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How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank?

How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank?
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Orlando can be a great choice for a weekend getaway and, since it’s only a 3.5-hour flight away from Montreal, the city offers many opportunities to enjoy the Florida heat. To take a break from the snow in the middle of winter or to simply disconnect from everyday life, what better than a few days in Florida?

It’s also a time to have fun at amusement parks and water parks with the kids. However, Orlando accommodations can be expensive, but here’s a tip that can cut your budget considerably: attend a timeshare meeting.

What is timeshare?

Here is a bit of info about Timeshare. The idea is to buy the occupancy rights of a rental unit in a hotel. Generally, you can buy several weeks of occupancy.

The purpose here is not to convince you to start renting shares, on the contrary, but to show you how I was able to spend 3 nights in a 4 star hotel for only $167 USD.

How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank? - Hilton Orlando Hotel

3 nights in a 4 star hotel for $167 USD

While calling Hilton Honors for a complaint about a technical problem with a reservation, my call was unknowingly transferred to Timeshare’s service.

The agent on the phone then offered me a deal for 3 nights in a hotel for $167 and a bonus of 15,000 Hilton Honors points. I accepted, thinking it was a commercial gesture, but the agent on the phone seemed very insistent for an offer that expired the same day! (but you can book the same offer via this page)

Although I had no choice but to book the same day, I had 45 days to call them back and book the dates I had chosen. Of course, there was a condition to get this fee: you had to attend a Timeshare session at a Hilton property.

How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank? - Timehsare

Once the reservation was made, I received an email summarizing all the details (written in very small letters):


You can travel within 6 months of purchasing the deal, but you must book your hotel within 45 days of purchase or your credit card will be charged $50.


You must attend the meeting and present your passport, otherwise you will have to pay the market price of the reservation during your stay.


Hilton


I called 30 days later to book the dates and choose the hotel, the Hilton Grand Vacations at Seaworld. After the call, I received an email confirmation with the date and the name of the hotel where I was to attend the presentation.

How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank? - orlsw hi res aerial

The timeshare presentation

The presentation took place at Parc Soleil at 9:00 am. I was very lucky, as it was originally scheduled for 12:45, which would have cut short a great day at the water park! It is important to note that the presentation never takes place on the day you arrive, nor on the day you leave.

Once I arrived at Parc Soleil, an elevator took me to the sales floor. I felt like I had entered another world: there were flashy colours everywhere, loud and catchy music, « Happiness » messages everywhere; marketing was at its peak.

I was then taken to a counter where a hostess handed me an ID card and directed me to a kiosk that asked me questions about my dream destinations and travel preferences (tours, restaurants, theme parks, all inclusive). All this information will be used by the salesperson to build his or her sales pitch.

Once the questionnaire was completed, a buffet was available for breakfast. The salesman picked me up a few minutes later and led me into a huge room filled with small compartmentalized offices; this was the sales area. There must have been 50 sellers! Many people came as couples to attend the presentation.

The salesman started his presentation with a lot of questions to know more about my way of travelling, but also about my income, in order to make a calculation of the amount I would spend on holidays over the next 25 years. I immediately said that I was not interested, but that I had agreed to participate to get the 3 nights at the discounted rate. The salesman told me that he was still obliged to make the presentation.

How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank? - Timehsare

After explaining to me how the Timeshare at Parc Soleil worked, the salesman took me upstairs to show me the brand new rooms. They didn’t look anything like the ones on the hotel’s website, which were much more faded. When I returned from the visit, the salesman left me alone and came back with a price proposal.

You should know that the offer he proposes corresponds to a number of points (they are ClubPoints, not Hilton Honors points) that you will pay each month and that you will be able to use to book nights at the Parc Soleil, but also in other hotels of the Hilton group around the world.

Interesting concept on paper, but the seller’s offer was not a bargain, as they were talking about a budget of $640USD per month for about 10 nights booked per year. Add to that the booking fee for each reservation made.

After obviously refusing the salesman’s offer, another person came to do a so-called satisfaction survey, but it was actually another salesman who again tried to present us with all the advantages of the program.

All in all, the presentation lasted about an hour.

How to spend a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank? - Timehsare

Conclusion

Although participating in a timeshare presentation can be burdensome, it can really save you money on your accommodation costs. If you are not interested in timeshare, the watchword during your presentation is « no », in every sentence and in every way.

3 nights in a large suite at Hilton Vacations at Seaworld for $167USD instead of $530USD and a bonus of 15,000 Hilton Honors points. It was a good deal. I haven’t tested any timeshare presentations with other hotel groups, but I’ll definitely keep an eye out now!

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Annual fee

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Individual$60,000
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Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
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Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
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Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
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Annual fee
$150
Our valuation
$350
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 35,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.

Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:

  • No fees for foreign currency transactions
  • 6 complimentary airport VIP lounge passes
  • Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
  • Visa Infinite* Concierge Services

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

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