Bluegreen Wilderness Club at Big Cedar Preview Center — Local services in Hollister

This review is for the Preview Center - we actually stayed at the Cliffs at Long Creek, which is part of the Bluegreen/ Big Cedar partnership properties along hwy 86. In all I would say the experience was equal to just above average based on the fact that we had to attend a timeshare presentation. Based on what other people have shared we were lucky that we got to stay on one of their properties instead of a random hotel in Branson like the Baymont or equivalent. Even our salesman seemed surprised that we were staying there. Upon arriving to the preview center via courtesy shuttle we entered the center to over enthusiastic hellos from several workers eager to direct us up the elevator to the preview. When exiting to the 3rd floor preview area I was taken aback by the musty smell in the large room, like when something gets too wet and does not dry properly. We showed our IDs and were asked to fill out a form sharing our incomes and some other questions. We then met our salesman which was a nicer older gentleman. He quickly asked us if the timeshare would be something we were interested to which we responded that we didn't think so. He then told us the % of people who changed their minds which I didn't care enough to remember. He then asked us some personal questions which I answered politely but didn't go into detail. Remember - anything you tell them will come back to you. He then asked which of us could answer some questions on a form and I said I would. He then guided us into a room that reminded me of a mini movie theatre with the reclining leather chairs, with a huge white board in the front. At my chair there was a table attached that had the form asking for info - list 3 most important things in our lives, list 3 dream vacations and I cannot remember the rest. There were about 9-10 other couples in the room with us, mostly older (we are in our early 40s) Shortly thereafter another man entered the room (Mr Campbell) and he went into a talk about his life and how large his family was. He had a large professionally done photo on an easel of all his grown kids, wife, and grandkids. He then tried to scare us all with how inflation works and how it will make us not be able to go on vacation if we don't buy the timeshare and lock in a price forever. He told some tear jerking stories about how his brother died and life is precious and how his elderly mother wanted to make sure he told all of us we need to make the memories now. I can't make this stuff up. He said the timeshare would change all of our lives. I couldn't believe how many in the room were nodding and calling out "That's right!" like we were in church. After this our salesman came back to take us on a tour of the different rooms the Wilderness Club has. They were nice but we weren't too impressed. We kept getting asked if it was something interesting to us and we told him no, that staying in a crowded condo complex or cabin in a sea of parking lots was not our thing. After the tour we went back to the building to sit in a cubicle among many other cubicles with all of the couples seated with their sales people. He showed us the "Great" pricing and points system. Cost was $29000 - $35000 plus yearly $1100 maintenance fees which they can "Defer" (I'm assuming my taking some of your points). The things they don't tell you is that you also have property tax, they can raise the maintenance yearly if they want, there's not guarantee on accommodations/dates and their could be extra costs to get what you want anyway. I had done a lot of research and just kept saying no. He called over his "manager" and that man put three papers in front of us asking which payment would work. My husband told him we are not buying. Do your research on this company and what they are selling and you will have a good weekend after this presentation with no regrets by purchasing this worthless timeshare that you can purchase on ebay for pennies...

What to expect:

The property, rooms, views are gorgeous. I will say, however, it's difficult to find availability. We had a year from the day we bought the package (May 2020-May 2021) to go, yet there were so few options on dates and when we did find dates, there was only one option and that was the condo.. and that was during the week. That was my first red flag about the timeshare. But, considering we had already paid and they would have charged us more for canceling (plus no $150 in bass pro giftcard.. extra $50 for a promo), we decided to go for it. After letting the desk know you're there, you can grab a drink and a seat. You're then first approached by someone in the lobby who sits down with you and goes on and on about how they won't pressure you (biggest lie EVER lol). This person is also who will eventually be showing you around. After they introduce themselves, convince you a million times there's no pressure (my guess is reverse psychology), and get chummy with you, find out details about you that they can use to later to convince you to buy, then they then lead you to a small conference room where someone else speaks with the group. A very friendly extroverted woman gave the presentation. She had everyone in the room be actively involved as she went around the room asking various questions. She gave her personal stories, a happy story, a sad/heart warming story to get everyone in their feelings and vulnerable. She threw out numbers at the very end, then it's back to the original person who then takes you around to various cabins. Again, cabins and views are beautiful. I did think it was dramatic that the person kept bashing hotels and claiming that $150 hotels won't be safe for our children to stay at in 10 years so we need to invest. Like... what? If they find out you have kids, they'll use that to sell until they're blue in the face. After the tour, you're then taken back to an office space where they show you all the places you can visit on an interactive board. Then there's another board that you can punch in numbers of how much a hotel would cost, number of days, then over the span of x amount of years that you will be traveling. They then use that number to keep referring to over and over and compare that constantly to the 29k. They then tell you that you have to sign up right on the spot for that 'prized' sign up incentive (to sum it up, once you use your points you can get a discount nightly rate). They initially wanted 20% down payment and a 16% interest rate that they say, 'don't worry, just go home and refinance it!' They make it seem like a huge investment but let's be honest, you can buy those same amount of points for a third of the price online with a quick search.. along with the other thousands of ads from people attempting to escape their timeshare. When we said no thanks, we were met with a man higher up who tried to sit and negotiate numbers. I truly felt like I was at a dealership buying a car. When we said no thanks again, he came back with another deal. 'Only' 10% down today and blah blah blah. We said no so many times that I thought we would have to just get up and leave eventually for them to take the hint. The lady finally looked over her shoulder and offered us something for a year with no timeshare for just under a grand. By that time no, no, and no.. just get me out of here. We got our $150 in giftcards and left. 2 hours sacrificed for an (ultimately) $100 2 day mini getaway. At one point, I snapped a quick picture of the papers with all the numbers on it. After the loan with interest, the annual fees and club fees (which I'm guessing are subject to change) we would be spending over 6k a year for 10...

This is an absolutely beautiful compound, everything is high end and done well. We went to this particular venue because of a time share presentation we had signed up for at Bass Pro Shops. We knew going in we had no intention of buying and we told our salesperson that from the get go. Disclaimer: If you buy anything from them, it's all on you.

We were shown around the compound, from the rooms to the rec areas and told all the positives of owning a time share...and there were many. However, the first thing I disliked and I disliked it intently, was the overly slick, overly smarmy salesman who got you first. You all sit in a big room in comfy chairs and he asks you lots of questions, trying to make that connection.

I am also in sales and I was taking notes in case I heard anything that I had never used before and there were a few things I have to admit. The worst part of the presentation was his constant referral (in his thick southern accent) to the "almighty and how blessed he was" with his beautiful wife, children and grandchildren. And of course, how much he loved bringing them to this Lodge and how perfect of a vacation it always was. Waaay too religious for me, even in Missouri.

Now, if you can afford to blow several thousand dollars a year on a vacation spot, go for it, this is the place to do it. If you can't, then don't do it. Until the very last second, the sales people were trying their best to get us to sign on the line...but here's the kicker. The very last thing they offered us was an opportunity to use the resort on a limited basis and it was only a few thousand $$$ and you weren't signed up for life. I really, really liked that idea and even my skeptical husband was open to it.

But after they presented that part, they said thank you and sent us on our way. They never tried to explain what a great deal it was, were we sure we didn't want to take the opportunity to enjoy the resort in some small way? Nope, not a word and we were walked over to a small lobby where we were given our $50 gift card to Bass Pro Shops and sent on our way.

In total, we received 2 $50 gift cards, one at the Bass Pro Shops when we made an appt and one when we left. All we had to do was listen to their spiel and stand...