Community Forums

Charming · 02-07-2021, 01:27 PM

I have seen nothing on the TT website about lifetime memberships. We are only planning big trips for the next two years. Over the next 12 months we (fingers crossed) are planning to go to Toronto and New England for about 2 months then later in the year we are heading across country to CA on a trip of about 14 weeks.

1,000 for an annual membership with an extra zone plus Encore will pay for itself.

Or am I missing something?

**pasdad1** · 02-07-2021, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charming

I have seen nothing on the TT website about lifetime memberships. We are only planning big trips for the next two years. Over the next 12 months we (fingers crossed) are planning to go to Toronto and New England for about 2 months then later in the year we are heading across country to CA on a trip of about 14 weeks.

1,000 for an annual membership with an extra zone plus Encore will pay for itself.

Or am I missing something?

Yes, missing something.....

The “lifetime” memberships add additional perks like 180 day advance reservations, 21 day stays, and going “park to park” without needing to spend any time outside thousand trails parks. Annual dues usually are far less than $1000 per year you are paying.

HighDesert · 02-10-2021, 03:27 PM

I have had 2 free one year memberships over the past 4 years to TT. Living in the PNW, I have not been impressed with TT CG's i have been to, and ended up staying at no TT locations because they were: cleaner, better run, better organized, kept up better, and had a better staff. Maybe other US locations have better setups, but the ones I have been to here are huge disappointments. I would not pay the fees to be a TT member.

frogpond · 02-11-2021, 08:34 AM

Unfortunately, that has been my experience so far. Not impressive. When you can get a site, you are usually shoe horned into an area that is not nice. Exactly one of my concerns. The salesman did elude to the fact that the owners are investing $145 million into upgrading existing parks.

**hamm2018** · 02-11-2021, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogpond

Unfortunately, that has been my experience so far. Not impressive. When you can get a site, you are usually shoe horned into an area that is not nice. Exactly one of my concerns. The salesman did elude to the fact that the owners are investing $145 million into upgrading existing parks.

Some of the upgrades are going to the some of the larger parks. Orlando just added around 350 sites, Lake Conroe is adding places for vacation homes, new laundry room. Horseshoe Lakes, Ind. this past summer upgraded all sites to 20/30/50 amp, Arlee, Ala, added a new loop of 85 sites. Kenisee Lake in Ohio added a new loop of 50 sites. Indian Lakes in Ind. is in the progress of adding a new pool, new pool house, new shower house and wants 150 more sites. Over the last year they added 2 new loops with 150 new sites, new shower house. But in that campground part of it is a KOA as well as Thousand Trails. Medina Lakes has install a new water well and system, for the campground, and plan on repairing some the electric issues in the sites there.
In Wilmington, Ohio they tried to upgrade 6 sites to 50 amps FHU, but when they did they found some of the underground wiring was broken and they could not upgrade, but they put in new 30/50 new power boxes. Yet they were planning on doing this upgrade over the winter and raised the seasonal site fee there, on these sites, from $2600 to $3300 to anticipate the upgrade being completed.
Only reason I know about these is some of these parks is were we stayed in the last year and have seen the repairs/plans. Some other repairs are on videos made by friends of ours, who posted on their you tube sites (#finduscamping) is one. We were actually on the on of the sites in Wilmington, and that is a major reason we decided to give up our seasonal there, the huge increase in cost.
So yes they are doing upgrades, but to a selected few parks. The problem they let the parks go so long without upgrading for bigger rigs, 30 to 50 amp, or upgrading roads to handle the heavier units, now they have to do it. For example, Medina Lakes, previous manager, if there was electrical issues the maintenance department would just paint the electric box red and tell you not to use it. When we were there last, November 2020, the new well was installed, but the same issue with the electrical was practiced. But the new manager did tell me he was getting bids to have the electrical repairs started. They have around 400 sites but last count there was around 75-80 not working, painted red.
They also bought a RV park in Mesa, it will go under Encore, for $11.6 million.

Kschumake83 · 02-18-2021, 09:42 AM

I never had a "upgraded" membership, but had the northeast zone for 2 years. One year was free with an rv purchase promotion, and I paid for the second year. All in all none of the parks we had been at were horrible, they were mostly ok parks. We like the one in Millersville PA, the circle m campground because of the indoor pool when we are camping late or early season but most of the others I would say you aren't missing anything.

We didn't buy it last year since the parks are first come first serve which means you may not get a full hook-up site when you get there, so with 3 women in the family my 40 gallon gray tank didn't last long and was forced to use a toteable tank a few times which isn't my cup of tea. Also most are not big rig friendly, my 36' travel trailer was a pain to find a spot most of the time and some of the spots were so tight my truck would take up most of our camping area.

When we had the membership we used it a lot, but when we didn't have it we spent less time at better parks closer to things we wanted to do so it evened out. We have been to every thousand trails campground in the northeast except for the 2 in mass. 1 in NY and Scott run in PA. So if you have any questions about the NE zone let me know.

We are trading our tt in, due to someone merging into rush hour traffic from a dead stop 30' in front of me doing 50 mph and now I don't trust the trailer after repairs, so I will be getting another free year. I do not think I will be using it too much because the new rig will be a 42' toy hauler and it won't fit at too many of the parks. But I will definitely stop by the circle m park a few times before my year is up.

**hamm2018** · 02-18-2021, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kschumake83

I do not think I will be using it too much because the new rig will be a 42' toy hauler and it won't fit at too many of the parks. But I will definitely stop by the circle m park a few times before my year is up.

Try Hershey Park in the area as well. We have a 45 foot toy hauler and get in there.

Charming · 02-20-2021, 07:19 AM

I received an email from TT, another special for annual memberships.

I haven't looked at the details (often very different from the large print) but it claims I can stay at a TT park and if I decide to purchase, they will subtract the stay from my membership.

Any get this offer, have you read the fine print?

Charming · 02-20-2021, 11:26 AM

I called the 1-888 number. It is an ongoing promotion. Make a reservation at any of the TT parks (brown on the map) and you get up to 50% off the regular price of an annual membership. You have 90 days after a stay to join.

Good and bad. If I join, they almost always have a save 20% promotion. Instead of $615 there are promotions for $492 to $499 with no up front cost of staying at one of their parks. The most I can save on a membership with the other promotion is $307. If I'm planning to stay somewhere anyway, it is a good deal. Not so smart if not planning a stay.

**hamm2018** · 02-20-2021, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charming

Instead of $615 there are promotions for $492 to $499 with no up front cost of staying at one of their parks.

Not entirely correct. In some TT Parks, Lake Conroe (Houston area) for example, if you have a 50 amp unit they tell you to take a 50 amp site. Then they tell you it is an extra $3.00/night for 50 amp. In Lake Medina (San Antonio) good luck getting a 50 amp site.
Some TT parks will enforce the extra charge/night for 50 amp service, some will not. And a couple of the high usage parks (Orlando) charges $5.00/night.
Were as "The Oaks at Point South" does not charge the extra fee, well at least in November 2019 they did not.

Charming · 02-20-2021, 02:18 PM

By up front, no additional charges, I meant towards the cost to join, not tacked on fee and surcharges to stay.

dblr · 02-21-2021, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kschumake83

We are trading our tt in, due to someone merging into rush hour traffic from a dead stop 30' in front of me doing 50 mph and now I don't trust the trailer after repairs, so I will be getting another free year. I do not think I will be using it too much because the new rig will be a 42' toy hauler and it won't fit at too many of the parks. But I will definitely stop by the circle m park a few times before my year is up.

I have a 43' 5th wheel towed by a full size Kenworth tractor and have not had a issue in any of the TT parks in Pa. or N.J, even down to Florida i have been able to fit, now I do try to plan to arrive mid week as more sites are available but most of these parks have sites you can fit