# [2009] How long have you been timesharing?



## Karen G (May 20, 2009)

At the suggestion of a new Tugger, Jon 77, here's a question for you:
How long have you been timesharing?

For me, it has been about 14 years and to tell the truth I can't remember exactly how we got into it.  I think we had gone to a Worldmark presentation in the Seattle area when we lived up there and that peaked our interest.  We went up to Whistler on a special promotion and did another presentation up there.  Then, somehow, we found out about the resale market and bought a couple of weeks at a Texas timeshare, sight unseen.  Got some great trades & on one of them bought a week at Lawai Beach on Kaui.  On another trade we bought a week from the developer at Pueblo Bonito Rose in Cabo.

Then we found TUG and started to really understand what was going on!


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## rickandcindy23 (May 20, 2009)

28 years, and learning something new all the time.  The learning curve went way up when we found TUG. 

We still own two weeks at that first resort, Twin Rivers, and I am on the board now.  The resort needs lots of work on the units' interiors.


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## thinze3 (May 20, 2009)

We did a preview stay at the Marriott Maui Ocean Club in 2001. We came home and bought our 3BR Chrsitie Lodge off eBay a couple of months later.

8 years!


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## gmarine (May 20, 2009)

For me its 15 years. I was 26 when my wife (girlfriend back then) and I bought a week at Renaissance Aruba in 1994. At that time the resort was a Sonesta property.


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## icydog (May 20, 2009)

We first saw the Marriott World location when we visited Disney one year. We took the promotional tour and loved it. But we reneged on the offer the next day. Too bad it would have been a great buy. We said if Disney ever had a timeshare we would buy that. One day I saw DVC advertised. I called and a few hours later we bought the timeshare sight unseen. We bought Disney Vacation Club one yr after it opened in 1992, so that makes it 17 years for me. 

I found Tug when we went on a _"Free" _promotion to the Hilton Club on 6th Ave in NYC. I think we paid $27K for 7,000 city points. We got sticker shock on the bus back to NJ and I went on the internet to search for answers. That's how I found Tug and thank God I did. I reneged on that offer and bought a lot of other timeshares with the money. All of them were the wrong decision but I still kept on posting. 

Now I have all the right timeshares and I am a happy camper. Thanks to Tug I think I know what I want to do with my vacations now.


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## Luanne (May 20, 2009)

Bought my first in 1974, so I guess that makes it 35 years.


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## UWSurfer (May 20, 2009)

Wow...I'm just a newbie here, maybe four years total if I include those I've rented.

We did "buy" Lake Havasu London Bridge Resort maybe 22 years ago when we were young and dumb, but they let us out of the contract with just the deposit we paid ($200) when we indicated had a change of heart within the recision period.   Probably did five t/s tours in the in 80's & early 90's as offers appeared.


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## taffy19 (May 20, 2009)

Luanne said:


> Bought my first in 1974, so I guess that makes it 35 years.


You or your parents?  

We bought our first two timeshares in 1983 and still own them today and use them almost every year! We bought where we would like to live, even today, but couldn't afford it so owning a timeshare there was our second best choice.


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## JoAnn (May 20, 2009)

We bought 2 weeks @ The Jockey Club (Las Vegas) in 1983.  We had gone out to visit our son, who had moved to Vegas earlier that year.  We sold one week, but not our Memorial Day week.   
Since then we have gotten 2 other t/s's.  And we have used all of them for nice trades.


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## Luanne (May 20, 2009)

iconnections said:


> You or your parents?



Both.    Ex-husband and I bought at the same time and place as my parents.  We bought a two-bedroom unit each for use.  Then a few months later we bought another one-bedroom together to use for trade.  When ex and I split he got the two-bedroom, I got the shared with my parents one-bedroom.  I've since taken over full overship of that.

Current (and final) dh and I bought our Maui Hill timeshare in 1986.


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## judyjht (May 20, 2009)

I bought 2 summer weeks at Briarwood on Cape Cod in 1980 (24 years) and used them for probably 7 years and then started trading and have traded ever since - have not been back to Briarwood lately.  I only live about an hour away from the Cape so it was a great place to go for 2 back to back weeks every summer - the kids loved it - now they both have kids!!


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## taffy19 (May 20, 2009)

Luanne said:


> Both.  Ex-husband and I bought at the same time and place as my parents. We bought a two-bedroom unit each for use. Then a few months later we bought another one-bedroom together to use for trade. When ex and I split he got the two-bedroom, I got the shared with my parents one-bedroom. I've since taken over full overship of that.
> 
> Current (and final) dh and I bought our Maui Hill timeshare in 1986.


I was just kidding but I know for a fact that you were very young when you bought in 1974 but you are certainly an old-timer in timesharing.  That's for sure.    I wonder if anyone bought before that date?


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## ScoopKona (May 20, 2009)

Only four (edit: five) years. But as Indy said, "It's not the years, it's the mileage."


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## Luanne (May 20, 2009)

iconnections said:


> I was just kidding but I know for a fact that you were very young when you bought in 1974



Yeah, I was 3. :hysterical:


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## BevL (May 20, 2009)

*Wow, I'm a youngster - only about 10 years.*

Friends bought from a developer in about 1999.  It made it possible to go to Orlando in a nice timeshare with them instead of the hotel rooms we thought we would have to stay in.

That got me interested but I was lucky and found TUG right away.  After a few months of lots of questions and much patience from many people, I purchased a Dikhololo (South Africa) week.  

We've bought and sold quit ea few since then and had 10 years of great vacations in beautiful accomodations we never could have afforded if it hadn't been for timesharing.


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## hvacrsteve (May 20, 2009)

*I was a virgin!*

Until last year and I bought Hilton!
Glad I did, it will force me to take more vacations
and enjoy life a little bit more!


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## applegirl (May 20, 2009)

Luanne said:


> Bought my first in 1974, so I guess that makes it 35 years.




WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I didn't know timesharing was even around back then!  I was just 3 years old in 1974.

We bought our Marriott week 6 years ago, right before we had our first child.
But our t/s experience has really taken off since discovering TUG 3 years ago.  Now we feel like t/s insiders and hope to add weeks in the coming years.  

Thank goodness for timesharing and TUG.  We have grea vacations!

Janna


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## icydog (May 20, 2009)

applegirl said:


> *WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I didn't know timesharing was even around back then!  I was just 3 years old in 1974.*
> 
> We bought our Marriott week 6 years ago, right before we had our first child.
> But our t/s experience has really taken off since discovering TUG 3 years ago.  Now we feel like t/s insiders and hope to add weeks in the coming years.
> ...



Hi Jenna,

I was an adult then and I didn't know that timeshares were around then either. In 1974 my son was born and in 1977 my daughter came into the world. So yes, there was life back thenbut who knew about anything called a timeshare??


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## Luanne (May 20, 2009)

icydog said:


> Hi Jenna,
> 
> I was an adult then and I didn't know that timeshares were around then either. In 1974 my son was born and in 1977 my daughter came into the world. So yes, there was life back thenbut who knew about anything called a timeshare??



I have to thank my father and golf.    Dad met a timeshare salesman playing golf one Saturday.  He invited Dad to come down and "take a look" at San Diego Country Estates.  Dad and Mom invited my then husband and I to go along.  I'd never heard of timeshares back then.  We toured, and we bought.  Back then, no big promotional give-aways or anything.  We bought because we liked the resort and the units. And we bought to use it.  They were sold in 2-week floating increments.  Stays could be broken down by the night, so we could use it like a hotel.  Sits on a golf course, green fees were included.  Made the whole thing very attractive.  We didn't get into the trading aspect right away, but as I said in an earlier post we ended up buying another unit to use for trades only.


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## AwayWeGo (May 20, 2009)

*For Just About 7 Years Now.*




Karen G said:


> How long have you been timesharing?


We sprang for our 1st timeshare (resale) in 2002. 

Click here for the (more or less) whole story. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## SueDonJ (May 20, 2009)

2006 was when we first bought, but I'd been reading about it and trying to figure out what would work for us since way back in 1992.  I read the disboards for a few years, learned that program completely, and then we rented DVC points from an owner for a 2BR at OKW in 1994 - wow, was that trip an eye-opener!  We knew then that we both wanted to find a resort that fit us, but we also learned on that trip that Don wouldn't be happy with DVC points.  Since we both want to be happy, we waited some more.

On our first trip to Hilton Head, when we rented a 3BR condo on the beach from ResortQuest, we fell in love with the place.  The next year we rented from the same company, a 4BR this time, and visited a real estate agent to see if buying at that complex and having the rental income option would work for us.  No way!  We heard the million(s) dollar price and high-tailed it out of there, but not before the agent sent us over to SurfWatch to talk to them.  It was love at first sight with the property, the Marriott name helped, and what I'd learned about the program convinced us.  We're still convinced.

It's funny.  friends of ours, a couple, had bought a fixed-week in New Hampshire at Loon Mtn. in NH way back in the 80's, because his dad and all his sisters bought.  She never wanted that week and it totally turned her off timesharing, but she looks at our pics now and may someday change her mind...


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## rhonda (May 20, 2009)

First timeshare _stay_ was Sept 1998 when we were assigned a DVC Studio at BWV as part of our first-ever cruise on the 6-week-old Disney Magic.  First _purchase_ was Worldmark in July 2000.  Almost nine years!


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## Beaglemom3 (May 20, 2009)

Since 1991, but did not realize how great it could be and what I could do until I found TUG and that opened the door for some great trades.

Then I found out about resale here and well, bought more. It's a great hobby for me.

B.


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## pedro47 (May 20, 2009)

We purchased our first t/s in 1989 and we have enjoyed our many wonderful family vacations.


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## Lucky7 (May 20, 2009)

20 years or so. Wow, how time flies when your having fun! We live in Washington State and have relatives in California. Never buy retail again - thats for sure.

Regards


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## shagnut (May 20, 2009)

I bought at the Yachtsman in 1982. My girlfriend had bought and at the time if I went with her we both got a room and a cheap trip. I sold that one and have 3 others.  shaggy


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## SherryS (May 20, 2009)

We purchased our first timeshare for our Spring Break week on Siesta Key, FL, in 1985.   Purshased others there for trading.  Loved Siesta sooooo much that we retired there in 2004.  Still own 3 weeks there that we  use for trading .


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## rickandcindy23 (May 20, 2009)

Luanne is the winner by far!  We did attend some timeshare tours in the mid-to-late seventies, when we were first married, and we didn't pull the trigger until we saw Twin Rivers in 1980.  We fell in love with the units because they were larger and had room for all three kids and MIL to have our own beds, plus the two sofa sleepers provided sleeping for guests.   

The gifts they gave back then were atrociously cheap!  I have shared this before, but we received a supposed sterling silver turkey platter during our Twin Rivers' tour that doesn't discolor like silver does.  That is because it isn't silver!  It's some sort of metal, but it definitely isn't silver.   I still have the darned thing.  Note to self: I need to clean out my four china closets and get rid of stuff like that.  Don't ask me why I have four china cabinets.  The answer is just embarrassing.   

Since someone mentioned Christie Lodge, I remember my best friend and her hubby went to Christie Lodge in about 1979 for a presentation, hoping to "win" a refrigerator, which is what was listed on their postcard as the least prize.  The size was listed as so many cubic inches, I cannot remember, but neither of them was good at math, so they thought it was going to be a regular refrigerator, which they always wanted for soda and beer.  They ended up with a little tiny cooler/ refrigerator.  It wasn't even a bar-sized mini.  Strangest little refrigerator you ever saw.  It would still keep one six-pack of pop cold, but that is about it.  :rofl:


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## GrayFal (May 20, 2009)

Wow, I had no idea TSing was such an old 'idea'.
I am a relative newbie as I started in 2001 but what I lack in years I have made up with volume


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## swift (May 20, 2009)

This thread has a lot of good timeshare/TUG stories in it that relate to this question.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76684&highlight=purchase


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## Timeshare Von (May 20, 2009)

Purchased my first RTU contract with a timeshare (Split Rock in the Poconos) in 1981 . . . last year of use was 2002 or 2003.  Have bought/acquired four since 2001 (the first in anticipation of the end of the RTU gig).


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## LynnW (May 20, 2009)

It's been 14 years and I can't believe it! I wish I had kept track of all our exchanges so I could look back and remember all the places we've been.

Lynn


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## Jon77 (May 20, 2009)

*Owned Since 1977*

We bought our first timeshare in 1977 at the Carriage House in Las Vegas from American International Vacations.  I was 29 and my wife and I were enticed to a presentation by a clock with dice used to represent each of the numbers.  It was a right to use timeshare and the maintenance fee was $4.00 per month.  Yes you read that right it was Four dollars per month. We later upgraded to a deed and title.  

In 1986 we bought our second timeshare at the Plantation Beach Club at the Indian River Plantation located in Stuart, Florida.  We purchased this timeshare from the Mariner Group.  Each of the units faces the Atlantic Ocean.  Being able to sit on the balcony and watch the sun come up over the Atlantic was what sold us.  The Plantation Beach Club is now managed by Hilton Grand Vacations as an affiliate resort.

We still own both timeshares and we have enjoyed exchanging with both II and RCI over the years.


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## Pat H (May 20, 2009)

Bought my first one in 1987 at Fairfield Patriot's Place, Williamsburg. Haven't been there since. I have bought and sold several since then. My favorite is still the cheap Dik.


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## Karen G (May 20, 2009)

Jon77 said:


> my wife and I were enticed to a presentation by a clock with dice used to represent each of the numbers. . . . the maintenance fee was $4.00 per month.


That must be a record low for maintenance fees!  Do you still have that clock?


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## Tia (May 20, 2009)

We discovered timeshares in 1986, and didn't find out about resales until getting our first computer in 1999.


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## matbec (May 20, 2009)

Had our first TS stay 2001 at Carriage Hills (Barrie ON), courtesy of a golf tournament gift. Funny enough, we tried very hard to find the sales office and attend a presentation, but no one seemed interested in talking to us! Times have certainly changed 

We bought our first unit in 2002 (an RTU at Law Cranberry). I was lucky enough to work with someone who advised me to buy resale. Took a while to learn the basics, but learned tons more when I found TUG in Dec 08. Have had over 20weeks of TS vacations since :whoopie: and looking forward to many more.


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## Jon77 (May 20, 2009)

*Dice Clock*



Karen G said:


> That must be a record low for maintenance fees!  Do you still have that clock?



Yes we still have it.  It is a battery clock and still keeps good time.


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## Karen G (May 20, 2009)

Jon77 said:


> Yes we still have it.  It is a battery clock and still keeps good time.


That is very cool!  That's a much better gift than the "three piece luggage set" I got one time. It was so cheap I think it was actually made of paper!


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## caribbean (May 20, 2009)

Bought our first and only developer mistake in 11/2001 and found TUG right after we got back from vacation. 9 purchases ( all resale thanks to TUG ) and 3 sales later, here we are, happy Timeshareers. On vacation now in the third of three weeks in our TSs.  

THANKS TUG for the education,


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## MelBay (May 20, 2009)

See my signature.   

We'd been going to the same resort for about 5 years, and one summer they offered us a couple hours on the jet ski if we attended their recently opened timeshare program overview.  We knew before we walked in we were going to buy.  It's about our favorite place on earth (actually we want our ashes scattered into the lake off the dock there - hopefully in the very distant future) and we knew we'd go back every year.  So we bought.  And then we were hooked.  I've never regretted it.   Now that the kids are grown and almost gone, those memories are priceless.

<sniff>


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## rickandcindy23 (May 20, 2009)

caribbean said:


> Bought our first and only developer mistake in 11/2001 and found TUG right after we got back from vacation. 9 purchases ( all resale thanks to TUG ) and 3 sales later, here we are, happy Timeshareers. On vacation now in the third of three weeks in our TSs.
> 
> THANKS TUG for the education,



You are a lucky woman, finding TUG just in time.  There was no internet back in 1980 to save us (and there weren't many home computers, either, come to think of it). 

We live in an amazing age!  No one who has a computer and internet access needs to regret buying a developer timeshare, but we still need developers to dupe people, so let the buyer beware and let the buyer find TUG through the internet!  

As I said, I am on the board at Twin Rivers now, our first timeshare purchase from 1980.  When I first got on the board nearly four years ago, some of the other board members were treating me rather poorly, and one day they were all touting their ownerships that went back to the developer.  I said, "Yes, we overpaid for our week back then."  They had no idea I was an original owner.  That was why they were being kind of rude to me, it turned out.  Not a single one of those people are on our board today, and all of them were on the board since the beginning.  Good riddance to people who think everything has to stay EXACTLY the SAME at an OLD RESORT!   I want to see progress, and with those people, it would never happen.  PA- is on the board with me, and so is smcintosh (Steve) from TUG, and we have two other original owners that joined us in recent years.  We are going to make things happen, if we can.


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## Conan (May 20, 2009)

Eight years - - Somehow I came across TUG which in those days had Palm Beach Shores, Florida  in its top 10 timeshares.  Searched for it on Ebay, found it, and bought a week sight unseen for under $3K.


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## pittle (May 20, 2009)

*18 Years!*

We bought our first timeshare in 1991.  Since then we have taken numerous vacations and now own 13 weeks.  We have bought most resale, but last year hubby fell in love with 2 places that were too new to be able to buy resale.  He did not want to wait until they did become available.   

We love timeshare vacations and sure do hate it whenever we stay in just a hotel room anymore.


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## Cathyb (May 21, 2009)

In 1985 we purchased Carlsbad Inn and Tamarack Beach Club and two months later my DH got laid off from work.  It was either pay bills or keep the timeshares -- we kept the timeshares   We now own seven weeks but shiver every December when the HOA fees have to be paid.


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## MuranoJo (May 21, 2009)

How long has the timeshare concept been out there, anyway?  Anyone know?  I saw someone earlier post they'd been in t/s for 35 years, and I was didn't realize t/s has been around that long.  

Anyway, since '02 and a member of TUG since then.  With the new TUG system, I lost all my posting score, but I saw a mention of an earlier member, 'Gin-Gin,' and remember her when I first joined.  Wow, those were exciting days, LOL.

First purchase was resale, thanks to a friend who told me about resales, and another who told me about TUG.


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## Steve (May 21, 2009)

*Since 1980*

...thanks to my parents.  They bought a week in Virginia when I was 13 years old.  That was back when you could deposit your week with RCI and...if no one exchanged into it...you could get an exchange *and* use your home week that no one else wanted.  I remember we were able to do that once or twice, and we thought that was really cool.  

I had to laugh reading about the horrible luggage that someone mentioned receiving as their gift for taking a timeshare tour.  We got some of that "cardboard" luggage, too.  

My first timeshare purchases were at Sanibel Beach Club II and the Jackson Hole Raqcuet Club in 1999.  After years of trying, my parents finally got an exchange into the Racquet Club.  They invited me along and during our week there, the resort gave out a list of resale weeks that were available.  That was the first time I had heard about the resale market.  I couldn't believe how affordable resale weeks were compared to new resorts.  After we got home from the trip to Jackson Hole, I looked up timeshares on the internet.  That's how I found the Sanibel week that I purchased, and I also purchased one at the Racquet club.

Shortly thereafter, I found TUG.  I've been hooked ever since.  It's a fun hobby!

Steve


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## pjrose (May 21, 2009)

*1988*

Spring of 88 - flew to Cancun on some tour group's inexpensive deal.  (Never again with the tour group bit; there was a problem with the plane and rather than having the flexibility to switch flights, we were at the tour operator's mercy - they had all the paperwork and passports and we were stuck in the charter area for literally 23 hours and 45 minutes - at 24 hours we could have all cancelled for a full refund, and they managed to get us a plane just in time.)

Anyway, after that bad beginning we ended up at the Oasis hotel, which was ok for just the two of us.  The TS sharks were everywhere, promising all kinds of stuff, and the models of the Royal Resorts' flexivillas looked intriguing.  

On our own we wandered over to the Royal Mayan and liked it.  Our very good friends owned something in Cancun, and the salesman found their weeks and units on the list of Royal Mayan owners.  They are level headed and careful with money, so we figured if they were happy with it, it was good enough with us.  

We decided to buy at the Royal Caribbean pre-construction - we actually went up to the 10th floor on scaffolding to check out the view!   We were leaning toward week 1; the salesman talked up week 52 to rent out and pay for both maintenance fees etc, but it was too expensive.  He was shocked when we bought both 52 and 1 the next day.  I know usually that kind of talk is BS, but in this case it was true.  Everything they told us about renting our units privately and through rental pools, renting other people's weeks, exchanging, selling privately, and buying resale (yes they even told us about that) has worked.  We've done it all over the years.  We've never regretted the purchase, and in a month we'll be going there again - yay!


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## catwgirl (May 21, 2009)

I bought my first one "the wrong way" in 1992.  Since finding Tug and becoming somewhat addicted I have purchased four more weeks resale.  That's plenty for now.


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## bass (May 21, 2009)

Since April 1979. 30+ years.  Our PV vacation early this month was the first one that we ever had to cancel.  Ironically, we had a weekend trip to Las Vegas cancelled in April 1979 due to United going on strike.  Instead, we drove to Ocean City, MD for a short trip.  That's where we first heard of timesharing while eating at the Pizza Hut.  We took the tour and bought 2 weeks and the rest is history.

Nancy


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## sfwilshire (May 21, 2009)

Since the mid-90s. A fellow at work owned a couple of weeks and made it sound interesting. I found a resale in the local newspaper and bought it. Liked my first exchange so well that I found a resale there. The rest is history.

I paid too much for at least my first three purchases, but not ridiculously so.

My family of six could have never had the wonderful vacations all these years had it not been for timeshares. Now that the big kids are gone, I need to sell a couple of units, but with the economy so bad, I'm going to wait at least a little while. Having trouble using them all, though.

Sheila


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## applegirl (May 22, 2009)

This is a fun thread!  I'm enjoying reading how long people have been timesharing and the stories behind some of those purchases are funny.  What surprises me is how long some of you have been timesharing!  I really just had no idea it has been around for so long.  I thought mid-80's sounded like a long time ago.

I hope we have many happy years ahead of us for t/s!

We leave on Saturday for DSV II.  Yeah!

Janna


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## AMJ (May 22, 2009)

We have been timesharing for 8 years now. We stayed at a Westgate resort in Florida on a promotion. A day after our required tour, we visited my cousin at Marriott's Cypress Harbour. I fell in love with the resort so we purchased our first week with Marriott instead of Westgate.

I found TUG a year later while searching the net for information about timesharing. I have learned so much by reading TUG.

Joyce


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## Glynda (May 22, 2009)

*Nine years...*

Nine years.  Wish I'd known more at the time and had bought resale.


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## BevL (May 22, 2009)

Lucky7 said:


> 20 years or so. Wow, how time flies when your having fun! We live in Washington State and have relatives in California. Never buy retail again - thats for sure.
> 
> Regards



Welcome to TUG


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## thecypher (May 22, 2009)

Bought our first one in 1999 at Westgate. Didn't know about TUG then. After we found out about TUG we bought quite a few weeks & points resale. Have pretty much only stayed at TS while vacationing for the last 10 years. Didn't have any kids in 1999. Since then we now have two little ones who I think are spoilt staying at timeshares. It never occurred to us that they had never stayed in a hotel room until about a year ago when we took a short weekend trip with a bunch of other families and had to stay at a hotel one night. And as soon as we checked in and went into our room, our kids were asking us "where is my bedroom? where is the kitchen?". That is when it occurred to us we were all probably spoilt and our kids even today think that a hotel room is like a big 2 BR timeshare unit. The incident last year is a one off discrepency in their mind  

Truly, once you get hooked to staying in a TS unit you can never go back to a hotel room. Especially when traveling with kids there is no other way to vacation. Having separate bedrooms, place for the kids to run around and most importantly a kitchen so you don't have to eat out 3 times a day makes a huge difference. Again TS is not for everybody. My sister and brother-in-law bought a TS and barely used it and now a year or two later are trying to get rid of it. The idea of planning vacations in advance and vacationing based on availability rather than the other way around does not work for many I suppose. They never got the hang of how to use a TS.


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## mecllap (May 22, 2009)

Not long enough!    (probably not the first one to say that).


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## Kona Lovers (May 22, 2009)

First purchase: Aug., 2004

First TS Vacation:  Mar., 2005


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## John Cummings (May 23, 2009)

We have been timesharing for 21 years. We sold one of our timeshares and will probably sell the other in the not too distant future. We have changed our vacations from fewer timeshare and a lot more upscale hotels. We far prefer the flexibility, luxury, and service of upscale hotels.


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## Don (May 23, 2009)

We bought our first in the summer of 1988. Our first exchange was to FL and we decided to eventually move here.  We bought the second one (resale) at Englewood Beach in 1995.  The plan was to use it every year as a base of operations to find an area we wanted to live in.  We didn't have to look far.  We now live on the other side of the Cape Haze Peninsula, about 20 minutes away.


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## MRSFUSSY (May 23, 2009)

Our first purchase was in the early '80's.  Still love it!


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## Janette (May 24, 2009)

Early 80's. Our baby who is 30 was 2 at the time. The kids said they didn't have bread, milk, or shoes but they had nice vacations!


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## Larry (May 24, 2009)

First purchase in Aruba 1992 and still loving it.


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## onthego (May 24, 2009)

Since 1999.  

We have enjoyed over 235 weeks of timesharing.


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## rod (May 24, 2009)

Karen G said:


> How long have you been timesharing?



My wife and I bought our first timeshare in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, from the developer in August of 1989.  We have used that timeshare week just about every year since, and it has long since paid for itself.

We bought our first resale timeshare in 1993, and we bought our last resale timeshare in January of this year. 



muranojo said:


> How long has the timeshare concept been out there, anyway?  Anyone know?  I saw someone earlier post they'd been in t/s for 35 years, and I was didn't realize t/s has been around that long.



The idea for timeshares originated in Europe during the 1960's.  Hapimag in the Swiss Alps is generally recognized as the company that actually invented timesharing in 1963.  The next timeshare operation was Paul Doumier’s SuperDevoluy ski resort in the French Alps, with its marketing slogan "No need to rent the room, buy the hotel - it's cheaper!".

The first timeshare sold in the United States was the Kaua`i Kailani on the island of Kaua`i in Hawaii. Bob Burns and Bob Ringenburg sold leasehold condos there in weekly intervals (with a forty-year lease), beginning in May of 1969.

The first deeded timeshare program in the U.S. was offered in 1973 at Brockway Springs in Lake Tahoe, California. The developer was Innisfree Companies of Sausalito, California (a 50/50 joint venture with Hyatt Corporation).  This is the company that began using the word "timeshare" to describe the product in order to make it understandable to bankers, who were already familiar with the term as used in the sharing of mainframe computers.


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## gjw007 (May 24, 2009)

I started in 1995, so if you count 1995, its been 15 years


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## shorts (May 24, 2009)

We bought our first timeshare from the developer in 1994. The timeshare was a studio unit in Grand Cayman but we went to the presentation in Indianapolis, Indiana.   Guess they must of had a very good visual presentation on the resort or we were just really big suckers. :hysterical:


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## BocaBum99 (May 24, 2009)

I've been timesharing for about 5 years.  My first purchase was an RCI Points account in Australia in August of 2004.


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## london (May 24, 2009)

*Since 1991*

We have been timesharing since 1991. Have made over 150 trades with RCI.

Have bought and sold quite a few resale weeks.  

Now own weeks at the Resort on Cocoa Beach, as we spend 4-5 weeks there in the winter months.

Also own a week at Club Regency in Myrtle Beach.

We have made some great trades over the years, some to remember are Carlsbad Inn, Samoset Resort in Maine, Clowance in England, Woodford Bridge in England, Caloosa Cove in the Florida Keys, Marriott Monarch Hilton Head, HGVC Seaworld and Orange Lake CC.

We snagged a 2 BR Presidents week at Gulf Tides at Longboat Key for Feb 2010. This was booked 18 months out.

Just booked a week at HGVC Valdoro Mountain Lodge for June of 2010.

Looking forward to many more years of timesharing.


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## jamstew (May 24, 2009)

26 years for me. Bought Sunbay (Hot Springs) pre-construction and have never regretted it.


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## myip (May 24, 2009)

I brought my first HGVC timeshare in 2002 resale.   I got interest in timeshare oneday looking at a newspaper ads.  I went on the computer and found Tug.  I started looking at Ebay for resale.


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## ira g (May 25, 2009)

*Nine years and counting*

We bought 2 weeks back in 2000. They were II exchange weeks.  In 2003 we decided to try RCI and bought 2 SA weeks. We were so pleased with the trades that we bought 2 more SA weeks in 2004. In 2005 we bought 2 more weeks at the original TS as the MF are terriffic and the Board and Management company are tops. In 2005 we decided to try RCI points. Each of our units accomplishes something different for us and I use each for different types of trades. We wish we had known about TS when the kids were younger.


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## Tom52 (May 25, 2009)

In May 2004 we took our first timeshare tour while on vacation in Gatlinburg.  It was with then Fairfield Smoky Mountains.  We were complete timeshare rookies that day.  The "special today only price" of $21,000 plus annual maintenance fees that were very downplayed just made no sense to me, besides I NEVER spend that kind of money without "sleeping on it" overnight. So I didn't buy even after 3 hours of high pressure.

After we got home we started researching on the internet and found out about resale and TUG.  We have owned as many as five different timeshares, trying to find what works for us, but now have only two. We have only a few thousand invested in the two we currently own, so even if we have to someday give them away, we won't lose much.  We have taken some great timeshare vacations these past 5 years.


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## lgreenspan (May 25, 2009)

Bought our first week from the developer in July 1999. We had booked a vacation at a brand new resort in Cocoa Beach called The Resort on Cocoa Beach from a travel agent not knowing it was a timeshareor anything about timesharing. About the third day staying there I became curious of all the couples touring the resort and inquired at the front desk about it. They charged me $20 to reserve a tour for the next day.
Bought our second timeshare in 2007 on ebay for $500.

Happy Tugger


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## Texasbelle (May 26, 2009)

Luanne, we bought our first in 1974 too.  We went to a presentation on Hawaiian timeshare which was too expensive for us.  Then we bought at the Villages, which became Silverleaf.  We have owned as many as 11 weeks, but now own 6, all in Texas so we can drive to them.  Most were resales.  Daughter, who was a teenager when we bought, now uses a trade for her family vacation.


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## bobcat (May 27, 2009)

Since 1982. Purchased first one in Cape Cod.


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## Tamzeng (Jun 8, 2009)

We bought at Carriage Hills (from developer) in their early days, and have been TS for the last 11 years. We likely overpaid, but it costs double that now (from developer).  
We just recently attended another developer promo session at Carriage Ridge, decided to buy, then rescinded the decision.  Am I ever glad we did.  
We have enjoyed our timeshare location, going every other year, and traveling on the 'other' year.... some duds, some great spots.   I'm looking forward to learning more through this group. We just bought a resale of points and are awaiting the final documentation before I jump into RCI points.    My children are almost done public school and we (DH and me) will be free  when we want, not tied to the school calendar.   YEAH!!


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## bmann (Jun 8, 2009)

*Ten Years and Ten Timeshares Later*

1999 First stay in a timeshare and purchased one later that year. Many years of great vacations and family gatherings. I have NEVER purchased from a developer!!! Thank you TUG I have saved tens of thousands of dollars from all of your advice. Thank you Tuggers. 


:whoopie:


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## charlietuna (Jun 8, 2009)

*how long have you been timesharing*

     over 30 years since  we purchased our first timeshare at 
        Mountainside at Silver Creek.we now own 3 places and to have been to
        each one.  we never repeat a location,always try someplace new.
        with a little hunting you can even find some adult only resorts.
        just have patience and plan as far ahead as possible.
          Go and enjoy your life by traveling and using your timeshare to the
          limits of your fantasies


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## daisy23 (Jun 14, 2009)

*how long have you been timesharing*

We've owned about 15 years.  We got introduced to timeshares by my parents in law; they couldn't use a week one year and gave it to us to trade.  We weren't crazy about the quality of the place we went to, but the space!  Loved the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen, and then bought one a year later.  Things really got better when we found Marriotts - our favorite timeshares, for quality, locations and the whole program.  

While I was still working it was hard sometimes to get away, so we would go more locally, but since retirement, we have had fun getting to new places, too. Am I the only one who likes two bedrooms just for the DH and me?  Love the two bathrooms, and the "walk around" space......When relatives join us, I do try to be unselfish and share.....

Like Cathyb, we flinch a bit each December when the MFs come due, and maybe we'll downsize the inventory a bit someday.  I think I managed to use all our weeks over the years but one that I somehow missed and it expired.  Now I have more time to keep track and I have learned more about the tips and tricks in the last few years.  

TUG has been a great help with ideas and info, and I am glad that we joined last year - I found it by accident searching for TS information on the Internet.

Wendy


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## LUVourMarriotts (Jun 14, 2009)

7 years.

We went with our friends to MFV.  Their parents have owned at Grande Ocean on HHI since it was built and gave them a $99 weekend stay to MFV.  So we went with them because it is a 2BR.  We went on the sales presentation with them and we bought, they didn't.  We traded a bunch and went to Aruba Surf Club 4 years ago.  We bought there too.  Then we found TUG a few months later.  I was a little disappointed I had not researched and found resale, but we are still very happy.


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