Have you ever tried Timeshare Presentations for discounted Disney tickets?

[CathiVee]

Hey guys-

Just a good ole 25 year old looking for different ways to get discounted Disney World tickets. I have been hearing about attending timeshare presentations for discounted Disney World tickets. Have you guys ever tried this? Is it a scam? Time-consuming? Which hotel(s) offer the best deals for this?

If this is a bad idea, do you have any other options other than Undercover Tourist on how I can get discounted Disney tix?

Thanks guys

 

[Marionnette]

Hey guys-

Just a good ole 25 year old looking for different ways to get discounted Disney World tickets. I have been hearing about attending timeshare presentations for discounted Disney World tickets. Have you guys ever tried this? Is it a scam? Time-consuming? Which hotel(s) offer the best deals for this?

If this is a bad idea, do you have any other options other than Undercover Tourist on how I can get discounted Disney tix?

Thanks guys

It's pretty difficult to find a timeshare presentation for free tickets but some may sell you a package which includes accommodations and tickets for an affordable price.

If you're married, you will both have to attend. If you're a single male, they may not want you at all. Most have income thresholds but they aren't usually very high. Some will ask that you have a major credit card. They will not allow you to do the presentation the same day that you check in.

Most will say that they are 90 minutes but they will keep you much longer. You will have to say "no" multiple times to more than one person. When it's over, you may find yourself quite a distance from where your resort room is located.

Other sources for discounted tickets include HR at work, conventions in the Orlando area or being held at Disney, military families, FL resident discounts, or if you happen to know a CM.

Personally, I would not waste a day of my vacation doing one of these presentations. But for me, time is more important than money when I'm using the little bit of time that we get away from work.

However, if you really want to do one, my brother had a positive experience with Parc Soleil. He said that they were very low-pressure and he got out of the presentation on time once they realized that he would not be buying no matter what they said. He did not buy the discounted tickets because he has annual passes.

I understand that Westgate is notoriously bad about pressuring you to buy and is reputed to keep people for several hours before finally giving them their tickets.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

A couple of other "caveats" to add to what Marionnette said.

-- The tickets you get from timeshare presentations are generally for only a day or two and they are not upgradeable. If you want to spend more days than that, you'd have to buy full-price tickets for that, negating any benefit to the time spent in the timeshare.

-- If you do only want 1 or 2 days in the parks, be aware that those tickets are not discounted by resellers.

-- Besides the Undercover Tourist deal, there is also a deal through Ebates that if you buy Disney tickets through Orbitz (go to Ebates, choose Orbitz, buy Disney tickets) you can get back 10% of the price on top of whatever discount there is. That can be significant depending on how many days you're buying.

-- There's a special link to UCT with special pricing in the monthly Mousesavers newsletter that may be a good deal for you.

 

[Pooh2]

Not worth the stress and pressure!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

At this stage in my life I'd say it's not worth it. Back in my 20s, yes, dh & I did a few of them, some before we were married. This was in the 90s so I see things have changed. We did get a free 1 day ticket to Epcot & 1 day at Sea World.
The first deal was an inexpensive stay in a 2 BR condo at Cypress Pointe Villas for 3 nts then 2 nts in Ft. Lauderdale which was not so nice.
It was easy to say no since dh was laid off from his job after the trip was paid for. The salesman really couldn't argue with someone with no job. He was on unemployment so we made it a low-budget trip.

On other stays we looked for booths offering free tickets so we ended up touring Vistana & one of the West Gate resorts. We just stayed firm in saying no & it didn't run much longer than 90 mins.
By the last one, dh just flat out said we're just here for the free tickets & no way are we buying. I was mortified but it worked. That visit was an hour maybe and that included breakfast.

These days I still like a good deal but I work too dang hard for my vacation time to be spent that way. We did end up owning a TS for around 7 yrs (bought as a resale, not from builder). We enjoyed it but got tired of dealing with it once we discovered cruising.
Good luck & be sure to stand your ground on saying no. Don't let them verbally bully you or hold onto something of yours that you can't leave without. (Like when a salesman at a car dealership held my driver's license & left us waiting for like an hour while he "consulted with his manager".) grrr...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Most timeshares will state a 90 minute requirement to get whatever they are offering

However... When you get there you will be invited to go into a lounge for snacks, coffee, etc.

When you are finally taken to the salesperson is when the clock starts. You will be invited, after a movie or something, to tour the property. Ths will be in a golf cart. You will be far from the sales office when the 90 minutes is up.

Once you get back you will still have more to go through, possibly a "manager" coming in to offer a better deal than the original salesperson.

Actual total time from arrival to departure will be closer to 2.5 hours rather than 90 minutes. Add in travel time both ways and how much time will you be spending?

Calculate your vacation time and hourly cost.

Take the total number of hours from the time you leave home until the time you return. Then subtract out the time sleeping or otherwise spent in your room. This gives you actual vacation time in hours.

Then take the total cost of your trip, transportation, tickets, lodging, meals, etc. Divide this by the number of hours. This gives you a cost per hour for your actual vacation time.

Now look at what you are getting, and consider how much it is really costing you.

BTW, almost any Disney ticket you get from a timeshare promotion (especially if you get a voucher) cannot be upgraded or modified in any way.

 

[Mickey527]

Years ago time share tours used to give good gifts, then they met me....
I used ot go on at least one each trip and they would offer between $150 and $200. I didn't mind that for the 2 hours I gave them. My sister and I once went down to Orlando together, signed up seperately and got $250 each. We ate out at some nice restaurants that trip.
One year I brought my son who had a few job interviews lined up in Orlando. I was going to do the parks while he did the stuff he needed to do. The applications and interviews took less time than we thought and he had no cash for tickets so I did a time share tour for tickets.
They offered me 2 one day passes for the time and I told them I would do it for 4 tickets. they gave me 4 tickets, I did the tour at 8 am, got back at 11 and my son and I had 4 days at the parks.
nOw they offer $50 or 2 1 day tickets, no negotiation so I skip them, but it was quick vacation cash for a while in the early 2000's when time shares were selling.

 

[rock_doctor]

We did it once and it was more of a kidnapping then a sales presentation... If you need to go to another location make sure to follow the salesman in your car. They have a history of abandoning the customer once they realize they will not make a sale. UT is really the best price on tickets.

 

[crisi]

We did it once and it was more of a kidnapping then a sales presentation... If you need to go to another location make sure to follow the salesman in your car. They have a history of abandoning the customer once they realize they will not make a sale. UT is really the best price on tickets.

Someone here reported a few years ago that they put their kids in the timeshare provided childcare and had to threaten to call the police to get their kids back without buying, so you may be more right than you think.

 

[wiigirl]

Not worth the stress and pressure!

 

[LJSquishy]

I wouldn't sit through a timeshare unless you're actually interested in the possibility of buying in. They are designed for people to experience what it is they will be buying. It's not designed to be used as a way to just get a discount. If you know you aren't interested in buying a timeshare, it's wrong to attend. Yes, I know people do attend with no intention of buying, but it doesn't make it right.

The "90-minute" presentations usually end up being a minimum of half of your day, if not a full day. With all ethics set aside, I definitely wouldn't want to waste my precious vacation time doing that! I'd much rather pony up the money and buy the tickets myself and be submerged in Disney.

 

[chalee94]

Not worth the stress and pressure!

+1

my vacation time is too valuable to waste that way.

I wouldn't sit through a timeshare unless you're actually interested in the possibility of buying in.

i've bought 2 timeshares and have never sat through a presentation. if you are interested, join TUG, do your homework and buy resale.

(but i would agree that in wasting the salesperson's time, you are violating the "golden rule.")