Bad experience at Yellowstone KOA

[soneil422]

Originally Posted by Sammie

Any other problems or just this one?

Sammie

As of now, no others.

[Atom Ant]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Don't you just wonder how folks years ago who owned their own business dealt with traveling?

When we first started full-timing we had no cell phone and definitely no internet. We survived just fine.

Park wifi is not meant to conduct business, including home financial stuff. It's not meant for streaming movies. The systems are too expensive for that. Typically campground wifi is meant for emails and quick searches.

If you need access for things like that, supply your own. That's what the majority of people do nowadays.

That's not even fair really. Owning a business today is much different than it was before. It is the expectation you have internet and cell phones now, or you wouldn't even be looking at this. The traveling salesman selling lightning rods out of the back of his 62 Impala didn't have a cell phone or internet, and most the poeple in town had to go to the General Store to use a phone, but that same salesman today would never make it.

My business depends a lot on having internet and cell phones and in todays world you aren't ever really on vacation or you find yourself permanently on vacation when you return.

I'm not saying you shouldn't prepare for the unexpected, but I do get frustrated when a feature of a site is advertised only to find out it doesn't work or it never did. The ad should say "limited" wifi available if its a piece of junk, so someone that really needs it can look elsewhere for reservations before they get there. There are places a cell phone just doesn't get service, which makes that sites wifi even more important and its frustrating to find out it doesn't work at the campsite, the hotel, even the dang plane, and to top if off the company advertising the feature is rude about it rather than apologitic.

Y'all are going pretty hard on the OP from your retirement chairs. I feel bad for him.

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by Atom Ant

That's not even fair really. Owning a business today is much different than it was before. It is the expectation you have internet and cell phones now, or you wouldn't even be looking at this. The traveling salesman selling lightning rods out of the back of his 62 Impala didn't have a cell phone or internet, and most the poeple in town had to go to the General Store to use a phone, but that same salesman today would never make it.

My business depends a lot on having internet and cell phones and in todays world you aren't ever really on vacation or you find yourself permanently on vacation when you return.

I'm not saying you shouldn't prepare for the unexpected, but I do get frustrated when a feature of a site is advertised only to find out it doesn't work or it never did. The ad should say "limited" wifi available if its a piece of junk, so someone that really needs it can look elsewhere for reservations before they get there. There are places a cell phone just doesn't get service, which makes that sites wifi even more important and its frustrating to find out it doesn't work at the campsite, the hotel, even the dang plane, and to top if off the guy is rude about it.

Y'all are going pretty hard on the OP from your retirement chairs. I feel bad for him.

HI Brad,

So I guess what you're saying is that there should be "truth in advertising". Yeah I guess your right, but don't hold your breath.

Sammie

[Jeffcarp]

Truth in advertising should occur but Internet access and wifi, especially in a remote place like Yellowstone is not a stagnant commodity. Availability and reliability changes and can change at any time. Given that consumers have so much exposure to technology in their daily lives, we should all be used to variability in the availability of technology. Thus the need to be self-reliant and have backups if technology is that important to you in a RV.

[soneil422]

Originally Posted by Atom Ant

That's not even fair really. Owning a business today is much different than it was before. It is the expectation you have internet and cell phones now, or you wouldn't even be looking at this. The traveling salesman selling lightning rods out of the back of his 62 Impala didn't have a cell phone or internet, and most the poeple in town had to go to the General Store to use a phone, but that same salesman today would never make it.

My business depends a lot on having internet and cell phones and in todays world you aren't ever really on vacation or you find yourself permanently on vacation when you return.

I'm not saying you shouldn't prepare for the unexpected, but I do get frustrated when a feature of a site is advertised only to find out it doesn't work or it never did. The ad should say "limited" wifi available if its a piece of junk, so someone that really needs it can look elsewhere for reservations before they get there. There are places a cell phone just doesn't get service, which makes that sites wifi even more important and its frustrating to find out it doesn't work at the campsite, the hotel, even the dang plane, and to top if off the company advertising the feature is rude about it rather than apologitic.

Y'all are going pretty hard on the OP from your retirement chairs. I feel bad for him.

Limited availability. I like that. You're spot on about the booking of sites. If they say it, make it so; if not, say that also. About being in remote Yellowstone. I felt that since it was posted on a reputable company's site, KOA, I figured it was true. Guess I was sadly mistaken. You're correct about running a business and never being on vacation. Most of it runs itself, but being able to solve problems and provide estimates from 1,500 miles away is somewhat important to staying in business. Thank you.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by soneil422

Limited availability. I like that. You're spot on about the booking of sites. If they say it, make it so; if not, say that also. About being in remote Yellowstone. I felt that since it was posted on a reputable company's site, KOA, I figured it was true.

soneil422
I've found that "FREE WIFI" on a RV park website, (or in their advertising brochures), often only means: "WIFI is SOMETIMES available SOMEWHERE in the RV park".

Providing information that's "close to the truth" is known as "puffing"... (even reputable companies "puff").

Mel
'96 Safari

[Twomed]

Originally Posted by Nut4speed

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.

Hey come on now...we got a new stoplight in West Yellowstone this year...up to three now.

[southernlady]

Originally Posted by soneil422

Not Mountain Side. Can't remember what's on the sign out front.

In 2014, we had a great experience there. (West Entrance). We were lucky to get a spot even reserving a month in advance.

We pulled in just behind a class a (we were towing a pop up that year, didn't have the DSDP yet). The guy in the class a was trying to check in, NO reservation, just assumed they'd have a spot. He was being rude and the manager was trying to hold his temper. They did have one spot left but it was a 30 amp and no cable. And a much smaller spot out at the far end of the property. I gently interrupted and asked the manager if our swapping for that spot would help. (We didn't need more than 30 amp and with no TV, cable was not needed). The manager looked very relieved and welcomed my solution. The guy was told tho that they were booked for the next few weeks so one night was all the manager could swing for him.

We were told about the wifi but since we carry our own, we didn't bother trying theirs.

The manager even had one of his crew not only take us to our spot, he helped back the trailer in for us as we sucked at backing a trailer. They also gave us dinner at half off.

[Clayobx]

True "southern manners" from a true "Southernlady."

[lonfu]

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.

KOA's, after full timing for 7 years, I avoid them unless the only boondocking available is right next to a railroad track.

The service is awful, grounds always in need of repair and management totally unresponsive to complaints. Oh yeah, did I mention they are always over priced?

[RVThere]

There is GREAT cell phone and wifi reception from the top of Mt. Washburn in Yellowstone! There is even a nice warm weather station at the top with a bench where you can check email, voicemail, call back clients, etc. all with a superb view of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem!

My sons still bug me today that I made them climb to the top just to get cell service. But as a successful small business owner, you need to get the job done and not whine about the hurdles.

Now I'll go back to my 'retirement chair'...

[MapleKing]

Originally Posted by soneil422

Limited availability. I like that. You're spot on about the booking of sites. If they say it, make it so; if not, say that also. About being in remote Yellowstone. I felt that since it was posted on a reputable company's site, KOA, I figured it was true. Guess I was sadly mistaken. You're correct about running a business and never being on vacation. Most of it runs itself, but being able to solve problems and provide estimates from 1,500 miles away is somewhat important to staying in business. Thank you.

I've read through all six pages of posts because I thought it was interesting that this one issue brought so much contention. I'm a small business owner - a farmer and IT person. I have customers all over the world looking to source maple products. When I travel, I'm on vacation and I make arrangements to cover things while I am gone with friends, neighbors or someone that I may temporarily pay. I still check back in with things but I am travelling so the expectation is that I'm not available 24/7. If I can't check out for a little while, I'm not doing things right, IMHO.

As for the availability of WiFi, it was available, just not where you wanted it. I don't like how the park handled it but it was available. If you had different equipment, you might have been able to connect from your site and maybe this should be taken as a lesson learned. I think the manager shouldn't have been so rude and hopefully you can get some resolution to that. If you need to be connected 24/7, I would look at equipment that would help you bring in distant WiFi & 4G signals which will cover you if you run into a situation where the WiFi is not where you want it to be.

[TMan59]

I guess the question is does the park have wifi, and is that what's advertised?
Or did the op assume that each site has wifi, unlimited wifi 24/7?
I think the true issue is someone bashing on a park because they don't get wifi at their site. We have all seen it. 5 people waiting patiently in line to check in when someone storms past and throws their phone on the counter and demands it "be fixed".
The person behind the counter can't "fix" it, and is "rude".
(I'm not saying that's what happened here ).
I for one am more likely to stay at this park because of the misguided anger from the op.

[cbramsey]

Originally Posted by southernlady

In 2014, we had a great experience there. (West Entrance). We were lucky to get a spot even reserving a month in advance.

We pulled in just behind a class a (we were towing a pop up that year, didn't have the DSDP yet). The guy in the class a was trying to check in, NO reservation, just assumed they'd have a spot. He was being rude and the manager was trying to hold his temper. They did have one spot left but it was a 30 amp and no cable. And a much smaller spot out at the far end of the property. I gently interrupted and asked the manager if our swapping for that spot would help. (We didn't need more than 30 amp and with no TV, cable was not needed). The manager looked very relieved and welcomed my solution. The guy was told tho that they were booked for the next few weeks so one night was all the manager could swing for him.

We were told about the wifi but since we carry our own, we didn't bother trying theirs.

The manager even had one of his crew not only take us to our spot, he helped back the trailer in for us as we sucked at backing a trailer. They also gave us dinner at half off.

The only thing my DW left out of her description quoted here is the KOA Manager mentioned to us several times that we "had a Deluxe Pull Thru site reserved and the site he had open wasn't nearly as nice". We could have changed our mind and stayed in our Deluxe site. We chose not to. Saved up some cash as well.

Originally Posted by Clayobx

True "southern manners" from a true "Southernlady."

Now you did it!!!! She won't be able to get into the coach now because her head is sooooo big!!!