Thousand Trails: is it worth it?

[Deemax]

Hi everyone looking for feedback on TT as well as any other resorts that have memberships available. We are currently in Arizona and this TT park is fantastic. Please let me know your experience and advice

[2cyber71]

All I know is if you buy it, you better use it.
It takes a longtime to break even

[ArtJoyce]

If how you camp you fix into the model and places that TO have CG's and you feel like you could use there campgrounds. Yes its worth it. But there are a lot of people that don't use it much.

[Alpine36]

Most of the TT campgrounds here in Washington State could use some serious attention. Personally I wouldn't join, as there are many restrictions pertaining to selling/transferring membership. But, that's just me.
Do your homework before signing anything. Years ago a couple we know spent years trying to unload their seldom used TT membership. They called it Thousand Regrets.

[computerguy]

I have a membership. I stay an average 330 nights/year and have saved thousands each year on CG fees.
It is NOT for everyone. Do your research. It is pretty complicated because there are so many different types of memberships.
A great resource to learn more is the RVLove website here

[2cyber71]

Originally Posted by computerguy

I have a membership. I stay an average 330 nights/year and have saved thousands each year on CG fees.
It is NOT for everyone. Do your research. It is pretty complicated because there are so many different types of memberships.
A great resource to learn more is the RVLove website here

You’re doing good. the average Rver, not so much.
I’m out 90-120 days. Makes no sense for me.

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by 2cyber71

You’re doing good. the average Rver, not so much.

I’m out 90-120 days. Makes no sense for me.

Well, at an average of $30/night at non-TT parks, 120 days would cost $3,600

So, if you could stay those 120 nights at TT, you would payback your membership in only a year,or at most two years.

Definitely buy used memberships for less than half price at


https://www.campgroundmembershipoutlet.com

[hamm2018]

Originally Posted by Deemax

Hi everyone looking for feedback on TT as well as any other resorts that have memberships available. We are currently in Arizona and this TT park is fantastic. Please let me know your experience and advice

It depends on the level of membership you have. Thousand Trails breaks the US up into 5 different zones. There are several different packages available.
If you use it, it can help with camping fees. We have a total of $16,000 into our membership, not counting our yearly maintenance fee ($600.00/year). We have upgraded our first membership twice, once in November 2017 from basic to Elite Basic. Then in April 2020 we went to Elite Connections, total spent on the three and upgrades was the 16K.
Every year we also purchase The Trails Collections ($325/year). With this
add-on we can use Encore parks for 14 days for either $0.00 or $20/night, depends on the park.
If you purchase it, and use it, depending on the level and usage, you can save money.

[95f5334j]

We bought used for less than $3K, all in, from a private seller. We can stay 21 nights and go park to park for another 21 nights. Based on an average $75/night (KOA) we were whole after about 40 nights our first year. Now, our annual maintenance fee is recovered in less than 10 nights; same average cost per night, not exact, but you get the idea. At the end when we're ready to hang up the keys, we can give it to our son or sell it and likely recover most of our original cost. TT has worked well for us. My advice, educate yourself on the various membership types, including the discontinued memberships on the resale market, then search for what best suits your budget and needs via a broker or private seller.

[swduns]

-If you can afford to pay for public RV parks out of your pocket - then you are better off to not have TT and stay at a park closest/most convenient to where you want to be and for as long as you want to be there.
-If you are full time and you need to minimize your park/camping expense and the locations of the TT/TC parks will work for you then TT might be a fit for you
-We are full time and bought a TT membership used at the elite level. We stay 70% of all nights in TT/TC parks and the remainder we pay for out of pocket.
-The cost of the used membership we purchased will have been paid back by the end of this first year
-Our approach to RV'g is to stay at a hub location and drive our toad from there in various direction to see things. So the locations of most TT/TC parks works for us.
-There are TT/TC parks that aren't close to anything to see. But we have stayed at some of those and used the time to enjoy the park, do maintenance, catch up on bills/emails/etc.
- You might try a one year zone pass and ... try it out
- I would likewise say that unless your rich to buy a used membership (https://www.campgroundmembershipoutlet.com/)
-see attached a portion of a spreadsheet (irv2 wouldn't attach a xls) I used to study the info and to make a decision (use at your own risk)

[GeezerViz]

Our issue with TT is most of the parks are only around the edges of the Country. Not much in the middle. If you only want to travel around the coasts, then there are a number to choose from. Also many of the parks are old and run down. Can't find sewer hookups at many places. Lastly, since they are old parks, they are not adequate for my 45 foot motorhome. Some I can get into fine but there are a lot where my rig is too big.

[DerekF]

Just read an article about couple of months ago. Basically said same as posted that it can save if you utilize it correctly. Also as stated it can be costly mistake. Like any other time share type place. If looking to save money look at passport America. That fits our lifestyle better
Good luck

[Charming]

We don't have that many RV'ing years left so we have taken the annual memberships. I spoke with a rep at one of the campgrounds (not the 877 number) and he is going to help us get a lower maintenance fee for next year plus make our reservation early for a desired campground.

Lucky find for us, we were all set to ditch the membership at the end of this year.

[largo1005]

Had it and got rid of it. Biggest waste of money I ever made.