Westgate TS presentation - is it really THAT BAD

[1leigha]

Going in Oct, stumbled across the Westgate 4 day / 3 night "deal" with the Touch of Magic Tickets - for sitting through the sales pitch. We only have 3 days - stopping off in Orlando on the way to Tampa for a wedding - so I am fine with the non-upgradeble tickets, I am fine with the non-park hopper tickets (we never park hop, even when we have paid for it) and I am fine with the 3rd park day being a waterpark - I see it as a bonus since we were only planning on 2 days. We would save around $400 with this "offer" vs what I was looking at to stay on site (I am also fine staying offsite, we have done it both ways and don't have a preference). I am an attorney and perfectly comfortable with bullying someone that is trying to bully me - I have done timeshare presentations (w/o buying) before - so my question is, is this one really that bad and that much worse than others?

[JimMIA]

Yes, counselor...but they may not be ready for you!

They have a terrible reputation...even worse than Wyndham, which has a "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Not too many months ago, there was a posting here complaining that they refused to provide transportation back to the "pigeon's" DTD hotel. The poor pigeon had to cab their whole family back.

Don't play the lawyer card too early. Let them dig themselves a deep hole...and then slap them around for all of us.

Enjoy!

[1leigha]

The reviews I have been reading of the presentation are the absolute worst I have ever read - while the reviews of the properties are fine - I am not all that concerned with room decor and stuff we are parks from open to close type people, so only really use the room to eat breakfast, sleep & shower. So, if I am comfortable with bullying the bullyer back, then I should be fine... I won't let my husband do any of the talking

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We got a two bedroom, two bathroom villa (which was very nice) for $69 per night AND a family "VIP card" allowing us to use the amenities for the week in August 2012 in exchange for agreeing to take the timeshare presentation.

Yes, its as bad as they say. Yes, its high pressure. Yes, it takes more than 3 hours to get out of the "90 minute" presentation. Yes, they start the tour in one spot and leave you high and dry in another once the tour is over and you choose not to buy. And yes, those sales people get weasely-er and sleazier the higher up you are "escalated" (which will happen 2, 3, even 4 times ).

We loved the resort, and had a great stay. We hated the sales presentation *but* we got an incredible rate for our villa by attending. Would we do it again? Well, apparently Westgate won't welcome us back unless we pay full rack rates for the room (yes, they made that VERY clear when we said NO for the FINAL time ) but for that getaway, it was "worth it" in the end.

Originally Posted by JimMIA

Don't play the lawyer card too early. Let them dig themselves a deep hole...and then slap them around for all of us.

JimMIA, I like the way you think .

[1leigha]

If they are going to dump me in one place and not give me a ride back when I don't buy, can my husband follow the golf cart in our car? or if I have to walk back to my car, how far are we talking? I will probably have to confront the golf car driver about the dump off from the start

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Originally Posted by 1leigha

If they are going to dump me in one place and not give me a ride back when I don't buy, can my husband follow the golf cart in our car? or if I have to walk back to my car, how far are we talking? I will probably have to confront the golf car driver about the dump off from the start

I can only speak for our experience at Westgate Lakes, but here you go....

The morning started at the Smokehouse Grill on the one far end of the property. This is where you have breakfast and get started on the presentation (after breakfast is OVER, of course....that's when the "90 minutes" start). The Smokehouse Grill was far enough away from our building that we needed to drive there.

After breakfast, the sales guy loaded us in a golf cart and drove us all over the resort. He took us through a ground floor model unit, then all around the property to see the various amenities. You could not have followed behind him in car without losing the cart as he did not stick to main roads/parking lots only.

We eventually ended up at the check-in building (after touring the spa and fitness center which is housed in the same location). This is at the far opposite end of the resort from the Smokehouse Grill. At this point, the papers came out and the hard sells started, eventually escalating us up and up and up (as the price went down and down and down). The last two salespeople got downright angry. After finally cutting us loose, we asked for assistance to get back to our car and we were told to go downstairs to the lobby. At the lobby, we were told "sorry, they should have arranged something for you upstairs". After asking several staff members with zero assistance received, we embarked on the LONG walk in the August heat. DH was seething......absolutely furious. The smoke rolling out his ears must have sent up a signal (okay, not really, but still ) because a few minutes later, some kind gardener stopped to ask us if he could give us a ride to wherever we were headed, and he took us to the Smokehouse Grill parking lot. Bless him .

I would love to hear what they would say if you asked them about the ride back to your car after the tour. Sure wish we had known beforehand so we could have avoided that whole mess!

[1leigha]

Very useful information, thanks. I am going to ask upfront, before I get in the cart about getting back a ride back when I don't buy. I am kinda looking forward to this confrontation now, LOL, it is the attorney in me... I am saving $400 and getting an extra day if we go with this, so I have no problem giving them in return their rightful due - but after the 90-120 mins I will get just as nasty or nastier than what the throw at me. I have no problem doing that and doing it loudly if I have to to get out of there. I will be polite and respectful with my no's during the alloted timeframe

[AJKMOM]

If you do go through with this, you need to update the DIS'ers about what happens. For years, I have been reading about how bad Westgate is as far as time share sales. They have been called every name in the book.

Keep in touch!

[Janet Hill]

Timeshare presentations are a hobby of mine. The quickest way to the exit is to not engage in conversation.

We've been out the door in 30 minutes. Salespeople are easily frustrated when they have no one to play verbal games with.

We've actually been all done and signed out before the gifting people started for the day. We just sat and waited got our gift and left.

[aleksandr]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Well, apparently Westgate won't welcome us back unless we pay full rack rates for the room (yes, they made that VERY clear when we said NO for the FINAL time ) but for that getaway, it was "worth it" in the end.

Luckily Westgate's rack rates, at least when booked in advance during non-peak seasons (April, non-Easter) are low enough that it is easier just to pay the rate than do the presentation.

I did the Presentation a decade or so ago at one of the other Westgate properties. Didn't fall for buying the actual timeshare, but did fall for pre-buying the next year's trip or something. Worst mistake ever.