Complaint Review: Bluegreen Vacations - Indianapolis Indiana

I will just let the lawsuits against Bluegreen do all of the talking. Not just the one in my home state (PA), but ALL of them - NATIONWIDE!! Enough said!

Did you even bother to read the lawsuit filed by the ATTORNEY GENERAL in PA? Yes, I have. If Bluegreen salespeople have been pulling the stuff they're accused off, I hope they're busted. But I'm also aware of the process of buying into Bluegreen and have gone through the checklist myself so I know that Bluegreen is doing what it can to make sure that the customer gets the truth despite the fact that some salesmen lie. I've been active in the business world long enough I recognize that no company can control what every individual employee does. But, as with all the Bluegreen lawsuits I've looked into, this lawsuit is about sales practices, and I tend to view most salespeople as crooks anyhow. I'm much more interested in how the Vacation Club part of Bluegreen is run. I would guess you'll be happy to know that Bluegreen is gutting their sales branch and according to Maloney expect only 60% of the 2008 sales in 2009. Just read over the HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of customer complaints on ALL of the consumer websites. It is ASTONISHING. What I find most astonishing is that so many people have REPOSTED their complaints so often. There are a couple of people who have posted I don't know how many times since 2003, requesting others to join with them in a lawsuit. I think after five years I'd start to wonder if I have a case - which is not to say I'm arguing that none of these people have been wronged, but at some point you have to realize the law isn't going to help and move on. Since I went looking right after going through the process myself, I also noticed how many of the complaints misrepresented how things work. I can't say anything about the cruises or the people who went looking for a free vacation, because I didn't have anything to do with that route (we signed up with a salesperson because we were staying in the resort on a loaner from an RCI friend), but I do know that people who buy in go through a check list with a tape recorder running that covers much of what people claim they were promised but didn't get, and I also know that the paperwork makes clear the system works on a "first come, first served" method, which is one aspect a lot of people complaining don't seem to get. Sit down and figure out all of the costs involved, it is tremendous! That depends on where you buy and what you intend to do with the purchase. Certainly I would caution anyone who intended to get a loan for points, and recommend buyers look into buying resale, but there are plenty of people who've bought direct who are very happy with the purchase because they used it long enough they ended up spending less per night than they would have if they'd been purchasing each vacation separately. If you aren't one of those people at the top who can afford the most 'points' you lose. You can't go where you want to go when you want to. NO AVAILABILITY!! Since you have never owned with Bluegreen, how do you know that those who don't have a gazillion points don't get to go where they want? I've had no problem getting where I wanted to go with the points I have now, and I know plenty of people who have smaller packages than I intend to purchase who have always been able to get the reservations they wanted. If I were bound and determined to go to a "Bluegreen affiliate" resort, where Bluegreen only has a few units, that might be a problem, but I've never heard of anyone trying to get into a Bluegreen owned resort who couldn't do it nine months out. Everyone I've ever seen complain about "no availability" either wanted to reserve a week ahead and get in, or were determined to get into a resort Bluegreen doesn't own at peak season. Again, a lot of the stuff I've run across on complaint boards boils down to people not understanding what they purchased. Which may be because the salesman lied, or may be because the customer knew nothing about timeshare vacation clubs going in and didn't "get" what they were being told - I know people who're familiar with timeshare but not with the points system who find Bluegreen confusing, so it isn't surprising that someone completely unfamiliar with the whole concept doesn't really get what it's all about after a few hour presentation. I got the points system right off, but it took me a few weeks to figure out how bonus time and hot weeks and traveler's plus and RCI all worked. It's a lot of information to absorb, and a lot of people don't catch the difference between Bluegreen owned resorts, Bluegreen affiliate resorts, and resorts they can get to through RCI, so even if the salesman was up front about it, they feel they were lied to. There's also the fact that some people find RCI easy and effective while other people never seem to get the hang of it - a salesman/owner who regularly gets great deals through RCI is going to see Bluegreen very differently than one who has always stayed in Bluegreen resorts, and that'll come through in how they present the company. I agree with you that people need to research before they buy - but I'm not convinced you're right in saying only people who have a gazillion points will ever be happy with Bluegreen. Again, it depends on what you're looking for. I've been very happy with the two Bluegreen resorts we've been to (the two closest to us, so the ones we'd most likely be making the most use of), and I'll be checking out two more in the next few months before making a purchase but I have researched them pretty thoroughly and, going on my research and results with the ones I've seen, I doubt we're going to be disappointed.

Good for you. I read your info. on the other consumer website and I've taken it upon myself to help you spread the word! Did you ever think about going to the discussion boards on Yahoo! and all of the free email sites not to mention myspace, facebook, etc... Make your title sound real catchy like: WANTED:MICHIGAN CONSUMERS SCAMMED BY BLUEGREEN!! Heck, I would even go on Craigslist (it's free) and place a want ad. Direct people to sign-up at your email address. You may get more responses than you expect! Did you know that the Attorney General in my home state of Pennsylvania has filed numerous charges on Bluesh*t on behalf of OVER 5,700 PEOPLE. Yes, the number of consumers goes UP daily!! It's unbelievable to me that this company has been around for so long and only now are people coming forward in droves! Well, it seems to me that their days are numbered. With all of these new and existing lawsuits popping up all over the USA, I hope they go BANKRUPT. Then ALL you guys will NO LONGER have to give them ONE MORE PENNY!! If you need any help, please let me know. These scumbags need shut down and I will NOT stop until something is done. As far as that guy from the UK~ you're right. If he was so content with his vacation rip-off then he wouldn't possibly have the time to post ALL of his stupid comments. He tries to belittle everyone who made the mistake of getting sucked in by these sharks. As if they need someone to make them feel even worse. One guy wrote him a funny comment and said "all rise to Mr. All knowing" ( I thought it was funny!) Best of luck, Robin

First of all, Nobody said anything about Omaha you twit!! I said that I drove 5 and one half hrs. from PENNSYLVANIA to Indianapolis. I have a GPS in my SUV and I chose the shortest route and time when I entered the address into the GPS. It took me directly to the front door of the Pyramids in Indiana. GET IT?? Secondly, Iam well aware that Cedar Fair bought King's Island a couple years ago as I purchase their PLATINUM PASSES every year and I can go to ANY park around the USA that is owned by Cedar Fair~FREE OF CHARGE!!! However, smarta**, It is still called Paramount King's Island. Go to the website,or to the amusement park itself- all of the signs including the one at the entrance say: "Welcome to Paramount King's Island". Not to mention ALL of the signs in the area say "PARAMOUNT KING"S ISLAND". This is why I referred to it in this manner, for lack of confusion. Many people aren't aware of the buy-out as there are no name changes as of yet. What possible reason would I have to lie about ANY of this? All you are doing is making a big fool out of yourself! Where did you pull the whole Omaha thing out of?? Your A**?? (what an idiot people) PS~ NOBODY listens to smithiekid, he's just a loser from the UK and everyone hates him. He's been called more names than I care to mention. But, thanks for the comment anyway!!

Robin, don't listen to Smithiekid. He is always commenting in this site so he must work for Bluegreen. If he were a happy Bluegreen Owner as he insists, then he wouldn't waste his time on this site right? I did contact my AG in Michigan but was told via a postcard that they would do something if they have enough complaints. I've told as many MI residents as I could to write to our AG and meanwhile I've had to pay those maintenance fees again or they'll ruin my credit.

Kings Island to Indianapolis via "Omaha"? It is a 2 and 1/2 hour drive at the most. Not 5 hours. Has not been Paramount's K I for a few years now. K I is owned by Cedar Fair. Shame on K I? Why didn't you just walk away if you weren't interested? Those so called "Sharks" are just trying to make a buck. Just say no. Shame on you not K I. Next time maybe try Hershey Park.

I know I should not keep winding you up but come on s**t comes from both ends of you Have a nice day Robin

Which part didn't you understand? I will be more than happy to clarify anything that you don't understand. I know that you usually have trouble comprehending anything too complicated. What do you view as "half truths"? I actually thought that I made myself quite clear. 'Come on- comment on the lawsuit will you? Why won't any of you blowhards comment on it? We're ALL anxious to know why you All think that you are somehow more intelligent than the ATTY. GENERAL in my state of PA.? He has filed NUMEROUS charges against Bluesh*t for violating SEVERAL consumer protection laws. WHICH PART OF THE LAWSUIT DON'T YOU GET?? I would be happy to clarify anything for any of you-just ask. Always willing to lend a helping hand-I am. I will do this free of charge- no long term contract necessary!! No high pressure-No long drawn out presentations. Contact me for any additional assistance that you may need concerning this matter, YOU KNOW YOU WILL,'YA JUST CAN'T HELP YOURSELF as I said earlier. Remember phillieboy?? Flies on sh*t???? They're ALWAYS hungry!!!

Robin, I see you have not disappointed us yet again with misleading half truths. well done

Hey Sheryl, Just let me know how you feel 2 yrs from now!! And trust me- I know PLENTY about this company. Did you even bother to read the lawsuit filed by the ATTORNEY GENERAL in PA? How could anyone feel comfortable doing business with these kind of people? That- I will NEVER understand. Just read over the HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of customer complaints on ALL of the consumer websites. It is ASTONISHING. I've worked in PR for over 20 yrs. and from where I sit, Bluegreen is a public relations nightmare. ONE unhappy customer is too many and HUNDREDS are beyond comprehension!! If you are a Bluegreen owner and you are satisfied with your purchase- wonderful! However, I don't believe that you will remain quite as elated as you are now. Sit down and figure out all of the costs involved, it is tremendous! If you aren't one of those people at the top who can afford the most "points" you lose. You can't go where you want to go when you want to. NO AVAILABILITY!! You'll see. Please proceed with caution. Many consumers were pleased with their "sampler package" and decided to purchase upgrades. They ended up miserable in the long run. Do your homework VERY CAREFULLY. As I said before, the people who are happy with Bluegreen, are the ones at the top of the "point system". Please read the ENTIRE lawsuit filed by the ATTORNEY GENERAL in PA. I think that it speaks volumnes about this company and their business practices! But, you decide. Either way, I hope all goes well for you, no matter your decision. As for Wendy- YOU GO GIRL!! Spread the word as far and wide as you can. The more people who know about this comany and their unetical business dealings- the better off they will be. If you do not live in PA.( as Wendy said ) you may contact the ATTY. General in your state. Fill out a complaint, let your voice be heard. You have nothing to lose and in fact, if enough consumers complain, you may have MUCH to gain. ****AN ADDED NOTE**** Bluegreen is in the process of trying to sell out to DIAMOND RESORTS. Diamond Resorts cannot secure the financing necessary to close the deal. The CEO of Bluegreen is currently living comfortable on 1.6 MILLION dollars of YOUR MONEY (Bluegreen Owners) and many owners are complaining that he is running the company straight into the ground! For more info. on this subject go to the discussion boards on Yahoo! Many of the discussions surround the demise of Bluegreen as we know it. Log on and read them for yourself. Stocks are dropping etc, etc.. I really hope this doesn't happen as all of the satisfied customers will end up holding the bag!! -Best of luck guys.

Illegal marketing, high pressure sales,false advertising. Just like all the unhappy owners said . NOW all unhappy owners --- you MUST contact the Attorney General of your state and file a complaint. There is much bad press on Bluegreen. Hopefully the lawsuits will make they rethink their tactics.

Illegal marketing, high pressure sales,false advertising. Just like all the unhappy owners said . NOW all unhappy owners --- you MUST contact the Attorney General of your state and file a complaint. There is much bad press on Bluegreen. Hopefully the lawsuits will make they rethink their tactics.

Illegal marketing, high pressure sales,false advertising. Just like all the unhappy owners said . NOW all unhappy owners --- you MUST contact the Attorney General of your state and file a complaint. There is much bad press on Bluegreen. Hopefully the lawsuits will make they rethink their tactics.

Illegal marketing, high pressure sales,false advertising. Just like all the unhappy owners said . NOW all unhappy owners --- you MUST contact the Attorney General of your state and file a complaint. There is much bad press on Bluegreen. Hopefully the lawsuits will make they rethink their tactics.

The original poster claims: "When you take your time and really go over all of the info. and think about the level of commitment necessary to participate in this "RIP-OFF" you will run as far away as you can and never look back." and: "They do this because they have perfected their entire sales presentation over the years and have come to realize that when customers really sat down to consider all of costs involved they WOULD NOT sign on the dotted line. That is just a fact sir." This is not true. Many people like myself refuse to sign up on a long-term contract with Bluegreen because we feel rushed and are offered a "Sampler," which is points and nothing else (there are a number of perks that regular Bluegreen users have access to like RCI and bonus time that are not part of the Sampler package), that can only be used off season. People who sign up for a Sampler then have an entire year to research the company and consider whether or not this is a rip off while they try out the product - and most of them go on to sign up. Going on my Sampler experience thus far, I have every intention of buying into Bluegreen one way or another before I've used up all my Sampler points, because Bluegreen is a terrific deal - if you can afford it. It is a high cost up front but lower-cost long term, if you continue using it. I would never borrow to get into it, and I certainly wouldn't borrow from Bluegreen, because, yes, you can end up in trouble that way if someone in the family loses a job or gets sick. But that is true of *any* large debt people sign up for. It is possible to get out of Bluegreen once you've signed on, but if you view it as an investment, it's going to hurt, because buying a time share is like buying a new car. First off, as soon as you drive off the lot with a new car, it's value plummets - some with most timeshares, including Bluegreen. As with a new car, or a stereo, or a house in a poor market, Bluegreen can be sold - but only as a loss. Second, it's like buying a new car in that if you quit paying on it, it can be repossessed, even if you've technically paid off what the car was worth in terms of sticker price (or at least that's how house loans work - only a tiny percentage of the payment goes to the principle for years, so you can have paid off what the house cost and still be evicted). I've never bought a new car myself because I don't see the advantage - but I don't call the people selling new cars rip off artists, either. I do see the advantage to Bluegreen, however. It irks me that so many people calling Bluegreen a scam *have never used Bluegreen*. I think Bluegreen's sales techniques stink, but that has nothing to do with whether or not the Bluegreen Vacation Club itself is a good deal or not. Bluegreen is a terrific deal for people who are flexible or who plan ahead (I haven't had to be flexible yet because I've gotten every place I've requested, when I requested it - however, I started making my reservations the minute I had the opportunity). It can be a terrific deal for the inflexible if they happen to want one of the Bluegreen-owned resorts and are deeded there, because with an annual contract you can lay claim to your deeded week every year if so inclined (however a lot of salespeople don't know this because Bluegreen is more oriented toward flexibility). It's a great deal for workaholics who tend to put vacations off because you're paying for the darn thing and that bill is a reminder you should make use of your time, which is an encouragement to get moving. It can be a great deal for people who like to make last-minute plans IF they live close enough to resorts to make use of "hot weeks" or bonus time or the other short-term deals Bluegreen offers. It can be a great deal for families with kids who like to save money on restaurants by cooking at the condo and like to save on hotel bills by making use of the low-point weekdays. We have five kids, so Bluegreen is a great deal for us just in saving on our food bill - with a few exceptions in the smallest units (which with five kids are never a consideration), Bluegreen units have a full kitchen, as well as plenty of space to spread out in the unit itself. The Bluegreen points system gives us a lot of options - we can use all our points in one week in peak time somewhere,or spread them waaaay out by going a lot of different places off season or weekdays. I am astonished by the people who dismiss Bluegreen as a "rip off" because they don't like the sales staff or because their freebies weren't as free as they'd assumed. You get what you pay for, guys. Our salesman was kind of an idiot, but I believe in being an informed shopper so if he was lying like a fiend, I didn't notice because I was looking over the material to see what I was actually being offered. Yes, we ended up being there twice as long as expected, and we missed going to an event we'd planned - but we think it totally worth it, because we got honestly excited about Bluegreen. Bluegreen needed some aggressive salesmanship with us, not because they have a poor product, but because they have a product *we didn't know was out there*, and one we would have assumed we could not afford had we heard about it. And to be honest we weren't much for vacationing, first because we tended to use our vacation time working without pay, and second because hubby hates paying for food that isn't as good as what I cook, while I hate cooking without a kitchen. So part of the reason we hadn't looked into timeshare is that we were never vacationers - but Bluegreen made vacationing fun! I highly, highly recommend that people give the Sampler a shot. Timeshares are not for everyone: Bluegreen is not for everyone - but we were surprised to discover that Bluegreen is for us.

The original poster claims: "When you take your time and really go over all of the info. and think about the level of commitment necessary to participate in this "RIP-OFF" you will run as far away as you can and never look back." and: "They do this because they have perfected their entire sales presentation over the years and have come to realize that when customers really sat down to consider all of costs involved they WOULD NOT sign on the dotted line. That is just a fact sir." This is not true. Many people like myself refuse to sign up on a long-term contract with Bluegreen because we feel rushed and are offered a "Sampler," which is points and nothing else (there are a number of perks that regular Bluegreen users have access to like RCI and bonus time that are not part of the Sampler package), that can only be used off season. People who sign up for a Sampler then have an entire year to research the company and consider whether or not this is a rip off while they try out the product - and most of them go on to sign up. Going on my Sampler experience thus far, I have every intention of buying into Bluegreen one way or another before I've used up all my Sampler points, because Bluegreen is a terrific deal - if you can afford it. It is a high cost up front but lower-cost long term, if you continue using it. I would never borrow to get into it, and I certainly wouldn't borrow from Bluegreen, because, yes, you can end up in trouble that way if someone in the family loses a job or gets sick. But that is true of *any* large debt people sign up for. It is possible to get out of Bluegreen once you've signed on, but if you view it as an investment, it's going to hurt, because buying a time share is like buying a new car. First off, as soon as you drive off the lot with a new car, it's value plummets - some with most timeshares, including Bluegreen. As with a new car, or a stereo, or a house in a poor market, Bluegreen can be sold - but only as a loss. Second, it's like buying a new car in that if you quit paying on it, it can be repossessed, even if you've technically paid off what the car was worth in terms of sticker price (or at least that's how house loans work - only a tiny percentage of the payment goes to the principle for years, so you can have paid off what the house cost and still be evicted). I've never bought a new car myself because I don't see the advantage - but I don't call the people selling new cars rip off artists, either. I do see the advantage to Bluegreen, however. It irks me that so many people calling Bluegreen a scam *have never used Bluegreen*. I think Bluegreen's sales techniques stink, but that has nothing to do with whether or not the Bluegreen Vacation Club itself is a good deal or not. Bluegreen is a terrific deal for people who are flexible or who plan ahead (I haven't had to be flexible yet because I've gotten every place I've requested, when I requested it - however, I started making my reservations the minute I had the opportunity). It can be a terrific deal for the inflexible if they happen to want one of the Bluegreen-owned resorts and are deeded there, because with an annual contract you can lay claim to your deeded week every year if so inclined (however a lot of salespeople don't know this because Bluegreen is more oriented toward flexibility). It's a great deal for workaholics who tend to put vacations off because you're paying for the darn thing and that bill is a reminder you should make use of your time, which is an encouragement to get moving. It can be a great deal for people who like to make last-minute plans IF they live close enough to resorts to make use of "hot weeks" or bonus time or the other short-term deals Bluegreen offers. It can be a great deal for families with kids who like to save money on restaurants by cooking at the condo and like to save on hotel bills by making use of the low-point weekdays. We have five kids, so Bluegreen is a great deal for us just in saving on our food bill - with a few exceptions in the smallest units (which with five kids are never a consideration), Bluegreen units have a full kitchen, as well as plenty of space to spread out in the unit itself. The Bluegreen points system gives us a lot of options - we can use all our points in one week in peak time somewhere,or spread them waaaay out by going a lot of different places off season or weekdays. I am astonished by the people who dismiss Bluegreen as a "rip off" because they don't like the sales staff or because their freebies weren't as free as they'd assumed. You get what you pay for, guys. Our salesman was kind of an idiot, but I believe in being an informed shopper so if he was lying like a fiend, I didn't notice because I was looking over the material to see what I was actually being offered. Yes, we ended up being there twice as long as expected, and we missed going to an event we'd planned - but we think it totally worth it, because we got honestly excited about Bluegreen. Bluegreen needed some aggressive salesmanship with us, not because they have a poor product, but because they have a product *we didn't know was out there*, and one we would have assumed we could not afford had we heard about it. And to be honest we weren't much for vacationing, first because we tended to use our vacation time working without pay, and second because hubby hates paying for food that isn't as good as what I cook, while I hate cooking without a kitchen. So part of the reason we hadn't looked into timeshare is that we were never vacationers - but Bluegreen made vacationing fun! I highly, highly recommend that people give the Sampler a shot. Timeshares are not for everyone: Bluegreen is not for everyone - but we were surprised to discover that Bluegreen is for us.

The original poster claims: "When you take your time and really go over all of the info. and think about the level of commitment necessary to participate in this "RIP-OFF" you will run as far away as you can and never look back." and: "They do this because they have perfected their entire sales presentation over the years and have come to realize that when customers really sat down to consider all of costs involved they WOULD NOT sign on the dotted line. That is just a fact sir." This is not true. Many people like myself refuse to sign up on a long-term contract with Bluegreen because we feel rushed and are offered a "Sampler," which is points and nothing else (there are a number of perks that regular Bluegreen users have access to like RCI and bonus time that are not part of the Sampler package), that can only be used off season. People who sign up for a Sampler then have an entire year to research the company and consider whether or not this is a rip off while they try out the product - and most of them go on to sign up. Going on my Sampler experience thus far, I have every intention of buying into Bluegreen one way or another before I've used up all my Sampler points, because Bluegreen is a terrific deal - if you can afford it. It is a high cost up front but lower-cost long term, if you continue using it. I would never borrow to get into it, and I certainly wouldn't borrow from Bluegreen, because, yes, you can end up in trouble that way if someone in the family loses a job or gets sick. But that is true of *any* large debt people sign up for. It is possible to get out of Bluegreen once you've signed on, but if you view it as an investment, it's going to hurt, because buying a time share is like buying a new car. First off, as soon as you drive off the lot with a new car, it's value plummets - some with most timeshares, including Bluegreen. As with a new car, or a stereo, or a house in a poor market, Bluegreen can be sold - but only as a loss. Second, it's like buying a new car in that if you quit paying on it, it can be repossessed, even if you've technically paid off what the car was worth in terms of sticker price (or at least that's how house loans work - only a tiny percentage of the payment goes to the principle for years, so you can have paid off what the house cost and still be evicted). I've never bought a new car myself because I don't see the advantage - but I don't call the people selling new cars rip off artists, either. I do see the advantage to Bluegreen, however. It irks me that so many people calling Bluegreen a scam *have never used Bluegreen*. I think Bluegreen's sales techniques stink, but that has nothing to do with whether or not the Bluegreen Vacation Club itself is a good deal or not. Bluegreen is a terrific deal for people who are flexible or who plan ahead (I haven't had to be flexible yet because I've gotten every place I've requested, when I requested it - however, I started making my reservations the minute I had the opportunity). It can be a terrific deal for the inflexible if they happen to want one of the Bluegreen-owned resorts and are deeded there, because with an annual contract you can lay claim to your deeded week every year if so inclined (however a lot of salespeople don't know this because Bluegreen is more oriented toward flexibility). It's a great deal for workaholics who tend to put vacations off because you're paying for the darn thing and that bill is a reminder you should make use of your time, which is an encouragement to get moving. It can be a great deal for people who like to make last-minute plans IF they live close enough to resorts to make use of "hot weeks" or bonus time or the other short-term deals Bluegreen offers. It can be a great deal for families with kids who like to save money on restaurants by cooking at the condo and like to save on hotel bills by making use of the low-point weekdays. We have five kids, so Bluegreen is a great deal for us just in saving on our food bill - with a few exceptions in the smallest units (which with five kids are never a consideration), Bluegreen units have a full kitchen, as well as plenty of space to spread out in the unit itself. The Bluegreen points system gives us a lot of options - we can use all our points in one week in peak time somewhere,or spread them waaaay out by going a lot of different places off season or weekdays. I am astonished by the people who dismiss Bluegreen as a "rip off" because they don't like the sales staff or because their freebies weren't as free as they'd assumed. You get what you pay for, guys. Our salesman was kind of an idiot, but I believe in being an informed shopper so if he was lying like a fiend, I didn't notice because I was looking over the material to see what I was actually being offered. Yes, we ended up being there twice as long as expected, and we missed going to an event we'd planned - but we think it totally worth it, because we got honestly excited about Bluegreen. Bluegreen needed some aggressive salesmanship with us, not because they have a poor product, but because they have a product *we didn't know was out there*, and one we would have assumed we could not afford had we heard about it. And to be honest we weren't much for vacationing, first because we tended to use our vacation time working without pay, and second because hubby hates paying for food that isn't as good as what I cook, while I hate cooking without a kitchen. So part of the reason we hadn't looked into timeshare is that we were never vacationers - but Bluegreen made vacationing fun! I highly, highly recommend that people give the Sampler a shot. Timeshares are not for everyone: Bluegreen is not for everyone - but we were surprised to discover that Bluegreen is for us.

I too was apprehensive when approached by a Bluegreen pitch man on the streets of Charleston. However, it was a rainy day and my husband and I could not go out sightseeing so we "bit the bullet" and agreed to listen to their presentation. At first we had the "we're only here for the free dinner tickets" attitude, but as the presentation progressed - it was very professionally presented - we began to listen more closely and realized that this may very well be something our entire family could enjoy. That was in 2004 and we have had nothing but fun being Bluegreen owners. The whole family vacations every year in accomodations we probably could not afford on our own. All the resorts we have stayed at have been top-notch, well maintained and the staff at each has been very accomodating. I will say that the company needs to supervise these street hawkers more carefully. They can certainly give the company a bad name. We ran into one in Tennessee who knew less about the company and it's benefits than we did. If you are truly interested in the Bluegreen Vacation Club, I would suggest you contact their headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida.

I was solicited by Blue Green a few years ago via telephone to hear them talk about a great opportunity. For my trouble, they would provide me a 3 day/2 night vacation trip either to Orlando or Las Vegas. I heard their speech, asked questions, and ultimately decided the opportunity wasn't for me nor was I comfortable with having to make a decision at that spot and that second or else the "deal" was invalid. I did not feel comfortable making such a commitment on the spot so I declined. After I left, I went to the area where I was supposed to get my "3-day/2-night trip". I chose Orlando. Then they told me the trip was good as long as I booked my trip to leave on Monday between 6PM and 8PM (that's my first day) and fly back on Wednesday sometime between 6AM and 8AM (that's my third day). This would only actually give me one actual day in Orlando which would require an early retirement to bed since I would have to be at the airport at 5 AM to catch a flight to go home. Go Figure!

Just a fact (and it is well documented) That 44% of Bluegreen sales comes from owner upgrades. so there are a very large number of very happy owners. This fig. does not include those owners who buy from the resale market

Did I forget to mention the hotel was TOTALLY FREE paid for by Bluegreen? It saved me from paying for another night at the Marriot in nearby Ohio!! You see, I visited family nearby so it didn't cost me anything additional to go there except maybe $10.00 in gas and they gave me a $25.00 gift card. My company pays for my gas anyway so I used the money to pay for half of the dinner check. I LOST NOTHING but probably 2-3 hrs. out of day-just as you did. And you are correct, the prizes they give away are probably worthless, doesn't that speak volumnes right there?? We had a nice little 4 day trip. And I'm not sorry for having sat through the presentation because now I can warn EVERYONE I possibly can about this company.

Did I forget to mention the hotel was TOTALLY FREE paid for by Bluegreen? It saved me from paying for another night at the Marriot in nearby Ohio!! You see, I visited family nearby so it didn't cost me anything additional to go there except maybe $10.00 in gas and they gave me a $25.00 gift card. My company pays for my gas anyway so I used the money to pay for half of the dinner check. I LOST NOTHING but probably 2-3 hrs. out of day-just as you did. And you are correct, the prizes they give away are probably worthless, doesn't that speak volumnes right there?? We had a nice little 4 day trip. And I'm not sorry for having sat through the presentation because now I can warn EVERYONE I possibly can about this company.

Did I forget to mention the hotel was TOTALLY FREE paid for by Bluegreen? It saved me from paying for another night at the Marriot in nearby Ohio!! You see, I visited family nearby so it didn't cost me anything additional to go there except maybe $10.00 in gas and they gave me a $25.00 gift card. My company pays for my gas anyway so I used the money to pay for half of the dinner check. I LOST NOTHING but probably 2-3 hrs. out of day-just as you did. And you are correct, the prizes they give away are probably worthless, doesn't that speak volumnes right there?? We had a nice little 4 day trip. And I'm not sorry for having sat through the presentation because now I can warn EVERYONE I possibly can about this company.

I guess I didn't make my point clear enough. I was traveling to the other side of Ohio anyway and didn't go out of my way by more than 25 miles or so. But, that is not important. And yes, you are correct, I should've done my research ahead of time. I absolutely agree with you. I'm also not insinuating that there are no satisfied clients. I'm sure there are some. However, like I said in my original comment, why would these people sell you a deeded property when you don't actually own anything but points?? Because that is how they are able to put a foreclosure on your credit report when you find yourself in a financial hardship. What are people supposed to do when they get in a bind and find they are no longer able to pay? They can't get rid of it or sell it to anyone. The company offers no solutions or helps them in any way whatsoever. And don't even try the tired old line "if you had a house or a car that could no longer afford to pay for should you just be able to keep it". Well, no. It's not the same thing. When you buy a car noone tells you when to drive it, how to drive it, where and why to drive it. The same with a house. At least if you find yourself in fix in these types of situations there are other solutions. You can always sell the car to someone who can just take over the payments. It's been done hundreds of thousands of times in this country. If they are about to take your house you can negotiate a better interest rate or possibly do a re-fi. Banks are not in the business to own homes and will try to help in many ways. So, that leads me to my next point. Why can't people who find themselves in a situation where they can no longer pay for this "bill of goods" do anything like described above?? BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS THE TIMESHARE / VACATION CLUB SIR!!!! That is why. When you have time to go through all of the numbers it is what it is! A bill of goods. Did you even bother to scan the web at all?? Do you realize just how many people feel as though they got the shaft from these SHARKS?? Noone and I mean noone with your best interests at heart would EVER pressure you into making a financial decision in a few seconds. Would they?? What is your answer to this?? I don't believe you responded to that in your comment above. They do this because they have perfected their entire sales presentation over the years and have come to realize that when customers really sat down to consider all of costs involved they WOULD NOT sign on the dotted line. That is just a fact sir. Dispute it all you may, but, that is the bottom line-plain and simple. I'm not a disgruntled employee nor someone who has been taken in by these people. I'm just someone doing a little research on a company. What I have seen on the pages of some websites would make you sick. Literally ill. What some people have gone through is so horrific it's almost unbelievable. And Sir even you must admit some of their tactics are unethical at best, even if you are content with your purchase. I'm very happy for you. I truly am. I love to travel myself and have figured out after doing the math that I could go anywhere I wanted to in the world and still never spend even close to what they are currently charging. Are you of the people at the top of the pyramid (as far as points go) who actually get to go where they want to go when they want to go and for how long they want? Maybe that is why you seem to be happy with your purchase. According to our sales shark, most people cannot afford to buy alot of points so they wind up purchasing the minimum or just above. Either way Bluegreen is unethical in their business practices. That is putting it mildly. I have no stake in this, nothing to gain. I simply did my research and this is what I've found. It is just my opinion and unfortunately the opinion of thousands of others. Let's call a spade a spade.

Don't be to smug. The freebies you got dont really add up to that much You drove 5hrs to stay in a hotel you never planned in staying You used all that gas for you 10hr round journey and got $25 for it. The 3 day stay at a Bluegreen resort you say you will not use and the crusie does have restrictions and can be bought cheaper elsewhere. All Timeshare presentations are the same we have them over here What i don't understand is why you did not do your research before you made the trip both positive and negative then you could have made your mind up and gone with a clear head. you have missed out on a good timeshare product but then again if you did not want a timeshare point system you should not have gone and i must say again you did have time to do you research. It is not a scam It is not a Ripp off no more than buying a car from a car salesman. We have been Timeshare owners for 10 yrs 5 of them with Bluegreen and we are now at breakeven point, we have had many holidays that we could not have afforded to go on if it had not been for Bluegreen and I dont mean the odd week end but holidays that would have cost us around $5000 each times that by 4 and its a lot of $$$ the cost we paid was $5000 for the 4 of us leaveing $15000 to come of the capital we put in. Times this over a few years and yes it does make for a good deal. So instead of crying it down you should have found out more about it and i am afraid the "freebies " cost you more in time and gas that you got out of it.