Community Forums

BigPackFan · 08-20-2005, 04:14 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by full-timer:
I've never seen WalMart complain about the campground owners selling rv supplies or their few overpriced groceries in the offices.
Joe </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The obvious difference is that WM gives away for free the "camping" spots. They aren't competing with the CG owner for campers.

Roy W. · 08-21-2005, 03:59 PM

More campgrounds need to take a lesson from "Pedro" at South Of The Border in Dillon South Carolina. The last time I was there, it was $15.00 for a full hookup, and probably 50% of their sites were pull throughs. They cater primarily to RV'ers on Interstate 95 that are just looking for a place to spend the night, not "camp." It was also spotless and one of the most well kept places I've stayed.

Superslif · 08-21-2005, 04:18 PM

I just posted the following on another WalMart thread:

Last year we were part of the mandatory evacuation of hurricane Charlie at Myrtle Beach. We had a pop-up at that point. All hotels/motels were packed, and we eventually found a walmart off the path of the evacuation route. They were gracious enough to everyone there, and there were quite a few parked with us, to allow everyone to put up or slide out (we did not, however, and slept in our car instead.) By the way, I did shop until the evacuation was lifted - not only Walmart, but almost everyone else in the shopping strip with them.

OK... let's bash Walmart. Are we forgetting the other "free" campgrounds out there? Camping World, Flying J, Pilot, T & A, every rest stop on every highway in the country!!! So if the government is going to allow this ban at Walmart, they are going to have to ban the parking at all the rest.... including themselves!! Will the campgrounds have a spot for the truck driver who must stop and rest, with his refrigeration unit going all night long?

Gee... think they'll back off on that thought?

Diane

Tom and Patty · 08-21-2005, 04:50 PM

In the year that we have owned our RV, we have stayed in rest areas 6 times, Flying J once, and Walmart 4 times. When my wife and I are traveling (we are both working stiffs), we have a finite amount of time to get to our destination. Usually our daughter's home in ST. Louis Mo. We stock up on supplies sleep for 6-7 hours and get on our way. Walmart is conveniently seen from the interstate. We don't have to drive around in the dark and wake RV'ers up with our noise and get lost at 1 AM finding our site.....done that

, and Walmart always seems to get a "C"note too.
Now our last vacation we stayed many one nighters in RV parks, paying up to 45 dollars, but we weren't in a hurry. But if we are on a mission, Walmart, rest area's and even Flying J will be our quick and easy 6-7 hour stop.

uncle t · 08-25-2005, 06:11 AM

i hav

tiniree · 08-25-2005, 07:41 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Critics of the practice--especially campground owners who feel they are losing money because of it--argue that people who can afford to drive vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars across the country surely can afford to pay the $20 or $30 nightly fee for a campsite. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What these "critics" don't realize is that most of those people driving "vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars" were able to buy these vehicles because they saved every penny they could, when they could so they could afford these vehicles!

Bob Sammons · 08-25-2005, 07:54 AM

Hey Folks,
Some very good points have been expressed and a great discussion
going on. I think good things are begining to happen as a result.
In 1997 I made a 2600 Mi. trip from Port Arthur, Texas to Morgan
City, Louisiana and on up the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers to
Oquawka, Illinois in my 40 foot houseboat.
I stayed overnight at yacht clubs, casinos and marinas but in Morgan
City, Louisiana and in Quincy, Illinois they had free city owned
overnight slips and a dock with electric and water hookups. And in
Quincy the free dock was right next door to the Quincy Yacht Club.
These folks saw no conflict but rather a united effort to promote
boating. Needless to say, we shopped and spent money in Quincy and
Morgan City.
My point is this.
RV Campgrounds as well as Marinas cannot stay in business if they
depend on overnighters to pay their bills. RV Campground's best
interest would be better served by becoming a destination point
rather than trying to be a water stop, and by working together to
promote RVing as a whole rather than creating a split in our
community.
If you follow their line of thinking motels would have been outlawed
years ago in favor of downtown hotels.
Just my opinion,
Bob Sammons
1997 Monaco Dynasty

Old Snipe · 08-25-2005, 08:24 AM

Last weekend, an unexpeceted opportunity opened up for my bonnie bride and me to get away in our RV for a long weekend. We took off to explore in a new direction away from home as we often do. By 11 PM we had called all 5 campgrounds along our route and none of them had any open spots. So, we spent the night in a Walmart and when we got underway the next morning we contiued calling campgrounds along our route and finally found a campground site.
I tried to find a campground and none were available. So I have heartburn with these campground owners saying Walmart is taking away their business, I tried. No flames about not planning ahead, please. I never pass up a chance to get away in the RV, no matter how far in advance I plan or how last minute spur of the moment it is.

Best Regards!

camper1b · 08-25-2005, 09:47 AM

I can't believe I'm actually posting to a Walmart thread! My first, but here goes....

Two points, one for and one against the campground owner gripers. When a campground owner sees all those free campers he thinks that he would have been pocketing all that money. Not true. Just because 4 campers are at the Walmart, does not mean those 4 would be at your campground if parking were not allowed. They'd just move on.

However, I think the campground owners have a ligitimate gripe when they see a camper in a Walmart lot for days on end.

It seems to me that the contraversy would fade if (1) campground owners would realize they are only losing a small portion of the money from the Walmart campers because most picked that location BECAUSE of the Walmart being there. And (2) if we campers would be a bit more judicious in our use of Walmarts and not as our destination campground.

I just got back from an 11000 mile trip around the country. Of the 46 nights, we spent 39 in campgrounds and 7 in various free spots. They were single nights, about 8 hours each and were used strictly as in between rest stops.

Later.

Doggie · 08-25-2005, 01:02 PM

This is obviously a greed thing with the campground owners who seek to legislate business. There's no way I'm going to pull into a campground for 8 hours of sleep even if I do need to dump and fill.
My guess is the campground owners who are spearheading legislation in their city or town run campgrounds that are below par anyway. If they built a good campground in a good location, they wouldn't be whining IMHO.

Superslif · 08-25-2005, 02:49 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Doggie:
My guess is the campground owners who are spearheading legislation in their city or town run campgrounds that are below par anyway. If they built a good campground in a good location, they wouldn't be whining IMHO. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Absolutely!!

DonavonP · 08-25-2005, 03:25 PM

Walmart takes the local power out of the hands of the anointed few (usually 2nd and 3rd generation family businesses) and puts the buying power in the hands of many. That's what the whining is about.

Beabop · 08-27-2005, 05:22 AM

I have told several cmpgrnd owners that if they would offer a safe,quiet,easy in/out no hook up place to park at a resonable price, many would take it for overnight. Passport America has really worked for us. It pays its way every year just on our way to and from FL. $12 for a quiet place to sleep,with elec,we don't use the rest of the FHU provided in that price. Pull thru sites with no untrimmed trees to damage the MH. We have used the mentioned South of the Border but some of those sites are tight and have seen some really big rigs over nighting just outside the gate. I like S of the B though because you can go over to the hotel and use the swimming pool.

JoeP · 08-27-2005, 08:40 AM

My wife and I have travelled across North America twice and have been from Alaska to Mexico. Usually, if we are trying to make time, we will drive for 10 to 12 hours a day with rest stops every 2 hours. Then, for the night we stop at the nearest Walmart, Super Center if possible, get something to eat and then head out in 8 hours or so. We do put out our bedroom slide and if the lot is not very level, we will put down the jacks.

We were heading to the FMCA Rally in Minot a couple of weeks ago in no real rush so we stopped in the Billings KOA for the night. We told the kids running the place that we were an overnighter and wanted a pull through so we would not have to unhitch. What we got was a site that barely fit our 37 ft MH and Honda toad, was not level, was hard to drive out off due to the mature trees all around, had no sewer, and had only a 30 amp service. All this for only $38.00.

I was shocked at the price and when talking with a neighbour was told that they were chased out of the local Walmart due to pressure put on the local politicians by the Camp ground owners.

We were away for over 3 weeks and this was the most expensive campsite of the trip. The campground was full of kids playing. The pool was wall to wall kids so was no use to us. The only thing we did was sleep and run. All for 38.00.

I wonder if the high cost for overnight had anything to do with the no Walmart overnighting decision???