Father Rejects $1,300 Settlement After 3-Year-Old Finds Sex Toy in Family Resort Room

A Florida father says a disturbing discovery inside his family’s resort room led to weeks of calls, a contentious settlement offer and a public complaint. Mike Gross says his 3-year-old daughter found what he described as a used adult vibrator inside a dresser during an August three-night stay at Holiday Inn Club Vacations’ Orange Lake Resort near Walt Disney World.

What Happened

Gross wrote a detailed account in a ConsumerAffairs review posted Sept. 18, saying the family arrived for a three-night stay with two young children. On the second night, his daughter brought him a “present” she had found in the primary bedroom dresser: an intimate item that Gross says was used. He contacted resort staff immediately and says a promised manager callback did not arrive that night; the matter then stretched across weeks of calls and emails as he sought resolution.

Settlement Offer And Why He Refused

Holiday Inn Club Vacations later proposed reimbursing the family’s lodging, refunding $699.72 in Disney tickets and offering a complimentary three-night stay — a package Gross estimated to be worth roughly $1,300. The offer included attached paperwork with a release that News 6 reported would have barred Gross from contacting federal, state or local government agencies, quasi-governmental bodies and private consumer-protection organizations such as the Better Business Bureau. It also contained broad restrictions on public criticism via television and social media and stated the settlement would not be an admission of liability.

Gross declined to sign the release and instead filed complaints with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the Better Business Bureau.

State Guidance And Company Response

Florida’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants (part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation) lists "room cleanliness and condition" as an enforceable issue for transient lodging and advises operators to allow adequate time to clean and sanitize rooms between guests. FDACS’ consumer division accepts complaints against businesses and can contact companies or refer matters to other agencies when jurisdiction lies elsewhere.

News 6 obtained a written response from Holiday Inn Club Vacations to FDACS in which the company said cleanliness and appropriate handling of guest concerns were important and expressed regret that Gross remained dissatisfied. The company told the station it had remained in contact with Gross and addressed the matter with resort teams. There is no public indication in the reporting that Florida regulators have found Orange Lake Resort in violation as a result of Gross’ complaint.

Public Reaction And Context

Viewer reaction to the TV coverage was mixed. Some commenters said the incident might have been an isolated housekeeping lapse and questioned whether it ruined the family’s entire trip; others argued that a family-oriented resort should not have released a room containing intimate items to new guests. Gross himself acknowledged he did not know how the item was missed or whether the problem was limited to one cleaning failure; his main grievance centered on the resort’s proposed release language and its handling of the situation.

Next Steps

Gross remains publicly critical of the settlement’s restrictions and has pursued formal complaints. Holiday Inn Club Vacations says it addressed the issue internally and communicated with him. The case highlights issues of cleaning standards, guest safety and the use of broad non-disparagement or gag-like provisions in settlement agreements.