Q. I was told I was required to go to a presentation (aka Owner update). Is that true?
A. Every time you check into a resort, you are presented with the option to attend an Owner update. Sometimes they will call it a seminar or workshop. It is always a sales presentation. Even if they say it’s not, it is. I guarantee you; they will try to sell you something. There are only two instances when you are required to attend one of those. The first being if you are a Discovery member on your first trip using the Discovery package. The discovery package is a trial program where you spend around $3k – $4k for 300k-400k points and is good for two years. After the two years are up, your trial is over. You are not a full-fledged permanent owner. Once you have completed one presentation (not including the one where you bought the Discovery package), you are no longer obligated to attend one.
The second instance is if you are on a party weekend. Those are bookings you paid cash for. You get discounted cash bookings and free gifts. In return, you are required to attend a two-hour (often high pressure) sales presentation. If you do not attend one, you will be charged the full price of the accommodations or gifts. If you booked with your points, this is not you. Party weekends are cash only.
If neither of these applies to you, you are not required to go. If they insist, let them know you will speak to Owner Care about it, and if Owner Care says you’re required to attend an owner update, you will come back and sign up for one. If they persist, you can ask for a manager, or walk away and call Owner Care anyway. Just to be clear, this particular scenario is rare, but it does occasionally happen. It helps to know how to handle it, if it does come up.
