Bluegreen Wilderness Club — Hotel in Hollister

I bought into the Blue Green Vacations' 3-night stay at Cabelas this August, lured by the promise of a deluxe experience at their Branson flagship, the Big Cedar Lodge, for just $199 — plus a $75 Bass Pro gift card and a $75 Mastercard gift card thrown in. The salesman swore it wasn't a timeshare. Spoiler alert: it's essentially one, masquerading under the guise of “vacation ownership.”

Booking was a breeze, done online. But a rude shock awaited us 45 days before our stay. Instead of the promised Big Cedar Lodge, we were slated for a Super 8 motel a good 20 minutes away. Upgrade to the lodge? That'll be another $199, please. We bit the bullet; Super 8 doesn't cut it for us.

At the resort, confusion reigned supreme with misleading signs. We checked in at the Wilderness Club — not the lodge — paid our dues, and were herded to a so-called VIP area for our pool-access wristbands, which, absurdly, were not waterproof. The “VIP” setting? Think 2-star atmosphere at best.

Our room? Mediocre, visibly aged, and a far cry from the Disney luxury we're accustomed to. Adding insult to injury, our view was monopolized by roofing equipment, obliterating any chance of privacy or scenic indulgence. Strike one.

Navigating the resort at night was a nightmare. Dim lights, poorly designed signs, and an overall lack of visibility turned a simple walk into an orienteering challenge. Strike two followed when our room's amenities, like basic shower necessities, were nowhere to be found. Come morning, the gym wouldn't grant me entry due to a key issue — a small detail conveniently omitted earlier. Strike three.

A restless night ensued thanks to an overly soft, uneven bed and a malfunctioning AC, though credit where it's due: the AC was fixed promptly the next day.

The sales pitch was a fiasco. It oozed misogyny and lacked substantial information, focusing instead on vague concepts like inflation and the presenter’s personal holidays. No specifics on “ownership” perks, no showcase of other properties. I wasn’t buying what they were selling, literally.

Our tour was led by a pleasant older salesman who quickly sensed our disinterest and didn't pressure us. However, the numbers spoke volumes: pure daylight robbery. The final straw? A hard sell from a stereotypical attractive blonde, who, upon realizing we weren’t biting, turned hostile and stormed off.

Bottom line: If a cheap stay and enduring a 2-hour spiel don't deter you, go for it. But prospective buyers, be warned. A quick online search reveals desperate owners practically giving memberships away to escape crippling maintenance fees. For a DVC member accustomed to being treated like royalty, Blue Green Vacations makes you feel like an afterthought. Stick to your standards; this place...

A great spot in the off-season for our family of 5, though with some disadvantages. (We visited the last week in January. Note that a month earlier, during Christmas, this lovely place is covered in beautiful Christmas light displays that take months to install and offers different fun activities including hay rides and an artificial ice-skating area). While Winter cuts down on Branson traffic / seasonal visitors, the cold weather also reduces the activities available here. The indoor parts of Fun Mountain, like bowling, an arcade, laser tag (all separate costs) are open, while the immense outdoor ropes course is not open in off-season. Big Cedar has an indoor pool with a small slide for children, and a semi-secluded hot tub that easily seats 6-8 adults. We enjoyed complimentary mini-golf, paddle boats at their marina, used 2 small playgrounds, and strolled on miles of relaxing walking trails weaving through their property, including along Table Rock Lake. About 15-20 minutes south of Branson with quick access to hwy 65, yet rustic Big Cedar Lodge feels like it's off the beaten path. Within this sprawling resort, there are multi-level condos set up as timeshares under Bluegreen Wilderness Club. We were able to find a deal through these and are not members. I personally would NOT find this relaxing in the busy season, filled with other visitors. Our 2 rooms were nicely adorned with woodwork, antlers, and comfortable furnishings - nice beds, but lumpy pillows and coarse sheets. There is a stove, microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher as well as small stackable washer / dryer for clothes. The rooms were clean and well-cared-for overall. Carts and vehicles of housekeepers are constantly on the move across the property. On the downside, we heard people (children and adults) at all times of day & night from the condo above ours. We were outdoors a lot & enjoyed several activities, but the lack of quiet in the rooms / in-between floors was a great disappointment! I guess this family was indoors a lot or at least EVERY time we were during our days & nights there... granted this is a construction issue and the office / attractions staff are not responsible. To their credit, every person we talked with on the Big Cedar complex (from youth to older workers) were all polite and sincerely helpful. Even in the off-season, we never had to search for a staff person, but helpful staff were available for questions and directions. Again, there is a wealth of things to do in warmer weather, but we were content with having fewer activities while experiencing far less traffic and fewer visitors at each part...

Nice resort with connections to the amenities at Big Cedar. We stayed in the Phoenix River building in adjoining studio units. The rooms were spacious and nicely decorated. The kitchen was well-supplied and in good shape. The jacuzzi tub in the master room was nice, but nothing special. The shuttle service around all of the Big Cedar property was really nice.

Be warned: If you need anything while you're staying here and think "I'll call and ask"...don't. Just check the app. Pretty much anytime we called Guest Services or anyone else on property, they just told us "Check the app" or "It's online." Having information & features in the app is nice, but having actual people who know what's going on and can help guests with a friendly voice also goes a long way.

Any of the activities we did were fun and generally well-done. Some came with a cost, some were free. We ran the 5k on Saturday morning, which was pretty cool. I'd recommend it, but be warned...it is VERY hilly. But they do a great job of making it fun...