Community Forums

Dmiles · 05-06-2010, 10:03 AM

They are much worse this year at least with Virginia state parks. You can't even reserve on line right now! When I called and asked why, they said "because of overbooking". I thought that's what a computer controlled booking system was for, you know, keeping track of how many sites you have, and then only allowing reservations for those that are available. And of course, the conversation went down from there, here is a copy and paste of my complaint I filed online after I got off the phone.....

You folks at Reserve America are a mess. First I am not able to make a reservation online and I'm told it's because of overbooking. Then I'm told a site is available, then put on hold......then told the site is not available, no wait a minute, put on hold......then I'm told a site is available Saturday only. What kind of Micky Mouse outfit is this? Oh sorry Micky, didn't mean to offend you.

Elkhartjim · 05-06-2010, 12:30 PM

The great state of Texas has taken back over reservations for the state parks. The Texas Parks & Wildlife website will be down until May 12th but you can call the park directly for reservations. RA cost the state of Texas millions in lost revenue. Many times I would go online and there was not a park in the state in the next six months that had any openings.

I would suggest you write to you state parks service, RA could care less about your frustration.

Now if we, Texas, will just secede all will be well.

TPWD: State Park Reservations

HD4Mark · 05-06-2010, 12:53 PM

We went crazy trying to figure out how to book a reservation at a Fl state park on RA. Finally after calling their customer service twice and asking how to do it we figured it out. You have to make them 11 months ahead to the day, online at 8am Eastern. It is still kind of luck of the draw.

Seems to me that there should be some kind of lottery for sites. If you don't have internet access you are out of luck. The only reason we got reservations I think is because both of us were online at the right time, both with 2 computers wildly clicking away.

TXiceman · 05-06-2010, 07:03 PM

I for one am glad to see Texas dump RA. I had sent the Texas Parks and Wildlife several messages over the years about the poor RA service. The state was apparently getting a large number of complaints and calls directly to the parks for reservations.

GOOD RIDDANCE.

Ken

Dmiles · 05-06-2010, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

I for one am glad to see Texas dump RA. I had sent the Texas Parks and Wildlife several messages over the years about the poor RA service. The state was apparently getting a large number of complaints and calls directly to the parks for reservations.

GOOD RIDDANCE.

Ken

Ken,

I can only imagine, a state the size of Texas, what a mess that would have been with RA. Hopefully, more states will follow suit.

But, there is a silver lining....In my searches I found a nice resort on the Outer Banks of NC. Their off season rates are still in effect, and they have sites this weekend. So, we will be spending Mothers Day

weekend and an extra day off from work in Rodanthe, NC.

They are a private campground, not a Government run Stae Park, so they actually make their own reservations, and are glad to get the business. They even have a 15% discount until May 20.

StStg1 · 05-07-2010, 10:46 AM

I haven't had any reservation problems with RA in the past. However, in the last year i"ve been making my TX state park reservations by phone with the State Park reservation system.. It's true the system will be shut down untill after May 12th for new software installation. I will look forward to I hope a more effecient system.

StStg1 · 05-13-2010, 11:08 AM

Just so you know, the Texas Parks & Wildlife new online reservation site is now up and running. It looks and works great. The only thing I couldn't find was a campground map shoing the sites. I does have almost everything else. Here is the link

http://texas.reserveworld.com/default.aspx

mrschwarz · 05-13-2010, 08:19 PM

I am another that complained about Reserve America to TPW multiple times. Glad to see them gone. Don't mind saving a couple of bucks per reservation either.

TXiceman · 05-13-2010, 09:00 PM

No one knows it is broken unless you complain....

Ken

chasfm11 · 05-13-2010, 10:05 PM

I just tried the new Texas State Park website. Quickcheck generated an error message instead of a result. We are trying to setup a reservation for a coming weekend. I'm hopeful that we can figure out how to do it before the park that we want is booked up by some other means.

I, too, am glad to see RA go. Their system was the pits. You would think that a company that was in the reservations business could do better.

Elkhartjim · 05-14-2010, 06:37 AM

Charlie...give the system some time to settle down. It is totally overloaded with those of us making reservations and those that are just poking around in the system to check it out. I got on the first morning it was up and running, made reservations and got a error message when checking out. When checking the next day I had the reservations and my credit card had been charged. All is well.

Someone made a statement about no maps, there are the same maps we've always had, you just have to toggle back to the TPWD website. I love the system and given time you will too.

Ding dong the RA service is dead, or at least it is in the State of Texas. We always have been on the cutting edge of technology.