[2015] Working on Vacation (or sales presentation freebies)

[dominidude]

Please post the freebies you've gotten RECENTLY for attending timeshare sales presentations. Please be as specific as possible with dates, locations, and the freebie that was given to you. I'll start:

1) About 10 months ago I got a 3 day trip to PR from Sundance Vacations Washington, DC. Airfare and hotel included for two people. I did have to pay about $150 in taxes.

2) I also got $100 at the Poconos Wyndham Depuy property this past winter (jan 2015).

3) The last reward I got was $75 last month (june 2015) for listening to vacation's villages "owners update".

VERY IMPORTANT: you cannot benefit financially from the freebie you post, in other words, you (or I) cannot profit from referrals in anyway. If your post is suspicious, it will probably get deleted by the Admins.

 

[CruiseGuy]

I won't attend no matter what the incentive. It's not worth my time or the aggravation. My vacation is there for me to enjoy. I'd rather sleep in, read a book, walk along the beach, just about anything else. If I wanted to be annoyed, I would have skipped the vacation and stayed at work and cashed in the vacation pay at the end of the year.

 

[DeniseM]

dominidude discussed this with me before posting, and I think it's OK as long as people don't start posting referrals for which they receive ANY type of compensation. Thank you!

 

[AwayWeGo]

Not That Hard To Find.

Shux, just cruise up & down Rt. 192 in Kissimmee FL & check the "discount tickets" kiosks for their current offerings in timeshare tour freebies.

And not just Rt. 192. There are plenty more on International Drive, & in just about all the touristy zones of Orlando-Kissimmee-Clermont. Some restaurants & flea markets & even supermarkets have timeshare tour booths. It's not only not hard to find'm, it's hard to miss'm.

Likewise, the timeshare tour headhunters are all over the place in & around Branson MO.

They aren't exactly hard to find in Las Vegas NV, either. Ditto Williamsburg VA. Also Gatlinburg TN & neighboring Pigeon Forge TN.

When talking to the headhunters behind the kiosk desks, you don't have to pretend you're interested in buying a timeshare. You can even tell'm straight out that you're looking to maximize freebies from going on timeshare sales presentations & they won't even blink. It's nothing to them if you stiff the timeshare sellers. The headhunters get their fee just for signing you up & getting you to show up. The cash payment they take from you at the time they sign you up is their fee. They keep it. The timeshare sellers refund it to you when you collect your freebies.

Have fun.

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

 

[hellolani]

Nuevo Vallarta in May this year

If you hold out, Vidanta will max out at a 3000 peso room credit plus 10% off all food charged to the room. We stayed at Grand Luxxe for week 1 and then 2 weeks at Grand Mayan. I was trying to get upgraded for week 2 from GM to GL, and the lady chased it all the way up the chain trying to get it for me so that I would go to the presentation. When that failed I took the pesos.

 

[dominidude]

Shux, just cruise up & down Rt. 192 in Kissimmee FL & check the "discount tickets" kiosks for their current offerings in timeshare tour freebies.

When talking to the headhunters behind the kiosk desks, you don't have to pretend you're interested in buying a timeshare. You can even tell'm straight out that you're looking to maximize freebies from going on timeshare sales presentations & they won't even blink. It's nothing to them if you stiff the timeshare sellers. The headhunters get their fee just for signing you up & getting you to show up. The cash payment they take from you at the time they sign you up is their fee. They keep it. The timeshare sellers refund it to you when you collect your freebies.

Have fun.

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

So that's what those kiosks are for! I see them everywhere I go on vacation. I used to wonder why in the world would someone be giving "discount coupons" in the middle of the hot sun. Now i get it!

 

[dominidude]

I won't attend no matter what the incentive. It's not worth my time or the aggravation. My vacation is there for me to enjoy. I'd rather sleep in, read a book, walk along the beach, just about anything else. If I wanted to be annoyed, I would have skipped the vacation and stayed at work and cashed in the vacation pay at the end of the year.

Obviously, getting freebies while on vacation is not for everyone. Some of us are lucky and get 2 months vacation a year, so wasting a few hours doesnt seem that bad

 

[famy27]

I don't know what he got specifically, but my dad went to five timeshare presentations in Cabo last winter and ended up with $1300 in cash and credits. He figures that an hour or two out of his morning (with free breakfast included) is totally worth it for all of the stuff he gets. Personally, I'd rather rip my fingernails out one by one. I've done presentations for the freebies, but it's always such a miserable experience that I just don't have the energy anymore.

 

[dominidude]

I don't know what he got specifically, but my dad went to five timeshare presentations in Cabo last winter and ended up with $1300 in cash and credits. He figures that an hour or two out of his morning (with free breakfast included) is totally worth it for all of the stuff he gets. Personally, I'd rather rip my fingernails out one by one. I've done presentations for the freebies, but it's always such a miserable experience that I just don't have the energy anymore.

It'd be nice if you shared the name of at least some of the resorts where your father went to in Cabo.

 

[famy27]

It'd be nice if you shared the name of at least some of the resorts where your father went to in Cabo.

I have no idea, but I'll ask and see if he remembers. Chances are, he won't remember which ones. The only one I know for sure is Pueblo Bonita.

 

[timesharejunkie4]

dominidude, if you want info in timeshare tours in Cabo or Puerto Vallarta, the Trip Advisor forums would be a great place to look. Search the forums or make a new post and you should get plenty of replies. I often hear of people saying they paid for a good part of their trip did like famy27's father did. I don't pay attention to where because I would rather put sticks in my eyes than subject my husband and myself to that torture. BTW, the amount of vacation time I get is not a factor as I am newly retired but did get 2 months vacation when I did work. To each his own.

 

[dominidude]

dominidude, if you want info in timeshare tours in Cabo or Puerto Vallarta, the Trip Advisor forums would be a great place to look. Search the forums or make a new post and you should get plenty of replies. I often hear of people saying they paid for a good part of their trip did like famy27's father did. I don't pay attention to where because I would rather put sticks in my eyes than subject my husband and myself to that torture. BTW, the amount of vacation time I get is not a factor as I am newly retired but did get 2 months vacation when I did work. To each his own.

Thanks for the info, I'm sure I won't be the only one looking into it.

Imagine a world in which timeshare presentations were a pleasure to attend, no pressure, no tactics, just a simple "this is what we offer and how much we charge for it" followed by a gift of anywhere from $100 to $800 if you don't buy.

Those two can't go together. As the saying goes, careful what you wish for.

 

[Sandy]

I don't know what he got specifically, but my dad went to five timeshare presentations in Cabo last winter and ended up with $1300 in cash and credits. He figures that an hour or two out of his morning (with free breakfast included) is totally worth it for all of the stuff he gets. Personally, I'd rather rip my fingernails out one by one. I've done presentations for the freebies, but it's always such a miserable experience that I just don't have the energy anymore.

I have heard of folks who do exactly what your dad has done. I know of someone who has two weeks of vacation. They spend the first week getting all of the freebies, including breakfast. Then they spend the next week "vacationing." Trip now paid for courtesy of the timeshare sellers. Seems like a good plan IF you have the time and don't mind these. My DH would NEVER go for this, but I would if traveling alone, and I had the time.

 

[worknout777]

We just got back from a 2 week trip from Vegas.

This was what we were able to get:
-Diamond Resorts (Grandview) 3 night / 4 day at the Palazzo (Paid $299 but was refunded after presentation)

-Westgate Resort $100 Cash

- Somerpointe Resort (Tahiti Village) - 2 dinners to Pampas and 2 Mirage Cravings Buffet Passes. (We actually didn't even have to do the presentation because they didn't have someone qualified that morning to meet with someone that was an owner)

- The Jockey Club (Sapphire Resorts) - $100 Visa Card + $50 Cash (Had to push really hard to get this.

You can also go into the Silverton Hotel and they are offering BlueGreen Timeshare Packages and Silverton Resort Packages.

 

[55plus]

We go for the cash. It's usually $75 or $100 card for a 60 minutes of high pressure sales disguised as a information meeting. That equates to $75 to $100 an hour. If you are gullible or easily swayed do go and save yourself tens of thousands of dollars...

 

[friedshrimp]

Obviously, getting freebies while on vacation is not for everyone. Some of us are lucky and get 2 months vacation a year, so wasting a few hours doesnt seem that bad

Exactly. I have picked up anywhere from $75 to $300 for an hour or so chit chat. And usually I learn something along the way. One doesn't have to be ugly to say no. The freebies go towards covering part of my maintenance fees. :whoopie:

To the OP, I have been to several DRI updates in the past year and have received between $75 and $100 Visa cards at those meetings.

 

[cubigbird]

If you want to know about all the timeshare sales presentation freebies in Mexico just walk out of customs in the airport and talk to each and every person you encounter before you hit the outside!!:hysterical::hysterical:

 

[theo]

Yessa!

I won't attend no matter what the incentive. It's not worth my time or the aggravation. My vacation is there for me to enjoy. I'd rather sleep in, read a book, walk along the beach, just about anything else. If I wanted to be annoyed, I would have skipped the vacation and stayed at work and cashed in the vacation pay at the end of the year.

Well said. Ditto here. My free time is much more valuable to me than any coupons, trinkets, baubles or chump change gift cards.

 

[dominidude]

If you want to know about all the timeshare sales presentation freebies in Mexico just walk out of customs in the airport and talk to each and every person you encounter before you hit the outside!!:hysterical::hysterical:

Coincidentally (maybe not) I'm planning a trip to Cancun on the flying torture chamber called Spirit Airlines. I'll keep this in mind

 

[CCR]

While we were on Vacation at Newport Coast this past July my son lost his GoPro camera in the ocean. While heading home we checked into the Wyndham in Las Vegas for a stay that was free from a timeshare tour we did in Hawaii a year prior. We told our son we'd sacrifice our morning and attend a presentation for $150 to help cover the cost of replacing his camera. Immediately they could tell I was a resale buyer and I think we were out the door in less than 90 minutes.

I think I might have to start doing this more often as I'm not tempted in the least to purchase from developers. My problem is that I then come home and want to buy something more resale, so I'm currently resisting Wyndham resales right now as I can only vacation so much I just got an offer in the mail for a Westin stay for 3-4 nights in Cancun for only a few hundred dollars that my husband and I are very tempted to do.

 

[vacationhopeful]

If you want to know about all the timeshare sales presentation freebies in Mexico just walk out of customs in the airport and talk to each and every person you encounter before you hit the outside!!:hysterical::hysterical:

<snip> I just got an offer in the mail for a Westin stay for 3-4 nights in Cancun for only a few hundred dollars that my husband and I are very tempted to do.

I will never go to another Cancun TS presentation AGAIN. It ain't worth even a $1000 as it is never at the resort you are staying at, it is NEVER 2 hours long (more like 6-8 hours) and they attempt to get you drunk all the while claiming it is just Koolaid plus snacks with lots of salt.

And IF your idea to go home or back to the resort to rescind ..... forget that as you are in a foreign country and the rules & timeframe are not the same ... IF you can find the cancellation info or write the letter in Spanish.

But they most likely will have a collection agency/office in Texas somewhere...

 

[gvic]

If you hold out, Vidanta will max out at a 3000 peso room credit plus 10% off all food charged to the room. We stayed at Grand Luxxe for week 1 and then 2 weeks at Grand Mayan. I was trying to get upgraded for week 2 from GM to GL, and the lady chased it all the way up the chain trying to get it for me so that I would go to the presentation. When that failed I took the pesos.

You should have tried "harder" .... they gave me a 5,000 peso Room Credit on GM.

 

[55plus]

We generally go to the Wyndham updates, a.k.a. high pressure sales pitch. Our time has a value so if the sales weasels want to talk to us it will cost them. It's worth the $75 to $100 AMX gift card. Sometimes we take the restaurants gift cards...

 

[dominidude]

While we were on Vacation at Newport Coast this past July my son lost his GoPro camera in the ocean. While heading home we checked into the Wyndham in Las Vegas for a stay that was free from a timeshare tour we did in Hawaii a year prior. We told our son we'd sacrifice our morning and attend a presentation for $150 to help cover the cost of replacing his camera. Immediately they could tell I was a resale buyer and I think we were out the door in less than 90 minutes.

Aww, such a heart warming story

 

[am1]

The minimum I will do is 2 all-inclusive bracelets for a week. It is only for owners. I have done it 3 times and waiting for the next one.