How do I get a tour?

[Holly in South Jersey Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Holly in South Jersey]

I'm going to visit a friend in Port Charlotte, Fla for a week. I'd be interested in touring timeshares near there (I know there's some on Sanibel Island) just to get an idea of what's out there. I 've only ever been in one timeshare (Star Island in Kissimmee, it was fabulous), and I'd like to see others, but I'm nowhere near ready to buy, and wouldn't buy "new" anyway.

Suggestions?

Thanks!
Holly

[TimeshareVon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimeshareVon]

Since this has gone a couple of days w/o response, let me take a crack at it . . .

Typically you will need to be in an area that not only has timeshare resorts, but is in the building or active marketing of one. Sometimes older existing resorts in one area will be selling timeshare projects elsewhere that the company is building or expanding. Fairfield/Wyndham and BlueGreen are big on using that tactic. Maybe others too, but those are the two I'm most familar with.

As for Sanibel/Captiva Islands, I just don't know if any of the existing TS resorst there are in the sales mode. Typically once a small or single resort project is sold out, there is no reason for them to maintain a sales department so there are no active sales programs going on. Someone who owns there may be able to give you the name of a specific resort or developer, if there are any there in the "sales" mode.

With that being said, there is a new Hilton (HGVC) in active sales in Bonita Springs, which is about 45 minutes south of the causeway over to Sanibel. You may want to look them up while you're in the neighborhood. But be prepared, they are high-end, and from what I've heard, with a high price tag.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

I usually go "window hopping". Yes, just simply make a list of TSs in the area before I go and then once there I drive in, park and go in as an one wanting to check the place out for future booking.

I've never been turned down and never referred to a sales person.

This is something to do when there's no internet service to occupy ones time.

Robert

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I usually go "window hopping". Yes, just simply make a list of TSs in the area before I go and then once there I drive in, park and go in as an one wanting to check the place out for future booking.

I've never been turned down and never referred to a sales person.

This is something to do when there's no internet service to occupy ones time.

Robert

Robert my husband has taken to "window shopping" too. It started innocently enough when we were in Celebrity Brigantine. We loved the beach but the resort left a whole heck of a lot to be desired.

Now if the weather is bad we scout out other timeshares in the area to see if we would like to exchange there in the future. We only got to one while at the Outer Banks...

I always ask a LOT of questions and have never had a bad experience. So far we have always been allowed to look at a unit if there is one not occupied.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Robert my husband has taken to "window shopping" too. It started innocently enough when we were in Celebrity Brigantine. We loved the beach but the resort left a whole heck of a lot to be desired.

Now if the weather is bad we scout out other timeshares in the area to see if we would like to exchange there in the future. We only got to one while at the Outer Banks...

I always ask a LOT of questions and have never had a bad experience. So far we have always been allowed to look at a unit if there is one not occupied.

I coined the "window hopping" as when not shopping, only looking. Hoppin was the original term. While in Spain we coined Toppa Hoppin, as jumping from Hole in the Wall to Hole in the Wall looking for different Toppas.

That reminds me of another, "Juke Jumpin", short for "Juke Joint Jumpin." That was when there were juke boxes in every Joint to jump to.

Anyway, now, Timeshare hoppin would be OK, but window hoppin applies generally to anytime we aren't buyin... just lookin.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I coined the "window hopping" as when not shopping, only looking. Hoppin was the original term. While in Spain we coined Toppa Hoppin, as jumping from Hole in the Wall to Hole in the Wall looking for different Toppas.

That reminds me of another, "Juke Jumpin", short for "Juke Joint Jumpin." That was when there were juke boxes in every Joint to jump to.

Anyway, now, Timeshare hoppin would be OK, but window hoppin applies generally to anytime we aren't buyin... just lookin.

Hoppin it is then 'cause we aren't buying.