Complaint Review: Central Florida Investments CFI Westgate Resorts - David Siegel Owner

I believe Interval International grades the weeks. Years ago, Orlando was a prime vacation destination all year round. Timeshare units were in great demand and II was able to give them out as soon as they got them in trade. Now, there are so many timeshare developments in Orlando that II is getting overstocked with surplus they cannot get rid of. II has now seen that Orlando is not a prime vacation destination all year round, only part of the year, so they regraded (re-colored) the weeks.

I have used banked weeks in Vegas before and it just cost me the transfer fee, but now they want a $500 seasonal upgrade fee. Yes, it may be in my contract, but this is not what I was told when I was purchasing it. It Westgate doing that bad financially they have to now scam their owners? I have been a Westgate owner for many years and now this on top of the rising maintenance bill. It may be time to sell (give away more like it) my timeshare.

Over a year ago, I was going out to Vegas for a convention and was able to use a week that I had with Westgate. It only cost me the transfer fee. Now this year I was trying to book this again and learned about the $500 seasonal cost upgrade. When I purchased the unit many years ago, I was told nothing about seasonal values, just that it was RED all year around and could exchange for the just the transfer fee. I have really enjoyed having a timeshare though Westgate and have told many people about it, but now I am torn on what to do, should I just sell it since the maintance fees are getting so hight or see if I can fight this. Anyone with information, please contract me, I would like to hear what other people have tried.

Sincerely,
Mike

I was sold on RED 52 weeks a year, and now everytime i try to use it am told the same :( The worst part is i could by the same week on expedia for 1/3 of the cost westgate would charge me. Sad.... very sad

Seriously, you should have read your contract and Public Offering Statement. The Public Offering Statement says that Westgate can change the value of a week. They can make it a peak week or a value week when ever they want and they have the right to charge a fee for anyone to get into that week. It is all based on demand for that week. You should really read your documents more clearly.

I own at Westgate Lakes in Orlando. Just found out that the RED week i bought in 1997 was downgraded to a value" week.

If you own a RED week BEWARE it is no longer red.! Call them and you fill find out. They never sent me a letter to that effect however proudly state they published this info in the I Love Orlando magazine dated 2005.

This means that if I want to exchange my week to another week I now have to pay the exchange fee of $130 PLUS $500 since everything else I want is now a premium week. We need to put a stop to this maniac man.

Many years ago, while building the Westgate Villas, he added the 'right of first refusal' without even getting owners approval. This means that if you sell on your own, you must notify him first and possibly pay him a percentage.

Further, he has currently contracted with 2 local hotels/motels here in Kissimmee where he will send individuals who purchase those wonderful 3day packages.

BEWARE - you will wind up staying in a local crack hotel or long-term hotel rentals. I know this for a fact!