Campground/RV Park Memberships

ksjerram · 03-08-2013, 10:09 PM

I would like to hear the opinions of others regarding campground or RV memberships such as Coast to Coast, ROD, AOR RV Adventures, Resort Parks International, etc. Are any of them worth the money?

**ependydad** · 03-08-2013, 10:14 PM

They all are - if you use them. Each one has its caveats and catches.

We're Thousand Trails members and it's good for us. I figured our nightly average last year was something like $13/night with using it and paying for commercial campgrounds. BUT- it's RV park camping. It's not rustic and not private (generally). The first come first serve sites thing can be a little stressful (especially with more than 1/2 our arrivals after dark). In fact, with our longer trips- we'd schedule a night at a reserve your site kind of campground the night before we'd arrive and then drive over to the TT park the next morning unless we knew the campground.

DDC · 03-08-2013, 10:27 PM

I've got R O D but I find we use passport America more it always seems when you want to use them they're full or restricted in one way or another we have been on the road for seven weeks now and have not used R O D once.

rockwood06 · 03-08-2013, 10:32 PM

We are Thousand Trail members and it has work for use since 2000, but it depends on how much you are going to us your membership and what kind of membership you are trying to get.

Right now and for the past 4 years I have had an annual site, two years with my camper, and now I was able to buy one of there rental Log Loft Cabins cheap, this free's up my camper and I can take that to other places and if I just don't want to tow my camper then we just go to the cabin and this has paid off for us,. This one of the good things about being a member, however the bad thing is that I have to pay extra for the site because it is an annual site and it over look the pond.

If you are going to check out membership camping like Thousand Trails as an example, go the there web site and see what types of memberships that they offer.

ksjerram · 03-08-2013, 10:40 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Has anyone ever purchase a membership from a resaler?

**ependydad** · 03-08-2013, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksjerram

Thanks for the feedback. Has anyone ever purchase a membership from a resaler?

I have not- mine was gifted down to me. But- I did call and talked to them about an upgrade. I asked about buying a used/resale membership vs. paying the upgrade. The woman I talked to said that she and her husband got into TT by buying a resale BUT gave the caveat that it's a 30-40 year old company with a lot of membership contracts. Not all membership features and dues may convey with the sale or even all of the parks in their system. Buyer beware and be sure to call the TT Member Services center with the seller's membership number to discuss what does and doesn't convey and at what cost. As well, she described it as a lengthy process in the order of many months. But of course, she was also trying to sell me an upgrade direct from TT- so, take it with a grain of salt.

Why was I trying to upgrade? Their "standard" membership is 14-days in a park and then you have to be out of the TT parks entirely for a week before you can go back (same park or a different one). The fine print is- once you stay at a park for 4 or more nights, you have to be out for 7. With my summer calendar, that means I'm going to have to pay for weeks here and there. The problem is, it'll take a lot of those weeks to pay for the upgrade. There are other benefits- but those are what is most important to me right now.

rockwood06 · 03-08-2013, 11:12 PM

We bought our membership right from the sales office, but I do know a few people that have bought a resale and had no problems with it.

Now I can sell mine when I am ready and the benifits that I have will be transfered over to the new owner and there is a fee for this, the new owner will pick up where I left off and the new owner will start paying the annual dues at the same price, but the do go up.....READ THE FINE PRINT before you sign and ask questions, not all contracks are the same

dmforcier · 04-20-2013, 12:20 PM

We recently stayed at a Thousand Trails campground... I have to admit that I thought since it was "membership/club" camping, that the campground and it's sites would be much nicer than non-membership campgrounds. I was completely wrong. I was shocked how run down, small and completely open the campground was. We parked our trailer in a row of others and couldn't even have a fire without obtaining a fire ring (and $25 deposit) the next morning. Felt like it was mostly seasonal and the "seasonal kids" walked through campsites like it was their own backyard - fairly late at night too. I much prefer some trees, privacy and a little space!

Dabmeb · 05-03-2013, 07:19 PM

We had coast to coast but with climbing membership fees and higher rates it just got to expensive. Also our base park was in las Vegas and they closed it down.
We use Good Sam and Passport America now. Both pay for themselves rather quickly.

awwall · 05-03-2013, 07:26 PM

I got a letter the other day, from some Law-firm that they have a Class Action law suite against Coast to Coast. I got out of Coast a long time ago. Like others, I use Good Sam and Passport America.

OldCoot · 05-03-2013, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmforcier

We recently stayed at a Thousand Trails campground... I have to admit that I thought since it was "membership/club" camping, that the campground and it's sites would be much nicer than non-membership campgrounds. I was completely wrong. I was shocked how run down, small and completely open the campground was. We parked our trailer in a row of others and couldn't even have a fire without obtaining a fire ring (and $25 deposit) the next morning. Felt like it was mostly seasonal and the "seasonal kids" walked through campsites like it was their own backyard - fairly late at night too. I much prefer some trees, privacy and a little space!

Thousand Trails has hundreds of campgrounds. Can you be a little more specific in the one you stayed in?

NiteNoise · 06-20-2013, 11:13 AM

I stayed in 2 membership campgrounds recently. One in May at the Gettysburg Battlefield and one last weekend at The Circle M, PA. (thousand trails). I have not been impressed. The grass at my campsite (D-59) had not been cut for at least 2 weeks. Also the grass around the pool was overgrown. The indoor slide was closed on Thursday, June 13. Nothing for my teens (4) to do. Thank goodness I took their xbox. Was also told by some old timers at the Circle M that most of the Outdoor World campgrounds will be closed after Halloween.

When I asked the battlefield campground about activities they told me they won't plan activities until after memorial day.

I am heading to the Gateway at Cape Cod (outdoor world) on 7/1 - 7/4. Then on to Bayley's in Maine (public) the week after that. I'll try and give everyone the lowdown on these parks in July.

OldCoot · 06-20-2013, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiteNoise

I stayed in 2 membership campgrounds recently. One in May at the Gettysburg Battlefield and one last weekend at The Circle M, PA. (thousand trails). I have not been impressed. The grass at my campsite (D-59) had not been cut for at least 2 weeks. Also the grass around the pool was overgrown. The indoor slide was closed on Thursday, June 13. Nothing for my teens (4) to do. Thank goodness I took their xbox. Was also told by some old timers at the Circle M that most of the Outdoor World campgrounds will be closed after Halloween.

When I asked the battlefield campground about activities they told me they won't plan activities until after memorial day.

I am heading to the Gateway at Cape Cod (outdoor world) on 7/1 - 7/4. Then on to Bayley's in Maine (public) the week after that. I'll try and give everyone the lowdown on these parks in July.

Circle M of Thousand Trails is known to be pretty shoddy in every way. TT Orlando is very nice as is Peace River and TT Hershey is great.

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