On our way to Branson we visited a tourist information center after getting gasoline. We were comparing the cost of shows when told we could save $100 on two shows by listening to a 90 min. Presentation for a travel club membership that was very low keyed and NO pressure. First clue! Something for nothing? No Way!
We were ignorant enough to go for it and attended the presentation on the next day... Saturday, May 9th. It started off nicely and sounded great until they took us to a private room where they began the closing process. The program was supposedly worth over $15,000, they had discount connections with ANY timeshare resort listed with Interval International or RCI plus condo's and Choice Hotels, all the cruise lines, some savings on airfare and supposed savings of more than the cost of the program.
They offered to "assume" the responsibilities of two great timeshares (Marriott Grande Vista in Orlando and Royal Islander in Cancun) to alleviate me of the maintenance fees and the trauma of trying to sell them so my kids wouldn't be stuck with them. They stressed the difficulty of getting rid of a timeshare and the burden of paying maintenance fees.By buying their travel club program we could stay at the same quality of resorts and save a lot of money.
We were recorded several times when asked specific questions like "are you sure you want to purchase this program?" and when I asked if I could think about it and get back to them, they turned off the tape recorder and then said NO, you have to decide right now. I was vulnerable because my children do not want my timeshares and I felt this might be a way to get out from under them without all the normal hassles. A lady told us we had a 3-day period to cancel. My companion reiterated that it is 3 business days by law and the lady concurred.
The next day we began to research via computer their claims and statements about what resorts were available only to find it was B.S. On Monday I called both Marriott and Royal Islander to better understand my options should I want to sell them and learned I would do better to let them sell them as a last resort should I not be able to sell them on my own.
We drafted a letter cancelling or rescinding my purchase and had it notarized, made two copies and then delivered it to them with their package and gift basket, 3 days from the presentation date and 2 business days later. They took us to a private room (again) & sent a man in who began being insulting & crude while attempting to be calm, however it didn't take him long to become angry and nasty.
He would not sign a copy of our letter and stormed out of the room saying, as he left, that we would get our credit in fourteen days. The notarized letter, he felt, was the work of the resort where we were staying. We are now going to begin litigating the $3,500 charge to my credit card.in reading over various other "consumer complaints" we've noticed the charges for the program are different, depending upon who your closer was. This is a scam operation!!
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