Most of the people who buy timeshares don't think about what they are doing. The sales people use different tricks to get you excited to buy. Think about it...You put down $500 to $1,500 on a piece of property. Right from the get go you have a monthly payment. Each year you have to pay taxes on a deeded piece of property and you have to pay for room service. The next year you make your trip. By this time you might have already paid $5,000 for nothing but a hotel room. Does this make sense? Let's suppose your about to make your trip and something comes up. Guess what you're SOL. Now they make a big deal that now you get to buy the property and you have a deed. You still have taxes to pay and room service. These fees an be $700 to $1,000 a year.
I should know because I got one of these deeded pieces of property. I never went and finally got a quit deed on the property.
This timeshare crap was created by the property owners. They can have 200 rooms and sell them 52 times each. Let's say they get $12,000 for a room. Folks that $624,000 for one room. I've met three people that had timeshares. They all sold them back at a lose. I would say the the percentage of people that sell them back would be 65%. You buy a room for $12,000 and sell it to someone on ebay for $6,000 if you're lucky. You just lost $6,000 and you'll have people who handle the paperwork take more so You'll end up with $5,000.
I've talked with a couple people that go to these timeshare gatherings. They sit there and listen to the jibber jabber from the sales person. They tell them they aren't interested and they take their free trip or spend a week at a resort at a very nicely reduced rate. These people win in this game. Take my advice. Before you go decide before you even arrive you aren't buying crap and tell them as soon as they come around. You aren't buying anything, They see you can see leave and you take your free trip or stay at a resort for a reduced rate. But doon't be a fool and buy this crap. It isn't something you've needed. I've told people before they go to not buy this stuff, but some do anyway. The people who build these resorts could sell a room for $100,000 x 200 = $20,000,000. Instead they sell a room 52 times= $624,000 x 200 rooms =$124,800,000. These don't do it for your benefit. So don't be just another fool. They say you can exchange your time for another resort, but you'll not get a favorable time. Sure you can easily get a room in Miami in July, but that's no god. Or a ski resort in April. Trust me this stuff is a ripoff. By the time you pay off the $12,000 with interest and let's say you pay the taxes and room service for 30 years, you might have paid $50,000. Your best bet would be to buy a hotel room with 2 or 3 people. People in the family or friends and take turns staying there. This means no rooms service fee and times you aren't there you could rent it out.
If you take vacations just head to where you want to go and get a motel. If it's busy time of year just get your room well in advance and save yourself a lot money and trouble.