Questions to ask in the 90 Minute grilling.

[AwayWeGo]

Preparation Pays Off.

Now from all of these comments, I might just have to stand in front of a mirror and practice some of the lines you all gave me.
Or, just cross my arms, look at the floor and don't say anything.
2 trains of thought and I like them both.
Now I just have to see which one I like best.

Getting happier by the minute

Shux, you'll be so well prepared & so finely rehearsed that you're apt to feel a sense of disappointment if the high-pressure timeshare sellers let you off too easy.

Go get'm !

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

 

[AwayWeGo]

5 Nights + 4 Days.

I just signed up to quickly for the 5 nights and 4 days at the resort.

I mentioned that 5-night & 4-day timeshare promotion to The Chief Of Staff just now -- & she's interested.

Where can I sign us up for that ?

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

 

[Lawlar]

Act Poor

We attended a Marriott presentation in June (never again) that was supposed to last 90 minutes ("This is Marriott so there will be no pressure").

I told the sales rep and the closer up front that we had no interest in buying a TS because we had discovered that we can rent Marriott TSs through II for substantially less than the yearly MFs. I even told them about our upcoming trip to Timber Lodge for $299 for a week.

We showed no interest in any of the offers they threw at us. Nonetheless, they kept at us for 2 1/2 hours (they even left us to sit alone in the room for 20 minutes).

I think they felt that we could afford to buy because we had spent a fortune buying (foolishly) at MOC and because we live in Santa Barbara (not by the beach, unfortunately). The sales team refused to let go of us because we were prime targets.

Next time (there won't be a next time) we'll start off by telling them that we live in an RV trailer and that we are living on food stamps. (No disrepect meant to those who live in RVs - my dad did it).

 

[janapur]

Be careful at the Mayan Palace. Upon our initial interview, our salesperson said we didn't "qualify." Huh?? I'm sure she just didn't want to waste her time on savvy resale owners. However, we had to get her manager to agree that we were invited and just as qualified as any other guest. She hated us, so I just tried to kill her with kindness. That was by far our most uncomfortable presentation. At the end she said "I told you that you didn't qualify" and I asked why, wasn't our money good enough? My husband added that perhaps we were not gullible enough. She replied that we didn't come with an open mind.

Jana

 

[Zac495]

Be careful at the Mayan Palace. Upon our initial interview, our salesperson said we didn't "qualify." Huh?? I'm sure she just didn't want to waste her time on savvy resale owners. However, we had to get her manager to agree that we were invited and just as qualified as any other guest. She hated us, so I just tried to kill her with kindness. That was by far our most uncomfortable presentation. At the end she said "I told you that you didn't qualify" and I asked why, wasn't our money good enough? My husband added that perhaps we were not gullible enough. She replied that we didn't come with an open mind.

Jana

Jana,
That's "interesting." Was she trying to make you pay full price for a pre-paid trip?

 

[Lazy8]

Sorry,
It was late last night and I took a guess at it the days. It's really is 6 days and 5 nights.
As you said the check in day and the last day don't really count.
They scribled on there the days and nights as it is not a regular days and nights combo, also they told me that I have to get it now as they are going to jack up the price $100 for that deal.

How did you swing that? Usually it's more like 5 days & 4 nights. And your 1st & 5th "days" are partial -- what's left of the day after you check in when you get there & the small part of the day you get before check-out on the day you leave.

 

[AwayWeGo]

What Timeshare ?

Sorry,
I was late last night and I took a guess at it. It really is 6 days and 5 nights.
As you said the check in day and the last day don't really count.
They scribled on there the days and nights as it is not a regular days and nights combo, also they told me that I have to get it now as they are going to jack up the price $100 for that deal.

The Chief Of Staff would still like to know where it is & how to sign up for that promotional deal.

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

 

[Lazy8]

We bought it through CI.

http://www.clubintrawest.com/

The Chief Of Staff would still like to know where it is & how to sign up for that promotional deal.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Whoa! We're Signed Up For An IntraWest Timeshare Exchange Already !

We bought it through CI.

http://www.clubintrawest.com/

Well, shux, we'll just have to see whether the Club IntraWest folks offer us any freebies for subjecting ourselves to a sales pitch when we're at Club IntraWest Sandestin (Florida Panhandle) January 11-18, 2009.

We snagged that reservation via straight RCI week-for-week exchange, using our far-off standard-grade overseas timeshare as trade bait.

It'll be our 1st time at a Club IntraWest timeshare -- also our 1st visit to the Redneck Riviera.

Club IntraWest Sandestin got rave reviews on TUG & on the RCI web site, so we were pleased we got the exchange.

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

 

[Lazy8]

It'll be our 1st time at a Club IntraWest timeshare -- also our 1st visit to the Redneck Riviera.

Sounds like fun, let the group know what it's like when you come back, I have a year to use the discovery package, so I may not use it before January 09.
Hope you pick up one of them also, then head up to Whistler in Sept 09.
It's just beautiful up there right now.

Also can you tell me where to search on here for the reviews on the Red Neck Riviera Village.

 

[Lazy8]

Be careful at the Mayan Palace.
Jana

We attended a Marriott presentation in June (never again)

Nightmares,Nightmares, arn't there any warm and cuddly stories on attending these presentations. Do they at least serve kool-aid.

On a second thought, should I drink it!

 

[x3 skier]

It'll be our 1st time at a Club IntraWest timeshare -- also our 1st visit to the Redneck Riviera.

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

Be advised that there are a number of VERY LARGE outlet malls in that area around Sandestin, Panama City, etc.

Cheers

 

[tombo]

Well, shux, we'll just have to see whether the Club IntraWest folks offer us any freebies for subjecting ourselves to a sales pitch when we're at Club IntraWest Sandestin (Florida Panhandle) January 11-18, 2009.

We snagged that reservation via straight RCI week-for-week exchange, using our far-off standard-grade overseas timeshare as trade bait.

It'll be our 1st time at a Club IntraWest timeshare -- also our 1st visit to the Redneck Riviera.

Club IntraWest Sandestin got rave reviews on TUG & on the RCI web site, so we were pleased we got the exchange.

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

The sandestin resort has fantastic golf courses, great bike trails, and the softest whitest sand I have ever seen. You will love the Destin area and the Intrawest resort. The Baytown Wharf (http://www.baytownewharf.com/shops_and_dining.htm ) has restaurants and bars that stay open until 4 am in the peak seasons. There is a free shuttle bus to carry you through te whole Sandestin Resort so you can navigate if you decide to drink a few. The only downside to the Intrawest resort is that it is on the Bay Side, but still a great view if you get a room overlooking the bay.

If you have a car make the short drive to the town Seaside. This is where they filmed The Truman Show. The whole seaside town is gorgeous and painted in pastels. This is another great place to ride a bike.

Drive to Destin and there are many wonderful seafood restaurants. There are the chains which are good like Fudpuckers and Joe's Crab Shack, but I love the "Back Porch" which is directly on the beach with great seafood, and AJ's which is on the water where the fishing ships dock and has fantastic seafood. We went deep sea fishing on the Swoop (leaves port by AJ's) last summer and caught a lot o fish. When you return to the dock the crew cleans your fish for you. We put most of our filets in our cooler ,but we took some to AJ's and they cooked our freshly caught and cleaned Grouper to order. You can't get any fresher fish than that. Then there is the day long misery of shopping at the outlet malls. I feel sure you will want to come back to the "Redneck Riviera" again, and you would especially like it if you visit in the summer when you can swim in the Gulf. Eat some grits with butter for breakfast before you go home.

 

[Malibu Sky]

I think they felt that we could afford to buy because we had spent a fortune buying (foolishly) at MOC and because we live in Santa Barbara (not by the beach, unfortunately). The sales team refused to let go of us because we were prime targets.

Next time (there won't be a next time) we'll start off by telling them that we live in an RV trailer and that we are living on food stamps. (No disrepect meant to those who live in RVs - my dad did it).

We have the same problem...being from Malibu people think we have $$....but we do the exact opposite...we tell the lovely T/S salespeople (no matter where we are) that their timeshare is not nice enough for usfor us...that we are use to full service luxury 5* hotels, with room service (who wants to cook on vacation, I want breakfast in bed)...they really do not know how to react to that one..and we are out of there!! Haven't tried this a a Four Seasons yet..that may be a problem lol :rofl:

 

[GeNioS]

I'm sure this has been brought up an infinte number of times but any "free gift for timeshare presentation" thread title should be changed to "How to get the free gift in the quickest possible way."

The free gifts are there to entice potential customers to be there. If you want the free gift, you should be prepared for a high-pressure, intense sales pitch. And you should expect no apology for it. Especially if you're reading this before you ever go. You knew what the snake was before you picked it up.

If you are genuinely interested in asking questions and don't want to get grilled, let them know that you do not want the free gift and aren't interested in a sales pitch. You'll get your questions answered quickly and be out of there in minutes.

P.S. I don't understand the hositility towards salespeople. Statements like "How do you sleep at night?" I'm in sales and we sleep very well. You wouldn't have been able to buy your timeshare resale without an actual salesman selling it in the firstplace anyway. And believe me, the difference in price between your resale and the original is, without a doubt, the salesperson.

 

[Talent312]

.... I don't understand the hositility towards salespeople. Statements like "How do you sleep at night?" I'm in sales and we sleep very well. You wouldn't have been able to buy your timeshare resale without an actual salesman selling it in the first place anyway...

If you are a fair dealer who explains your product and answers questions, without trying to bamboozle your customer like a snake-oil salesman, then kudos to you. I have a great deal of respect for sales folk who do not misrepresent their products or deliberately mislead people into thinking that they are getting more for their money than their product could possibly be worth.

If TS salesmen were willing to be honest about their product, avoided high-pressure tactics and the developers not so god-awful greedy, you would not get this attitude. If the product sold itself, they would not have to resort to the playbook which tells them to manipulate and deceive their marks into looking stupid for not buying their absurdly-priced products. They try to bluff us into believing that iron can be turned into gold, when in reality, the sparkly stuff is merely fools gold.

There's a used-car lot in my town where I actually enjoy shopping. Why? Because the sales people don't put the squeeze on you. They offer up a CarFAX printout and act like its up to the customer to decide if he wants the product, almost like at Home Depot. Imagine that!

 

[gmarine]

We attended a Marriott presentation in June (never again) that was supposed to last 90 minutes ("This is Marriott so there will be no pressure").

I told the sales rep and the closer up front that we had no interest in buying a TS because we had discovered that we can rent Marriott TSs through II for substantially less than the yearly MFs. I even told them about our upcoming trip to Timber Lodge for $299 for a week.

We showed no interest in any of the offers they threw at us. Nonetheless, they kept at us for 2 1/2 hours (they even left us to sit alone in the room for 20 minutes).

I think they felt that we could afford to buy because we had spent a fortune buying (foolishly) at MOC and because we live in Santa Barbara (not by the beach, unfortunately). The sales team refused to let go of us because we were prime targets.

Next time (there won't be a next time) we'll start off by telling them that we live in an RV trailer and that we are living on food stamps. (No disrepect meant to those who live in RVs - my dad did it).

You should have told the manager that you agreed to a 90 minute presentation in exchange for a gift and since you have been there 90 minutes you would now like your gift so you can leave.

And if they refuse the gift at that time make it clear that you will let every person in the sales office know and at the resort what to expect. Then escalate it to speak to the GM of the resort. Get loud with prospective owners around and watch how fast they get you that gift and out the door.

 

[GeNioS]

I have a great deal of respect for sales folk who do not misrepresent their products or deliberately mislead people into thinking that they are getting more for their money than their product could possibly be worth.

Fair enough....I imagine that would be very difficult for any retail timeshare salesperson to truly justify the high cost at the end of the day.

 

[judgerey]

5. Does your mother know what you do for a living?

Answer - Of course she does. I sold her three weeks at retail prices. Now she won't talk to me. :hysterical:

 

[Lazy8]

Well, we finally decided and where going to pick Palm Desert to attend this grilling.
Does anyone have any tips on what to do down there for 6 days and 5 nights.
We are not much of golfers, but like to site see though.

 

[Rent_Share]

Nice Place

It's about golf, tennis high end shopping lounging at the pool Indian Casinos etc

Just make sure it's not in the low season May through October - temperatures 100 + Once you get to October it is in season through the end of March

 

[carl2591]

90 min grilling qestions or answers

I am my wife have done a couple TS tour, one at massnutten several years ago to get Mass Bucks.. and the other in orlando at Wyndham resort of hwy 192 to get Arabian nights tickets for the 4 of us.

At mass I told the guy up front we owned several timeshare in South Africa and my MF was, at the time due to rand at low rates, on the order of 140 to 160 bucks a year.. and that I was staying in one of there Gold Crown Summit units using that as my exhange.. Same with the orlando tour.. kinda hard to for the sales person to get excited to sell someone that has MF lower that it cost to stay in a crappy motel in the area....


At mass due to reading the TUG boards we knew to rebuff the first TS tour offers of 50.00 and hold out for more.. we got 125.00 total because we waited for 2 days before answering the phone from the sales dept.. I told them I was not going to tour for less than 125 bucks.. they agreed and we toured...

have a good time and remember Nancy Ragen,,, Just Say NO,,,,,

 

[pammex]

This was a great post with great responses so pretty much can't add anything...

Awaytogo...Thanks for sharing your stories and such I found ti very interesting.

I too, say show very little interest, do the body language and act very bored most times....hubby and I sometimes play off each other if we really like resort so want info, cause we'll look for a resale later. One asks questions, the other is like, why are you asking that, we are not buying etc...

Almost any objection you come up with they will have an answer...so the only answer if you are not buying is NO.....

Good luck...we have gained lots of info at timeshare presentations and well we take none of it personally and go with the flow...we usually get some laughs after the fact..but remember it is no doubt work , but you are being compensated for it, so ......go with the flow, ask no questions, not interested..the answer is no and your time is up...I have to go, now I would like my gifts....

 

[NYC]

Question regard Hilton Hawaiin Village Resort

I just found this website and find it very interesting. I am on vacation now at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort near Waikiki and went to a sales presentation for the new Lagoon Tower. I have never done anything like this before and actually purchased a two-bedroom ocean view with 5,800 points. I have seven days to void the contract, and based on what I read, I should not buy from the developer? Is that correct? If everyone on this website owns a timeshare, and everyone is against purchasing one from the developer, then did everyone buy theirs on the resale market? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[clsmit]

I just found this website and find it very interesting. I am on vacation now at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort near Waikiki and went to a sales presentation for the new Lagoon Tower. I have never done anything like this before and actually purchased a two-bedroom ocean view with 5,800 points. I have seven days to void the contract, and based on what I read, I should not buy from the developer? Is that correct? If everyone on this website owns a timeshare, and everyone is against purchasing one from the developer, then did everyone buy theirs on the resale market? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Welcome!!!
Your probably want to rescind the contract, take some time, and figure out what you really want/need. Follow the rescision directions in the contract exactly. Purchasing from a developer may be what you eventually want, but make a full, informed decision when you do it. There's lots of info here on how to look for what you want from a timeshare. Read and ask questions and you'll probably be happier in the end.