Camping Resort Memberships

[Moira]

Hi again, I know this is out of place but the camping forum is kinda dead. I thought I would ask my Monaco friends what they think.

We are on our first trip ever and just saw the presentation. Its 360 bucks a year, you get coast to coast and we don't have a price yet on the sites. Its a private resort near Rapid City SD. It has 4 home parks and advertises 270 with c2c.

So is this something we should consider or play it by ear for a while?

thanks in advance.

[bdpreece]

Buying into a membership campground system can be a good thing but it is not for everyone. First you have to look at home resorts and decide if you would really use them all that often. Remember once you buy in you have yearly dues so if you don't use the system you are paying for a dead horse. I normally figure I need to use my membership about 30 days a year in order for it to work the way I want it to. C2C is a pretty good option to have. We find it the easiest to make reservations on and there seem to be a fair amount of parks in their system. However, in most cases the C2C parks hold their best sites for their own members and C2C members will often get the less desirable sites. Also these parks only have to hold a small number of sites for C2C members so the popular parks are often difficult to get into. There is also the 125 mile rule that states you cannot use a C2C park within 125 air miles of your home resort.

After weighing the pros and cons, if you do decide that membership is for you; search on Craig's list for camping memberhsips. You will find you can purchase them for pennies on the dollar from people who no longer are using them and want to get out of paying the dues.

[deSanford]

Having belonged to Coast to Coast and RPI and a few other resort "programs" I now have what I consider for us the BEST: Lifetime membership in Passport America and a yearly renewable Thousand Trails Resort Membership at around $500.00 a year with NO up front costs to join. After you use 30 days a year FREE the 31st and so is $3.00 a night. Sanford

[danes-on-tour]

We have a Thousand Trails membership that we paid thousands of $ for, and the same goes for Coast to Coast and RPI.

All of these memberships looked like a good idea at the time, but since we bought into these (in 2007) these organisations have all made great effords to chase their paying members away by reducing the membership benifits year by year. Why someone hasn't sued them for this I really don't understand.

If you have these memberships and have paid nothing for them it's a good thing. If you did pay money for them years back, you are bound to feel cheated.

If I was to start RVing today, I would definately go for a Passport America membership. Depending on where and for how long I would be RVing in a certain area, I may opt for a TT annual area membership.

Don't pay any money for a "joining up fee" regardless of the organisation. I wouldn't, knowing what I know today.

Now go and enjoy you RVing

[deSanford]

Moira TT has a program where you can get 2 zones for signing up. I'm up to all but one zone. Each year you might get invited to hear the latest up dates for TT and in return they give you FREE another "Zone". Sanford PS if they don't invite you call them and schedule time to talk to them and get another FREE zone. That reminds me I will give them a call and get the last zone FREE for attending their informative talk.

[Captjake1]

Originally Posted by deSanford

Having belonged to Coast to Coast and RPI and a few other resort "programs" I now have what I consider for us the BEST: Lifetime membership in Passport America and a yearly renewable Thousand Trails Resort Membership at around $500.00 a year with NO up front costs to join. After you use 30 days a year FREE the 31st and so is $3.00 a night. Sanford

This our plan also. Already have the lifetime passport membership. Will get the TT membership in a few years.

[Moira]

Thank you all for your prompt reply! Wow 42 minutes, thats something. Well I didn't have til the end of the day to decide, I had to decide right then and there.

You guys saved me a lot of money. They wanted 4500 bucks for a 5 year trial. 7800 for a regular membership with minimal condo rentals (3 weeks a year) This membership is normally 9800 bucks. And they advertised 270 properties with C2C. This sounds like I can wait for quite a while.

I am not clear how to get just a C2C membership without going through one of these private resort things, thats ok.

Well I am going to sign up for Passport America like we planned and maybe someday consider TT.

Thank you all again for such unbelievable help. I don't go anywhere without all of you. You guys are the best!

[Jobert]

The first question to ask on a membership park buy-in is HOW DO I GET OUT? Also, you would want frozen dues. Many of them are lifetime memberships and you pay the annual dues for life whether you want to or not. There are many parks out there that are much less to get into than the prices you were quoted to get into and much lower annual dues. These parks are not for everyone but if you use them and make them pay, they are worth it. Passport America is well worth the money also, except there are many parks putting some pretty restrictive requirements on their usage, so you have to travel and work around those also. This is just my opinion and I hope it may help. Happy Trails Bert

[Moira]

Oh I almost forgot, there is a 360 per year annual dues and 150 a year for access to c2c.

[vsheetz]

Passport America pretty much a no brainer, as it readily pays for itself with just a few days stay. we are also Thousand Trails zone members - works well if they have campgrounds where you can use them, and if you do use them.

[deSanford]

We have only one park that we pay an annual membership fee of $120.00 and that is Catalina Spa in Desert Hot Springs, California. It still costs us $7.00 for each night we stay with a 2 week maximum, and one week out etc. Sanford

[Traps90]

The biggest part of membership campgrounds is will you use it enough. Those that do usually save a lot of money and think they are a great deal. Those that don't usually regret having bought it and are not happy.

Either way in order to have a home C-C you need to have a home park base.

[Lued]

I like Passport America.

[nothermark]

How much will you really use the membership? How much does it cost? Do the math. If you cannot walk away at any time then walk away now.