# Glacier Canyon 8/1/12



## Jan M. (Aug 5, 2012)

Funny you should mention Glacier Canyon, Lisa. The Wyndham Weasels strike again! As of 8/1/12 resort manager, Kimberly Albert and sales/marketing manager, Nick Cafarelli, jointly mandated an immediate and previously unannounced enforcement of a policy from 2007 that was never used. Guests can no longer pre-register and get the waterpark wristbands prior to 4pm unless they agree to attend a sales presentation. Wyndham has only a part of Glacier Canyon and there are also other lodgings in Wilderness Territory which is huge. Guests, except for Wyndham guests, can pre-register and get their wristbands starting at 11am. But it gets even better! If you don't qualify or refuse to sign up for the sales presentation, your name goes to the bottom of the list for units to be ready. And this summer units are frequently not ready til 6pm or later. And get this, they are deliberately witholding the wristband til the units are ready too. Now guests are given the gift cards when they sign up instead of at the conclusion of the presentation. Once they sign up, member services won't permit then to return the gifts either so if they don't go their credit card is charged for the gifts. I wonder how the credit card companies are going to handle this when people start disputing the charge. Because of course people are going to claim fraudulent, deceptive, etc. business practices and it is true.

This decision to start enforcing an unused 5 year old policy was not announced beforehand, wasn't posted in advance or even that day, nor were incoming owners or their guests notified prior to arrival. The resort employees were not told in advance either. So the morning of 8/1, but before the announcement was made, my renter called the resort to confirm that they could have the wristbands when they arrived. After driving 4.5 hours with a small child and a baby they get there at 2:30 to be told they had to wait til 4 but would be lucky to get in til 6 if they didn't sign up. When the front desk, their representative, told her she could have them, no strings attached, that put the resort under binding contractual obligation.

**Attention Glacier Canyon owners and board of directors: sales is openly dictating your resort's policy. Can you say Better Business Bureau, Wisconsin Attorney General, class action lawsuit, etc. How would you feel if the guest being subjected to this treatment was your parents, in-laws, siblings, best friends.** Because they are telling guests that they are doing this for the benefit of you the owners. 

Not only that but outright lies are being told about owners who rent stays in a pathetic attempt to make this blatent sales scam seem justified. If the guests attend the sales pitch and understand what they are told about how the Wyndham system works, they will be able to spot the glaringly obvious lies. To quote a truly excellent salesperson we recently dealt with on a home improvement project. "Why would you ever buy from someone who started out by lying to you? Why in the world would you trust anything else they said and give them your money? What are the chances that it will turn out well?" How deluded can the Head Sales Weasels be to think that what they are doing will induce people to buy? It makes people run the other way, at top speed, and warn other people too!

Just a hint. Guests can use cash for the security deposit and it will be returned in 90 days. No credit card to charge! At Smugglers Notch it might be worth it even if you forfeit the cash security deposit. 

I am almost ashamed to admit that we bought directly from Fairfield/Wyndham. I had never heard of TUG yet. A sorrier but wiser girl am I! But I didn't spend what I did (platinum owner), pay the maintanence fees on all those points and guest reservation fees to put up with being disrespected and lied about by Wyndham employees. 

The standard in the hospitality industry is that all guests should be made to feel welcome and valued. This certainly isn't happening at Glacier Canyon or Smugglers Notch. For a world wide company with a reputation to protect Wyndham is certainly exposing themselves to a timeshare scam reputation that they will have a very hard time overcoming. Hard to believe that they are so short sighted that they can't see that this will reflect on every facet of the Wyndham name worldwide. 

A section of the questions on the Wyndham survey deals with your pride in being a Wyndham owner. Are you serious? I will be deeply ashamed to be associated with Wyndham if they don't clean up their act. It is only a matter of time before stories exposing what they are doing are start appearing on the internet, news programs, morning/latenight shows, newspapers, magazines. I can hardly wait til friends and family hear/read about it and start asking, "Hey isn't that the timeshare you own? I thought you said it was a good one to own." Oh yeah, that will be a proud moment.

Jan Macey


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## Jan M. (Aug 6, 2012)

They are specifically targeting guests. Looking for the poor unsuspecting people who don't know how unscrupulous they are and how much you overpay when you buy thru them. Guess too many of us owners have wised up to them. From what I am reading on TUG, I would look for this type of thing to happen at more and more resorts. Especially the resorts that have high traffic or a busy season like summer at Glacier Canyon. What is the business saying about how many people an unhappy customer tells? 

I forgot to ask. When they are trying sign you up for the presentation, they ask if you own your home or rent. Does that mean they only want people who own their own homes to do the sales presentation? From what I am reading on TUG, these days you aren't going to get a loan to buy a timeshare unless you can secure it with your home. And in the current financial climate that is not a wise thing to do.

I started renting about three years ago to help with the maintanence fees when my husband lost his job at the age of 61. We were lucky because it turned out that with his qualifications and background he had no problem finding another job but the four months it took were pretty scary. At that age you don't want to be without health insurance and there was no option to get any thru my job. Under COBRA we had to pay almost $800 a month and in a few months when COBRA ended it was going to cost us between $1200-1400 a month for health insurance for the two of us. We had all those points and weren't able to vacation for about two years as we had to relocate for the new job. There was no relocation package to help with the expense of the move and he used all his vacation time going back and forth to help sell the house and get moved. After he started the new job, I fell at work and took out my knee and shoulder so wasn't able to be much help at all with the move. Being able to rent out stays was a lifesaver so we didn't have to raid our 401K which at our age would have been financial suicide. It also gave me something to do besides worry about our finances and moving and helped take my mind off the pain.

A good thing that came out of all of this was that I learned how to manage our points so much better. And thank you so much to TUG and all the people who post. You were an immense help in the learning process. This coming year we will be able to take vacations again thanks to owning the timeshare. But since I am more skilled now at managing our points, I will have enough points left to continue to do a few rentals to help pay part of our maintanence fees. Again, a most heartfelt thanks to all of you! And I try to pay it forward by sharing what I have learned. Keep up the good work everyone.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Aug 6, 2012)

I looked online, and interestingly, they have one qualification to buy from them: minimum income of $80,000. If that is the case, people should bring a copy of that to the "update" and say that they do not make the minimum yearly salary. After all, they can't force you to buy something that you (guaranteed) will default on!

TS


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 6, 2012)

just go with "I just got laid off and my friend gave me this as a break..." No update will ever happen. 

Jason


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## staceyeileen (Aug 6, 2012)

Jan, why are you copying your posts in the "Awful treatment.." thread and copying them here?  Just curious.


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## Jan M. (Aug 6, 2012)

Sorry I just wanted to get the word out to spare other people what both my renter and I went thru. I spent hours on the phone over a 2 day period with my renter, the resort and corporate trying to get to the bottom of this. After reading all the posts on the thread about Smuggler's Notch, I've come to the conclusion that this is how things are going to be at any resort that has something special to offer that sales/marketing can use to convince guests to attend the sales presentation.

When I rent I feel that I have a responsibility to make sure my renter knows what to expect. I don't ever want them to feel regret for having rented with me or that I mislead them. I don't do enough renting that I make a business out of it but I still try to be professional about it. 

It was bad enough trying to make things right with a renter but we would have been embarrassed beyond belief if that had been one of our friends or family. We have enjoyed being able to send close friends and family to various resorts on vacation as our treat and are sending my sister-in-law and her husband on vacation for a week this fall. I can understand that resorts have certain policies but is it too much to ask that they be clearly posted on the website resort information?  Or that they contact us about a policy change when we have an upcoming arrival date? They have my name, address, email and phone number and I make sure they have that same information for any guest.  

I learn new stuff all the time on TUG but sometimes have trouble tracking down more information on some of the things people talk about on their posts.


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## wed100105 (Aug 8, 2012)

I am so glad that you posted this. I rent a lot of Glacier Canyon units out to friends and family being 4 hours away. This is ludicrous.

We noticed a huge problem with the level of customer service since January and have complained to the resort manager and owner relations. Our guests were treated terribly last month when Wyndham screwed up the last minute reservation and guest confirmation. I was woken at 12:20 pm with a call that said there was no reservation for them. The person checking in my guests was so rude.

Thanks for the heads up.


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## wed100105 (Aug 8, 2012)

Quick question...do owners get wristbands early anymore?


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 8, 2012)

wed100105 said:


> Quick question...do owners get wristbands early anymore?



Yes policy hasn't changed for owners, just guests. we just checked in today and the sales guy said it was changed because of the mega renters. Whether you believe that or not is up to you...

Jason


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## rrlongwell (Aug 8, 2012)

wed100105 said:


> I am so glad that you posted this. I rent a lot of Glacier Canyon units out to friends and family being 4 hours away. This is ludicrous.
> 
> We noticed a huge problem with the level of customer service since January and have complained to the resort manager and owner relations. Our guests were treated terribly last month when Wyndham screwed up the last minute reservation and guest confirmation. I was woken at 12:20 pm with a call that said there was no reservation for them. The person checking in my guests was so rude.
> 
> Thanks for the heads up.



Did you guest get a room or was the guest just turned away?


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## wed100105 (Aug 9, 2012)

rrlongwell said:


> Did you guest get a room or was the guest just turned away?



She got the room, but I was downright forceful with the lady checking her in when they called. The lady was rude with me, too. They gAve my friend one hour extra check out. It was not enough in my book, but my guest didn't fight it. I spoke with owner relations and got the guest confirmation back.


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## lily28 (Aug 9, 2012)

I want to verify. Do my guests get the wrist bands at 4 pm if they don't want the sale pitch, or do they get them only when the room is available, be it at 6 pm or 7 pm? Thanks


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## lbjen (Aug 25, 2012)

Good to know, we have rented here before and had planned on doing so again, maybe it is time to just buy some Wyndham points and be done with it.


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## gnorth16 (Sep 6, 2012)

Anyone exchange into Glacier Canyon through RCI and get/not get wristbands?
I have added it to my summer 2013 (not sure if it is possible) ongoing search but may opt for elsewhere pending the wristband issue.

Edit...

I called the resort and they said wristbands are included anytime you stay at GC including renting from an owner or exchanging though RCI.


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## scootr5 (Sep 6, 2012)

gnorth16 said:


> Anyone exchange into Glacier Canyon through RCI and get/not get wristbands?
> I have added it to my summer 2013 (not sure if it is possible) ongoing search but may opt for elsewhere pending the wristband issue.
> 
> Edit...
> ...



I was about to say that. I would not count on a summer RCI exchange though - there is nothing left for wyn owners to book from the start of June right up oto the 10 month cutoff.


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## gnorth16 (Sep 6, 2012)

scootr5 said:


> I was about to say that. I would not count on a summer RCI exchange though - there is nothing left for wyn owners to book from the start of June right up oto the 10 month cutoff.



I guess I may have to rent some Wyn points or expand my search to include some other properties.   One of the parents at the bus stop was talking about the Dells and stayed on the hotel side of this complex and it peaked my interest.  It looks fantastic! Plus it is less than an 11 hour drive, which is doable in one day.


I put it in my "slim chance exchange" exchange along with DVC and Worldmark in Anaheim, Ron Jon and DVC Vero Beach.  I may even have some HGVC HHV  and DVC Aulani in there as well (but it could be a different request)


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## scootr5 (Sep 7, 2012)

gnorth16 said:


> I guess I may have to rent some Wyn points or expand my search to include some other properties.   One of the parents at the bus stop was talking about the Dells and stayed on the hotel side of this complex and it peaked my interest.  It looks fantastic! Plus it is less than an 11 hour drive, which is doable in one day.



Yes, it's a great resort - especially if you have kids that will make good use of the waterparks!

There is so much to do in the area as well. We've done four long weekend over the last year, and included horseback riding, snow tubing, and hiking; we still haven't managed to do the "touristy" stuff like the duck boats and Tommy Bartlett.


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## Karen G (Sep 7, 2012)

*deleted posts in this thread*

A number of related posts in this thread have been deleted because advertising or soliciting of rentals is not allowed in this forum. Ads should be placed in TUG Marketplace.  Thanks for your cooperation.


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