Signed up for BG trial membership but I'm pretty skeptical

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

Hello, I'm new to everything timeshares. My wife and I went to BG resorts in Vegas and sat through four hours of of Timeshare presentations. After feeling pretty bullied by the sales managers, we signed up for a 1 year trail with 9000 points for $1000. I didn't really know anything about BG, but it sounded like something my family would be interested in, so we sigend up.

After returning home I read up on the company and the memebership online and to be honest I couldn't find anything positive about the company. Everyone made it sound like I got scammed, and I would never be able to redeem the points because BG makes very few units available to trail members. My wife and I want to take a trip a year from now to aruba or florida, but I'm worried I got scammed and just lost $1000 bucks.

Has anyone had any experience with the BG trail offers? Does it work??? I am pretty mad at the way we were treated by the sales managers, and I'm not holding out much hope that we'll be treated any better when we try to use the points. It seemed like the only thing they cared about was selling points and customer service fell by the way side. Someone please tell me I made a good decision???

Thanks,

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

I started with the sampler trial package.

I started with the sampler and it worked just fine. I knew from the sales presentation that I couldn't use it in peak season, but I was able to book reservations and get a feel for how the system worked which was fine.

In retrospect I wish I'd just skipped the sampler and spent that money on my first (resale) purchase, but it all worked well in the end. Essentially you're renting points from Bluegreen at 9 cents a point which is not awful, and probably if I hadn't bought the sampler I would never have taken the plunge and bought points...so it worked well for me.

Get a reservation or two under your belt, and read more here, on TUG, and on the Yahoo Bluegreen group. You'll find many happy Bluegreen owners who will help you learn how to make it work for you.

Anita

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

I am pretty mad at the way we were treated by the sales managers, and I'm not holding out much hope that we'll be treated any better when we try to use the points.

Unfortunately, the sales side of the operation, at almost any timeshare, gives the rest of the product a bad name. I've only stayed at one Bluegreen property, Mountain Run in Boyne, MI, but found the employees there to be quite good. I own with Wyndham, and the sales staff there is horrid, but the rest of the operation is generally great.

If you can still rescind your purchase, you should do so---you aren't feeing 100% comfortable, and that's a sign. But, if you are too late to rescind, it is not the end of the world. As Anita mentions, you aren't paying a horrid price for the use of those points, and this will give you a sense as to whether a (resale!) purchase makes sense for you down the road.

In general, there are two ways to make timeshare work---plan *way* ahead (as much as a year, or even more), or be very flexible and willing to travel last minute.

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

Agree that's not a bad price. Sales is not indicative of Owner Services. As you surmised, making a sale is their sole objective.

I love Bluegreen and would urge you to do the trial, see how you like some other resorts. I personally would attempt short stays (2 nights) at as many resorts as you can.

Welcome to Bluegreen!

[philly_phenom Member Find all posts View Profile Close philly_phenom]

Trial membership was a great deal

I was skeptical when starting out, but we bought the sampler package.

We enjoyed the 3 vacations we got out of it & after we took our last trip, decided it was a great thing for our family.

We just closed on a package that we bought through Bocabum.

[Timeshare junkie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Timeshare junkie]

Our first purchase with BG was a 24k/ EOY package for 15k. I wish I was in your shoes. We have purchased a few more times on the resale market.

Do you live in FL or SC. That's an advantage because you can drive to sample a few of the resorts. 9k points should definitely be able to give you a taste.

What's the restriction? Red season and below?

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

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm happy to hear all the responses. It is too late to get out of, but we're not planning on traveling till next spring so hopefully that gives us enough time to book something. The restrictions are they do not allow you to travel June-Sept with this package . . . which isn't a big issue.

I understand that people generally only post things on the internet when they are unhappy and not when things work out well. With that in mind I'm trying to take everything I read with a grain of salt. You guys are also right about the sales staff giving the resort a bad name. The staff that Bluegreen in Las Vegas were fine, but the used car salesman who was trying to close our deal really made me want to get up and walk out!! Too bad.

Has anyone ever stayed at the Bluegreen in Aruba or one in the Keys? We're leaning towards that for a trial.

Thanks again for all the great info, you're putting me a bit more at ease about the whole thing

[Timeshare junkie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Timeshare junkie]

Hammocks @ Marathon is fantastic.

You are right next to 7-mile bridge (ca you believe a bridge that is 7 miles long), and 30 min from Key West.

I wonder if the oil slick is going to effect the Keys.

[bjewels11 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bjewels11]

We stayed in the Keys about a year and 1/2 in Feb.. It is a relaxing resort. We hung around and relaxed most of the week. I booked my parents a week in april and they did a lot of sight seeing. YOu are lucky that you found this sight. We pd a pretty penny for our points and will get more in the future. We have taken some good vacations. Learn and listen because I feel that I have learned somethng new each day expecially on bluegreen yahoo. We love big cedar and Mountin loft. We plan to branch out a little and go more places soon.

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

We stayed at The Hammocks this past March. Very nice and close to everything. Staff was very friendly. Would go back again.

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

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm happy to hear all the responses. It is too late to get out of, but we're not planning on traveling till next spring so hopefully that gives us enough time to book something. The restrictions are they do not allow you to travel June-Sept with this package . . . which isn't a big issue.

Read the paperwork that came with the sampler pkg. Just make sure you understand the restrictions and if you have any questions don't hesitate to call BG and ask questions.

Everyone is correct - the sales team is a completely different animal than the other employees at the resorts and the reservation lines.

You can buy resale, or buy 'developer' points. For BG the only authorized reseller of points is Buy and sell timeshare from a timeshare resale specialist!. Bocabum on this board can assist with buying from Pinnacle. Search the pinnacle site for the BG points listings to get an idea of pricing there.

Developer points are more expensive, but they do support the development of more resorts in the system. I bought a small amount of developer points, 5000. I consider that my contribution to development, lol. From here on out I'll add points via Pinnacle purchases.

You can get the extra perks by buying developer points or from Pinnacle. These perks include Traveler's Plus, bonus nights, and premier levels, plus others.

Enjoy your sampler, it really is a good way to test the waters.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I have visited La Cabana, booked an exchange there for my son and have friends who own there. The rooms are a nice size, studios are huge! but it definitely needed an upgrade. Right now they are more then 60% thru a total gut renovations and the new units look wonderful.
The beach at La Cabana is very nice with plenty of palapas....I am not a pool person but it is also very nice.
And I visit Aruba every year and love it so you will not be disappointed.