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03-27-2011, 10:45 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 13,599
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What Hard Times?
I go here every year about this time. This year there was a distinct difference in the quantity of people and that they seemed to be in a buying mood.
I just finished two weeks in the Kissimmee (Orlando, FL) area. There were a variety of reasons for me to be there so long. My experience with this trip is we are not in hard times. Getting my coach serviced at Cummins South required me to make an appointment several weeks in advance. When there the place was as busy as they could be. They were at capacity. Next was to stop a Tropical Palms (TP) for a rally. TP was packed. At least 95% capacity the entire time I was there. The Camping World store in Kissimmee was packed every time I went there. The restaurants were full every evening for dinner. Next was a continued stay at TP for a week with the Gkids on Spring break. Universal was so packed that they shut down parts of the park. One had to get a ticket with a time one could return to get into that section of the park! The lines at every store, just to get in to buy a trinket or get a meal were horrible. For quite a few of the rides one had to waits 2 hours for 2 minutes of ride. Then there was WDW. Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios were all crowded. I was unable to get reservations at any decent restaurant so we left the park and ate dinner outside WDW. WDW handles crowds much better than any other park brand. There were many, many people but WDW seems to keep everything moving quite well. The WDW stores had crowds, but it was manageable.
TP had the usual sprinkling of Canadian and USA snow birds. Combine this with the Spring breaker families and TP was full. It makes me wonder why they were giving Florida residents a discount.
The bottom line is no matter where the folks were from, everyone seemed to be spending money and having a great time.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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03-27-2011, 11:00 AM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Litchfield Park, Arizona
Posts: 10,530
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I know what you mean Gary and have been making the same comment as we travel around.
Rick
__________________
Rick, Nancy, Peanut & Lola our Westie Dogs & Bailey the Sheltie.
2007 Itasca Ellipse 40FD
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03-27-2011, 11:08 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Granite Falls, NC
Posts: 1,156
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I bet it would scare the ''peeeee'' out of you to know how many of these ''spenders'' are ''putting it on the CARD'' without a thought as to how they will make the next payment without putting the ''payment'' on another ''CARD''.
Just a thought......
God bless our vets..... They gave us our freedom.... .SOME DIED FOR IT....
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03-27-2011, 11:31 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 63
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hard times
Back last week from 6 flags S>A> ahead of us was a spanish family, husband,wife, 5 kids. Charged it on Texas welfare care. Wen you don't have to pay, the sky is the limit
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03-27-2011, 12:15 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 143
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It really makes me wonder where you guys come up with this stuff. Credit card usage is way down for the last several years.
Why would you think that just because the family is Spanish that it was somehow charged to Texas Welfare care?
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03-27-2011, 12:23 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 56
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mickey mouse town
Another logic might be that if you are one of those doing well you might choose to head for a tourist trap to enjoy yourself. Thus it appears that everything is good because you are surrounded by money. Like visiting the White house....wow impressive...but then venture 3 blocks down and see how some fellow Americans (some may even appear spanish) are not doing as well.
__________________
Forest River Fifth Wheel
Ford 350 Dually, King Ranch
New Puppy Camper Boy
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03-27-2011, 01:09 PM
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#7
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
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It's hardly surprising that Florida's tourist hot spots are crowded in the winter, but it appears from where I am (Ocala, FL area and not a tourist hot spot) that things seem to be somewhat better this winter vs the last. My daughter works in a middle class restaurant and traffic (and her tips) are up a noticeable amount. Local employment is up, although just slightly. And local dealers say car sales are better than the previous two years. I guess a bit of prosperity is returning, though certainly not widespread yet.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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03-27-2011, 02:50 PM
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#8
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Community Administrator
Pond Piggies Club LA Gulf Coast Campers Outdoors RV Owners Club Entegra Owners Club Skyline Owners Group
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 40,594
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From another point of view: Last week, we dropped our coach off at an RV custom upgrading company for some much needed improvments to our coach. Talking with the owner, he said his phones are ringing off the wall & his business has improved so much that he's able to move to a better facility where he will have more bays for service & space for a showroom to highlight the quality improvements/upgrades he can do. More people are keeping the coaches they've worked the bugs out on & are choosing to make improvements than selling or trading in on a bright-shiney-new-penny coach. So, the upgrades segment of the market is doing well.
Lori-
__________________
Lori (& Dave, my spirit guide) - RV/MH Hall of Fame Lifetime Member | My iRV2 Photo Albums
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2350S, 2018 Phaeton 40IH,2006 Bounder 36Z, 2004 Cougar 285EFS, 2000 Aerolite 25FBR
There is great need for a sarcasm font.
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03-27-2011, 02:57 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Michigan
Posts: 223
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Most of these observation only prove to me that those that have it continue to prosper, and those that don't are getting further behind. Come to Michigan. You don't have to visit Detroit to see shuttered stores and many homes for sale "by bank." JMHO
__________________
Dan & Geri and our sheltie, Casey
2015 Winnebago View 24J
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03-27-2011, 03:19 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Mid Atlantic Campers Forest River Owners Club Coastal Campers
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Thornburg, VA
Posts: 938
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Could it be that some people are spending the money closer to home rather than travel overseas? Just a thought.
__________________
Hope to be on the road starting this summer...
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03-27-2011, 03:34 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Northwestern Montana
Posts: 3,512
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Could it be that we, as a nation are getting closer and closer to a have and have not society. Unemployment rate here in Montana is near 15%, and we are fareing better than some states I read about. Prosperity, not by my definition!
Dieselclacker
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03-27-2011, 03:40 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Oklahoma Boomers Club Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,801
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselclacker
Could it be that we, as a nation are getting closer and closer to a have and have not society. Unemployment rate here in Montana is near 15%, and we are fareing better than some states I read about. Prosperity, not by my definition!
Dieselclacker
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We lived in Butte from 99-2002 and 35% was more like the norm! Loved the mountains so 15% sounds like things are looking up
Ron & Wendy 94 Pace Arrow 454
__________________
Ron & Wendy-Kansas
94 Pace Arrow 34 ft
25 yr Army retired 2006
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03-27-2011, 06:21 PM
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#13
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Registered User
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Back in Philly for the fall heading to Sunshine before the snow flies
Posts: 1,485
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Orchardhill
Back last week from 6 flags S>A> ahead of us was a spanish family, husband,wife, 5 kids. Charged it on Texas welfare care. Wen you don't have to pay, the sky is the limit
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How do you know what a Texas welfare card looks like? Never used one did ya?
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03-27-2011, 06:28 PM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,943
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They are spending all the money they are going to save from free health care maybe?
Take a look at this receipt. Let me know what you think.
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