Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Community Forums > Campfire Chatter
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-17-2018, 03:15 PM   #1
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,598
Full Campgrounds - FL

This article is about certain locations in FL but I have no doubt the situation applies to many/most locations. Looks like we are going to have to plan better and much further out as campers keep multiplying......

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/flo...111-story.html
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2018, 07:22 PM   #2
madmaxmutt
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 409
Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
This article is about certain locations in FL but I have no doubt the situation applies to many/most locations. Looks like we are going to have to plan better and much further out as campers keep multiplying......

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/flo...111-story.html
It is happening all over. I love that many other people are learning the joys of camping (or at least RVing). I dislike that these full campgrounds often have many open spots. I partially blame the Internet reservation process and fees for a few of those open camp spots.
madmaxmutt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 03:39 AM   #3
Tinner12002
Senior Member
 
Tinner12002's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Lafayette
Posts: 1,068
Quote:
Originally Posted by madmaxmutt View Post
It is happening all over. I love that many other people are learning the joys of camping (or at least RVing). I dislike that these full campgrounds often have many open spots. I partially blame the Internet reservation process and fees for a few of those open camp spots.
I'm not sure the reason for that down there but up here in a campground we had an RV parked in, they told us they left 3-5 camp spots open for people traveling through that happen to be just staying overnite.
__________________
2015 Ram,3500,Dually,B&W,4.10s,Aisin,Limited,Silver
2018 Raptor,428SP w/full body paint
2012 Harley, Ultra Limited
Tinner12002 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 05:44 AM   #4
madmaxmutt
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 409
Yeah, but I am talking about campgrounds with the FULL sign up and turning people away. When you get inside they have spots that remain empty. IMO, charging a processing fee to cancel doesn't help that situation.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
madmaxmutt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 06:11 AM   #5
chuckster57
Site Team
 
chuckster57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,235
Quote:
Originally Posted by madmaxmutt View Post
Yeah, but I am talking about campgrounds with the FULL sign up and turning people away. When you get inside they have spots that remain empty. IMO, charging a processing fee to cancel doesn't help that situation.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Very popular campground out here connected to a casino, started charging a cancellation fee and the number of vacant sites has dropped dramatically.
__________________

2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
chuckster57 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 06:31 AM   #6
vampress_me
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 777
Sadly, I see this out west too. Two years ago when we decided to stay in West Yellowstone, I made our reservation there in April with no problem. Last April I went looking again and all spots were filled for July and August. For our trip this coming summer, I made our reservation January 2 - and got the last spot. I know Yellowstone is popular, but I still thought that was crazy.
__________________
--Lynette

2019 F-350 diesel 4x4 CC LB DRW, not the mom taxi anymore...
2021 Alliance Paradigm 340RL
2016 F-350 diesel 4x4 CC LB SRW, mom taxi - sold
2014 Cougar XLite 28RDB - sold
vampress_me is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 08:38 AM   #7
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,836
2 years ago we stayed at Fishing Bridge Campground in Yellowstone. We had a heck of a time getting a spot and had to shift dates several times to get 5 consecutive days on the same campsite. Finally got it confirmed after playing with dates for the entire month of August. Anyway, when we were checking in, they were turning people away who were looking for a place to stay for an overnight. When we got to the campground from the registration desk (about 2 blocks away) there were about 20% empty sites. Throughout our 5 day stay it was the same. Sure, the campground was busy and people were checking in and checking out on a daily basis, but overall, there were at least 10 sites on the row camped on that remained empty for the entire 5 days we were there, yet the "desk" was telling people they had no sites, not even for 1 day....

That seemed to me to be a very ineffective "contractor/government agreement" in which the public that "both are charged to serve" was the real loser.... There were, by my count, at least 10-15 empty sites every night we were there, just on the row where we were camped. If it was the same on all 4 of the loops, so that would mean roughly 40-60 empty sites every night. Seems like there should be a better way to use the empty spaces, but I don't know all the facts about why they were empty.

I've seen much the same situation everywhere, even at Disney's campground, which is probably the busiest campground in the world. I can understand both sides, if you pay for it, it's your site, and if you show up at 1AM, you should expect the site to be empty so you can slip in and crash for the night. The other side, if it's empty, why can't I use it for just tonight?

As Keystone and other manufacturers build these things by the thousands, the problem is only going to get worse.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 05:07 PM   #8
madmaxmutt
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 409
I just don't think this is rocket science. Every hotel on the planet has a cancellation process. Find one that fits state and federal campgrounds and use that.

What I don't like in particular is the $10 transaction fee on recreation.gov and reserveamerica. It is pure profit for the government/contact company. I don't even really mind a fee if you change reservations some time in advance. That $10 transaction should be waived completely for pure cancellations within 48 hours of arrival. They could make it up on the next camper. Why would anyone want to cancel and pay $10 for that cancellation. It is just counterintuitive.

There would still likely be some portion of the camping fee kept. That means cancellations actually make them more money.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
madmaxmutt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 06:39 PM   #9
SummitPond
Senior Member
 
SummitPond's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Northeast Florida/Southeast Maine
Posts: 784
Quote:
Originally Posted by madmaxmutt View Post
...
What I don't like in particular is the $10 transaction fee on recreation.gov and reserveamerica. ... I don't even really mind a fee if you change reservations some time in advance. That $10 transaction should be waived completely for pure cancellations within 48 hours of arrival. They could make it up on the next camper. Why would anyone want to cancel and pay $10 for that cancellation. It is just counterintuitive.
...Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
In early 2015 we had a reservation at a FL State Park through ReserveAmerica (the only way to do it these days; you can't call the Ranger Station and book through them). Several days before our trip I became ill enough that we had to cancel the trip, and not only did they keep their fee but they charged an additional day's campsite rate. Needless to say we were most unhappy. We roll the dice now when we want to use a State Park campground; if you show up at the Ranger Station and there's room they'll check you in, but you can't make advance reservations with them. Crazy!

We spent last weekend at a small Orange County park campground (18 sites). The Ranger there indicated they were moving to an automated system, but it was her understanding there would be no transaction fee like the State.

------
Formerly ShacterShack - name changed per request of DW so she was comfortable getting a Forum Membership Decal with the member name on it.
__________________

Now: 2019 Winnebago 2500FL w/e2 WDH;Sold: 2015 Bullet Premier 19FBPR (shown)
2012 Ford F-250 Lariat Super Duty Crew Cab (gas 6.2 L, 3.73 gear ratio 2WD, 172" WB)
SummitPond is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2018, 07:31 AM   #10
KHBama
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Pike Road
Posts: 130
Going to Fort Wilderness next month, stopping by the Clearwater Marine aquarium the weekend before. Thought I would just go ahead and make a reservation a couple of weeks ago at a nearby park, lol couldn't find a spot. Ended up getting a KOA spot in a different city(that has awful reviews because of location and ongoing construction) for $85/night..
KHBama is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2018, 07:49 AM   #11
travelin texans
Senior Member
 
travelin texans's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
Florida is one of the major snow bird destinations this time of year, wait til,after April 1st & you'll most likely have your choice of any where you decide to go.
As for reservations in state/national parks, since they went to "Reserve America" you'll find that nearly all of them are always full. They told us that it's because the system allows callers to book blocks of times whether they plan to be there or not & if they don't use it's $10, but it still shows as unavailable whether used or not. Supposedly it frees up the park employees to make better use of their time instead of always on the phone taking reservations.
__________________
Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
travelin texans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2018, 01:13 PM   #12
BOWWOW
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: colorado
Posts: 209
Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
This article is about certain locations in FL but I have no doubt the situation applies to many/most locations. Looks like we are going to have to plan better and much further out as campers keep multiplying......

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/flo...111-story.html
This reminds me of the CROWDED COLORADO post that I made a while back!
__________________
2007.5 Silverado 3500 HD,DRW, LTZ red, afe II airbox w/ torque tube, transferflow 56 gal replacement tank,
banks speed brake, transgo jr shiftkit, aux trans cooler, b&w companion hitch.

2010 Fuzion FZ 302 has 12ply F-loads, Dexter ez-flex w/ wet bolts, 6 volt Deka GC 15 batteries, 1 gen battery, solarpanels, leds inside, replaced clear textured door glass with tinted, 87 gallons of loc-tite.
Decals removed.
AKA CONFUZION / PORH HONKY.
BOWWOW is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
campground

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.