Ok...we heard about the worst ts presentation gifts...are there any good ones?

[Gil Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gil]

What my time worth ??

2006 Deals: ......

Fox Hills - Mischot WS June - a little cheese and wine thing - and heard a group presentation - got a "chit" for dinner for two (up to $50) at their inhouse dinner club? WOW !

ForGotTheName - Cable WS August- Free continental breakfast --- group thing - this is the history of the resort - these are the units for sale and price - and the bagels weren't sooo good ......(looked it up - Telemark)

and now the fall tour.....

Fairfield Smoky Mountain, Sieverville, TN Sept- - this ditze head didn't even know where the sun came up - but a very good breakfast - and $60 out the door....

Woodstone@Massunutten, VA - Sept- Great Breakfast- better than an orgy at my age - and $100 spend it in the resort funny money out the door (chit) --- darn near couldn't spend it ......buffett at the gorgous new indoor water park was $8.50 or so - but I got it spent !!!! (but only stayed 5 days out of the week - golly this place needs an architect ! ) They are building like crazy and the owners we talked tooo love it ---- But I ain't gonna ever own there !

Sunterra Pawhatten Williamsburg -Sept - those tight tushies didn't even offer an UPDATE ! Total Bust ! Had an remodeled 2B/2B - Nice ! nasty hot tub tho

Waterside at/by/for/to/Spinacker, HiltonHead, SC - Sept - Hummm- Afternoon Ice Cream Floats for $1.00 - nice joint -- waited in line for our opportunity - got the 'overbooked lady - oh gads - what a bust - and she made us sit - while I ate their crummy cont. breakfast several times over - ti ll our 90 minutes were up -and we got our $100 funny money ......

Oh this one was nasty -meaning they GOT ME ! walking in the shopping center --- Colingie somethingor other square --- kisok ---- nice guy - golf balls - candy bars - yep - signed up for another one at Coral Resorts ! Wow - nice resort - nice goodies ----- and $150 for "Island money" ----mostly good places ----Frenchie the rep was GOOOD ! and I was GOT cuzzz I wanted to be - upgraded ? to RCI points ----the whole process still isn't complete - six month later -?????

oh were not done !!! - 2007

Resort on Cocoa Beach - Jan --- nice resort - no offers for anything - except a free lunch on Wed that wasn't soooo goood - didn't do it the second week -

Any how -went shopping? (googling) at Ron Jon Surf Shop - oh wow - what looks like a info center on the first floor - has some of the best 'sharks' in the business - singed up for a tour at Ron Jon's Cape Carbi Resort ---- went on the coldest rainy day - wearing a heavy T and light fleece - they- all the resort folks were wearing their warmest clothes and cuzz'n ----
anyhow - so so conti breakfast and tour --- damn - they like this place for the price of $24000 or so for a ocean front two bedroom with near $800 mf's - but we (pair of us ) got our $50 in a check - and there is a Wachovia branch bank right down the street on the way out ---- soooo it was basically CASH - gonna look into EXCHANGING into this place - sure as hell ain't gonna buy into it ......

Now for the rest of 2007 ....

hummmmm - have another spring break week back at Waterside by Spinnacker ---- might looks at the place WE bought at Island Links last time we where here ....

Then ---- long time

Doing a couple weeks in the fall at Club Solaris in Cabo - Lucky if we get a Royal Solaris diddy bag ---- but we sure like that place - ya ya ya - all inclusive - but I don't have to go to any grocery store ! Schedule is a bit up in the air but gonna mesh with .......

Lawrence Welk Resort Villa Oct 28th - Nov11 ??? Don't know what to expect but it sure is gonna be one long drive from the midwest --- then off to ...

Club Tahoe - Lake Tahoe NV ---- dang - ain't been in that area since 1959 ---- wow - wonder if we can 'con' a meal outta some TS presentation ????

and all these reservation were made on one call on January 12 2006 ----to RCI ----- ummmm- !!!! guess'n that VC is GONE ! ! !

I know - I know --- that is low lif'n it compared to some of you folks ---- but add up the goodies *S* - almost better than working ---- and I 've been retired going on 9 years *S*

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

We always try to hunt down the best deals. One trick I learned, is that if you are already an owner, they give you less goodies on the "updates" than if you were to go find an info center and sign up through that. We tend to go for promotional stay deals every so often. As Fairfield owners, we've taken advantage of $149 two night stays to Las Vegas that also include two buffet tickets, two show tickets and another two night stay in cities with FF resorts actively selling. Always thought that was a good deal and for Vegas, they put you up in decent hotels.

Also enjoyed the Lawrence Welk in Escondido deal for a one night stay at a nearby hotel and breakfast, and a certificate for a two night trip to Catalina Island (I think there was one other thing too). Although the presentation was a bear, and it was kind of difficult to get that Catalina certificate to work (finally hit on a date during the slow winter season, but that was OK), this turned out to be a pretty good deal.

[penguinpower Member Find all posts View Profile Close penguinpower]

November 2006 in Cancun--shark at the airport roped us into stopping at the Moon Palace rep, where we forked over $50 per person to guarantee we would show up the next day for a tour. We were a little leery but the offer was *SO GOOD* and we were very very glad we did it.

The airport guy warned us that our resort (Mayan Palace) would try to scare us about paying the $50--they did. They would try to "steal" us for a presentation by offering to pay back our $50 and take their tour with no incentive--they did. He said to not tell them we registered, and that when we got the taxi to tell the concierge at the front of the Mayan Palace that we wanted to go to Wal-Mart or else he would report to the inside concierge that we were going to another presentation, and then to wait until we got out of the resort property to tell our driver to take us to the Moon Palace instead of Wal-Mart. Turns out the gate guards will *also* report that you are going to another resort. Sheesh, is Mayan Palace paranoid or what???? We were kind of tickled at all the cloak-and-dagger stuff so we did exactly as told and hoped for the best. It all worked out perfectly. Our taxi driver wasn't the least bit surprised to be told to change destinations once we were past the gate guard.

The Moon Palace tour lasted 90 minutes. In return we got round trip taxi transport from Mayan Palace to Moon Palace (about $30 each way), plus an instant return of our $50 when we showed up, plus nice buffet breakfast, plus a full day at their all-inclusive resort which we could use either the same day of the presentation or another day, plus our choice of four tours. We chose Chichen Itza, Isla Mujeres, Speed Boats and ATVs. If we had paid for those tours it would've cost well in excess of $400 per person, not to mention the taxi fare and day at the Moon Palace. All we had to pay were tips to the guides for the tours. We toured the resort early in the a.m. and spent the full day at Moon Palace, eating and drinking our heads off until 11 p.m. Good food, good booze. Our whole week was covered for taking the tour!

(We later talked to another couple who had held out longer than we had--they got a free massage included in their full day, and got five tours instead of four.)

We spoke to Jorge at the airport--he's all decked out with about a hundred RCI and awards pins all over his vest. It seemed too good to be true, but it wasn't. We're going back to Cancun next year and I hope we can get the same deal.

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

We were in Williamsburg around Easter, and went to the WorldMark tour.
For a little more than a 90 minute tour, we received 4 free adult passes to Bush Gardens.

At Governers Green we got $30 and a $20 gift card to Yankee candle.

[Republiman Member Find all posts View Profile Close Republiman]

This is not a timeshare tour premium, but today my wife got a postcard in the mail saying that if she came in to test drive a Maserati Quattroporte (starting at $116,000, including gas guzzler tax), she would get a free set of Bose headphones. I looked them up, and the most basic set retails for $180.

I went online immediately and signed her up. During the process, the ask what kind of car she currently drives. I entered Honda, and when it asked for the model, I noticed it just said "all models".

Curious about this, I changed to Lexus, and it offered a listing of all the different Lexus models.

Apparently if you drive a Honda, no matter which model, chances are you don't fit the Maserati demographic!

Nevertheless, I got the certificate and dear wife will stop by next week to test drive the Maserati and get the free headphones!

Fred

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

This is not a timeshare tour premium, but today my wife got a postcard in the mail saying that if she came in to test drive a Maserati Quattroporte (starting at $116,000, including gas guzzler tax), she would get a free set of Bose headphones. I looked them up, and the most basic set retails for $180.

I went online immediately and signed her up. During the process, the ask what kind of car she currently drives. I entered Honda, and when it asked for the model, I noticed it just said "all models".

Curious about this, I changed to Lexus, and it offered a listing of all the different Lexus models.

Apparently if you drive a Honda, no matter which model, chances are you don't fit the Maserati demographic!

Nevertheless, I got the certificate and dear wife will stop by next week to test drive the Maserati and get the free headphones!

Fred

Fred Where are you? I want to test drive a Maserati too! and they don't even have to give me headphones to do it.

Courtesy of Joe Walsh.
"Life's Been Good to Me So Far"

My Maserati
Does one eighty-five
I lost my license
Now I don't drive....

[Republiman Member Find all posts View Profile Close Republiman]

Lawren,

I am in Southwestern CT. But the postcard offer was for my wife, aqnd had a specific PIN number which had to be referenced, etc. I wonder if I get to test drive too!?!

Fred

[The Flush Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Flush]

$120 cash from Crown Park in Gatlinburg.
$100 Visa Gift Card from Bluegreen MountainLoft in Gatlinburg
$121 worth of Dixie Stampede tix for $30 from Wyndham in Pigeon Forge

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

Sunterra - Lake Tahoe

Offered $ 100 towards dinner, said no thank you our time is worth more than that. Comped 2 free nights at another Sunterra property without another presentation

Was able to book two nights the coincided with wedding aniversary at Sedona Summit.

Approximate value to us in total $ 300 (including cost dinner coup) , cost to Sunterra, $ 100 +/-

Guess what - Had to check in at the "information " center in town and they just automatically were going to sign me up for another tour . . . . .

DW said let's go home

No additional tour, no round trip to Sedona

DW says NO MORE TOURS PERIOD

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

My son was on the big island, Hawaii last week. While his wife was getting her nails done, he talked to a roper for Shell resorts there. First said no, he had just done Wyndham and didn't want to waste more time. The final offer was 2 luau tix ($150), diamond discount card, $40 cash. The card gave them considerable discounts on 2 things they planned to do anyway (jet skiing, submarine). Said the pitch wasn't too bad, and when they learned he was FF gold vip, the guy said if he foreited th $40 cash, they could be done right then and there (30 minutes). Son decided it was worth losing the $40 to get out of there so quickly! Said the units were very nice though.

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

Two Tickets to Vail

We were staying in Avon at the Sheraton Mtn Vista. We had a two BR unit and it was quite nice. We saw an ad for 2 tix but when I asked, it was not available. The "roper" as I saw used above, was the conceige and I insisted that he look into it for me. I made small talk about false advertising.

After it was all said and done they didn't have any vouchers so they wrote a check for $175. This was a couple dollars above the price for 2 tixs. I thought it was well worth our time. Besides we got to check out prices at the other TS just accross the street which were much more economical.

We didn't buy but on the lift the next day we thanked the Sheraton for our nice day on the slopes...

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

SW Rapid Rewards Credits + Cash

$75 cash & 10 Southwest Rapid Rewards Credits from the HGVC on the Las Vegas Strip. Presentation was tolerable & we did like the program, but it took almost 6 months to get the RR credits posted.

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

Hawaii - Shell Vacation Club and others

Kona Coast - wife played hard to get in Kona shopping district. Wound up giving in for $200 cash plus box lunch for family. Spent about 75 minutes while the salesman begged the site VP several times to let us go. No unit tour - which I wanted to go see.

Kauai - SVC Kapaa area resort. Discounted Na Pali coast snorkel tour. Saved almost $200 for the family. Could have saved more if we'd waited to book our Luau. Stayed the full time though, much to the chagrin of the sales lady - who knew within minutes we had no intention of buying.

Flagstaff - $50 dollars in gift cards.

Bonnet Creek and Star Island - cold hard cash.

Governor's Green - two adult discounted Williamsburg tickets.

[Hoc Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Hoc]

I got $200 in cash for going to a Kaanapali Beach Club presentation. Given to me by a third-party booth in downtown Lahaina.

[SmithfieldTim Member Find all posts View Profile Close SmithfieldTim]

We Scored

Living in the Williamsburg/Va Beach area we have numerous timeshares. Was at Home and Garden show this past weekend. Signed up to take tours at 5 different locations over a 2 day period and scored at least $100.00 cash at each location. Thats a $500.00 profit for the weekend.