La Salle Explorers

[Jungle Rat]

You could only be so lucky. And not just with your car either.

[innocentbystander]

We are headed to Branson MO in 10 days. Anyone care to offer any suggestions on things that we should do while vacationing there?

[10ac]

Yikes! What a set-up.

[Bklyn]

Yeah, masochism at its purity. Is IB Opus Dei or something?

[crashcourse]

yes

cut your trip to 5 days

[crashcourse]

silver dollar city is ok
table rock lake water might be a little cool but plenty of boat rentals if you want to take a spin around --wouldnt rent a boat for more then 4 hours
joplin is about 45 minutes away--you canlook at the hospita;l that got gutted there and lots of empty space where houses used to be
most of the shows there are probably hokey and overpriced --I only saw one which was forgetful but theres a lot of billboards for them take your pick
only thing I go down there for is to party at table rock and play golf

[hedge]

I've heard it's legal to smoke at the gas pumps in Missouri. Please keep that in mind...

[Jungle Rat]

Sky diving. I'll even pack your chute for ya, no charge.

[innocentbystander]

silver dollar city is ok
table rock lake water might be a little cool but plenty of boat rentals if you want to take a spin around --wouldnt rent a boat for more then 4 hours
joplin is about 45 minutes away--you canlook at the hospita;l that got gutted there and lots of empty space where houses used to be
most of the shows there are probably hokey and overpriced --I only saw one which was forgetful but theres a lot of billboards for them take your pick
only thing I go down there for is to party at table rock and play golf

we got a great deal on a timeshare unit there, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, there are 7 of us headed out to Branson. Should be a lot of fun.

been spending some time looking at the shows. I would like to do a dinner show, that sounds kind of interesting.

[sardis]

"we got a great deal on a timeshare..."

There is no such thing.

[eCat]

last year people were literally giving away time shares down in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and there were hundreds to choose from in the $1000-$4500 range on a timeshare real estate website.

I actually considered it because we're always there but then when I started looking into it - the maintenance fee on the damn things cost as much as renting a chain hotel room for 5 days.

Granted, a timeshare would have offered more space , a kitchen, etc but we don't go on vacation to cook anyways so I really struggled to see the value of even getting one for just the closing costs, much less paying several thousand dollars for it.

[innocentbystander]

last year people were literally giving away time shares down in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and there were hundreds to choose from in the $1000-$4500 range on a timeshare real estate website.

I actually considered it because we're always there but then when I started looking into it - the maintenance fee on the damn things cost as much as renting a chain hotel room for 5 days.

exactly.

the $1000/week/year maintenance fee killed the timeshare golden goose of the 1980s. what was once a $190 fee just 25 years ago, is now a fee greater than what it costs to rent. as a result, timeshare salesmen can no longer sell timeshare. if you actually go to one of those meetings to get your free disney tickets or whatever for the prize, and you ask about the exact price of the maintenance fee (as the salesmen will never tell you) then if they are forced to tell you, they KNOW they have just lost the sale!

i think the significance of the $1000 maintenance fee is one of pure corruption. there is no fucking way the resort does $52,000 worth of maintenance on each condo unit every year, does not happen. what you have instead is a resort that has it's owners by the balls with the power to raise the maintenance fee to whatever they want and the owners can't do a damn thing about it. you can't just turn in the keys to your timeshare that you were shystered into spending $14,000 on and walk away, if you have good credit they will come after you in court and make you pay the maintenance fee and then you will still LOSE your week. its a lose-lose

the reverse is also true. as people lost money in the 2008 financial crisis, people stopped worrying about their credit ratings and welched on their houses, strategic defaults. the first thing they defaulted on was the timeshare and fuck their credit rating. so if a resort that was once 95% owner occupied where those 95% owners would pay their maintenance fees, cut that in half, and now the half that is responsible is paying maintenance for the half that isn't. so that will raise the fee. (its kinda like Democrats raising taxes on the most productive people so they can subsidize the irresponsible people who vote Democrat with entitlement.)

[eCat]

I was in Bass Pro Shops just before Xmas last year and they had a booth set up for $99 vacation weekends - you know the typical deal , spend a weekend at our resort and all you have to do is sit in a 90 minute presentation.

So we bought it and chose a location at a ski resort in Wisconsin somewhere. We also got a $50 BPS gift card immediately after the purchase and we used it to buy the Xmas presents we intended to buy there anyways. So I figure I can put up with some shit for $49. I also figured since it was Bass Pro Shops they weren't going to have some fly by night company setup shop in their place.

I'm glad I started researching the place we were going to, it must have been the source of material for Hot Tub Time Machine because it hadn't been touched since the 80's when it was built. While I was researching I ended up educating myself a bit on timeshare purchases because at the same time we were doing this, my FIL's wife was trying to unload the $30K one they purchased a few years before his death. I found out its common in the contract you sign that there is wording that says no matter what the salesman says to you during the pitch, you cannot hold them accountable for it as the contract clearly stipulates what you get and what you don't get. Understandable but still slimey, so one thing these websites recommended was that you ask to get whatever a salesman promises in writing as an addendum to the contract which will pretty much guarantee you don't stick around for the full 90 minute (or more if you're unlucky) presentation.

After reading a few more horror stories, I decided to just cut my $49 loss and not even go as we were still on the hook to purchase lift tickets and come to find out, we weren't even going to stay in one of the condo's, they were going to put us in a Red Roof Inn or some shit.

The whole process just reeks of used car salesman horseshit.

[hedge]

Wait, IB is taking his fambly to a timeshare in Missouri??? I'm agog...

[Jungle Rat]

define family

[CAT]

Did any of you watch the new Pope make a speech from his balcony?--Did you see the crowds in St. Peter's square?? Thousands!!! what are the odds of the camera catching you?? scroll to 9.50 right after the pope says goodnight, camera goes to a guy in the crowd holding up his arm--and right under his arm--my bitch sister!!! She is going to be holier than everyone now---the 2 sisters are going to the Holy Land--she probably thinks she can walk on water now---hope she tries!!! --------BTW I still have the one-up having had a private audience with Pope John Paul 2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21778308

[hedge]

"and right under his arm--my bitch sister!!!"

LMAO...

[Saint]

Baaaaaaaaiiiiiiisssssss Pro Shawps!!

[DooKSucks]

I heard that Raleigh is getting one.

[AlabamAlum]

They're pretty cool if you're into outdoorsy stuff.