need to update you, yadda, yadda, yadda. Hubby said, "Not interested."

Here's my question: We are traditional Welk owners with an annual, floating, two bedroom lockoff. If we refuse to switch into the Platinum Points program, what's the worst Welk could do to us? Could they remove the floating option? Could they restrict us from II? What is the worst case scenario if we just keep what we have?


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## Guitarmom (May 15, 2013)

Hopeful bump?


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## DeniseM (May 15, 2013)

I don't think they can do anything except annoy you.  

Some tips -

Don't argue with them at check-in, say "No thank you," firmly, and walk away.

At home use your caller ID - don't answer the phone.

At the resort, unplug the phone in the room and use your cell phones.

My husband sometimes does this - He immediately says "Yes," to an "Owner's update," at check-in, and takes the paper with the appointment.

Later he writes, "NO THANK YOU," on the paper, signs it & dates it, and drops it off at the desk.  He simply walks up and leaves it - doesn't discuss it.  We don't own at Welk, but at our resorts, when he puts it in writing like that, they leave us alone the rest of the week.


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## Guitarmom (May 15, 2013)

Interesting. I guess all the pressure from Welk has wormed its way into my mind. They'd made me believe that if I don't adjust to their infernal changes -- SORRY, TYPO, I meant internal changes -- there will be dire consequences.


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## GrayFal (May 15, 2013)

DeniseM said:


> I don't think they can do anything except annoy you.
> 
> *Some tips -
> 
> ...


Good advice.

And very interesting Denise....No Thanks! I like it...


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## BJRSanDiego (May 16, 2013)

*I don't usually have a problem*

The suggestion to just say NO! usually works.

I don't usually have much of a problem with persistent sales people.  If no doesn't work, then have a repetoire of things that usually turn them off:

1.  "I lost my job last week..."
2.  "Pssst ...  that woman I'm with isn't my wife ...  my wife doesn't know I'm here with someone else."
3.  "Only $100 to attend the presentation?  I read that you were paying $250...  That's below my threshold..."

:rofl:

I don't let the sales people get to me.


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## Guitarmom (May 16, 2013)

BJRSanDiego said:


> The suggestion to just say NO! usually works.
> 
> I don't usually have much of a problem with persistent sales people.  If no doesn't work, then have a repetoire of things that usually turn them off:
> 
> ...



Too funny!  

I do have to tell you all that we consistently and firmly -- albeit politely -- tell them no. But Welk staff is trained to never take no for an answer. And they don't hand you your parking pass, so you can't just walk away. Oh, they are good.

Once (and only once) we got in a good one. The concierge kept pushing us to make an appointment, all the way to offering us tickets to Hawaii. She looked at her watch and said, "After ninety minutes you just tell them, 'Our time is up. Please give us our gift.' You just have to tell them NO." We said, "We can't even tell YOU no." Bless her heart, she burst out laughing and handed us our parking pass.


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## Icc5 (May 16, 2013)

*20+ years with Welk, no problem*

20 or so years ago we bought a Welk unit (my favorite resort of all) at resale and have enjoyed it most of all our resorts.  On the phone I tell them I'm not interested and if they keep talking I hang up.  When we go there they ask and I say not interested (maybe it is the tone of my voice or my looks) but I have no problem with them.
Bart


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## Bill4728 (May 16, 2013)

Just a side note, this behavior of the sale people is not limited to Welk Resorts.  Many other resorts do exactly the same thing. 

We always just say NO and don't give them a chance to counter with anything else.


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## Passepartout (May 16, 2013)

OP asks "What's the worst they can do to you?" nothing. Your rights of use are in your contract. They can't stop you from using a floating week. They can't cut you off from II. They can't do anything but leave you alone if you tell them "NO" to an owner's update or anything else. 

I second Denise' advice. Unplug their phone- nobody you care about will call you on that one anyway. Enjoy your RESALE weeks.

Jim


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## eal (May 16, 2013)

Remember - how to tell if a timeshare salesperson is lying? their lips are moving...


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## Guitarmom (May 17, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> OP asks "What's the worst they can do to you?" nothing. Your rights of use are in your contract. They can't stop you from using a floating week. They can't cut you off from II. They can't do anything but leave you alone if you tell them "NO" to an owner's update or anything else.



Thanks. That's good to know. I trained in sales (though couldn't stomach it), so I should know that a salesman's job is to create FEAR, DOUBT and UNCERTAINTY. Obviously,  Welk sales has managed to instill those "values" in me. I should know better. 

You all have been great. Heading to Welk soon, so I appreciate the pep talks and advice.


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## dougp26364 (May 17, 2013)

Guitarmom said:


> Thanks. That's good to know. I trained in sales (though couldn't stomach it), so I should know that a salesman's job is to create FEAR, DOUBT and UNCERTAINTY. Obviously,  Welk sales has managed to instill those "values" in me. I should know better.
> 
> You all have been great. Heading to Welk soon, so I appreciate the pep talks and advice.



I find it rather sad and discouraging that a timeshare owner would have enough anxiety about being pestered by sales that they need support from fellow timeshare users. In my mind, this does not speak well of timeshare developers sales rooms. Isn't it sad that anyone would have anxiety about a vacation? You sure don't get that sort of treatment from a hotel. Timeshare should be welcoming their owners/guests, not harrasing them.

Unfrotunately I know this scenario to be all to true. Over the years we've had to develope thick skin and a firm NO when asked about attending "owners updates." It doesn't hurt to have the parental stare used to put the fear of God in our kids when they've messed up.


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## vacationdoc (May 17, 2013)

Welk is so bad that we save our old parking pass and toss it on the dash with the date side down.  Have not been towed yet.


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## Guitarmom (May 25, 2013)

vacationdoc said:


> Welk is so bad that we save our old parking pass and toss it on the dash with the date side down.  Have not been towed yet.


Oh my goodness, that is brilliant!


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## taffy19 (May 25, 2013)

vacationdoc said:


> Welk is so bad that we save our old parking pass and toss it on the dash with the date side down.  Have not been towed yet.


It may change now and they require it to be right side up so that they can read it. This is a secret that I wouldn't have divulged on a public forum. 

Let's hope that they do not read it and other resorts not either.


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## BJRSanDiego (May 25, 2013)

*statute of limitations is up....*



iconnections said:


> It may change now and they require it to be right side up so that they can read it. This is a secret that I wouldn't have divulged on a public forum.
> 
> Let's hope that they do not read it and other resorts not either.



When I was going to college I got a ride in my friend's car.  We could either sit in line with his car for 45 minutes at the school parking lot and occasionally would be turned away when the lot filled.  But with a parking permit, we could drive past the other cars and would be guaranteed a parking spot.  Well, it wasn't long until my friend had used his camera to produce a _reasonable _facsimile of a parking pass. They changed the background color every school quarter.  So we had to make and color new passes periodically.  Our food coloring that we used initially looked good but it ended up smearing and a sharp eyed parking guy ended up giving us a ticket.  :hysterical:  Nice while it lasted (perhaps 6 to 12 months), but all good things come to an end.  :rofl:  ha ha.


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## Guitarmom (May 27, 2013)

vacationdoc said:


> Welk is so bad that we save our old parking pass and toss it on the dash with the date side down.  Have not been towed yet.



I'm not sure that will work next time! We arrived at Welk today. After seeing the same parking pass for a decade, today's pass is quite different. It's shaped to fit your rearview mirror instead of hanging down and blocking your view. I always thought the old one was a safety hazard, so I'm glad to see this new one. But I did want to give you a heads up.

BTW we got our passes with very little trouble today.  We checked in right at 4pm, so the place was packed.  We told the concierge no. She started making offers. We started talking about how badly we've been treated on past owners updates. I don't think she wanted anyone to hear us, so she gave us our parking passes pretty quickly. I'm still grinning about it.


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## mjm1 (May 27, 2013)

Enjoy your stay. 

If you get a chance to find out any information about when Welk will start making the Northstar property in Truckee/North Shore Lake Tahoe area available for owners, that would be interesting to know.

Also, when will they start construction in Poipu? I would think they would start on Poipu before they build out any more units in the Mountain Villas in Escondido.

Thanks.


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## Guitarmom (May 29, 2013)

Mjm -- I feel like an idiot asking this, but what "Owner's Newsletter"? Do you receive this by eMail? Snail mail? Is it something you read at Welkresorts.com?


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## mjm1 (May 29, 2013)

Guitarmom said:


> Mjm -- I feel like an idiot asking this, but what "Owner's Newsletter"? Do you receive this by eMail? Snail mail? Is it something you read at Welkresorts.com?



I receive it by email, but it is also available in the Owner's Lounge on their web site.

I hadn't read it before my last post, but found out that they are building two new buildings in Moutain Villas, one of which will include three bedroom units.

I spoke with a reservations person yesterday and asked about anticipated availability at Northstar in Lake Tahoe (north shore).  They haven't registered it yet, so they aren't available for use.  He hadn't heard a projected date.  Also, no information about when they will start construction in Poipu.

I can already hear the sales group telling owners they need to buy more points so they can stay at these new resorts. :annoyed:


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## Guitarmom (May 29, 2013)

Thanks for ALL this info. I had no idea that there was a newsletter. I'll check it out. 

Your info on Poipu and Tahoe is also quite interesting. We may do another Owner's Update in a couple of years, but that's about all we can stomach.  I depend upon TUG for more frequent -- and honest -- updates.


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