Am I crazy to consider this? Bally's question

DramaGeek

I've been looking for a Zumba class or two to join.  I work in Fairview from 8-4during the school year, so I can't do any mornings.  The evenings are hard too, because when I get home I just want to collapse and not have to go out again at 7 that night.  I can do Zumba on Sat mornings, but I'd also like to do it at least once during the week.  We already belong to a gym, but they don't offer any kind of cool classes, just equipment and a cardio room.

 Bally's has a deal right now that's $19.99 a month for one location.  They have a location just a few blocks from where I work and a class at 4:30 one day a week, which would be perfect for me.  At $20 a month, that's $5 per class - cheap, from what I can see.  Am I crazy to get a second gym membership just for the Zumba class??

 I'm also trying to decide if I should do the one location or local access.  For $7 more a month, I can get "citywide" access.  There's a Bally's just a couple miles from our house with a Thurs evening Zumba class I could attend, which is going to make it even less than $5 a class, if I did two days a week.  My thought with local access is that I won't have to drive to Fairview during school breaks.

 So what do you think - crazy to pay for two memberships?  Our current gym membership is already paid for and doesn't expire until March, at which point I may try to talk the husband into switching entirely.

Jeff & Em

We have a Bally's membership, but I don't do any of the classes because the times aren't convenient for me.  However, the location of the gym for cardio and weight training can't be beat. 

I think they'll let you do a 1 week trial at no charge, or maybe a one month one?  I'd definitely go that route so you can try out the classes to make sure that you like them and the instructor.  If so, go for it!

I'm going to start paying for an aerial yoga class that I can't get at Bally's, so I don't think it's crazy.  : )

JeniLovesNeil

If you can swing the extra $27 per month and will go to the classes, then I don't see why not. But be careful with Ballys, those promotions usually come with a year-long (or more) commitment. Btw - the Ballys in Fairview is awesome! I used to work out there years ago and it's a nice facility.

Mrs.McGuire

I offer you a word of caution on the Fairview Bally's. I offer this only because I had a three year membership there and this happened to me there.

On two different occasions (weeks apart) several years ago, I had a MAN walk into the ladies locker room & apparently was watching me for a few moments when I noticed him-around 9pm. At the time I was showering & finishing up, and part of the time  I was naked as I had taken a shower. I screamed, he fled, I complained. Front desk attendant had the balls to ask me if I was in the right  locker room. At the time I had a membership there for almost a year and had been using the gym almost 5 nights  a week, so I KNOW I was in the right locker room. I gave a description of the man and she said no one was on the premisis that matched that description. Being young and stupid and I let it go and didn't escalate my concerns to anyone higher.

Several weeks later, the EXACT SAME MAN did it AGAIN in the evening around the same time in the evening. Again I screamed, he left, and I complained. This time I FLIPPED on everyone at the front desk and got to GM. At this point I felt that safety to women in the locker room was definitely an issue and I wanted nothing to do with that place. I tried and tried to get them to transfer it to another location or to refund me the membership, etc. but nothing. My membership expired in 2005 and they have been trying to get me back since. I am so annoyed with them at that location, I wouldn't pay them a cent based on my lack of confidence in them. 

Could it happen anywhere? Sure it could, but they literally couldn't give two sh!ts about my concerns.

 

Anyhow, it is what it is...

daisygirl17

Why not look for somewhere that offers classes but not memberships?

Diva Den has Zumba for $10/class and all classes are drop-in It's not $5/class...but at least you wouldn't have to do the whole one year commitment thing.

 

http://www.divadenstudio.com/indexnewplace.html

DramaGeek

I'm going to go ahead and skip the Bally's deal.  I've heard too many bad things about trying to cancel with them and I just don't want the headache.  I'm looking for someplace to do drop in classes in SE Portland or Troutdale/Gresham area that would be around 5pm so I could go right after work.  If you know of someplace, let me know!

estherandgeoff2

I'm going to check out this Diva Den place. I never knew it was there and it's not even 5 minutes from our house. I'd like to get more active but I don't want to join a gym again. We had to cancel our Bally's membership last year when DH lost his job. Luckily we were out of contract but it still was pretty hard to do and we're still getting mail from them to ask us to come back. This suits me way better. 

Jeff & Em

estherandgeoff2:

I'm going to check out this Diva Den place. I never knew it was there and it's not even 5 minutes from our house. I'd like to get more active but I don't want to join a gym again. We had to cancel our Bally's membership last year when DH lost his job. Luckily we were out of contract but it still was pretty hard to do and we're still getting mail from them to ask us to come back. This suits me way better. 

You should totally do it!  They have a ton of classes, including the super awesome aerial yoga!  : )

estherandgeoff2

I saw that! So that's where you go for that class .