Owner updates?

[Bxian]

Does HGVC give owners any incentives (such as a Disney ticket or two) to attend an owner update at a property which is not the HGVC owner's home resort? We have back to back reservations coming up at Miami-South Beach and in Orlando (Tuscany). If so, (1) what are the incentives; (2) how to I arrange for the update; (3) how long and painful is the meeting (like a good Tugger, I bought resale)?

 

[linsj]

I got a letter in the mail last year for 3 nights in a 1-bedroom in Orlando at I-Drive (I do own there), two Disney tickets (and was able to buy 2 more at buy 1, get 1 free while I was there plus other ticket specials), and 20,000 Honors points for $199, I think. The meeting was painless, less than an hour; it only went that long because I was curious about what they would offer to consolidate my deeds. I was driven to the new Ruby Lake property.

You might try calling and asking what owner updates are currently available.

 

[Talent312]

Does HGVC give owners any incentives (such as a Disney ticket or two) to attend an owner update at a property which is not the HGVC owner's home resort? We have back to back reservations coming up at Miami-South Beach and in Orlando (Tuscany). If so, (1) what are the incentives; (2) how to I arrange for the update; (3) how long and painful is the meeting (like a good Tugger, I bought resale)?

I'm told that HGVC'ers are eligible to attend "updates" once every six months. We were roped into one last Fall in Orlando for 10K HHonors points. These are ill-disguised sales presentations and I have no plans to repeat the experience anytime soon.

They use the same sales tactics that they do with newbies, i.e. throwing deals at you that are "too good to refuse" and you cannot leave until visited by the floor manager. Some here have proven techniques for getting thru these quickly. Mine was simply to wait them out. All told, it took about 2 1/2 hours. We went with the attitude that we had all day, nowhere to go... and no money to spend.

 

[Bxian]

We're already booked to stay at the Tuscany property, so I don't need the inexpensive stay. I guess that it may be worth a phone call to see if they are offering Disney tickets. 10,000 points is not enough of an incentive for me if that is all they are offering. We're going to Orlando for the first time without our college student kids, and while I want to get to see my buddy Mickey, we won't have the "all Disney, all the time" pressure that we had when the kids were younger. Of course, they're mad that we are going to visit Mickey without them .

 

[ricoba]

I don't know about the sales force in Orlando, but I do know what I have experienced in Vegas on an Owners Update.

We found the last couple updates to be hard sell sales presentations, just like I was some newbie off the street. We first met the salesperson, then after "No" we were introduced to the manager, again another "No" and then we met a closer offering VIP...

We probably won't go to another one.

 

[dougp26364]

The last owners update we attended will be the LAST owners update we attend.

To start with, the "incentives" for attending weren't worth the effort to pick them up. They were mostly discounts off shows that I could find without the pain of going through a sales presentation. We went because we had a few questions about our ownership and we wanted to be updated on enhancements and the construction schedule of our resort (we own at the LV Strip location). We also had some mild interest in upgrading our points to a penthouse unit but, they said they weren't allowing "upgrades" anymore and went on to attempt to sell us 9,000 more points that we didn't want or need.

Instead of a low key update with sales presentation, we were treated to the full court press, just like we'd walked in off the street. This was complete with the trial membership close from the manager (trail membership? We are already owners).

In the end we turned down the "free" gifts as there wasn't anything we really wanted. I'm not sure the grill at the gifting desk knew quite how to react when I told her we didn't want anything and turned down her offer for a couple of buffets at the Flamingo (been there, done that).

Maybe different sites handle owners updates differently but, based on our last experience at our home resort, we don't ever plan on attending one again.

 

[danb]

Presentations at Seaworld

We just got back from a stay at Seaworld and we did go to a presentation. It wasn't hard sell if you don't let it, the offers they made were not worth it and the cost were very high.
They did give us $100 towards the cost the cost of tickets to a number of things but we chose to use them towards Disney.
I don't think I will do it again, you wast a half day and the offers are very poor. After being a Tug member you look at these things differently.