Complaint Review: Fairfield Resorts - Orlando Florida

This is not news to most "educated" people. "Crimeshare" gets it's nick-name for a reason. Arguments in the semantics of business details do not change the mathematical truth. A two dollar calculator will tell you what you need to know. A blindly courageous commentary though; to the RCI Disciple - "goldmine," oh boy, I hope you stay out of the stock market for your own sake. Good luck, Merv PS: I have never worked for any Timeshare Company or subsidiary, nor would I. It would mean an astronomical cut in pay and a moral deviation. I simply don't have the used car salesman spirit within me.

I hope, Mervin, since it's been over a year since you wrote this, that you've at least made the attempt to educate yourself on what it is that you've purchased. Several of your comments lead me to believe that at the time you wrote that, you didn't have a clue. Yes, RCI and Fairfield (now Wyndham) are "sister" companies - the big "Cendant" logo on each company's website should give that away. RCI is not a resort - it is a timeshare exchange company, a clearinghouse if you will. So yes, they do handle more reservations than Fairfield does, since Fairfield is dealing with bookings at about 10% of the number of resorts that RCI deals with. On the flipside, RCI doesn't actually OWN any resorts itself. Do you understand that much so far? Did you know that it costs initially to JOIN RCI, and that there is a subsequent annual membership fee? I bet that's in that thick stack of paperwork that you filled out when you bought at Kona, and I'd bet again that the QA Manager who went through the closing with you pointed that out. If you bought points at Kona in March of 06 that means Fairfield paid RCI to get you a membership, and that Fairfield continues to pay annually for your membership. THOSE fees are absolutely free with your ownership, and the salesperson would have been correct in pointing that out. Fairfield members get a discount from the standard transfer fee that RCI charges everyone else, and can fractionalize the transfer fee if not staying for a full week. Check your RCI directory, Mervin. RCI most certainly does have a points system, which more and more non-Fairfield resorts are going to everyday. There should be a map in your directory which points out where the points resorts are and where the fixed week resorts are. Now, the search fee. You were on a computer to type up this complaint, Mervin, so you clearly have internet access. You're also a member of RCI by virtue of being a Fairfield points owner, so, why not try logging into RCI's website yourself and doing your own search? Everything that they have available is right there in front of you. Well why didn't the Fairfield salesperson tell me this, he's probably asking. This goes back to being an educated consumer - you made a purchase, open up the bag, pull out the books, and actually LEARN about what it is that you've got before writing it off as a scam. If you're actually deeded at Kona, Mervin, then you're sitting on gold. When you take the time to learn about what you've got, you will find yourself saving money and getting to where you want to go. Unlike my fellow ex-employee, I'm not a bitter one. I'm ex due to family obligations that moved me to an industrial part of the country (ain't no beaches or historical sites around here!). I do enjoy reading the comments of ex-salespeople who choose to blame the company rather than themselves - quite humorous, thanks for the chuckle.

My (now fiance) and I bought with Fairfield last June. Our home resort is in Atlantic City. We booked there last October about 30 days out, without a problem, which wasn't a surprise because it was considered dead season there. We bought into the Discovery program while we were there, and we are using some of those points in Orlando in July (booked it in March, had no problems) and we just booked our honeymoon for Hawaii in April 2007, again, with no problems. I keep reading complaints about people not able to book any resort. How is that possible, are you waiting a month or two out or something? I mean, vacations have to be planned out, with Fairfield or on your own through various web pages. Fairfield is simply in the business of creating a nice place to stay, which many years down the line, you will get your money's worth.

I am a Fairfiedl owner and have to disagree with everything that has been reported thus far. I have owned for 5 years and have been able to trade for the locations I want on the dates that I want. I have been to Hawaii twice without any complications and I own at a resort in Tennessee. I will have to admit that the system does take a little learning curve but once you figure it out is simple to use and a great value.

I am a Fairfiedl owner and have to disagree with everything that has been reported thus far. I have owned for 5 years and have been able to trade for the locations I want on the dates that I want. I have been to Hawaii twice without any complications and I own at a resort in Tennessee. I will have to admit that the system does take a little learning curve but once you figure it out is simple to use and a great value.

I am a Fairfiedl owner and have to disagree with everything that has been reported thus far. I have owned for 5 years and have been able to trade for the locations I want on the dates that I want. I have been to Hawaii twice without any complications and I own at a resort in Tennessee. I will have to admit that the system does take a little learning curve but once you figure it out is simple to use and a great value.

I am a former employee of Fairfield Resorts in Orlando, Florida, where I sold the Fairfield points for a couple of months before quitting. I had a Florida real estate license, and sales reps are not paid unless they make a sale. After I left, I friend told me Fairfield had started paying employees $250/week if no sales were made; but that was deducted from the commission when a sale was made. So people who are desperate to pay their bills will say anything to get a sale. I couldn't do it, so I quit. The T.O.'s (short for take over) managers come to your table at the end of the tour and try to make a deal. The drops in prices, the incentives, everything is a set up (as it is in most sales deals of this type.) And the sales managers tell you this is a "one time offer" and you must purchase TODAY! The reality is, you can purchase after you leave, but the sales rep won't get the commission. (What company is going to really turn down a sale?) The managers also make up stories about their lives, such as one being a former NY police officer, another engaged, another a former Pro Football player, etc. - anything to gain commonality with the guests. It's called "pulling at the heartstrings". Anyway, I worked there and probably still have the notes I took in training classes there. If anyone needs a witness as to what sales reps say and do to get you to sign that contract, I'm here to help. In the state of Florida, you have ten days to cancel the contract I believe. After that, you will be hounded for life if you don't make those payments; and of course, the timeshare belongs to them. Its not like you can take it with you or anything. My advice would be to skip the free tickets and enjoy your vacation. The tours always take longer then expected, and most of the time guests end up being harassed at the end of the tour which can ruin your whold day. In other words - buy the tickets and skip the stress. Your vacation time is more valuable.