Have you ever received mail offering you a FREE weekend at a wonderful resort? Or perhaps they offer you a TV, money, cruise, or vacation. Is there a catch? Almost always. If you read the material carefully, you will see that you must attend a "presentation." Some of these presentations are more interesting than others, but most all involve a high-pressure sales team whose job it is to get you to BUY. What are they selling? Either timeshare properties or vacation clubs.

If you think you might be interested in vacation property you'll want to find out all you can before you buy. What is the difference between timeshare properties and vacation clubs? How does vacation ownership work? What are the advantages of paying now for future vacations? Find out here what you need to know about timeshares and vacation clubs... before you buy.

• Vacation Ownership 101 - Answers the most common questions.
• Disney Vacation Club - Own a piece of the magic!

And, if you're considering a timeshare, Senior Living Guide, Sharon O'Brien, gives you the basic information that can help you decide if a timeshare is right for you by Answering Seven Basic Timeshare Questions.

More from your former About Home Buying / Selling Guide, Janet Wickell:

• Timeshare Freebies: Evalutating Offers
• Selling Your Timeshare

^{Photo of Disney's Vero Beach Resort © The Walt Disney Company}

We could all tell tales of horrid hotel stays — everything from being jolted from sleep by slamming doors to rushing downstairs in the morning to a stale continental breakfast... or worse. If you're tired of hotel hassles, renting a vacation property might be the answer. It provides all the comforts of home along with great value, but renting a vacation property is different than reserving a hotel room.

I had a lot of questions about rentals, so I posed those questions (and a few others) to an industry insider and got some great answers. Now you can find out everything you've always wanted to know about vacation rentals, but were afraid to ask in a crash course I'm calling Vacation Rentals 101.

Keep in mind, rental homes usually are large enough for more than one family to share, so this is a great way for extended families to connect during vacation. Sharing the rental and the cost also makes it much more affordable for each family.

• My good friend, Theresa Johnston, About.com's Orlando Guide, details Orlando Vacation Homes as an alternative to Orlando area hotel lodging and explores vacation property ownership.
• About.com's Theme Parks Guide and my friend, Arthur Levine, offers a detailed and very interesting review of Central Florida Mouse Houses (rental homes near Disney World).

Great news for Florida families with preschoolers! SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has just made it more affordable for Florida residents with preschool children to visit their parks in 2012. The Free 2012 SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Preschool Pass allows kids ages five and younger complimentary admission to BOTH SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay through December 31, 2012!

What's the catch? There is none. As long as you and your child are Florida residents and you child is five years of age on or before the date you register for the pass, your child is eligible. The pass is only valid at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The offer is not available at the front gate. You must register your child online, print the e-ticket and bring it to the front gate at either park along with a valid form of identification (certified birth certificate or travel passport) that proves the child's date of birth. School IDs or security IDs will not be accepted.

Floridians can now make memories at Disney World for about $35 per day in 2012 with the "Wild For Disney" Pass. Florida residents get three or four days' admission to any of the four Disney World theme parks — Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom — for just $99 or $129, plus tax. Florida residents can also add the "Park Hopper" option or the "Water Park Fun and More" option for $27.50 per ticket. Details:

• The "Wild For Disney" Pass must be purchased by May 21, 2012.
• The pass may be used from now through May 24, 2012 (expires on May 24, 2012), except for block-out dates.
• Block-out dates are February 18-20 and April 1-13, 2012.
• Admission is limited to one park per day — park hopper option is additional.
• Proof of Florida residency is required.
• The "Wild For Disney" pass is non-transferable.
• The Pass is only valid during regularly scheduled operating hours and excludes activities or events that require separate admission.

Not only is the "Wild For Disney" Pass a great bargain, but it allows in-state residents to enjoy the parks when they are less crowded and when temperatures are milder. It's also a great time to visit Epcot's International Flower & Garden Festival, taking place from March 2 through May 15, 2012.

These insider tips will help you understand everything you need to know about visiting Disney World this spring:

• Disney World in February
• Disney World in March
• Disney World in April
• Disney World in May

^{Photo of Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise © The Walt Disney Company}