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Wyndham Club Access to Trave and Leisure switch

It really is frustrating and blatant lying. I don't know the number of times I've been told by sales reps that I MUST own in each and every one of the ownership categories or else you won't be able to even see the availability, let alone book, for that specific category. Yet another rep will tell me I need to consolidate my CWS & CWA contracts into one ownership category contract, which blows up the argument that you have to own in a category to see availability and book that category. They've also told me, because I have multiple smaller points contracts, that I won't be able to see or book a stay that requires more points than a single contract of mine will cover by itself, which I know I can do because I've done it multiple times. I've even combined resale and developer points to book a stay. And yes, I too have been told that if I would only buy more points, I would see a lot more available units to book. Another lie, because I've experienced the web site showing availability, but when I try to book it, I can't because I don't have enough points available to book it. My experience has been, if there is availability of units, they will show as available, ability to book an available unit is dependent upon if you have sufficient points to book it and it's within your booking priority window.
Yep, we've experienced every one of these sales ploys firsthand at one time or another over the years. We own CWA, PIC Plus, and a large CWS resale contract, are legacy VIPG (formerly VIPP for the first two years due a bonus contract that expired), so we a "hybrid" owner. I've heard it all over the years. Consolidate, add, combine our two CWA developer contracts into one, convert entirely to either CWA or CWS, PIC Plus contracts will eventually expire or be removed from our account for one reason or another, etc. It's all sales ploys designed to sell more product at any cost. On a couple of occasions an unsuspecting sales rep that doesn't actually own the product will take me up on comparing my own ownership to their VIPF/PR account that they use for demos. When I show them that we see the exact same inventory when doing searches, except for PR inventory in some cases (and even then, it's often the same), they have no explanation. It's funny to see the look on their faces when they realize that the whole "reservation priority" mantra is a lie. ;) :D
 
Where has this amazing information been housed until now?
It's been known for a while, it's just not brought up that often IME. I just created a FAQ item for this now.
 
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Had similar experience and feeling very embarrassed I almost fell for the lies.
 
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This just happened to me at Bonnet Creek.

We’re on the “Do Not Sell” list, and my husband usually checks in because I can’t stand the sales harassment. This time I got stuck checking in because our son had to use the bathroom and my husband took him.

While I was at the counter, the guy handing out pool bands told me we had to go to an update because the Club Wyndham website was changing to T&L. Similar to the transition from Fairfield to Wyndham—and that we needed to get our new login information for the updated system. Then he placed a $40 hold on my credit card to “reserve our tour.”

When we showed up for the appointment, the woman there asked why we were sent through Customer Service instead of Sales, and why we were even there. I told her, “I don’t know—you tell me. We were told we had to come.” Then she sent us to the presentation while she looked up our account.

Afterward, a different guy who was "from Travel & Leisure" sat us down and then said he had to look up our Travel & Leisure account—something I thought the woman was already doing. Then he started explaining how they had tried to contact us, that we hadn’t answered the phone. They had records of when they called, and that while we could still use our points this year, starting next year our maintenance fees would skyrocket and we’d have to pay a $369 reservation fee each time we booked—unless we converted to the Travel & Leisure program.

When I asked if this could be handled at home instead of wasting vacation time, they told me no—that it could only be done at Bonnet Creek, Atlanta, or New York

I told him that wasn’t what we were told when they signed us up for this update at check in we were just supposed to get a log in.

He claimed they hadn’t realized our ownership was a resale, so that information hadn’t appeared in their system. Then he offered to “check our eligibility for an upgrade,” which turned out to be a credit check for a $29,000 mortgage to finance the program he was selling.

They even signed my husband and I up for a credit card. Thankfully, we had another appointment (like the original poster mentioned) and had to leave. We told him we’d come back the next morning.

That night, I thought about everything and called Club Wyndham directly to verify what we’d been told. Why wouldn’t I have received any notice about these supposed changes—reservation fees, a new website, or anything else? None of it made sense. And what happened to the “new login” I was supposed to receive? The Wyndham number I called didn't know anything about any of this. They said I have reservation transactions so as long as I use those no charge, they don't know my maintenance fees for next year yet, the website isn't changing.

I'm home from vacation and now canceling credit cards and disputing hard inquiries on my credit report.

My family and I frequently go to bonnet creek for disney vacations, and i'm so upset and frankly, traumatized, I never want to go back. I posted my ownership on the free giveaway board. Forget it I'll pay rack rate at area hotels. This happened day 2 of my vacation and I spent my entire vacation stressing out. I called Wyndham exit and they aren't taking my ownership back because it's fixed week.
Sorry to hear that. I just tell them no most of the time (unless my travel companions really want the gift) and just be snarky / strongly no.
 
When confronted during checkin or at any other time remember Nancy Reagan's advice: "Just say NO!"
 
It is amazing that they get away with such outright lying fabrications about the program. Every single thing they said was a lie, from the marketing desk to the salesman and the manager. Then, a hard credit pull and a card without authorization? That should be a fire-able offense!
 
We went to a sales pitch purely to get the extra week. They kept giving me the same old spiel. I kept asking, how much is this going to cost? For some reason they did not want to quote a figure. Finally I said I agreed to stay for an hour, it has been over an hour and you still won't give me a price... so I left.

Now it sounds like we won't be subjected to these sales pitches anymore if the place is shutting down.
 
Yes, the best place to complain is to the state/local real estate commission where the resort is located. This is one of only a handful of complaints that Wyndham actually takes seriously. This website lists all of the state real estate commission data: http://nationalrealestatebrokers.org/StateRealEstateCommission-AllStates.htm

Just call the real estate commission and ask them how/where to submit a formal complaint about the agent. Most timeshare salespeople hold a real estate license. When a complaint is formally filed, Wyndham basically has to take some kind of action and prove that action was taken to resolve the complaint. Unethical behavior is not acceptable for real estate agents, among other types of issues. What resort were you at?
Thanks for the link. I will surely check it out. I was at the Wyndham Ocean Front resort at Myrtle Beach.
 
Most timeshare salespeople hold a real estate license.
Is that correct? I would think if they had a license they could make a better living elsewhere. I suspect there's one person with a state license that handles all the fish that the sales-snakes lure in.
 
I have no idea why anyone attends these as there is no amount of money worth it...you are on vacation. I have owned for almost 30 years and have been to a meeting exactly once. Glacier Canyon in the Dells because I had a legitmate question and the fool couldn't even answer it. It was 15 years ago or so and I have no memory of what the question even was just that I was annoyed that I even bothered.
 
Even the title department lies to owners. We have one founder's account and one platinum account, and we were told because the deeds were different in the two accounts, we couldn't combine them. That's hogwash. The deeds didn't have anything to do with the reason we did the two accounts. We originally had four accounts with Wyndham. When their computer system allowed more contracts per account, we decided how to arrange the contracts in our two accounts. Now we have fewer contracts and wanted to combine them.
 
Is that correct? I would think if they had a license they could make a better living elsewhere. I suspect there's one person with a state license that handles all the fish that the sales-snakes lure in.

Yes, to sell deeded property requires a real estate license. Most of the agents don’t work just for Wyndham, they work elsewhere, oftentimes for other real estate firms or as an independent real estate agent.


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Is that correct? I would think if they had a license they could make a better living elsewhere. I suspect there's one person with a state license that handles all the fish that the sales-snakes lure in.
Given the state of the residential market, they can probably do better pitching timeshares. A good timeshare salesperson can easily score six figures.
 
I did an update at Bonnet Creek in June and for the record, they give this same line of BS to people no matter what you own. I own just deeded and they were trying to get me to buy/convert to Access, lol. It's a tactic I have not seen elsewhere, and it REALLY pissed me off.

I think it must be something that this specific location must be training their people to do.
Na, they did it to me at Skyline Plaza in Atlantic City in August. It's OK, I told them they were all going to be out of a job anyway in 3 months :)
 
I have no idea why anyone attends these as there is no amount of money worth it...you are on vacation. I have owned for almost 30 years and have been to a meeting exactly once. Glacier Canyon in the Dells because I had a legitmate question and the fool couldn't even answer it. It was 15 years ago or so and I have no memory of what the question even was just that I was annoyed that I even bothered.
I went in August when I was in Atlantic City for a quick two day get away to see Skyline before it closed. I got a $175 AmEx card (which paid for parking, gas, tolls and still had $100 + left over), and the weather was rainy and cold. I was by myself, so it didn't take anyone else's time, and after the 60 minutes I said I would be there for, I told them "it's time to go". Was, honestly, not a bad way to earn $175 tax free. Still had a great time.

Now in February I'll be at La Belle Maison during Mardi Gras - no amount of money will take me away from my time there as it is so jam packed and in June I am going to Towers on the Grove with my daughter for a week. If there's a bad weather day and if the gift is something in the $200 + range for 60 minutes, I'll go. Otherwise I won't subject either of us to that. The point of this long post is, for me, it's situational. There are times that it is worth it for me.
 
I did an update at Bonnet Creek in June and for the record, they give this same line of BS to people no matter what you own. I own just deeded and they were trying to get me to buy/convert to Access, lol. It's a tactic I have not seen elsewhere, and it REALLY pissed me off.

I think it must be something that this specific location must be training their people to do.
Shawnee has been doing this for at least five years now, trying to get fixed week owners to buy into Wyndham's point system. It's a hard sales pitch and a lot of flim flam. I have resisted and it looks like we won't have to deal with this anymore :)
 
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