ReserveAmerica charging Reservation Fees

[rsdata]

That's what happens when you bring in private contractors to run public parks!

if govt was running it, spaces would be double booked and the website would be down more often then not

[Life Without Whine]

Trying to push for State Parks to allow advanced reservations by state residents before out of state campers ....one of our favorite county parks allows county residents to book 7 months in advance, everyone else is 6 months.

[aceinspp]

rsdata: We do not use state parks we use Gov parks. States rip you off as they hired a contractor much like the feds however believe it or not the feds do not charge a fee. We have yet to pay a fee for any CG Fed included. As I mentioned using my trusty GS book we can find about any camp ground to our liking and makes reservations on line or by calling with no fees tacked on. Those that are into the world of electronics you pay to play. Later RJD

[gtony2]

LA state is $6 you pay even if you drive up with no reservation.





gtony2

[cwppwc]

One of our favorite parks is "Gov" and it charges fees like the State Parks:

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Kachess Campground

[rockfordroo]

What are they thinking. Business is better in the camping business and they try to gouge you when ever they can.

It's BECAUSE business is better that they're "gouging" you. If business was bad, they'd be discounting it. Supply and Demand. When demand goes up more than supply, the price goes up. You have to make hay while the sun shines!

[rsdata]

aceinspp:

my trusty GS book

I do not know what a GS book is... can you enlighten me?

I use a laptop to do all my online reservations... my iPhone 5 screen is too small to read to be any good for me, although I do use it to tether my laptop for WiFi.

I reserved through ReserveAmerica two spots that are Fed campgrounds recently near and in the Everglades for January (6 month reservation window)... you are right there was no fee charged for the reservations, and my Senior discount made it priced right!

Last 4/1/2015 I used RA and there was no fee charged. I used it again just yesterday and I see the $6.70 fee charged for a FL St park.

I'm not bitchin... the FL St Parks have all been very nice and are reasonably priced for a "gated" community. I have never had trouble in any of the FL parks in the last 4 years that I have used them.

[Hannah]

RE: Sites in Florida- I wanted to spend some time in the Florida Keys so, as soon as reservations opened up, was at my computer with my fingers on the reserve keys by 7:45 am every morning for 3 straight weeks. Forget it! I never could get in. There has to be a way that other people are making reservations that I just don't know about.

[jlgail4309]

Originally Posted by Hannah

RE: Sites in Florida- I wanted to spend some time in the Florida Keys so, as soon as reservations opened up, was at my computer with my fingers on the reserve keys by 7:45 am every morning for 3 straight weeks. Forget it! I never could get in. There has to be a way that other people are making reservations that I just don't know about.

i think they pay for the site for 3week and get a refund later. Not sure thats the case. We were looking at Long Key. Same thing no luck

[rsdata]

I wanted to spend some time in the Florida Keys

You and 5,000 other people all online at 8AM!

I was successful 2 times in getting a spot at Bahia Honda in October, but not this past year... I don't even try for Jan-March... It is getting almost as bad for any SP in FL in the winter.

[bruane]

If its for a short overnighter then this starts to make KOA and cheap Motels look attractive. The advantage on the latter is that you don't have to unhook and time out is minimized if its mid winter and you need to get through the bad bits to get t0 FL quickly.
Yes FL definitely needs to improve its site inventory. They are on the way to killing the golden goose.

[vinmaker]

So is this for every state? Is this a reservation site fee that the parks do not get?

[TexasBob]

Originally Posted by vinmaker

So is this for every state? Is this a reservation site fee that the parks do not get?

Texas State Parks do not charge a reservation fee. Reserve America does handle the online reservations but still no fee. I'm sitting in a State Park right now. Four nights $100, full hook-ups. There is a per person per day fee in Texas State Parks. It varies from $4 to $5, but if you have an annual pass, $75 there is no per person fee and you get some free days with the annual pass.

Not all state parks have full hook ups, most have water / electric. All but one limits your stay to 14 days and you can make reservations 365 days in advance.

More details: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

This is my current campsite at Mother Neff State Park. This is a new camping area, Full hook-ups, cement pads as level as a pool table.

[Still Kickin]

Listen, this is their business model. They now "control" almost the entitre reservation system in the United States. Over the years they have "convinced" the various states that the service they provide is superior. It was all part of the "sale" to make the individual states believe it's better.

Well, it's not! They, reserve America, now have a MONOPLY. And the scam goes like this;
Draw all the states, etc. Into their computerized system. The content of which is proprietary, making it that much harder for competition. The various government agencies see subletting the reservations as a "cost saver" which is a falsehood. How do I know this you ask, well has any state reduced staffing, other than the typical sky is falling, we're shutting down scare tactic senario, nope.
Now that reserve America has them right where they want them, they tell them on renewal of the contract, it will be this much of an increase. Guess what, they "hide" the increase as a "fee" passed onto the user.
Will the states see a drop in short stay reservations, probably. Will the states recognize the reduced revenue because of this sneaky pricing model, nope. It's government, they don't react like that.

I tried many years ago in my state. Fell on deaf ears. So it went from a very personable local state park employee, having much less to do in the winter season, where the bulk of us plan the upcoming seasonal camping, to the impersonal reserve America system.

Oh, and here is the best part, it's headquarters is in Toronto, Canada.
So, you either complain to your individual state government, or just take it.

[NorSnrub]

Recrestion.gov may still be free.

[Still Kickin]

Recreation.gov partners with the following agencies. These are what is called political subdivions of your Federal govenment. See link Participating Partners

They are currently a US government website as delineated by the .gov, so reserve America hasn't been able to gobble them up. It's simple, think of that big fish little fish cartoon, where successive size fish eat up the food chain. reserve America is probably bigger content wise, but the US Federal Gov't in this scenario, the littler fish, would turn around on RA and bite them. So, it remains, complain or live with it.

[johngoat2002]

Originally Posted by vinmaker

So is this for every state? Is this a reservation site fee that the parks do not get?

I'm staying at Green River Lake SP in Ky and show a $7.50 "transaction fee". I used a gift card and not a CC.... Seems like an erroneous fee to me.


2005 Flagstaff FS26
2006 GMC Sierra Denali 6.0L

[CampingGator]

Originally Posted by Bob Vaughn

We live in Fl. and when the snow birds arrive we have to stay home because we cannot plan a year in advance.......I hate RA.....

We just purchased our TT this past spring. We too are finding that it is next to impossible to find campsites from October through April, but especially January, February, and March. It is so frustrating because these are the months that have the beautiful weather that we want to enjoy. The local RV resort we camp at has seasonal winter residents that book the sites for months at a time, so we cannot camp there. Most parks in Florida book with snow birds for the winter, which makes it very difficult to find a spot to camp.

We also are challenged to find sites in Florida State Parks on the weekends, year round. I just went on and reserved over July 4th, 2016 at a State Park so we will have a spot. I have also tried to find spots on the weekends in November, December, and January at State Parks and they are all booked. So, no, the State Parks in Florida are not loosing money by having Reserve America schedule their camping sites.

[walljammer]

Maybe they should change the name from Reserve America to Fee America!

[dbarr]

Originally Posted by Still Kickin

Recreation.gov partners with the following agencies. These are what is called political subdivions of your Federal govenment. See link Participating Partners

They are currently a US government website as delineated by the .gov, so reserve America hasn't been able to gobble them up. It's simple, think of that big fish little fish cartoon, where successive size fish eat up the food chain. reserve America is probably bigger content wise, but the US Federal Gov't in this scenario, the littler fish, would turn around on RA and bite them. So, it remains, complain or live with it.

My receipts for recreation.gov says its powered by reserve america so I am a little confused of what your trying to say