Festiva goes to points and charges Thousands

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

I was pressured into buying this as well this past December. We had just bought an old flex week deed from a family member, so we just wanted to visit the property we owned in full, to see what we had purchased. We were pressured into buying the Festiva Points/Adventure Club deal...after being kept in the sales area for 3 hours...and promised vacations and discounts everywhere we wanted to go...Well, I have tried to use Interval several times and they never have anything that was promised available...I have paid all dues for 2010 and am now paying on 2011. We wanted to go on a cruise and I was told we could get a great deal thru the Adventure Club...Well, we have points 10,000...and when we called to book our cruise, what do you know...we did not get the amount promised dicounted and ended up paying exactly what a Travel agent would charge...The points do not matter, you will not get to use them...We were also told we could use our weeks for this and...of course, no luck there either...Our weeks just sit there and look real prety...
The Interval thing is a scam, I do believe, because I am still having to look elsewhere whenever I want to go out of town...So I am now paying for something I do not even get to use...So far this year...I am out of $2,700.00 and growing, and I still have to pay to go on vacation...I wish I had of checked the Internet before going to the sales session...

You may want to joint the yahoo group Peppertree-EquivestOwners : Peppertree Timesh-Vacatn Club/Festiva and read through the old post (maybe 1/2 years ago). It may or maynot apply to your case

Jya-Ning

[jslamb35 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jslamb35]

whatever happened

On July 3, 2006 we purchased a time share from Festiva Resorts LLC for $7900 plus $345 in processing fees, a total of $8245. At that time we were told by our sales rep Mr. King that we should invest in the Festiva time share because it did not deal with a point system. He said that on a point system you could never accumulate enough points to enjoy any other resorts other than your home base.
On May 14, 2006 not even a year later, we were visited in our home by Glenn Malone a representative from Outfield Marketing LTD. They represent Festiva to inform all owners that Festiva, effective June 15, 2007, is changing to the point system. In fact all of the best resorts were changing to a point system, Marriott, Hilton, Shell, Fairfield and Disney. Within the next few years Outfield Marketing will work with Festiva and would convert all of the Festiva resorts to the point system. “100%”
“Now as an owner you can not sue Festiva for changing there basic business concept,” we were told, “because we are offered the option to keep our current plan.” However you will have little or no chance to use your weeks as trade since all of the resorts and owners with Feativa will be converting to the point system.”
Glenn went on to say that he needs us to decide to switch right now because the owner of Festiva is offering a one time fee to switch of only $2990 plus a $195 in processing. We could call him on his cell phone at 417-231-3567 by 8am May 15 and he could hold this rate but he would need a check at that time. If we waited until June 15th when the change goes into effect it will cost us an additional $8950.
This sounds to me like a breach of the original intent of the agreement and blackmail. It is my opinion that if they want to change the way that we are to do business we should not be charged for the change. I am not an attorney but if you are a Festiva owner and would like to join me in seeking legal advice regarding our rights and any action we might take as a group please contact me.

Did anyone ever do a lawsuit ? We changed that night, but then found out we really didn't have to...and would like to switch back. Any advice ?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Just another day in the timeshare world. It will likely not stop until the industry has totally run the concept into the ground and there are no more victims to scam.

The industry will never look in the mirror and recognize itself for what it is, and very few who have the ability to do something about it seemed inclined to.

How can someone go to work every day trying to get thousands of dollars for something that can't fetch a dollar on eBay?

I, too, have encouraged people to file complaints with the Missouri AG, one agency that does go after the bad guys, but few do. They don't act if folks don't let them know what's going on.