Cutbacks in service at Westlake Branson Woods?

[Silverhaired1]

..too bad--The Woods probabably wasn't the best place ever built--but it WAS O.K. ..I sold there in 2000 for Grandvista and resided 10 weeks onsite (during the summer) as I was a sales person from their AZ property...I made some lifelong friends while I was there.

[Justjean]

Thanks for taking the trouble.

[JLB]

Originally Posted by Justjean

Thanks for taking the trouble.

Thanks . . . but I don't know how you knew I was . . . But I was, this morning at 6:00 AM.

I pulled up to the gate at the bottom of the hill and the guard asked what I wanted. I said an owner had asked me to check out how busy the resort is, how many guests are here.

He said I couldn't do that.

I asked him how many are staying here this week. He said he couldn't tell me. He asked why I wanted to know, so I guess he is either hard of hearing or has a short-term memory disorder, which is common for Branson locals.

I was dressed in the working clothes of a prominent, upscale local business. There was a security guard sitting there in a pickup who could have escorted me up to the main building and back. I had not removed the license plates from my car. It's not like they were busy (6 AM, remember?).

I asked if that was the report that he wanted posted on the Internet, that the number of people staying there is a closely guarded secret.

He asked my name.

I told him to have a nice day, pulled into the turnaround and headed back out. The gate was down and he stepped out the other side of the guard shack and asked my name again. (Perhaps he thought it was I who was hard of hearing or has the short-term memory problem.)

I asked him to open the gate (out) and give my regards to Mr. S. . . . who has POed a lot of people over the years, so it doesn't surprise me that they act like this, certainly not hospitable.

[ace2000]

Gosh JLB, do you think it may have had something to do with the streamers, bumper stickers, and white shoe polish all over your car calling Westgate 'Wastegate'???

I'm just sayin...

[JLB]

I was just thinking . . . I work for a vacation industry company, one that just happens to have a timeshare sector, and the company philosphy is that the employee owns the concern or problem of the guest/customer. We are not supposed to ever say, "I don't know." We are suppose to say something like, "Let me check on that."

It just shows how what is at the top of an organization permeates throughout.

[JLB]

I know it does not help, since I can't see up the hill from the Wastegate security entrance and see any of the parking lots, but, I go through/by another local timeshare resort to get to golf league at 7 AM on Weds each week, and that resort appears to be fairly full.

DW just returned from Fairham Nashville for the annual Girls' Week Out, and she said it was full . . . full full.

There is no reason noy to believe that as one or two goes, so do the others.

[JLB]

As things sometimes happen, I had occasion to meet someone at Wastegate Branson Woods today, someone who works there. I guess I said the right thing at the guardhouse cuz he let me through.

Then I couldn't remember why it was I wanted to get in before.

I met with my guy, and then remembered.

The place was not busy, busy, but was not deserted. Very few of the motel-style units or cabins had cars in their parking lots, but there were cars and people in the other areas. It looked like they were having a Monday morning welcome at the Clubhouse because that lot was full.

[Justjean]

I am impressed that you remembered to check after all this time. I still feel a little queasy about it. So many saying they can't get a week but it's only moderately full. I have been by other timeshares and every single lot is filled. Maybe I am just being paranoid, but it seems to me if they can put you off, they need less staff and the property stays in better shape. You are still paying in your fees in hopes of getting a week in the future or going to II instead.

Do they still have the sign up that says future site of the waterpark? It's been three and a half years now. Happy thanksgiving.

[JLB]

One of the problems understanding timesharing, especially with those new to it, is that availability to exchange is not related to whether there are units sitting empty.

[Silverhaired1]

...probably because they're worth more (read write-off) as a 'marketing cost' (at full rack-rate) than they are occupied....just a guess.