Community Forums

baraff · 02-24-2018, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Searching_Ut

Of course the progressively bigger rigs we've purchased over the years that keep us out of so many nice spots because we don't fit doesn't help either.

This is the main reason we have not "upgraded" to a larger coach. We can fit in most any older public park, which we prefer over RV parks.

TXTiger · 02-24-2018, 11:25 PM

Not right on point but related, I volunteer in State and National Parks for the summer. This year everywhere I have applied has told me that they have been inundated with volunteer applications. More and more people are retiring buying an RV and hitting the road and volunteering is getting more popular. It is taking longer to get a volunteer position this year.

Fiesta48 · 02-25-2018, 07:13 AM

One aspect of all the new RVs coming on line. As Mfgrs increase production quality goes down. Many will get discouraged very fast and not use theirs. Like any hobby people will use theirs a lot at first then it slacks off after they find out it is not all fun.
Yes we devoted fans will have to look out further for reservations.
I'm trying to get my wife to accept we need to boondock to get away from the crowds. We are in Kissimmee, traffic is terrible. But weather great.

grindstone01 · 02-25-2018, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXTiger

Not right on point but related, I volunteer in State and National Parks for the summer. This year everywhere I have applied has told me that they have been inundated with volunteer applications. More and more people are retiring buying an RV and hitting the road and volunteering is getting more popular. It is taking longer to get a volunteer position this year.

...

The popular destination parks have lots of volunteer applications. The lesser known/popular parks always seem to have volunteer openings and are more open to negotiating a shorter time length that fits our style.

Dan McMartin · 03-04-2018, 01:03 PM

It is true that there are more of us RVer's out there and camping spots are harder to find. Used to be you could get a state park site on the coast in Oregon pretty easy, for instance. Now, you have to make the reservation the moment they open of you're out of luck most of the time. Heard the same about many other places.

But it's not critical yet. There's plenty of places to park. And while parks aren't being built left and right, that will change as demand surges. In the meantime, you just have to be a little more creative sometimes. But you can still call ahead a few hours or days and secure a spot most of the time.

Besides, how many people buy a new shiny RV because their coworker/neighbor/brother-in-law got one or they fell for the spiel at a show but the rig only makes it our of the driveway once or twice a year on holiday weekends. I know that is a pretty common thing.

We're not worried. We plan ahead a little more, stay away from popular spots at popular times and boondock when we can. Not a big deal.

sixkilo · 03-04-2018, 05:44 PM

I have traveled thru many National and State Cgs controlled by Reserve America only to be told no spots available but a drive thru tells a completely different story. Many sites stand empty because people reserve and don't show up. That freezes the Management who then can't let the sites go. It actually works well for the Agency also. No overhead to deal with in crowd control. No data infrastructure or staffing either. I have talked in depth to Park rangers who are aware there is a problem and not happy about the situation but it is not up to them to fix it.

BFlinn181 · 03-04-2018, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixkilo

I have traveled thru many National and State Cgs controlled by Reserve America only to be told no spots available but a drive thru tells a completely different story. Many sites stand empty because people reserve and don't show up. That freezes the Management who then can't let the sites go. It actually works well for the Agency also. No overhead to deal with in crowd control. No data infrastructure or staffing either. I have talked in depth to Park rangers who are aware there is a problem and not happy about the situation but it is not up to them to fix it.

It's the same in the National Parks campgrounds and hotels. Large numbers of people don't show up. There's no penalty for the people that reserve spots and don't show. Airlines charge for tickets not used, but they also overbook, figuring a percentage won't show. I've been offered $800 for my seat on a flight from LA to Sydney, AU, I took it and waited a day.

I've often gotten campsites, cabins, or hotel rooms in national parks just going to the reservations desk and asking. The only solution perhaps is to charge something for the reservation, whether you go or not. This will harm folks that have serious issues that prevent using the reservation, but I'm not sure what else could be done.

Dan McMartin · 03-04-2018, 08:05 PM

I guess that explains why most RV parks have highly punitive cancellation policies and as for their money at the time of the reservation.

I had no idea that RA allowed you to reserve a spot without any deposit. That's just idiotic. You can reserve site after site just in case you decide to go camping while some poor schmuck that plays by the rules ends up camping in a pull out by the side of the road.

nothermark · 03-05-2018, 05:30 AM

The last I knew RA bills for the stay up front. Cancellations face a fee.

One of the balance issues is that one forfeits the first night along with the processing fee if the cancellation is too close to the date reserved. For somebody who reserves the two night minimum and changes their mind then looks at what they can recover the trouble of cancelling the reservation may not be worth the trouble.

Txloser · 03-05-2018, 06:18 AM

I see this all the time too. Drives me nuts. Just used RA to book spring break. For Arkansas as an example, I only pay for the first night($37). If I cancel, I lose that. If I don't show, it's the same and that site is mine till mid morning next day, which screws someone else. And, to make it worse, in AR you can't book part of a weekend. Only Friday and Sat. So, if I no show on Friday and don't bother to cancel, I've just kept someone from booking a nice weekend. I always cancel if I won't make it so someone else can enjoy/book the site.

Moral of the story... If you're not going to make it, please cancel. It will help with a lot of what's being talked about here.

Old_Crow · 03-05-2018, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txloser

I see this all the time too. Drives me nuts. Just used RA to book spring break. For Arkansas as an example, I only pay for the first night($37). If I cancel, I lose that. If I don't show, it's the same and that site is mine till mid morning next day, which screws someone else. And, to make it worse, in AR you can't book part of a weekend. Only Friday and Sat. So, if I no show on Friday and don't bother to cancel, I've just kept someone from booking a nice weekend. I always cancel if I won't make it so someone else can enjoy/book the site.

Moral of the story... If you're not going to make it, please cancel. It will help with a lot of what's being talked about here.

Interesting, and it explains a lot. I'm at Maumelle park in Little Rock. When I checked in I only had the choice of 2 spots for the length of time I wanted to stay. I've sure seen a lot of the spots near me sitting vacant for the majority of the time I've been here.
Extended for a couple of weeks the other day, and I have to move spots today, as the one I'm in apparently has a couple of days reserved next week.

Busskipper · 03-05-2018, 07:19 AM

For us the Shoulder season is now Prime Time.

Still not a reservation Guy - But on the east coast - might need to re-evaluate that thought.

MisterT · 03-05-2018, 07:46 AM

I've asked about the 'vacant' sites at parks and campgrounds many times during our extensive travels, as we rarely reserve in advance. When a park says they are full, yet many sites are vacant - what is 'really' going on? It's as others have said, there is not enough of a 'pain' to the person who made the reservation, yet did not show up. There is not enough incentive for them to officially 'cancel', since that would require them to either call(try calling a state or national park's reservations system!), or go back online to their 'account' and cancel. It's just too much work for the little bit of refund, if any, they might receive.

I say this: Reservations systems should employ a '2 Fold Reservations Confirmation' ... FIRST, when you place your reservation, you pay for your reservation - ALL of it, so that you are totally and completely financially involved in this park, not just a 'one day' upfront costs that you could easily decide not to worry about losing if you don't show up.
SECOND, the day BEFORE your reservation arrival date, you must 'CONFIRM' your actual scheduled arrival, either via a followup email from the park, or going onto their website reservations 'Confirmation' platform. If you DO NOT respond to this email or confirm your actual arrival, you AUTOMATICALLY get cancelled, receive an appropriate refund(minus one day, and a cancellation fee). THEN, this site is REOPENED for new reservations, or drive-ups/walk-ins the day of the old reservation.

What we don't do now in many 'reservations' systems is demand that the customer is actually going to show up ... without some type of confirmation of this right before the date, there will continue to be little incentive for folks who cannot make the date, or decide not to show up, to actually TELL the park that they are not coming.
Even if someone can't make it the actual day of arrival, the new 'confirmation' response would allow them to amend their paid dates, and arrive a day late, but still giving the park the right to rent the site to someone else, at least for one night.

Just some thoughts.

sixkilo · 03-05-2018, 09:16 AM

RA has a 72 hour /200pm cut off time to take reservation as well which means you stuck again. I try to travel a la carte and realize that has consequences but at the same time things could be improved. As was said there needs to be more skin in the game. And yes peoples plans do get changed and I respect that. But the whack a mole of being bounced site to site is frustrating. We were in a 378 site state park and were told we had to leave. Could not hang to see if someone did not show, just go.