# Anyone heard of Grand Discovery aka Grand Resorts Travel (2008)



## mecllap

I went to a "local" presentation this evening that I expected was going to be a timeshare presentation, but it was for a vacation membership "deal" called Grand Discovery.  Can't find much info (except bare bones) online about them.  It promises a lot of discounted travel prices for air, rental car, condos (that are purportedly II and RCI properties).  It was for a lifetime membership and one of those "too good to be true" kind of things.  Anyone know if it's "legit" and/or works as described?  (I didn't bite, but if it works as they said, I may recontact them to see what they'd offer on a come-back visit).


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## marsha77

Hi,

I also went to a similar one, called United Travel Network.  Started out 4regular weeks a year, or 2 prime time, for 1 bedroom.  Membership price started out $14,000 +, they came down to $4,900 for 6 regular weeks.  Additional fees were $389.00 yearly & $96.00 per week for 1 bedroom, but if you wanted a 2 bedroom it was an additional $189.00.  They also claimed to have RCI & II weeks plus many others! Car rentals, airline tickets - cruises & a discount on activities for another 300/400 hundred (I can't remember) 96.00 per week sounded soooo good!  No special assessments, no maintenance fees, but when you added it up, for us we would want a 2 bedroom, so it would come to $959 for 2 prime weeks, 2 bedrooms per year.  I also could not find any info out on them.  & they claimed to be in business since 1971! No info, no deal!  Who's to say they couldn't disappear tomorrow.  I asked to see the web site, & their computer wasn't working.  He did show me a print out of resorts - looked like a lot of resorts down in Mexico, he also showed me an old II book.  What kind of proof is that? :hysterical: 
90 min. presentation turned into 3 hour one, but we made it out without signing & our free airline tickets (that really aren't free)  
Marsha



mecllap said:


> I went to a "local" presentation this evening that I expected was going to be a timeshare presentation, but it was for a vacation membership "deal" called Grand Discovery.  Can't find much info (except bare bones) online about them.  It promises a lot of discounted travel prices for air, rental car, condos (that are purportedly II and RCI properties).  It was for a lifetime membership and one of those "too good to be true" kind of things.  Anyone know if it's "legit" and/or works as described?  (I didn't bite, but if it works as they said, I may recontact them to see what they'd offer on a come-back visit).


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## mecllap

Thanks Marsha -- a lot of that sounds similar, and I think the prices and discounts were even "better"  -- I think I'm glad I left my credit card at home and didn't bite on this all too tempting sounding offer!  The lure "freebies" weren't what they were supposed to be either.


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## philbyrd

*Grand Resorts Travel*

I purchased a vacation plan from Grand Discovery during the grand opening of their Cary, NC Office in Jan. 2012.  We had NO intentions of making a purchase, but after the sales rep stated they had "pet friendly" resorts in Myrtle Beach we decided to make a purchase as we vacation there often and I got the price down significantly.  Guess what?  When I went to reserve a place in the Myrtle Beach Area low and behold there were NO resorts in the Myrtle Beach Area at ANY time.  The sales rep lived in Myrtle Beach and worked out of the Grand Resort Office located there.  Either he was flat out lying in his presentation to us or was ignorant of the product he was selling.  Do NOT do business with this place regardless of what they say or show you.  Information is NOT up to date and accurate.


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## dougp26364

This sounds like the vacation club concept that's been around. Years ago when we were reasonably new to timesharing, we got sucked into a program with a company called Travel More Now, which is now out of business. Same concept as what you've described.

The only good thing about it was that it was easy enough to get rid of. Just stop making annual membership payments. Of course they could never deliver on their promises. The resorts they offered were surplus units at mostly less than high quality resorts. 

Don't waste your money would be my opinion.


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## Lisa M Turner

I joined this company from their Garner NC preview center June 28th after being advised that a week anywhere would cost $550 plus a $25 booking fee along with an annual fee of $159 only to be paid if you use their service within that year. I would call into customer service and make my request they would email me to confirm, then they would send me my options. I called, they emailed me, I confirmed my request asked them to proceed, and hadn't received any information since. I recieved a call at some point from a woman named Lisa who informed me they were working on my request yet I hadn't received any offer thru email as the sales office said I would. I emailed Christy, and asked since it has only been 3,5, or 10 business days since I signed this contract (due to the billing and the 4th of July holiday) with their company if I could get a full refund and advised her of the information I had found out this morning July 10th regarding  ADA rooms and resort/hotel policies, Christy informed me no, I only had 3 days to cancel my contract with their company. I asked her where that paper was since I had all of my paperwork in my folder in front of me and I had been looking for their cancellation policy. I asked who I needed to speak with to get all of my money back and get out of their program, I informed her of the information regarding resorts and hotels letting her know that my handicapped daughter had to have a roll in shower also letting her know I just found out that no reservation service could guarantee my daughter the handicapped room that we would get only the resort/hotel is able to do that and you have to be on their property ready to check in before they informed you of the type of ADA room you would get. Christy stated No since I joined their program and paid the initial $3245 on June 28th I couldn't get a refund told me she was emailing with her supervisor and would transfer me to him. Christy transferred me to the actual owner of the company. When speaking with Marvin I asked him for a refund letting him know that I had found out earlier that morning there were 3 types of ADA rooms for handicapped people and only the resort/hotel could guarantee me the type of room I would receive and only once I arrived on their property would they be able to do that. I advised him my daughter has a roll in shower chair and had a complete spinal fusion and could not use just any handicapped shower. He told informed me my issue was truly me trying to get the date of 12.26.19 since it is a Thursday. He stated since I owned a timeshare that i should know I could only go from Friday til Friday or Saturday to Saturday. Which is super NOT the case. Marvin also proceeded to tell me that he had in front of him the right of cancellation policy that I signed which seems to be the only missing from my book piece of paper! Stating I only had 3 days to be entitled  to a full refund. It's only been 3 business days since I was charged $159. Also, this company told me I would have to wait to do anything due to the July 4th holiday. I plan to go back to the Garner location and ask for a refund in full and file a police report along with a ncdoj complaint and will hire a lawyer to take them to court to recieve my monies back along with contacting the Federal level of ADA association to protect the rights of my handicapped daughter. Which all of this could have been avoided with them refunding my money. After speaking with Marvin and being denied a refund you can clearly see what you are promised in the sales office before you speak with his son at the end, is most likely all untruths and their company is not legitimate. =( very sad this man would try to put a single mom with a handicapped daughter is this situation. Wish me luck! 


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.


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## Passepartout

Lisa M Turner said:


> Wish me luck!


OK. I DO wish you luck, but think you are pursuing a lost cause. Hiring a law firm (IMO) would just be chasing lost money with more money. North Carolina has a 5 day rescission period to 'cool off' and get out of a timeshare purchase. And there is no indication in your post that this is anything but a 'Travel Club'- not a timeshare. No mention was made of owning anything. Of course the club cannot guarantee a handicap room for your daughter- they have zero control over the lodgings they have access to.

Sorry you bought into something that seems to be so ill suited to your need. You just found out that salespeople lie. The ONLY thing that matters is what is printed in your contract and signed.

Good Luck. I don't think there is anything TUG can do to make your situation better.

Jim


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## Lisa M Turner

Passepartout said:


> OK. I DO wish you luck, but think you are pursuing a lost cause. Hiring a law firm (IMO) would just be chasing lost money with more money. North Carolina has a 5 day rescission period to 'cool off' and get out of a timeshare purchase. And there is no indication in your post that this is anything but a 'Travel Club'- not a timeshare. No mention was made of owning anything. Of course the club cannot guarantee a handicap room for your daughter- they have zero control over the lodgings they have access to.
> 
> Sorry you bought into something that seems to be so ill suited to your need. You just found out that salespeople lie. The ONLY thing that matters is what is printed in your contract and signed.
> 
> Good Luck. I don't think there is anything TUG can do to make your situation better.
> 
> Jim


Well thank you =). In NC there are 3 parts to a contract. 
 I also purchased with my amex which has advised me to contact them within 45 days since I was asked by the company to wait until after July 1st to make contact with their company due to the holiday,  they feel theres a loophole. It does say on the receipt that if I do dispute my charge and take the monies back that I agree to pay them with certified funds within 10 business days. Do you happen to know what exactly that means and how they intend to enforce it? Do they take me to court? Or do they have the ability to place a judgement against me being a company? I've never paid a bill late in my life so I'm unsure.


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## Passepartout

Lisa M Turner said:


> Well thank you =). In NC there are 3 parts to a contract.
> I also purchased with my amex which has advised me to contact them within 45 days since I was asked by the company to wait until after July 1st to make contact with their company due to the holiday,  they feel theres a loophole. *It does say on the receipt that if I do dispute my charge and take the monies back that I agree to pay them with certified funds within 10 business days.* Do you happen to know what exactly that means and how they intend to enforce it? Do they take me to court? Or do they have the ability to place a judgement against me being a company? I've never paid a bill late in my life so I'm unsure.


Did you sign or initial to agree to this? (highlighted part) I would think it means that if you don't send them a certified check- they would sue you in the appropriate NC court. IF they are awarded a judgement, they would have the right to seize whatever assets they can of yours to make themselves whole. That may well include not only the disputed amount, but also legal fees and collections cost. Potentially a whole lot more than $3245. 

My advice (take it or leave it) is to write off the amount you paid them and chalk it up to experience. An expensive lesson, but we've seen many worse ones.

Jim


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## Lisa M Turner

O wow well I am reaching out to a class action lawsuit attorney today. There's something regarding their promise that interferes with ADA laws I won't know 100% until I have my consultation this afternoon.  I'm not too big on just letting things go. Not when you promised to deliver something and absolutely cannot. I'll keep you posted =)


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## Passepartout

Lisa M Turner said:


> O wow well I am reaching out to a class action lawsuit attorney today. There's something regarding their promise that interferes with ADA laws I won't know 100% until I have my consultation this afternoon.  I'm not too big on just letting things go. Not when you promised to deliver something and absolutely cannot. I'll keep you posted =)


Again, I'm wishing you luck. The way a 'class action' law firm' makes money is to represent a huge number of people harmed by some entity with very deep pockets. Like miners harmed by lead, or ship builders harmed by asbestos, or millions of sick people harmed by medicine sold to help or cure them. Not someone who buys into a travel club under the premise of believing a promise that the travel club has no control over. Like I could promise that if you pay me a million dollars, the Sun will rise in the West tomorrow, and it just is NOT going to happen.

I have no doubt that your motives are honorable to provide great vacations for your daughter, and you are to be commended, but in this case, the sale weasel was not as honest as he could have been, and you didn't get cold feet early enough in the process to rescind. Under the circumstances, they have offices in N.C. primarily to thwart unhappy buyers.

My advice holds- don't chase spent money with more on a fruitless endeavor. By all means, keep us informed.

Jim


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## Lisa M Turner

Well I read somewhere online that the FBI has their eye on them as well so I guess If nothing else I'll get to see this Marvin guy on American Greed!


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## Lisa M Turner

philbyrd said:


> *Grand Resorts Travel*
> 
> I purchased a vacation plan from Grand Discovery during the grand opening of their Cary, NC Office in Jan. 2012.  We had NO intentions of making a purchase, but after the sales rep stated they had "pet friendly" resorts in Myrtle Beach we decided to make a purchase as we vacation there often and I got the price down significantly.  Guess what?  When I went to reserve a place in the Myrtle Beach Area low and behold there were NO resorts in the Myrtle Beach Area at ANY time.  The sales rep lived in Myrtle Beach and worked out of the Grand Resort Office located there.  Either he was flat out lying in his presentation to us or was ignorant of the product he was selling.  Do NOT do business with this place regardless of what they say or show you.  Information is NOT up to date and accurate.


Did you file an online complaint with nc attorney general's office? Please do!


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## RX8

Lisa M Turner said:


> Did you file an online complaint with nc attorney general's office? Please do!



Philbyrd was a “one and done” poster seven years ago. He hasn’t been back since that one post. I doubt he will get your message.


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## Lisa M Turner

O loo well thank you for letting me know =)


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## Tony675

Grand Resorts Travel...Read all their bad reviews on Yelp and many other sites
Try calling Susan F. Campbell, Esquire...Class Action against Grand Discovery Consultants and Grand Resort Travel ....843-833-8082...THIS is NOT an advertisement, just my personal experience


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## Passepartout

Tony675 said:


> Grand Resorts Travel...Read all their bad reviews on Yelp and many other sites
> Try calling Susan F. Campbell, Esquire...Class Action against Grand Discovery Consultants and Grand Resort Travel ....843-833-8082...THIS is NOT an advertisement, just my personal experience


Hmmm. It LOOKS like a veiled advertisement. What did you expect this  Ms Campbell to do? What did she charge you? Did you feel it was successful?


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## Tony675

Not an advertisement....She is working on a class action. no charge to participants...it is in progress. Call and find out, no cost to do that.


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