What are the pros and cons of owning a timeshare from the point of view of those who do or have owned them.?

I have owned two timeshares in the past and these are my pros and cons: PROS: You own something of value You have your vacation accommodation taken care of for as long as you own Most timeshares (and I assume Disney) are nice resort type places CONS: It will never appreciate in price Even on the kind that you can swap, you are very limited in your vacation destinations You have to take vacation the same time every single year Most timeshare resorts are huge and there is no sense of personal attention you often get as a return guest at most hotels When you break down the overall price and how much you would normally spend on vacation in any given year you will see that you are spending a lot.

Pros There are none. Con You are committing to have your vacation at the same time every year. That is, you are giving up a lot of flexibility. Unless you can exchange the time with someone else you are committing to take your vacation the same place every year That is, you are committing all your future vacations to be in the time share network. You lose all your flexibility. You cannot resell it for anything close to what you paid for it You may not want to take a vacation at all some years.

I am a timeshare owner, and I can tell you that I am so regret that I got my timeshare years ago when I bought it after I got drunk in Las Vegas!!! It was totally the worst thing I've ever bought, you have to pay like $20K for the timeshare and every year you have to pay $800 maintenance (for a one bedroom). Vacation deals are so cheap and easy to find these days, $800 you can get the same quality hotel for the same nights, so why would I have to pay $20K and going to a limited places?!!?? Don't even go to those presentations for a free ticket, it's NOT worth it. They will tell you it will only take you 30 minutes, but they will do everything to make you stay for 3 hours if you are a nice person like me... They will also try to make you think the timeshare is a good investment, don't believe them, one day if you want to resell your timeshare, you will find no one wants to buy it at 20% of what you paid. They will also tell you that they have places everywhere in the world, thousands of hotels and resorts. Don't be fooled, resorts are not the same as hotels, if you use hotels it will cost you more than you can get from any of the online vacation sites. And some places you can not even book them if you are not the high ranking member. So don't do it unless you are drunk like I was!

Pros: None. Cons: Everything.

PROS: *Annual vacations in your favorite location year after year. If you love Disney, and know you'll be making trips every year anyway, a timeshare might be a great alternative to renting a hotel room. *Flexibility - contrary to many of the posts here, timeshares don't tie you down to one location for the life of your deed. Timeshares are actually quite flexible when you know how to use them. Invest in a membership with an exchange company like Interval International or RCI. The low cost of these memberships allows timeshare owners to trade their time at their "home resort" for time at any of the the thousands of affiliated resorts. * Spacious Accommodations - Most timeshares are more like condos than hotel rooms. Most have kitchens for preparing meals, separate dining and living areas, and multiple bedrooms. CONS: * Commitment - Once you own a timeshare, you'll need to be able to commit to annual vacations or risk losing money. Every year you'll be subject to maintenance fees and taxes. If you don't use your property, these costs will have gone to waste. *Cost - when you buy timeshare directly from the resort, you're paying not only for the cost of the timeshare, but also the company's marketing costs, salesmen's salaries and other overhead costs. You can save thousands (up to 60%) if you buy your timeshare on the resale market from a previous or current owner. You'll still be subject to maintenance fees and taxes, but the reduced cost of your purchase can help offset these costs. If you're considering purchasing timeshare resale, make sure to work with a licensed timeshare broker and always check their BBB Accreditation.