Community Forums

wa8yxm · 10-20-2010, 10:33 AM

I would compare the "Dues" charges and look at your long term plans.

Wife and I plan on traveling a good portion of the US, from the east coast tot he west coast (In fact we have been all the way from Provincetown, MA (Cape cod) to Los Angles already) and from the Canadian border to the southern shores,,, Thus the lifetime, national membership is the thing for us... And as full timers we make good use of our membership.

Dues, for us, around 45 dollars a month.. ONE night in a low-end KOA,, about the same (45 bucks) so you do the math,, I spend 2/3 of my Winter in a TT park and 1/3 of my summer (different parks) Even when we get to our major traveling in a few years I'll be spending at least 25% of the time in TT parks. So it's an investment for us.

FOR you...... Well, you need to do the math.

Oh, and of the parks I have stayed at: (Saint Clair, MI, Las Vegas, Carolina Landing, and right now Indian Lakes) I have only nice things to say about the staff.. Very nice things in fact. Some of the other parks I have stayed at, Let's just say I am not so happy with the staff.

I can tell you this: Most of the TT parks I"ve been in are older parks, Today's really big I mean bigger than that, rigs may have issues with some of the parks.. Mine is 38 feet and I do not have a problem.. But it's occasionally tight.

B Bob · 10-20-2010, 02:17 PM

Ralpher - I like being on IRV2 as there are few comments as harsh as yours. If you look over the list of posts left by many you will see that in general Thousand Trails has a fairly high approval rating. If you go back a number of years when TT was getting many thousands of dollars to join it did have some similarity to a time share, but that was back when Clinton was still Pres. I joined directly with TT and paid zero up front. I did send them a years fees of about 450 bucks. And you can also buy one of the old contracts at a deeply discounted price. So IMHO TT is not financed the same way today as 15 years ago and represents good value if you use the membership.

As for your blanket condemnation of KOA I very strongly want to offer a different opinion. We stayed at a super KOA outside of Lassen National Park in late August. One of the nicest parks we have ever stayed in. I am sure not all KOA's are as nice as this one, but they are usually not dumps either.

SteveLevin · 10-21-2010, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Mark

PS - any damage to your coach while in a TT park is YOUR responsibility. Let me explain. We were camped at the TT in Orlando and a mowing crew ran into our tailpipe on the MH & bent it. Called the park manager & he came, took pictures of pent pipe etc. Gave me a number to call corporate and said wait a few days for the paperwork to get there. When I called corporate they explained that - per the fine print in your contract - you park in all TT parks at your own risk. All damage is your responsibility, regardless of fault.

.

Slightly OT, but unless the fine print contains a specific waiver for damage they cause, that's actually NOT what park at your own risk means. That statement means that they have no liability if you run into a pole or a tree limb hangs low and damages your roof, for example. It covers things that happen while you are moving your rig. It does not waive damage caused by their direct action (such as driving into your parked rig).

Steve

Seajay · 10-21-2010, 05:01 AM

IMHO you would have to run fast and hold a gun on me to give a TT membership. Here is my reasoning concerning the way I like to camp.
FREEDOM. The ability to go where I please on MY Schedule and not be bound to go to point ''A'' for a camp spot.
ROAMING. The ability to just amble along on a ''blue road'' and not care where I am or where I am going. I dont want having to ''be at a certain place'' to have a campsight.
I refuse to plan my trip by the location of the place that I will camp.

Camping is freedom. Most of us are self contained and we have the ability to boon dock in some of the most beautiful places in this world and that is the adventure of CAMPING....
I respect all others and their opinion on this subject........

Thank a VET for your freedom........

Izzyblueye · 10-21-2010, 06:21 AM

I have been at good KOA's and some pretty bad ones. Same with almost any C/G or even state and Fed'l C/G's. My greatest complaint with KOA's is their ala-carte system of establishing a camping fee. One KOA wanted to charge me for having a cat onboard. Now come on, what does that have to do with the price of rice in China?