Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). Well, we survived our 2nd timeshare presentation. Hehe. & the reward was much bigger this time (3 nights hotel stay - only thing we got of value - vs. the $50 we got last time).
Last time I don't remember the place but the original price was $15k and they quickly dropped it to $5k when it was obvious we had no interest. That was about 7 years ago; I don't remember any other details. Not much to sell. We thought the idea of a timeshare in Vegas was just stupid. Place wasn't very memorable.
This time we visited the famed Tahiti Village.
They started out with people spinning a wheel and popping a balloon to win prizes (fabulous hotel stays in far away lands. All I could think was how much are those airline tickets? LOL. It always struck me that the hotel is always the CHEAPEST part of any vacation. Big whoop).
Then they had a video where everyone hooted and hollered at all the old Vegas strip hotels being demolished. (Woo, exciting... ???) and how the average room on the strip has gone from $50 to $400 a night or something. (*snort* - certainly not everyone pays that - yeesh).
At some point we took a tour of the grounds and a room, and they took us to the wall of fame where we could ooh and aaah over all the celebrities they had HIRED to promote the place. (Not sure the point of that exercise).
I guess this all was all s'posed to get us jazzed up and ready to buy!!!!
I have to hand it to them. This presentation was eons beyond the last. For one, the place is actually nice. Real nice. It is in the middle of nowhere, but they assured us the strip will come to them (& at the same time they were saying there was no more expansion allowed on the strip currently and why the strip is such PRIME real estate). I guess they figured everyone was too dumb to put 2 and 2 together. So strip is really prime, but they aren't? LOL. You can't have it both ways. It's prime because they can't come to you? But they'll come to you. It will expand and expand until it reaches Tahiti Village!!!
Anyway, they also really pushed that every one of their sales representatives was a real estate agent and that they were selling us real estate on the strip that would make us rich. I have to say it was a good sales tactic.
Of course knowing what I know about time shares, I just rolled my eyes. They jist of their presentation was that you own an actual piece of real estate and that Vegas land is worth $3 million or so an acre. & it's rising fast. & you better catch the wave. The rolling of the eyes comes from the knowledge that you can not GIVE those timeshares away. ANyone who thinks they will get their original investment back is dreaming.
The other essential part of their sales push was that Vegas is the best timeshare location and you can trade anywhere. I also don't buy that for a second. That was the one part that hit me as moronic on our last tour. Who in hell would buy a timeshare in Vegas? You obviously go to stay on the strip; to stay in the casinos/fancy hotels. & it is not hard to find a good deal on a nice room. So where is all this demand coming from?????
Plus Vegas is fun to visit once in a while. It's not somewhere to vacation 2 weeks of the year - which is what they were selling. 2 weeks! Hawaii is where you want to go vacation 2 weeks a year! Come on.
But they assured us that their Hawaii timeshares sold out in 8 years and Vegas is selling out in record time (Phase 1 sold in 6 months or something). It has beaten their wildest dreams!!! I don't believe a word they say for one. But if this is true, then people in Vegas are just stupider. Is all I could imagine. LOL.
Of course, they save the prices for last.
Oh, you will love this.
I already knew it was like $50k. So wasn't surprised. But otherwise I might have just fainted on the spot.
For the ever popular New Years Week (their first sell) the price was around $55k. At a 17% interest rate over 10 years or something (they don't bother checking your credit - just charge everyone a crazy rate). The payment was about $1200/month.
I was STUNNED. I mean that is about our mortgage and we know we live in the land of expensive. I can't imagine the average person would want to buy a timeshare that cost more than our mortgage? The only qualification is an income of $50k. & they want you to spend 1/3 of that on a timeshare!?! Oh my...
If nothing else I was surprised they didn't spread out the time, get those payments lower, and suck more people in with low payments. I think that was the angle they went with on our last timeshare. Then again they are selling out in record time!!!! Guess they figured charge 5 times as much and see who bites.
The regular priced one was around $750/month (still crazy). Oh, price tag was $48k. I think these were for 2 weeks a year, but lord knows, very confusing.
They just rushed through this part because it was clear we weren't going to buy. Got the hard sell guy to come let us go. He just dropped the price to $10k or so for once week every other year or something. We weren't interested and they let us go.
They actually kept us about exactly the same 2 hours they said they would. I Was disappointed it looked like some people escaped before we did though.
& so that was it, we survived.
Oh, as far as the hard sell. I honestly am not sure if there is any angle that would work for us. When you can see through all the smoke and mirrors there is little they can do. But I had to laugh because I did read that they tried really nasty things like telling you that you don't love your kids if you don't buy a timeshare. Anyway, grasping at straws, our "realtor" did start to go that angle, but didn't try very hard since we obviously weren't buying a drop of it. I wish I remembered exactly what he said, but like we OWE it to our kids to get them a timeshare and travel.
Whatever.
As for me, my travel background? My parents moved to the land of insanely expensive and MILEs from their family when I was first born. We drove to the mid-west once every 2-3 years when we can scrape the money to get there. To see family. Those were our vacations.
I went to Hawaii with my school band in high school and to Disneyland a few times with bands. My parents did take me to DL once too when I Was like 8. IT is the only "family vacation" I remember. It was very special because it was such a rare experience. I never knew what I Was "missing" so what did I care.
When I Was in college I was really broke but I would drive 2-3 hours many weekends to hang out with my friends who went to various colleges. We would drive to San Francisco, Santa Barbara, LA, Sacramento, Tahoe, Vegas, etc. and enjoy the cheapest of cheapest weekend vacations staying with friends. IT was FUN. I think that is why I really enjoy mini vacations. From my broke college days. Something that my parents did little of, that I enjoy exploring the state a little more. There is so much to see and do. But as such, I don't have any real wishes for travel. IT probably also really helps living in such a melting pot. As far as exploring different cultures and all that; there is so much in my own backyard anyway.
So when they did ask us how important vacation was to us on a scale of 1-10, my gut reaction was to put a 1. Seriously. Who cares. I can drive to monterey or Tahoe this weekend and enjoy a really nice time with a free place to stay. I don't need to go on big vacations. Dh comes from a vacation family, and even he put "3." Because it is so far down our list financially right now. Staying home with the kids is much higher on his list these days.
The other question was, "what were your last 3 vacations and how much did they cost?" I forgot our cruise but I had to giggle as I filled it out. Japan, Florida, Hawaii. All less than $500 (some $0). 
I think the presenter got annoyed with us at this point. Like why were we wasting his time. (Um yeah, why were your sales people BEGGING us to come????) He said OBVIOUSLY vacations were VERY important to us. Because we didn't say no to all these FREE trips. *Whatever* LOL. I would be very happy not to go on a big vacation for a LONG time myself.
So that part was kind of annoying. Annoyed as he was, got us off the hook though. They couldn't find a sales angle for us, so spoiled and all. & seeing as my kids have been to Disneyland, Hawaii, Tahoe and Florida, all before the tender age of 4. I am not too worried about them. I think they will be okay that we didn't spend $50k + 17% interest on a timeshare. IT would have had to come out of their college money.... 
If they want to whine about their deprived vacation youth, I am SO not the one to whine too. Hehe. (& yes lord knows they will not remember any of these trips, which is much why I would have never taken them on our own dime).
Is it just me or is it just sound crazy how much they push the family angle on VEGAS timeshare?. Of course I am really skeptical how tradeable those really are. Of course I dream of taking my kids to Vegas for two weeks of year - NOT!!!! LOL. Their whole push was you could trade anywhere. I wonder how many people who bought out of guilt for their kids are stuck taking their kids to Vegas 2 weeks of every year. Well, they "owe it to them!!!" {Poor kids!}
I know, it's just the guilt factor.
Anyway, so that was that. We survived...
Tahiti Village Timeshare
December 5th, 2007 at 02:57 pm
December 5th, 2007 at 05:56 pm 1196877378
December 5th, 2007 at 09:30 pm 1196890231
Even if it sounded like a good idea, I wouldn't buy because for 50 years or whatever, whoever owns it has to pay the payments and maintenance. What a horrible thing to leave that to your estate when they will have such a hard time getting rid of it. Borrowing money to lease a vacation is crazy.
December 5th, 2007 at 10:40 pm 1196894438
December 6th, 2007 at 05:00 am 1196917245
December 6th, 2007 at 05:16 pm 1196961385
Good Points everyone!
March 18th, 2008 at 04:47 pm 1205858848
Yeah. Right.
First of all, I don't want TWO WEEKS in Vegas. I weekend is about all I can stand. And why in the world would I bring kids to Vegas? My dh and I were walking around the strip, watching the flesh peddlers and the little kids picking up the cards off the street. What are their parents thinking?
I have a timeshare - I bought a timeshare in St. Maarten for $1800 off eBay and I have used it (for trading mostly into other resorts). That worked out great for me but $50,000 at 17.9% is insane.
And they are really funny... talking about how the timeshares appreciate.
I asked our sales rep for an internet connection so I could show her what Tahiti Village was going for on eBay. She wasn't happy. ;-)
April 16th, 2008 at 04:14 pm 1208362464
Thanks great story
Dave
April 24th, 2008 at 04:38 am 1209011898
May 12th, 2008 at 02:55 pm 1210604125
July 4th, 2008 at 02:59 am 1215140363
There is no way I would buy a time share but why bother going for 3 days and 2 nights if you have no interest in it? Do you need to get the freebie few nights when you can get them on the strip if you're getting casino rates from LV or AC? I paid next to nothing for Caesers and get 6 nights a month free except for tax and parking in AC or LV. I rarely use it.
After traveling to Vegas twice I don't like it. Too hot for me, too many poor people and severely declining real estate. The heat feels like a blow dryer in your face and the top hotels were not as nice as I expected.
I agree, Hawaii is better. I love Bermuda, Cabo and the west coast of Florida (Marco, Sanibel and Captiva.)
If not interested in a time share don't bother going for their line of garbage unless you can't afford to stay in that city. Just my honest opinion
July 20th, 2008 at 12:10 am 1216512600
BEWARE OF THIS SALES PITCH...THEY ARE A CULT
July 23rd, 2008 at 04:24 am 1216787088
July 26th, 2008 at 06:28 am 1217053707
September 16th, 2008 at 07:30 pm 1221593403
September 16th, 2008 at 09:41 pm 1221601261
Hehe, these comments are funny.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:51 pm 1222901489
and Nikki SOUNDS like the high pressure sales person, despite not being able to complete a sentence without a misspelled word.
Get an education people, or you'll be pushing timeshares on unwary couples too!
Enjoyed your story monkeymama. Keep up the good work.
October 20th, 2008 at 01:55 am 1224467707
Take if from a real owner and do not buy from this company. Look them up at Ripoffreport.com.
If any owners see this and want to join my lawsuit. email me at fcrose@bellsouth.net
October 20th, 2008 at 02:01 am 1224468062
October 20th, 2008 at 03:16 am 1224472586
I would like to 1st say that we all have opinions.. Anyway, there is value to owning a timeshare! Value that most don't understand!
Everyone who purchases should get alternative finances, and is suggested to do so!
I would like to take a moment to express my experience with timeshare ownership in general.
I have been traveling my whole entire life with my family, courtesy of timeshares! My parents "rest there souls" were intelligent enough to pay the ownership off in less than the terms. We traveled for many years, making advanced reservations and created some unforgetable memories!! I received the timeshare through there will & I cherish every year traveling with my children to the places my parents introduced me to!
I pay only the maintenance fees ($600) every year for 2wks. I will never attempt to sell such a valuable thing. I understand that everyone does not feel the same as me an my family. But its hard to agree with such negative remarks when my families timeshare has brought such happiness to our lives "an generations to come"! God bless everyone who reads this. "REALITY"
October 20th, 2008 at 10:39 am 1224499189
I was not saying all timeshares are a total ripoff. I was talking about Consolidated Resorts / Tahiti Village. I am a owner and I followed all their rules only to be told that I can not use it. Then I contacted them with my issues. Rather then working with me to fix the issues, they said I signed the contract and I will just have to live with it, service or NO service.
I have a friend that has a timeshare with a well established company and he loves it. Because of him, I thought that I would take a shot. I did not fully research Consolidated. If I had I would have learned that they are a Scam. Timeshare companies like Consolidated give the whole industry a bad rap.
Google Consolidated Resorts, Tahiti Village and Scam, you will have page, after page of sites.
December 4th, 2008 at 07:02 am 1228374144
December 6th, 2008 at 07:01 pm 1228590085
January 14th, 2009 at 03:35 am 1231904109
February 28th, 2009 at 07:27 pm 1235849252
What's worst is Tahiti VIllage put us up in a condo near Kissimmee, Florida for 3 nights and tried to get us to upgrade. Their pitch was, "The guys in Vegas sold you a very bad piece of timeshare. We're giving you an opportunity to upgrade now to something worth your while, something that you will be able to trade and use." Like they say, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
In all fairness, the guy we were dealing with was more "honest" than the guys in Vegas and didn't try to use any hardball tactics. He pointed out all the flaws of the Tahiti Village deal. When we said "No" he politely thanked us for our time and that was it. No pushing and prodding or trying to get my wife to go against me this time.
As for the "free" vacations Consolidated gives you, they aren't free at all. They give you a coupon book and let you choose I think "6 free" vacations. I can get better or similar deals off of the internet.
April 29th, 2009 at 08:15 pm 1241036118
Visit was horrible torture. Sales man was slightly retarded and was playing psychological games to buy timeshare. I was really impressed with suite, pool etc. and was running out of reason to say no until I realized the cost. I strongly recommend folks to stay away from these presentations. It is complete garbage, fundamentally flawed.
April 16th, 2010 at 09:58 pm 1271455098
The sales pitch this time was to get me to upgrade my one bedroom unit to a 2 bedroom unit. They were willing to give it to me for $6500. I actually considered giving them more money with the idea that maybe if I had a two bedroom unit, I'd have more trade value with Interval. Even with their promise to drop the interest rate down to 11.9% from 17.9% I decided that I had given them enough money. I'll just pay off my timeshare earlier now that I'm making a whole lot more money now than when we first bought the timeshare.
There's really no guarantee that if I upgraded to a 2 bedroom unit that I will be able to get the vacation slots I want.
Another thing that irks me is the resale value of these timeshares. I've seen people try to dump their Tahiti VIllage timeshares for a few hundred dollars. So much for owning a piece of Vegas. Consolidated Resorts is now bankrupt and the place is being run by ASNY LLC. Another thing that bugs me is the fact that the units are now open to the general public. It's not just reserved for owners. For about $69 a night, you can get a room at Tahiti Village. One week will cost you about $500. I'm paying about $240 a month for my "share". I've got a lousy 2nd floor room facing the parking lot. So much for vacation ownership.
Needless to say, I'm going to suck it up with my 1 bedroom unit every other year at 17.9% No thank you in getting me to buy another room just to get the rate down to 11.9%. I'll pay this unit by the end of the year and save on interest.
Anyway, I'm only here at the resort for 4 nights. The next 3 nights I landed $90 a night for the Wynn. Vacation deals can be found. No need to buy a timeshare to get into these deals.