Presentation

slomac · Aug 11, 2010

We are staying at Shadow Ridge this week on a getaway deal that cost us $550 for the whole week for a 2 bedroom unit. We decided to do the timeshare tour/presentation to hear about the new program. I could not believe they wanted $35K for 3500 points and that is before paying maintenance fees. How can that ever make sense. I think they new right off wee were not going to bite if we paid $550 for a week how could paying that amount ever make sense. I am a CPA and I am trying to understand how anyone could think spending this kind of money for something like this would ever make sense. I am not trying to critisize just trying to understand. People must be buying them if that is what they are selling them for.

winger · Aug 11, 2010

What are the things the sales person(s) said you can do each year with the 3500 points? I am trying to "hear" how Marriott is selling these PRICEY points.

slomac · Aug 11, 2010

well of course you can use it for a week and they make it so complicated to see what you can use them for because it depends on the check in day the resort time of year etc. She did say you needed about 3000 points for a week stay somewhere. They really didn't try hard to sell us since they could tell it did not make sense for us. The only good thing about it is the flexibility. But for that kind of money I would rather just book my trip for cash.

winger · Aug 11, 2010

slomac said:
...But for that kind of money I would rather just book my trip for cash.

Exactly what we are thinking : )
There will always be people willing to rent their TS's and there is always Priceline. Having say that $35000 sitting in the bank sure is a good feeling, and to top that off, as you referred to, there's that $0.40/pt x 3500 pts (and that $0.40 WILL likely increase over time) annual MF cost. Feels like a big CHOKE to me.

rosepointe · Aug 11, 2010

We went for the short version last week at Grand Vista. We had a free 3 bedroom at Imperial Gardens and a 2 bedroom at GV. Both on bonus AC's. We own Aruba Surf.

The women tried so hard to answer our questions and could not provide us with concrete answers so we went to the pool.

I think they may be working on the premise that many people have money and are not really concerned about price. And that maybe they buy name.
So far it does not make alot of sense to me but I am certain there will be takers.

Sue

SueDonJ · Aug 11, 2010

rosepointe said:
... The women tried so hard to answer our questions and could not provide us with concrete answers so we went to the pool. ...

Sue, that's the BEST response yet to a presentation - good for you! I can practically see you getting up from your chair, "the pool is so much more fun than this." :rofl:

kedler · Aug 12, 2010

We went to a presentation at Grande Vista approximately a week after the new Points Program and we weren't impressed with the personnel we dealt with at all - we knew more about the program from Tug.

Lawlar · Aug 12, 2010

Better to Rent

We are going to Tahoe, Marriott's Timber Lodge, in October for $375 for the entire week - a full two bedroom with kithchen. There are similar opportunities at other Marriott resorts (Desert Springs, for example). That is less than the MFs for those who own deeded weeks there.

I can't see any reason to buy into the new point system. If you must own, buy one of the fixed week deeded interests on ebay (fixed week so you can get a time of year that suits your plans - I suspect the points program will eventually end up getting the best weeks, over the floating week deed owners).

And there are always hotels offering special deals - especially during recessions and even better if you get a flight/hotel/car package.

RandR · Aug 12, 2010

I am heading to the Surf Club in a couple of weeks and have no intention of sitting through any presentation. From what I have seen here, many of the salespeople don't fully know what they are talking about so why waste the time. Laying on a raft on the lazy river sounds like so much more fun.

Rene McDaniel · Aug 12, 2010

slomac said:
We are staying at Shadow Ridge this week on a getaway deal that cost us $550 for the whole week for a 2 bedroom unit.

Slomac,
We did a getaway to Shadow Ridge at the end of May, and our bed was SO HARD. Even after getting home my back was sore for about a week. I'm trying to figure out if it was just the unit we were in, or if all the beds are really hard there. The linens were nice & soft, but the bed reminded me of those rock-hard beds in the Mexican timeshares.

I tend to have back issues anyways (car accident many years ago), but just curious if anyone else had problems with the Shadow Ridge beds.

--- Rene

dougef · Aug 12, 2010

Just curious as to what sort of MRP incentive is being offered to go to a presentation. We are going to Shadow Ridge shortly and got a call to book a presentation. They only offered 5000 MR Points. I said I would do it for 10000 and they said no, just 5000. I declined. In the past I have always gotten at least 10000 points for a tour, and usually got 15000. We just don't feel like breaking up our day and spending an hour or more of our vacation time for only 5000 points.

aka Julie · Aug 12, 2010

dougef said:
Just curious as to what sort of MRP incentive is being offered to go to a presentation. We are going to Shadow Ridge shortly and got a call to book a presentation. They only offered 5000 MR Points. I said I would do it for 10000 and they said no, just 5000. I declined. In the past I have always gotten at least 10000 points for a tour, and usually got 15000. We just don't feel like breaking up our day and spending an hour or more of our vacation time for only 5000 points.

I wouldn't even do it for 15,000 at this point! We were at Timberlodge in July and were never asked to attend anything. They did shut down the sales gallery for 2 days for a fundraiser event.

winger · Aug 12, 2010

aka Julie said:
I wouldn't even do it for 15,000 at this point! We were at Timberlodge in July and were never asked to attend anything. They did shut down the sales gallery for 2 days for a fundraiser event.

I would consider 10,000 IF I can do a string of them within a year (or less) like I did a couple of years ago. OR for 15,000, depending on my mood and desire to "learn something from Marriott", OK, I would consider.

So, for 5,000 - I am wonder who is SKIMMING the rest of the MRP's ??? Marriott must now have a new montra: skim, skim, skim

aka Julie · Aug 12, 2010

winger said:
So, for 5,000 - I am wonder who is SKIMMING the rest of the MRP's ??? Marriott must now have a new montra: skim, skim, skim

:hysterical:

rosepointe · Aug 12, 2010

winger said:
I would consider 10,000 IF I can do a string of them within a year (or less) like I did a couple of years ago. OR for 15,000, depending on my mood and desire to "learn something from Marriott", OK, I would consider.

So, for 5,000 - I am wonder who is SKIMMING the rest of the MRP's ??? Marriott must now have a new montra: skim, skim, skim

We opted for a short review of points....nothing came with it because we refused the 90 minute deal. However they listed us as a perk and then we waitied 15 minutes for them to tell us it was a mistake.

Still less than 90....and nothing was clear from the rep.

As I said before....we went to the pool.

Sue :ponder:

slomac · Aug 12, 2010

We scheduled ours at 11 which is when it is too hot to go to the pool anyway and we showed up with our 3 kids so we were out of there in less than an hour. We got $50 resort credit. I only did it to hear about the new program.

I find the beds very comfortable here. Not sure if you got an old one.

Presentation

slomac

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

winger

slomac

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

winger

rosepointe

SueDonJ

kedler

Lawlar

RandR

Rene McDaniel

TUG Review Crew

dougef

aka Julie

winger

aka Julie

rosepointe

slomac

TUG Review Crew: Veteran