My wife and I have done several timeshare/vacation club presentations over
the years to get the goodies. We made out like bandits in Hawaii (easily saving over $300 for the investment of 3 hours in two vacation club presentations). I actually enjoy seeing the presentations and dreaming (and that is what it is dreaming because I could never afford it). Saying no is a skill as well, but we have come up with many creative ways to do it over the years. I also enjoy seeing the properties, and we have rented them in the past with great results.
I remember the first timeshare presentation. They wanted almost as much as the mortgage on our first house for one week + the maintenance fees. If they had not started out of the box so high, I might have snapped being young and foolish. Renting is the best option - they are nice places to stay especially the ability to cook your own food and the extra space.
In Hawaii they are no charging a per stay fee (a form of lodging tax) on top of everything else in the timeshare. My wife's uncle, who is up to his neck in debt and with two timeshares, had to cover it for us when he used points to rent a timeshare we paid for. It was a great place and nearly as cheap as a bottom end hotel (note this was not a special family deal - we could have done as well on the internet). It was more a family place and not on the beach, but it was perfect for us.