Community Forums

Nut4speed · 06-11-2016, 10:54 AM

Based on the one quote (and I question the accuracy) I'd hardly say the manager had an horrible attitude.
Yellowstone is a very remote area. Even the surrounding towns have very limited services and very little technology and resources invested in these towns so the business owners also have to deal with less than spectacular telecom service (an excuse many out of town customers don't or refuse to understand). Bringing in the correct and qualified IT guy likely means hiring and bringing in some one from what could be 100+ miles away paying them outrageous sums of money to do so, something a park manager who's park is only open for 5 months a year can likely not justify doing (even at $80/night).
When we went to Yellowstone a year ago we stayed in Gardiner. We didn't demand and complain when the grocery store (the only one) had over ripe bananas. We also didn't complain to Sprint because they didn't have 4G LTE coverage there.

TomandGloria · 06-11-2016, 10:59 AM

My thought was if you really feel wronged and you did nothing to cause the behavior, then report it to corporate and let them investigate. There are 3 sides to every story....... Yours, their's and the truth usually some where in the middle.

Not taking sides, but if you feel strongly enough to write a report on this forum, then you should feel strong enough to report it to corporate.

BTW, I would vote that my time would be spent enjoying Yellowstone and not on wifi. But to each his own.......

flaggship1 · 06-11-2016, 11:20 AM

Rarely, if ever use park wifi.
Annie has Verizon. I have AT&T. We raise and lower data plans depending on where we are. We have ATT Hot Spot and Samsung enabled tablet. Do most everything on the Galaxy S5's. Occasionally use laptop tethered to one phone or the other, or the hot spot. Have an unsupported Verizon hot spot from the days when Verizon sold minutes to that company they put out of business... can't remember their name now but was sure a shame. 20 gig for 80 bucks. Those where the days.

Park wifi is a known headache. Best bet is to be self sufficient. Otherwise, ya takes whats ya gets...

The Logans · 06-11-2016, 11:27 AM

Most likely, all the manager had to do was to cycle (turn it off for 10 seconds) his router / Wireless Access Point, and let it re-acquire the connection. Keep in mind that most campgrounds have poor or no security, so never trust that connection with passwords or financial information.

We always just tether the laptops and tablet to our cell phones, so we know it's totally secure.

cbramsey · 06-11-2016, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaggship1

Rarely, if ever use park wifi.

Park wifi is a known headache. Best bet is to be self sufficient. Otherwise, ya takes whats ya gets...

Agree completely!!! In addition to the convenience of stable wifi, you have the security of a secure wifi connection. I am paranoid because I use the internet to pay bills and other transactions. Don't want to take the chance with public wifi for financial transactions.

Mr_D · 06-11-2016, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lynnmor

If you put it on a credit card, dispute the charge. You didn't get what you paid for and the KOA was aware of that fact.

If they KOA has a signed charge then the KOA will win in any dispute. Back when we had a business and took CC's we had a customer try that. I sent the CC company a copy of the charge slip and we got to keep all the money.

Jeffcarp · 06-11-2016, 12:00 PM

A charge dispute because of wifi? The OP didn't pay for wifi. Wifi was an incidental amentity at best. What was paid for was a camping spot and that service was provided.

That's like saying I went to Panera, had a meal, but their wifi was done so I'm disputing the cost of the meal. No basis for that.

scrapperjohn · 06-11-2016, 12:01 PM

All koa's I have stayed at , Wi-Fi is not a separate charge.
We never sit around camp. Central place to see area around park.
So much to see and do especially around Yellowstone.
Life is too short to worry about bad Wi-Fi !!

twogypsies · 06-11-2016, 02:58 PM

I don't know if this was the West Yellowstone KOA you were at but reading the reviews, the Wifi is poor. Perhaps it would help in the future to read the park reviews.

Yellowstone Park / West Entrance KOA - West Yellowstone, MT - RV Park Reviews

Here's the other nearby KOA reviews with poor WiFi:

http://www.campgroundreviews.com/regions...untainside-koa

Even some reviews on the populer Grizzly RV in West Yellowstone has reports of poor Wifi.

You've got to understand that you're in a wilderness area not a big city. Many other tourists are using WiFi and some are trying to stream movies, etc. which isn't the purpose of park WiFi. When you are in national parks areas you're in the boonies without big city amenities. If WiFi is that important to you then it's best to supply your own. Most people do so nowadays.

Had you stayed inside the park at Fishing Bridge RV there's even limited WiFi there now.

Your best bet in these circumstances would be to find a coffee shop, restaurant or library or visitor center and check you emails there.

LEMO · 06-11-2016, 07:08 PM

My, how things have changed. I guess I am to old. In 1988 (during the big forest fire in Yellow Stone) we pulled the fifth wheel to Yellowstone. No internet, cell phone or wifi. We were at the KOA in Jackson Hole waiting for the South entrance to open. Driving through town we saw 'a cardboard sign' saying the South entrance was open. We sped back to KOA, hooked up and made it to Fishing Bridge. That day 50,000 acres in the park burned. We survived !

That said, now a days, upon arriving at a camp site I check for: wifi, cell service, and a clear satillite view! LOL

dexters · 06-11-2016, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soneil422

We arrived today at the Yellowstone KOA. Got everything out and ready and just wanted to relax from driving. Went to access the wifi, the access point nearest us didn't work. I could see full bars but could not connect to it.

I called the office and reached Steve (manager). He told me all the excuses about it being my phones problem and my settings. Also he has trouble blasting wifi through pine trees. Weird, I just connected at the office to a different access point and it worked. He told me that he's only going to say this once, "if wifi is that important to me and I don't want to drive to the office to use my phone, I should probably move on and leave."

I have not been able to find another open park so here I am, writing to you from it'd office.

I'd find another park if you're in this area.

Back in the day the complaints were:
Indians scalping the visitors
Animals attacking the visitors
Bad water
Rancid food
No out house
No toilet paper in the out house
No soap in the out house

Today - poor wifi connection

Gordon Dewald · 06-11-2016, 07:17 PM

Been to Yellowstone and wonder what the fascination with WIFI and the total need to be "connected" is. We spent most of our time looking at the scenery. Much better use of time than checking the web.

mrebele · 06-11-2016, 08:16 PM

I'm a campground owner in a rural area and I understand the disappointment you feel when you expect one thing and the campground can't deliver on it. We don't promise wifi throughout our park but in reality, it is available for about 50% of our sites. We are working to improve it when we are able. Tomorrow we will be burying about 100 to 200 feet of cable so that we can have the access point wired rather than wireless. It's not easy for us to keep up with the increasing demands. Last weekend, I had one camper use 19.7 Gigs in less then 24 hours. That slowed everyone else down. It seems like the more we provide, the more campers use and the more we need to provide. It's like a never ending cycle.
I don't have the knowledge or skill to do this myself but we do the best we can and we don't promise what we can't deliver. I can't help but wonder if the manager was frustrated with a situation he couldn't remedy and that came across as rude instead. If they do a good job in every other area, maybe you could give them a second chance. Get out and enjoy your vacation. I'm hoping that someday I'll be taking that same trip.

Gordon Dewald · 06-11-2016, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrebele

I'm a campground owner in a rural area and I understand the disappointment you feel when you expect one thing and the campground can't deliver on it. We don't promise wifi throughout our park but in reality, it is available for about 50% of our sites. We are working to improve it when we are able. Tomorrow we will be burying about 100 to 200 feet of cable so that we can have the access point wired rather than wireless. It's not easy for us to keep up with the increasing demands. Last weekend, I had one camper use 19.7 Gigs in less then 24 hours. That slowed everyone else down. It seems like the more we provide, the more campers use and the more we need to provide. It's like a never ending cycle.
I don't have the knowledge or skill to do this myself but we do the best we can and we don't promise what we can't deliver. I can't help but wonder if the manager was frustrated with a situation he couldn't remedy and that came across as rude instead. If they do a good job in every other area, maybe you could give them a second chance. Get out and enjoy your vacation. I'm hoping that someday I'll be taking that same trip.

Well said. Some expect to have the same amenities and level of service they have at home, sometimes better. It would be nice to receive it in a campground but you are in a . . . . campground.