Free 2 nights at Thousand Trails

[StevenNC]

If you call them they will give you 2 nights free BUT you have to attend their sales meeting. Lucky me, there was another person there with the same last name and they got us mixed up so I didnt have an appointment. DARN!! They offered me another 2 nights free but I would have to attend the meeting this time. Maybe next year I will go back but doubt if I will become a member, heard it cost a lot. Plus we like camping everywhere.

Anyway, it turned out to be a real cheap weekend plus they were only about 45 minutes from the house.

01 F150 SuperCrew Lariat, 5.4, 4WD
00 26 BH Forest River Salem Lite

[StevenNC]

If you call them they will give you 2 nights free BUT you have to attend their sales meeting. Lucky me, there was another person there with the same last name and they got us mixed up so I didnt have an appointment. DARN!! They offered me another 2 nights free but I would have to attend the meeting this time. Maybe next year I will go back but doubt if I will become a member, heard it cost a lot. Plus we like camping everywhere.

Anyway, it turned out to be a real cheap weekend plus they were only about 45 minutes from the house.

01 F150 SuperCrew Lariat, 5.4, 4WD
00 26 BH Forest River Salem Lite

[Digital Boy]

We've been through the Thousand Trails story. We got a free weekend at a nice campground in Clermont, Florida, about 2 hours south of our home.

The folks who gave us the tour and presentation were fulltimers just trying to make a living. They were nice folks. When we told them that we were several years from retirement they made no great attempt to close us.

They fed us both days. I think it was 2 meals a day.

If I remember correctly the membership fee is about $5,000. I don't remember what the annual renewal is. Again, if memory serves, you got the privilage of staying in any of their parks around the country for about $5 per night.

I haven't done any hypothetical numbers but that $5,000 initial fee is a whopper. I understand though that the sales people and the marketing expenses have to get paid and I guess that is how it's done.

For frugal camping with full hookups that doesn't sound bad. But watch out for the up front and renewal fees.

Lew
Gainesville, FL - '97 Infinity, Class A, 36'. . . fulltime financial advisor, Weekend RV Florida Boomer. Sima (riding shotgun)plus two rude, crude mutts! Visit my professional website at: www.yourfinancialplanneronline.com

[gone]

It doesn't cost anything a night if you are a member. I have been one for 10 years, and don't retire for another 6. It's paid for itself 10 times over. I have been out 39 days so far this year, in various TT and Naco parks, at NO cost for full hookups and great people. The only cost is fuel and tolls to get there.

Scott..97 Vision P32 Chev

[John]

Look for some internet specials at www.rvonthego.com
Some $99 per month specials in Fla, Tex, Az and CA.

John A
Excel 33RSE (2002)See My RV/ F350 Powerstroke DRW SC(2001)

[Kebamo]

I went to Gettysburg Pa and they gave me 4 day and 3 nights free. When I bought my 5th wheel it came with 40 free nights at a Travel Resorts of America. I went to their promo and I really like what I seen. There was NO pressure to purchase. I look at everything, and the cost wasn't really all that much. Only $ 6,000.00 for a membership that could be willed, as well as sold. It came with 6 homeport campgrounds that I can stay at for free. and over 700 coast to coast for 8.00 and 5 star sites for 13.00. Included also was group discounts on cruises etc. They even have 2 campgrounds in Baha Mexico and a bunch across canada. Yearly fees aren't that bad. My wife and I hope to go full time at the end of next year. One of our home ports is only 4 hours away in NC we like to camp and we can even stay in Myrtle Beach for 8.00 a night while everyone else is paying 50-75 a night.

[timz61]

We got our TT membership 5 years ago for the two years back dues and the transfer fee. We also upgraded to the Leisure Time parks for an additional $200. Ours is an older Alliance membership which allows us to book 120 days out,stay up to 3 weeks in most parks and not have to be out of the system between parks. Dues are about $550/year with 50 nights of camping and $5/night thereafter. If you are interested in a membership - DON'T BUY A NEW ONE as there are many existing memberships out there at givaeaway prices. Just do a google search for Thousand Trails memberships for sale.

[Kuma]

I totally agree with Timz61
I fulltime and got my membership for a song from an elderly couple who couldn't camp any longer. Paid the transfer fee, the dues, and have taken advantage of it all over the country. It's also one of the old Alliance memberships, and so far it's already paid for itself a few times over! And, hopefully, I still have years to go...

[diandtom]

$5,000 or $6,000 sounds a little high to me,can stay a lot of nights in campgrounds for that amount,not to mention "maintance" fees.We have a friend that is trying to push it on us,but he has had several stays at less than desirable campgrounds and the maintance fee keeps going up every year. What I want to know is what is the maintance fee for?? I guess maybe if you full time and use it year round it wouldn't be too bad,but right now its just not for us.

Dianne

[AL]

Hi All,

Here is something else that can happen with these membership clubs! I was a very happy Coast 2 Coast member for over 10 years, then our homepark sold! At first the new owner was ok, and had us all come to a meeting with coffee and snacks, and told us not to worry he would honer our contract's! Then after about 2 years he changes his mind, and my $100.00 a year for life fee was not any good anymore. His new rate was $365 and it was going to go up now and then, plus he also wanted the $365 for the last two years as well! I tried to talk with Coast 2 Coast but since I did not pay what he wanted they said I was not a member in good standing with my homepark and they would not talk with me! At this point I talked with a couple of lawyers and decided to just walk away! I wish all of you in Membership Clubs the best of luck and, hope you do better then me !!

[C&C R]

We did one of those free 2 night stays with TT and bought the membership. That was in 1997. Was very reasonable then. Wouldn't be able to buy in now.
3 years ago we upgraded. Our dues are frozen.
To get around all this, TT now charges for 50 amp at some parks and if we go over our allotted days we have to pay $20 a night. They raised that too.
High usage parks you can only stay a limited amount of time. We thought 21 day, but no, it's only 14.
Some of the changes we don't like, but for what we paid in 1997, it's been a bargain.

[The Captain]

If you purchased your coach through some selected dealers you where able to join TT for a MUCH reduced price. I was able to get the Eastern US, which is the area I mostly travel, for $500 per year. This allows me 14 days in with 7 out at any TT, NACO Park. I try to use evry day I can as there are no limits except 14 days in and 7 out.
Derek

[SeeTheUSA]

It seems nearly everything can be qualifies with "if."

A Thousand Trails membership can be a real bargain "if."

For example, a Thousand Trails membership is great IF
- the locations are where you want to go
- your lifestyle is such you'll stay often, each year

I very much agree you can save some real $$$ if you buy an existing Thousand Trails membership from an individual (but REALLY investigate the terms of the membership contract - there are some memberships much better than others).

We've been members for several years and enjoy it very much. We take off soon, for example, for a 6-week trip from Texas to the Atlantic shores of Virginia and back and will stay at 7 Thousand Trails locations, anywhere from 4 to 6 nights at each place, move directly from one location to another (no "out" nights), and it costs us nothing per night (recognizing it did cost us to join and we pay a fairly small annual maintenance fee).

Regarding the condition of Thousand Trails locations - best way for me to explain it is, the WORST Thousand Trails location is better than nearly any other RV park we have stayed.

Now don't go run out and do as we do --- figure out what would work best for YOU. Based on how we do things, Thousand Trails is a very good thing -- might be for you, might not.

BTW, regarding those sales presentations you have to attend if you stay on one of those free offers - they're just presentations, and the salesperson will certainly try to sell, but there won't be any physical coercion or water-boarding or anything. After you politely listen, just say no!

[MtManLee]

For the 5000 dollars to join and 500 a year I can stay at rv parks for four years. Seems that is too much to pay and then some.