# Bonnet Creek-Parking Pass Required?



## RKB (May 1, 2013)

I am heading to Bonnet Creek next week.  Stayed there before and love the resort.  I detest the parking pass dance that takes place at most resorts and would prefer to avoid it if possible.  I can say "no" with the best of them but it aggravates me to have to do so.

I have read elsewhere that a parking pass is not required at Bonnet Creek as it is gated and access requires a key card.  Is this correct?  Any downsides to not getting a parking pass?

If a pass is required, what are the current harassment techniques the body snatchers are using?


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## DancingWaters (May 1, 2013)

*Parking Pass*

We were at Bonnet Creek last January and we never got a parking pass.  We were only going to be there 4 days and didn't want to spend our short vacation with salesman.  No one ever quetioned us or bothered us.  We did tell them when we checked in not to bother us since we were both getting over pnemonoa, which was true, and they didn't. Have fun.........it's a beautiful place


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## ntcfm1 (May 1, 2013)

*Parking Pass*

I was just at Bonnet Creek 2 weeks ago for a three night stay, and I avoided the bs but just telling them I wasn't going to have time.  Just be firm and tell them you don't have time.  Of course, that won't prevent them from calling your room five times like they did to me!


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## Sandy VDH (May 1, 2013)

say NO and unplug the phone, use your cellphone

Never give me a problem


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## NHTraveler (May 1, 2013)

Sandy VDH said:


> say NO and unplug the phone, use your cellphone.  Never give me a problem



Always works for us.  Unplugging the phone is the very first thing we do.


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## bnoble (May 1, 2013)

I've started turning the tables on them, doing something like this before they get much past the I'm-so-and-so part:

"Hi, <Samantha> was it?  I'm Brian!  It's really great to meet you.  So, have you been doing tour generation long?  With just Wyndham, or another developer as well?  Having a good day, singing up lots of tours?  Sounds like you're doing great here!  Have you ever thought about moving into the sales side of the house?  You seem to have the personality for it, I bet you'd be great!  So, I know you have something you need to get through, and I don't want to keep you from your job.  At the end, I will politely but quickly decline your offer, and you can send me on my way.  I don't want to take up too much of your time, because I don't want to keep you from hitting your targets for this period."


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## vacationhopeful (May 1, 2013)

They can't tour you if you just went to an update or *if your co-owner is not with you.* 

Just tell them: SPOUSE is at home, thinks I am here with my best friend -- well, they are my best friend and my current hot LOVER and playmate. Do you want to join us for a 3-some? Ask if they like whips or whipcream?


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## NHTraveler (May 1, 2013)

vacationhopeful said:


> They can't tour you if you just went to an update or *if your co-owner is not with you.*
> 
> Just tell them: SPOUSE is at home, thinks I am here with my best friend -- well, they are my best friend and my current hot LOVER and playmate. Do you want to join us for a 3-some? Ask if they like whips or whip cream?



Just the look on their faces (horror) would be enough for me to enjoy that vacation a lot more than I would have intended...lol.


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## pacodemountainside (May 1, 2013)

vacationhopeful said:


> They can't tour you if you just went to an update or *if your co-owner is not with you.*
> 
> Just tell them: SPOUSE is at home, thinks I am here with my best friend -- well, they are my best friend and my current hot LOVER and playmate. Do you want to join us for a 3-some? Ask if they like whips or whipcream?






"Dave, some people just have a persona you remember your whole life. Slimey or sleazy should have been his middle name. He brought the house down the street (in 1975 I do believe) ....

You can't make up this stuff ...

I editted the racy stuff out of my earlier post. My brother (the criminal defense lawyer) and I compared notes on him; said he will read the web legal stuff. He grew up 2 doors down the street from another good friend (until he got into selling Amway) of my brother. Bet Mr Amway's name might be in the pile also. "
__________________
Linda

You are what  back in my good olde fraternity days was called "one tough chick" !

I have used  some pretty good ones but  this  should be fatal.


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## JimMIA (May 1, 2013)

vacationhopeful said:


> Just tell them: SPOUSE is at home, thinks I am here with my best friend -- well, they are my best friend and my current hot LOVER and playmate. Do you want to join us for a 3-some? Ask if they like whips or whipcream?


And if they say, "Yes...and I'll bring the 'Welcome Gifts'?"


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## JimMIA (May 1, 2013)

RKB said:


> If a pass is required, what are the current harassment techniques the body snatchers are using?


I've never heard a single report of any consequences of not having the pass.

The three things they do most often are:

Try to talk you into a "tour" at the "Parking Pass Desk."
If you decline, ask you to "take a survey."  Make no mistake, the survey is a sales presentation.
Call your room and offer to either schedule a presentation, or alternately, bring "Welcome Gifts" to you...unannounced and uninvited.
The "Welcome Gifts" trick is particularly heinous, because once they get into your room, they will NOT leave.  It's a lot like a home invasion hostage-taking, but without the straightforward honesty of a common criminal.

The parking pass thing is not used at all resorts, but it certainly is at WBC.  

When we were at Great Smokys last summer, at checkin the front desk lady simply handed me my parking pass.  The sales weasels were a few feet away at their desk, but I never even talked to them.

_(She did ask if I was a Tugger, and when I said yes, she mentioned something about bringing some whipped cream by our room.  Don't know what that was about.  )_


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## JimMIA (May 1, 2013)

bnoble said:


> I've started turning the tables on them, doing something like this before they get much past the I'm-so-and-so part:
> 
> "Hi, <Samantha> was it?  I'm Brian!  It's really great to meet you.  So, have you been doing tour generation long?  With just Wyndham, or another developer as well?  Having a good day, singing up lots of tours?  Sounds like you're doing great here!  Have you ever thought about moving into the sales side of the house?  You seem to have the personality for it, I bet you'd be great!  So, I know you have something you need to get through, and I don't want to keep you from your job.  At the end, I will politely but quickly decline your offer, and you can send me on my way.  I don't want to take up too much of your time, because I don't want to keep you from hitting your targets for this period."


"No" also works.


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## JimMIA (May 1, 2013)

Sandy VDH said:


> say NO and unplug the phone, use your cellphone


Great advice.  Unplugging your phone is key.  Everyone you want to talk to already has your cell number. 

We unplug the phone on every Wyndham stay.


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## ronparise (May 1, 2013)

Ive got just the opposite problem as you guys. I want to meet with the sales guys. but they wont see me, or at least they wouldnt on my last 3 visits to Bonnet Creek...and my wife wont go either


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## MaryBella7 (May 1, 2013)

When I was at Bonnet Creek last summer, we scheduled our "update" for first thing in the morning on our first day and made them put 15 mins in writing for us.  The guy came, was pleasant, and left.  We got a gift card, and no phone calls for the rest of the trip.  That will be our plan for the future or we will schedule for last day and call to cancel that AM, so we can avoid the phone calls all week (if you try that one, make sure that they don't take any credit card info!).


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## Kozman (May 2, 2013)

I save my parking passes and sometimes stick one on the dash in an awkward hidden position.  Never had a problem.  The only thing I haven't been able to figure out is the use of different colors (I have them all). Blue, purple, orange....


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## comicbookman (May 2, 2013)

ronparise said:


> Ive got just the opposite problem as you guys. I want to meet with the sales guys. but they wont see me, or at least they wouldnt on my last 3 visits to Bonnet Creek...and my wife wont go either



Ron,
I have the same problem, although my wife is willing to go with me.  Last time at Kingsgate in Williamsburg we made a breakfast appointment for us and our guests (they were just getting breakfast no spiel)  but they called 15 minutes before to cancel.  I actually enjoy the ones at national harbor.  They keep it short with us since we are clearly not going to buy and give us $75 amex gift cards without having to see the manager first.  I have actually learned a few tricks from them, although none that I have not eventually seen here on Tug.


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## dcdowden (May 2, 2013)

When we were at BC in February this year, I noticed that they had replaced the old digital phones that included a LAN connection with a standard phone. They also seem to have fully deployed a good high speed wifi network now, so there is no reason any more to keep the phone plugged in.  In the past, I had to plug in a wireless router to the digital phone in order to provide decent wifi for our various devices. Unfortunately, that meant we did get the sales calls. Not any more.
Doug


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## bnoble (May 2, 2013)

> "No" also works.


In my experience, that takes longer.


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## VivianLynne (May 2, 2013)

Can't you just use an old/prior Wyndham resort stay's blue hang tag? 

I doubt they ever get close enough to the car to actually read the dates.

Of course, clorex bleach cleaner (maybe cleanser) should clean the magic marker off the old one and put the current date on with a Black Magic marker.


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## Kozman (May 2, 2013)

VivianLynne said:


> Can't you just use an old/prior Wyndham resort stay's blue hang tag?
> 
> I doubt they ever get close enough to the car to actually read the dates.
> 
> Of course, clorex bleach cleaner (maybe cleanser) should clean the magic marker off the old one and put the current date on with a Black Magic marker.



Sounds like an idea, but as I stated above, they have various colors.  Maybe each has a significance?  When I asked about the different colors, they just said the colors were random and meant nothing.  Perhaps they rotate colors each week? Anyone got an idea if the color matters.


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## belfry (May 2, 2013)

VivianLynne said:


> Can't you just use an old/prior Wyndham resort stay's blue hang tag?
> 
> I doubt they ever get close enough to the car to actually read the dates.
> 
> Of course, clorex bleach cleaner (maybe cleanser) should clean the magic marker off the old one and put the current date on with a Black Magic marker.



That's exactly what I do. I reuse/recycle my parking passes. It's good for the environment. I do not change the date. I leave it as is.


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## simpsontruckdriver (May 2, 2013)

With a good laser printer, someone can make one at home! Just drive up, and after checking in, look at other cars to see which one they have. Pull it out, set it on your dash, and you're set! I think if the guard just sees it from a distance, it is ok.

TS


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## DavidandDenise (May 2, 2013)

dcdowden said:


> When we were at BC in February this year, I noticed that they had replaced the old digital phones that included a LAN connection with a standard phone. They also seem to have fully deployed a good high speed wifi network now, so there is no reason any more to keep the phone plugged in.  In the past, I had to plug in a wireless router to the digital phone in order to provide decent wifi for our various devices. Unfortunately, that meant we did get the sales calls. Not any more.
> Doug



We found that the data signal had been cut, and we couldn't get a connection with our own router.  It was a shame because their wifi signal was weak at best for us all week.


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## staceyeileen (May 2, 2013)

I did not get a parking pass last time I was at WBC.  No issues.


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## Explorer7 (May 2, 2013)

I wish it was as simple as No. More often than not they want an explanation along with the no and try to pump for details of prior experiences such as the where, when and what happened. I ultimately have to tell them I don't want to rehash the past bad experiences. 

At Ocean Blvd this week at the parking pass desk the lady said that they have stopped pressing for owner updates and only do them if an owner has question She said their policy had changed because of owner complaints. I thought this was quite refreshing until she called the next day and tried to pressure me for a visit to my room for a survey to help her win a contest. I politely declined and explained that the people that came before her had ruined it for her. She went into questioning the where and when, so I told her I would rather not go into the details and left a long silence, thanked her for the offer and ended the call. Next time I won't answer the phone, it's strange that I get really annoyed when I hear the scripted spiels start to play out.


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## NHTraveler (May 2, 2013)

I told a guy at the "Member Service" desk here in Panama City Beach, "If I feel the need to be lied to, mislead or deceived, I will schedule a meeting with Wyndham Sales...today's not one of those days".  He tried to find out more, but I told him I wasn't interested and it wasn't going to happen.  I was handed a parking pass and left the area.  Got to the unit, unplugged the phone.  A day later, got a note on the door inviting us to a breakfast.  I brought it to Member Services.  I asked if they had a trash can, the girl said yes, so I handed her the note and asked her to trash it.  The look...priceless.  :hysterical::rofl:


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## Rent_Share (May 3, 2013)

Explorer7 said:


> it's strange that I get really annoyed when I hear the scripted spiels start to play out.


 
The only thing worse than a scripted sales presentation, is a poorly executed sales presentation,


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## RKB (May 3, 2013)

simpsontruckdriver said:


> With a good laser printer, someone can make one at home! Just drive up, and after checking in, look at other cars to see which one they have. Pull it out, set it on your dash, and you're set! I think if the guard just sees it from a distance, it is ok.
> 
> TS



Great idea!  Anyone have a scan we can use?



Explorer7 said:


> I wish it was as simple as No. More often than not they want an explanation along with the no and try to pump for details of prior experiences such as the where, when and what happened. I ultimately have to tell them I don't want to rehash the past bad experiences.



This has been my experience.  Not the way I want to start a vacation.


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## bnoble (May 3, 2013)

The problem with trying to justify the "no" is that the body snatcher doesn't care if you will or won't consider a purchase.  They don't get paid a slice of *sales*.  They get paid on straight numbers: how many people they sign up for a tour.


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