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08-04-2015, 01:33 PM
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#41
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 80
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Interesting Thread!!
It's not often that I get to pull out the "Entitlement Card" against the majority of FRF posters, but here goes...
Just how do you think that Reservations for a Campground SHOULD Work?? What Fees should be Acceptable??
1) There are only so many Sites in a CG, and NO ONE wants to arrive to find that Human Error has Lost or Double-booked your Site - so Computerization is better than Human and Paper Records. (And that COSTS MONEY - well so would Human Labor)
2) Nobody wants to spend literally Days of their Lives trying to Call individual CGs and get a Ranger or Camp-Host on the Phone for a Manual Reservation (especially knowing how few such Staff are at the average CG). Some previous Posters make it sound like they "Have All the Time in the World" to sit on the Phone in order to save a few Dollars, but most of you have Busy Lives even if Retired and value your time as much as any Employee would. (And so that Costs Money - or at least has equivalent Monetary Value. And the Time spent by CG Employees Costs Money, too.)
3) Many States made the effort for years to Staff and Run their own Reservation Call Centers - some Still Do. And they all know that whether Private or Government, most of the Costs of running a Reservation System are still there. Many States followed the pressure of their Citizens to allow Private Firms to Bid-for and Operate these Reservation Systems - since "Private Businesses are More Efficient than Government" (or at least so the Mantra goes...). The Contracts stipulate that the Companies would Charge Fees to the User - no one wants to see the Gov simply handing over Funds to Private. And, of course, Capitalism dictates that Private Companies will need to Show Profit - so those Fees will need to be more than the Gov might have charged.
4) Running Campgrounds takes Money - More Money than the Users usually feel they should be Charged. Maintenance Costs, Repair Costs, Staffing Costs, Law Enforcement Costs, Fire Protection/Suppression Costs, Electricity and Water and Septic/Sewer Costs - not just Full Hookups but CG Bathrooms and Water Spigots and Dump-Outs. Many State and Fed CGs defray a few of these by trading Long-term Sites for CG-Host and Light-Maintenance, but this only covers so much. Most States supplement the User Fee with Tax Dollars, but with State and Fed Budgets kept rather tight the CGs are slowly deteriorating and needing to push more of the Cost onto Users.
5) Many of the FRF Members are Retirees on Limited Budgets, and are rather conscious of their Personal Budgets. They shop at WallyWorld instead of Cabelas / Bass Pro / Camping World. And they seek out every sort of Senior Discount and Membership Discount possible. Some of these Discounts apply to their CGs, where they save 10%-50% on the Fees that would have been charged to any "Regular User". Those Discounted Fees then need to be compensated by the Fees that Other Users are charged, instead.
6) Many of the FRF Members are Full-Timers and Snowbirds, occupying for long Months (often at Discounted Rates) the CGs that the TaxPayers of the "Host State" are paying some amounts of Tax to Build and/or Maintain. Many of these Snowbirds are Paying Taxes in their Home States which go in turn to CGs that the Citizens of the Sunbelt visit during the Summer, so there is some "Balance". But many Full-Timers have learned to use State of Record setups based in great part on Lowest Taxes and Fees (and those States aren't often the States in which they Winter or Summer).
Each of these points can be seen to smack of "Entitlement" - either Explicit or Implicit. Think about it...
__________________
Pup: '11 HW-296
TV: '09 RAM 1500 Hemi 4x4 CC
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08-04-2015, 01:49 PM
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#42
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Happy Keystone Owner
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 636
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I pay the fee I get my spot= one happy camper.
I'm one of those hoarders, too! 11 months in advance usually.
__________________
'15 F150 Ecoboost Maxtow Scab '19 Keystone Laredo 225MK
Days camped 2020-37 2019-36, 2018-24, 2017-46, 2016 -56, 2015-33,
2014-47,
Years camping....55
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08-04-2015, 02:55 PM
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#43
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Williston ND
Posts: 353
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ND State Parks Charge a reservation fee, a change fee and a cancellation fee. Cancellation fees are based on when your reservation starts, when you made the reservation(there is a 95 day window to reserve) and how close to start date you cancel. Works for me.
__________________
Dennis and Julie
2018 Wildcat 28SGX
2013 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
2012 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
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08-04-2015, 04:56 PM
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#44
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 105
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I think Seigell summed things up nicely. I have been camping for years in Oregon, and prior to that up in Canada (Alberta/BC). The state parks here in Oregon are awesome...I am glad that I have a reservation system available to me.
Through the winter I book a couple of weeks in advance and may or may not get the site of my choosing, but I know I have a site when I get there. By May of this year I had every summer trip planned and booked at various parks. If I am unable to make one of those, I would be OK paying a cancellation fee.
For me, the price for a full hookup site at $32/night plus a nominal $8 charge is well worth (1) the peace of mind knowing that the site is mine and (2) being in an environment I know and love (camping vs a hotel).
__________________
2014 Crusader 351 REQ Touring Edition (the Cottage)
2015 GMC Sierra 3500HD SLT (Allison B)
Nights in the Cottage: 2014: 27, 2015: 80 2016: 47,[B]2017:41
2018: Jan= 2, Feb=2, Mar=3, Apr=2, May=7, June=5, July=15, Aug=1,Sept=2,
Running Total:232
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08-04-2015, 05:37 PM
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#45
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 142
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Reserve America is a reservation system provided by Active Network out of Dallas Texas. It has a Canadian subsidiary that provides the same service for the Ontario and BC provincial parks.
As commented before they provide a pretty good reservation service that saves the buyer endless time running around looking at myriad state or provincial Reservation systems that would be poorly designed and maintained and hard to use. If you want to see what the alternate would look like look at the Municipal/County Reservation systems on offer in FL.
It also powers the Recreation.com. I presume the reservation fees are buried in the price. Nothing comes for nothing.
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09-04-2015, 08:02 AM
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#46
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 247
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I had a recent experience in an Ohio state park. (Cowan Lake) We had no reservation and we called before their 5pm closing and they told us to drive in and take any site that did not have a reserve tag on the post and come to the office before leaving in the morning. We went to the office in the morning and were told the fee was $27.00 which included $8.00 reservation fee for one night. I explained that we were a walk in but they held fast to the $8.00 fee. Florida does not charge the reservation fee for walk ins.
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09-04-2015, 08:11 AM
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#47
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Oshawa, ON
Posts: 983
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The Ontario Provincial Parks system charges a $9.00 fee for reservations......we get hit as well in Canada.
__________________
Dave, Southern,ON
2017 GMC SLT HD All Terrain Crew Cab (6' 6" Box) 2012 Roo 23SS
E2 Trunnion WDH (1,000 lb / 10,000 lb)
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09-04-2015, 03:54 PM
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#48
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Williston ND
Posts: 353
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockwoodjoe
I had a recent experience in an Ohio state park. (Cowan Lake) We had no reservation and we called before their 5pm closing and they told us to drive in and take any site that did not have a reserve tag on the post and come to the office before leaving in the morning. We went to the office in the morning and were told the fee was $27.00 which included $8.00 reservation fee for one night. I explained that we were a walk in but they held fast to the $8.00 fee. Florida does not charge the reservation fee for walk ins.
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ND does not charge a reservation fee if you take a 1st come 1st serve site, only if you make a reservation via phone or Internet.
__________________
Dennis and Julie
2018 Wildcat 28SGX
2013 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
2012 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
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11-17-2015, 07:29 PM
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#49
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ImGoneCamping
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 27
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We just visited Palmetto Island State Park in Louisiana. Unless this fee in in addition to the $6.70 referred to in this topic, I think you'll find that many parks, including this one, have started charging these fees regardless of whether you reserver online or not. ("A $6 non-refundable fee will be assessed on each reservation transaction made online, via phone, or as a walk-in.")
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