2007 Adventures My dream adventure - To motorcycle across the USA!

Yesterday when I checked into the hotel, there was a promotion desk where you book tickets to all the theme parks. I told the lady I was by myself and wanted to go to Universal and Disney. She then explained there was a promotion being run by Sherraton Hotel and for only $20 I could buy a 7 day pass to Universal Studio and this would also include a full breakfast at the Sharraton – a saving of about $120! All I had to do was listen to a presentation about Vacation Timesharing while I was enjoying full a breakfast there in the morning. OK I thought, sounds pretty cool, I can eat my way through some weasel giving a speech and then I’m off to Universal for virtually free, plus it will only take 45-60min – she said. So I get picked up at 7:30am by the Sharraton bus and taken 10mins down the road to what looks like a big Sharraton resort. Upon walking through the front door, instead of being greeted by smiling people at the front desk, there is an army of Sales type looking people in suites and girls with hair slicked back. Mr Christison, my name is Arnold... I am your guide today... please come with me – the bus load of people get separated into individual groups. After filing out some paperwork I finally get taken to the breakfast room. It’s a big room with about 100 small 2 seater tables and a small breakfast bar on the side serving OJ, toast and cornflakes. Where’s the full breakfast, this really is a scam, I thought. I get a big bowl of cornflakes and a cup of coffee and sit down. Arnold sits down with a big brochure kit. Mr. Christison, what do you know about Sharraton Vacation Timeshare? I reply... Nothing, I just want my theme park passes. Well after we go through this presentation we can organise those for you. He continues... this is what I heard. “The Sharraton is the largest hotel group, if you buy one of our hotel rooms for a ridiculous amount of money, you can stay there 4 times a year at a very cheap rate, or you can stay anywhere else in the world, if it’s available for a bit more. Fantastic isn’t it. Just sign here!” I reply, “No thanks I just want my theme park passes.” He continues... this is what I heard. “OK, well to make this offer more attractive to you and for today only, we will give you an extra Million star bonus points you can use at any Sharraton Hotel – these means you can stay free with us for 150 days – just sign here!” I reply, “No thanks I just want my theme park passes.” He continues... “Ok, I will tell ya what I’m going to do, I am going to half the price of the purchase and speak to my financial manager and see if we can take a couple of points of there – just sign here.” I reply, “No thanks I just want my theme park passes.” He continues... “Ok, I can’t believe you don’t want the best deal in the world, stay here and I am going to get my manager and we will see what we can do – just sign here” I reply, “No thanks I just want my theme park passes.” The manager returns... “Ok, only because we like you, we are going to make your condo apartment 3 stories with 6 bedrooms and bathrooms with a private pool and put a Porsche and Ferrari in the garage and cut the interest in half – and – give you 2 weeks free accommodation in our latest hotel on the moon, flying first class on the Space Shuttle. This is a deal of the life time but only today – just sign here!” I reply, “No thanks I just want my theme park passes.” 2 ½ hours later, I was kicked out with my 1 week Universal Theme park ticket for $20. It took a bit longer than I was expecting but it was worth it and funny seeing these suckers getting more and more pissed off. I couldn’t believe how many innocent holiday makers were signing their life away and all they wanted to do was go on a rollercoaster! Good one Sharraton – nice scam!!!