Donita Is Back?

[cbm32]

I dont have a dog in this fight and I am certainly not trying to take sides or draw fire. But, I can not for the life of me find out where this $9,000.00 figure came from that people are alluding to.

I see $995.00 on the webpage, but no mention of $9K anyplace.

 

[DeniseM]

I dont have a dog in this fight and I am certainly not trying to take sides or draw fire. But, I can not for the life of me find out where this $9,000.00 figure came from that people are alluding to.

I see $995.00 on the webpage, but no mention of $9K anyplace.

Donita also posted in another thread about this company - in the thread, someone who bought the product reported that the enrollment fee is $9,000 and someone from the company confirmed it.

 

[Carolinian]

I did not use the old Donita's Vacations Unlimited, but got to know her when she was runnning DAE's North American office, and then worked as a consultant for them. I had seen the description of how the old Donita's worked and it was more like DAE and not at all like this Dream Vacation Network, which appears to belong to someone else. She is getting back in the exchange business and we will see for certain how everything is set up when her new website is up, but I suspect it will be more like the old Donita's and like DAE. If so, I would probably be inclined to give her one of my summer UK weeks that I had been planning to give to UKRE to try them out.

To give one example of how good she is in finding inventory, when my nephew got married, I offered them a timeshare week for their honeymoon. I thought they would probably want to go somewhere like the Caribbean or Hawaii, but they are both scuba divers and wanted to go to one of the diving areas in the Philipines of all places. I knew the Philipines popped up occaisionally at DAE and checked online. The time they needed was not availible and the resorts were not diving resorts. Then I checked RCI and struck out there, too. Then I called Donita, then working as a consultant with DAE, and she made some calls to her contacts and produced a week at an oceanfront Philipines resort with diviing facilities in a major dive area for exactly the week they needed. When she says she can source weeks you need, she means it.

Carolinian has faith in Donita to get him good trades. Carolinian is the only person on this whole thread who sees any value in Donita. Let him pay her $9000.

I bet Carolinian will hate Donita and DVN even more than RCI in a year or two when he is out 9 grand and the company called Dream Vacation Network is no longer in existence.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I did not use the old Donita's Vacations Unlimited, but got to know her when she was runnning DAE's North American office, and then worked as a consultant for them.

Interesting, Steve.

So in all of your longstanding disparaging of RCI and promoting of DAE, you now acknowledge that you've actually had a business relationship with DAE. You know, if I were a cynical man I might even ponder that perhaps you've been shilling for DAE all of these years.

 

[Carolinian]

Interesting, Steve.

So in all of your longstanding disparaging of RCI and promoting of DAE, you now acknowledge that you've actually had a business relationship with DAE. You know, if I were a cynical man I might even ponder that perhaps you've been shilling for DAE all of these years.

Of course, the reference is to DONITA working as a consultant for them, not me! My, how, you can sometimes try to turn things around!

 

[Carolinian]

$200 bucks to sign up? plus $150 per help? Makes TUG look like a real bargain.

I just got my latest Timesharing Today magazine in today's mail and it is the issue with the annual comparision chart of exchange companies. One of them listed is Donita's Vacations Unlimited. It lists under ''Initial Membership Fee to Join'' as ''none'', and under ''annual dues'' it lists ''$25''. Under exchange fees, it lists ''$125- US and Canada, $150 - international''.

The fees you quote must be from her prior timeshare business rather than from her re-started exchange company.

 

[DeniseM]

The fees are from her webpage:

Fees for belonging to the DVU Club Management Program:

Signup Fee: $200

Lifetime Signup Fee: $995

Annual Membership Fee: $25 per year on a calendar basis.

Service Fees: $125 & $150, fees are paid when service is rendered.

 

[Carolinian]

The fees are from her webpage:

Since the webpage is still under construction, and she ran her non-exchange businesses under the DVU banner during the period she was under the non-compete clause, one wonders if the DVU Club Management Program is a different animal than Donita's Vacations Unlimited revived exchange company. Maybe we will have to wait until the new website is fully up and running to find out.

 

[Margariet]

For $7999 I will guarantee TUGGERS an exchange to any timeshare they want and save them over $1000 from the $9000 DVN membership fees. I will only guarantee you one trade, but that is probably one more exchange than you will ever get from DVN.

Me too! I have great inventory :ignore:

 

[tombo]

I just got my latest Timesharing Today magazine in today's mail and it is the issue with the annual comparision chart of exchange companies. One of them listed is Donita's Vacations Unlimited. It lists under ''Initial Membership Fee to Join'' as ''none'', and under ''annual dues'' it lists ''$25''. Under exchange fees, it lists ''$125- US and Canada, $150 - international''.

The fees you quote must be from her prior timeshare business rather than from her re-started exchange company.

Wow you hate RCI which we almost all like, but somehow feel good about defending DVN in numerous posts. NOBODY BUT YOU thinks DVN is a worthwhile exchange company. Your credibility has been hurt by the never ending RCI bashing. Anything you say about RCI whether true or not is simply written off as hatred.

Now you are further diminishing your credibility by ENDORSING and DEFENDING what everyone but you feels is a scam. It is amazing that you can endlessly malign RCI where millions of successful exchanges have occurred yet now defend and recommend Donita and DVN where no one you know (including yourself) has ever made a single successful exchange.

I would probably be inclined to give her one of my summer UK weeks that I had been planning to give to UKRE to try them out.

When she says she can source weeks you need, she means it.

Carolinian put your money where your mouth is and pay the $9000 for this great company and for Donita's access to great inventory. Please update us on your trades and how they could possibly be worth a $9000 fee.

You defend Donita and DVN and say they don't charge $9000. Read this thread where a newbie paid $9000 (they rescinded) and where a company rep confirmed it. http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150840

The OP said that they paid a $9000 fee (later reduced to under $7000). A DVN representative responded: "It is not a conversion fee, rather an enrollment fee into the Dream Vacation Network." The DVN rep did not refute the $9000 fee, they simply called it by a different name. I don't care what they call a $9000 fee, I call it a rip off.

Jarta pointed out something that should cause anyone considering joining DVN great concern. If a group of Summer Bay people are trying the same thing they did before, the DVN future looks bleak:

The Executive team for Vacation Business Services: https://sites.google.com/a/vacationbizservices.com/www/our-company/our-staff

These are the remnants of the Summer Bay crew. Same RCI MO. http://www.timeshareforums.com/foru...eriences-timeshares/84947-rci-summer-bay.html

Google "Summer Bay fraud" and see what comes up.

I think DeniseM has given you great advice. ... eom

Carolinian we will stick with the tried and true RCI and II exchange programs. You feel free to join with Donita and DVN paying huge money for a new, untried , unproven company. Let us know how it is working from time to time.

You tell all that will listen to cancel their RCI membership and not exchange with RCI even though you have not made a single RCI exchange under the new weeks program. No personal experience but yet you feel like you know more than people who have made 10 or 20 successful exchanges under the new program. You hate the points values assigned to weeks calling them TPU " points lite" even though you have never deposited a single week,

How about for a change you give your exchange company advice based on your own personal experiences? Before you tell everyone that Donita and DVN have value, why not show the courage of your convictions and go ahead and join DVN? After you have been a DVN member for a while you can give an honest review on how the company operates from your own PERSONAL EXPERIENCE rather than just how you feel it operates. For all you know DVN might operate using DVU "points lite".....................

 

[Numismatist]

Bump (to increase the Google rankings of this thread associated with DVN and Donita)...:hysterical:

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Interesting, Steve.

So in all of your longstanding disparaging of RCI and promoting of DAE, you now acknowledge that you've actually had a business relationship with DAE. You know, if I were a cynical man I might even ponder that perhaps you've been shilling for DAE all of these years.

Of course, the reference is to DONITA working as a consultant for them, not me! My, how, you can sometimes try to turn things around!

I wasn't trying to twist your words. In the last clause of the sentence the antecedent is ambiguous. The sentence can easily be read to mean that you were saying that you got to know Donita when she was running the DAE North America office and then you went to work for DAE as a consultant. That's certainly the more likely interpretation when one knows from previous correspondence that Donita was an employee of DAE, thereby making it unlikely that she would be the one who had a consulting relationship. And lest you think that's crazy, I also corresponded with some other people who saw the post and read it the exact same way that I did.

So thank you for clarifying the situation. I wasn't trying to twist your words; I was in fact interpreting them very straightforwardly and directly.

I apologize for mischaracterizing the relationship. I also accept your apology for being less than clear in your post.

 

[Ridewithme38]

Ok heres my thoughts...Donita seems to offer personalized services from someone who truely knows the locations...For new timesharers, this maybe a great thing...I know, i haven't vacationed much before these last two years...so when trying to decide where to go and when....I've had no idea, calling RCI doesn't help, because the 'vacation reps' don't really know the areas either

If i called up Donita and said, 'i want to take a vacation between Novemeber 23th -November 30th, I need something with an impressive night life, some place for a single guy in his 30's, but i'm not really into skiing, and if possible i'd like to avoid the expensive of flying' she'd be able to suggest a handful of places she liked, that would fit my idea of a good time....If i call any of the large Exchange companies, they'll have no idea what to tell me...Now my impression that Donita would know where to recommend is from what i've read in previous threads about her...i don't have any personal experience

Now, is this service worth $9000...IMO no, i wouldn't pay that, My car's not even worth $9000 and i use it every single day....but $995 for a lifetime membership, MIGHT be worth it...

 

[tombo]

Now, is this service worth $9000...IMO no, i wouldn't pay that, My car's not even worth $9000 and i use it every single day....but $995 for a lifetime membership, MIGHT be worth it...

The lifetime membership is not for your lifetime, it is for the lifetime of DVN. With fees of $9000 or even $995 I doubt that DVN has a long life expectancy.

You need advice, cheap air fares, cheap rooms, google it for free. Free advice, free comparison shopping, free everything. TUG is free for guests. Finding people willing to pay for what they can get for free is a tall order and a poor business model doomed to fail IMO.

Redweek had money,a long term timeshare business, a good name, and many members when they entered the exchange business. They couldn't make it work and have called it quits.

DVN is a new company with ZERO track record, zero existing members, and who knows how much (if any) cash they have to operate on while they attempt to start up this brand new travel company. I doubt they will see a one year anniversary. I would not give them one of my weeks if they would let me join for free.

 

[heathpack]

I am a little surprised by the ferocity of the responses on this thread and it really seems like some things that this Donita person has said are getting twisted.

She commented on another thread that she is familiar with some other company who charges $9000 to join and she would recommend them. She never said that she charges $9000 to join her service. Ok, it is suspect if she'd recommend a service that costs $9000, but that is not the same thing as her service costing $9000.

We are also jumping all over this lady who has told us her website is still a work in process. This all started when a TUGger said they'd gotten an email the Donita was back in business. She did not start the thread, but jumped in to say she was back. Yes, maybe she should have had her website done and all her ducks in a row before she did this, but that does not make her a scammer.

Yes, she made some very silly remarks about libel on the other thread, I am not impressed by that. But now TUGgers seem like they are trying to disparage her and ruin her new endeavor before it even starts (bumping this thread to make it more likely to come up in Google searches, so people "out there" can read the rush to judgement that has occurred on TUG).

I will bet this lady will not be able to offer me anything of value and I will not use her new service. But I would like to know what the service is, especially since she was well-respected here on TUG before my time. You all are running her off TUG and I really wish you wouldn't, not without more information at least.

How about people back off until we learn more, actually give those of us who might want to hear what Donita has to offer a chance to hear it?

Just my personal opinion.

H

 

[Numismatist]

Part of the issue is the veiled threats of slander and libel, the other part of it is the not-so-veiled and frankly blatant advertising she's trying to do.

I can't speak to the whole $9,000 issue as I haven't looked into that part.

So, (1) as a member or a potential company representative, don't threaten, and (2) TUGs basic stance towards 'salespeople' is well established; therefore, what would one expect when one comes in and tries to 'sell' in a thread on TUG? Clearly, she does not seem to be acting as a member but more of a salesperson. I, for one, come here for a respite from the sales crap.

 

[Carolinian]

It really amazes me how we have a small group short and medium term members here who want to be a lynch mob for any independent exchange company. The gross distortions in tying DVU (Donita's Vacations Unlimited) to this other company DVN (Dream Vacations Network) belonging to someone else are really over the top. I wonder if some of them ever get tired of brownnosing RCI?

 

[Carolinian]

Maybe the appropriate thing would be for TUG to offer her an ''Ask DVU'' board like they have for other independent exchange companies? She doesn't seem to have done anything that any of those companies haven't done on their boards.

Part of the issue is the veiled threats of slander and libel, the other part of it is the not-so-veiled and frankly blatant advertising she's trying to do.

I can't speak to the whole $9,000 issue as I haven't looked into that part.

So, (1) as a member or a potential company representative, don't threaten, and (2) TUGs basic stance towards 'salespeople' is well established; therefore, what would one expect when one comes in and tries to 'sell' in a thread on TUG? Clearly, she does not seem to be acting as a member but more of a salesperson. I, for one, come here for a respite from the sales crap.

 

[tombo]

It really amazes me how we have a small group short and medium term members here who want to be a lynch mob for any independent exchange company. The gross distortions in tying DVU (Donita's Vacations Unlimited) to this other company DVN (Dream Vacations Network) belonging to someone else are really over the top. I wonder if some of them ever get tired of brownnosing RCI?

Donita IS ASSOCIATED WITH DVN. As you like to say , get your facts straight!

Here is Donita's first 2 posts on the thread discussing a $9000 fee charged to a guest by DVN. Tuugers were telling the guest it was a rip-off and a scam when Donita jumped in defending DVN. These are her words, not ours. Donita tied herself to DVN by her own posts. I feel 100% sure she is involved with DVN from her posts. I have been to sales presentations where the timeshare salesman was less defensive of their company.

PS After Donita's glowing endorsment are you going to join DVN? It amazes me that you are still a member of RCI which you hate but didn't join DVN based on Donita's rec and the fact that you quickly defended it. If it sounds good, join.

Not only have I heard of Dream Vacation Network, but I fully support it. This is the most complete travel program I have ever seen and it blew me away the first time I was made aware of DVN.

It gives real value to timeshare ownership. It is a totally honest program and is refreshing for timeshare.

Have a great day

Donita

Is one supposed to believe she is not involved yet she has to post that it blew her away, that it gives real value, that it is refreshing and honest? She is without a doubt working with/for/and or owns part of DVN.

First of all, I have been in the timeshare industry since late 1979 and have many, many members that have worked with me over the years. I have build my business by word of mouth as I believe in service first. I have seen the good the bad and the ugly--I have cleaned up after them. I would not tell you a program was good if I had not seen and checked it out. I have worked hard over the years to keep the dream alive for timeshare owners and in building a First Class Reputation in this industry. I truly believe that Dream Vacation Network is the best program to come down the pike in all the years I have been in the industry. I stand by this statement.

One of these days I will write my book and believe me I know where all of the bodies are buried.

I also think that people should be careful of the language they use on the internet as there is such a thing as slander and libel.

Have a nice evening

Donita

DVN is the best she has EVER SEEN? In all of her years this upstart company is the best ever? And we are supposed to believe she has nothing to do with the company? She threatens libel and slander to the detractors. Sounds like someone with no ties to DVN all right.

Denise

That is a question that I would not be able to answer as I am not in sales. It is question that should be asked of the people at Dream Vacation Network. I have only seen the value and not asked about sales. I am not a principal in DVN.


Donita

She says she is not in sales and not a principle. The simple thing to do would be to say I have nothing to do with DVN. She did not say that because.........

 

[Margariet]

The whole thing is hysterical ridiculous and funny to me. A person called Donita or a TS exchange company makes one of the most unprofessional websites I've ever seen. Tells us how much membership and fees cost, and boy, do they cost a lot! But here comes the ridiculous part: she/he/it has nothing to offer ! No exhanges, no weeks, no iventory, nothing! And we have to defend her? Please, we can all be kind and civilized but like I said: do come back when you have a decent website and a decent product. With RCI and II we know what we've got. There are lots of members and lots of weeks. Why the hell would we pay to an unknown person or company called Donita or Dream Vacations or whatever when they have nothing to offer? I've checked this DV company out which even has the most high fees I've ever seen but that doesn't look trusthworthy and professional at all. It's a shame and I cant't understand why therre are people here who defend these so called exchange companies. I don't care at all if this Donita person was so good at her job. We alle have our Donita's working in all sorts of companies or branches but that doesn't make them a good TS or travelcompany! Looks like some people are in desperate need of money.

 

[heathpack]

Part of the issue is the veiled threats of slander and libel, the other part of it is the not-so-veiled and frankly blatant advertising she's trying to do.

I can't speak to the whole $9,000 issue as I haven't looked into that part.

So, (1) as a member or a potential company representative, don't threaten, and (2) TUGs basic stance towards 'salespeople' is well established; therefore, what would one expect when one comes in and tries to 'sell' in a thread on TUG? Clearly, she does not seem to be acting as a member but more of a salesperson. I, for one, come here for a respite from the sales crap.

Ok, she says she is working with the Dream Vacation Network, I think most of us agree that it seems very unlikely that will be worth anything remotely arrpoaching the value they charge for their enrollment fee. Scam? Maybe. Overpriced bad value, almost certainly? Totally fine for TUGgers to make that judgement and suspect Donita's judgement for endorsing them.

I thought the libel comment was ill-advised, but I did not find it threatening, or if a threat, completely hollow. It's simply absurd to state that people can't criticize an over-priced (possible scam) service. Ok, another negative for Donita.

Selling services? She put a link to her website and said to call her. She's not supposed to do that, she should read the rules before she posted. The link has been removed and she has not been back. That problem has been solved, yes another negative mark.

But what if, after seeing these negatives and fully understanding them, I as a TUG member look also at the fact that others have respected her in the past and therefore I still want to know what the service will be? I totally get it that you do not, but you could just not read the posts on this subject. Or you could jump in an comment on the negatives.

All I am saying is that your (and others') determination to drive her off denies me the ability to hear what she says. I will likely have to go to the other TS forum to get that now and I like it here better. So I respect your position, but if you could tone it down, maybe I could get what I need and you could get what you need.

Again, just my perspective. I don't necessarily disagree with your conclusions, just with the way you are going about things. I'd rather be able to hear and learn over shutting her down before we know much of anything.

H

 

[heathpack]

And we have to defend her? QUOTE]

No one suggested you defend her. Just let her speak, critique what she actually says.

It is my impression that the model will be: Donita is well-connected, you need a hard-to-get week or a week you can't obtain by other means, she has methods of getting that week based on her connections. I might find that useful someday- say I want a Hapimag resort and I can't get that through II or a private TUG exchange or by getting my cousin to book me an RCI week. Maybe Donita can get if for me, that would be useful and I might pay $200 for the service, if that was the most cost-effective way to obtain the week.

Yes, her website is bad. The whole thing is confusing. She says no fee to join, the website lists a fee. What the heck? Maybe, though, there is nothing malignant here, just disorganization, giving us access to her website before she has really decided on all the particulars of her business model.

Totally agree it is fair to say: get your act together, come back when you have it together, we'd all love to hear what you have to say. But saying her service is worthless, she has no weeks-- well, maybe she won't be holding any inventory, maybe you tell her what you want and she goes out and looks for it. I just wish I would have the chance to learn what the model will be and THEN we can judge it.

H

 

[Numismatist]

Ok, she says she is working with the Dream Vacation Network, I think most of us agree that it seems very unlikely that will be worth anything remotely arrpoaching the value they charge for their enrollment fee. Scam? Maybe. Overpriced bad value, almost certainly? Totally fine for TUGgers to make that judgement and suspect Donita's judgement for endorsing them.

I thought the libel comment was ill-advised, but I did not find it threatening, or if a threat, completely hollow. It's simply absurd to state that people can't criticize an over-priced (possible scam) service. Ok, another negative for Donita.

Selling services? She put a link to her website and said to call her. She's not supposed to do that, she should read the rules before she posted. The link has been removed and she has not been back. That problem has been solved, yes another negative mark.

But what if, after seeing these negatives and fully understanding them, I as a TUG member look also at the fact that others have respected her in the past and therefore I still want to know what the service will be? I totally get it that you do not, but you could just not read the posts on this subject. Or you could jump in an comment on the negatives.

All I am saying is that your (and others') determination to drive her off denies me the ability to hear what she says. I will likely have to go to the other TS forum to get that now and I like it here better. So I respect your position, but if you could tone it down, maybe I could get what I need and you could get what you need.

Again, just my perspective. I don't necessarily disagree with your conclusions, just with the way you are going about things. I'd rather be able to hear and learn over shutting her down before we know much of anything.

H

OK, but I'm not a moderator and I can't shut her down. I can only state how I feel about it, just as others state they feel positively about her. Democracy in action. It's good to her both sides, just like when you read Tripadvisor comments about a resort, there are good ones and ones that did not like the resort.

Here you have good comments about this and comments not so good. Then you get to decide for yourself. It's a forum, that's how it works.

You take issue with how I'm going about things, I'm merely taking issue with how Donita is going about things.

She presented herself in a certain fashion, and is being greeted with the result of that fashion. Had she presented herself differently, she may have received a different result. TUG exists because of so much skepticism about the timeshare industry, it is through this lens that we all see things. Her posts have not done anything to alleviate my skepticism.

 

[tombo]

And we have to defend her? QUOTE]


Yes, her website is bad. The whole thing is confusing. She says no fee to join, the website lists a fee. What the heck? Maybe, though, there is nothing malignant here, just disorganization, giving us access to her website before she has really decided on all the particulars of her business model.

Totally agree it is fair to say: get your act together, come back when you have it together, we'd all love to hear what you have to say. But saying her service is worthless, she has no weeks-- well, maybe she won't be holding any inventory, maybe you tell her what you want and she goes out and looks for it. I just wish I would have the chance to learn what the model will be and THEN we can judge it.

H

She had 2 years where she was according to her in a non compete. That is the web site she came up with after 2 years? Not impressed.

 

[Carolinian]

Donita's years in timesharing with her own company, Donita's Vacations Unlimited, and then in what was originally a joint venture called Donita's Dial an Exchange, and then as a consultant to DAE North America, is where most longtime Tuggers know her from. Scroll back on the Ask DAE board and look at the positive references to Donita there, for example. Now we have some short to medium term members who were either not active on TUG when Donita was active in exchanging or had only a very brief overlap, who want to jump down her throat over a seperate company that she obviously had some unknown relationship with during her covenant to not compete period. That is not the company that she is using for her exchange services but some want to distort the situation and make it appear that it is. Part of the little band of RCI cheerleaders seems to be in the thick of it.

This Dream Vacation Network is not something I would ever join or recommend anyone else to join, but I am well aware of Donita's past work in exchanging and the value she can offer. Donitas Vacations Unlimited is a different critter altogether. The longtimers at TUG know Donita's character and abilities even if a few short and medium timers want to barbeque her for whatever reason.