Jellystone Parks and Yogi

[OL Creeker]

Before any of you make reservations at a Jellystone Park, (not Yellowstone!) I would urge you to visit it first if possible. Or contact someone who has stayed there. We are camped at the one in Montrose, CO. If it wasn't for the kids, all three families would have all pulled out. Why? Here's the short list:
1. The pool heater is not working, water temp 72.
2. All campsites are badly rutted, many large stones abound. Not at all level.
3. No patios and no mats allowed either!
4. Yogi shows up once in a while. Not as advertised.
5. This particular Jellystone Park seems to be out in the middle of a horse farm!

When we confronted the owners, they were ambivalent.

[OldCoot]

We've tried Jellystone parks a couple of times and didn't like them at all. Prices were too high and the parks were dirty, unlevel sites, crowed and noisy. Never stayed at a Walmart, Circle J, or rest area, but would try either one of the three rather than stay at a Jellystone.

[shineysideup]

Originally Posted by arjerram

Before any of you make reservations at a Jellystone Park, (not Yellowstone!) I would urge you to visit it first if possible. Or contact someone who has stayed there. We are camped at the one in Montrose, CO. If it wasn't for the kids, all three families would have all pulled out. Why? Here's the short list:
1. The pool heater is not working, water temp 72.
2. All campsites are badly rutted, many large stones abound. Not at all level.
3. No patios and no mats allowed either!
4. Yogi shows up once in a while. Not as advertised.
5. This particular Jellystone Park seems to be out in the middle of a horse farm!

When we confronted the owners, they were ambivalent.

We have stayed at a few jelleystone parks and have had pleasant experiences. We had the idea that there is a set standard and you knew what you were getting before even going there. I'm surprised and disappointed to hear this...

[kho6658]

I guess it just depends on where you are. We have several in TX and all that we have stayed at have been great. Was at the Frederickburg one a couple of weeks ago and it was great. We stay at the Canyon Lake one often and will be at the Burleson one next week for the 4th. I can only speak for the ones in TX but we have never had a bad time.

[Dodge Guy]

We always stay at Jellystones and have never found one we didn`t like. in fact we just came back from the Wisconsin Dells Jellystone and had a great time. we will be staying at the Jellystone in Niagara Falls ON. for the 4th and we will be at the Jellystone in Amboy IL for Columbus Day weekend. I will always recommend a Jellystone.

[shineysideup]

Originally Posted by Dodge Guy

We always stay at Jellystones and have never found one we didn`t like. in fact we just came back from the Wisconsin Dells Jellystone and had a great time. we will be staying at the Jellystone in Niagara Falls ON. for the 4th and we will be at the Jellystone in Amboy IL for Columbus Day weekend. I will always recommend a Jellystone.

If you are a light sleeper you may want to reconsider. It's right next to the highway and the KOA backs onto the train tracks

I should add a disclaimer, I haven't stayed at either place because it doesn't sound too relaxing.

We will try branches of niagara campground when we go to the falls (branchesofniagara.com). I can't give a review because we haven't been there yet!

Happy camping,

[Oakman]

You just never know what you’re going to get with a Jellystone park. I’ve visited three in recent years. The Jellystone in Horn Lake, MS is excellent, the Jellystone in Lawrence, KS is so-so at best, the Jellystone near St. Louis, MO is horrible.
If you haven’t already, please visit campgroundreviews.com and leave a review of the campground.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by shineysideup

We have stayed at a few jelleystone parks and have had pleasant experiences. We had the idea that there is a set standard and you knew what you were getting before even going there. I'm surprised and disappointed to hear this...

X2 - 3 Jellystone campgrounds over the years and all 3 were OK.

[ependydad]

We stayed at the Jellystone in Hagerstown, MD a couple of years ago in our pop-up. We went for Halloween so the pools and stuff were closed. They somehow figured out how to get Murphy after me that weekend. Not only did I run out of propane, our electric space heater also died! The only saving grace is we found all of that out before going to bed. Work up the next morning and it was in the 40s inside and outside of the camper! Needless to say- I went directly to Home Depot while the girls all stayed snuggled in bed.

Otherwise, our site was pretty nice and it was our first escorted trip to our site by an employee.

I don't think I'll ever go back with our fifth wheel. They're "big rig" parking is incredibly cramped! I swear the awnings all but touched the next camper beside of it. But they were all pull thru sites and no one seemed terribly unhappy.

[Campingwith2kids2dogs]

Price wise... We camped 5 nights at Lake Raystown Resort in PA for @$250 & we are going to Jellystone in Luray VA next wk for 5 nights for close to $500. We usually go to the one in MD or MillRun/Ohiopyle in PA. All so far seem very overpriced... $80+ per night, but if you have kids, the water slides, splash zones, & jumping pillows are nice. Our kids get bored when we camp anywhere else. As for the camping theme wks & activities, don't expect too much, some of those can be pretty cheesy!

[ependydad]

I think we beat the price issue by using a Groupon deal or something. But, pretty spendy but can be worth it for water-loving families.

[Rugged Brown]

We stayed at a Jellystone park somewhere west of Chicago. We were just driving through and pulled in on a Monday following a long weekend. The park was dirty, dirty, dirty, the site wasn't level, the pool was dirty, garbage everywhere and it was pricey. I just thought this was the way campers left the CG in this part of the world. The Jellystone park here in Nova Scotia is pricey with small lots, lots of activity for the kids and very clean.

[Truth B Towed]

The one in Fremont Ind. was nice , has been awhile since we've camped there, kids are grown so don't need the "amusement park" camping, prefer nature, trails and outdoors.

[cyclepuck]

We've been to two in Grayling MI and Frankenmuth MI. No issues but stopped going because the price is way to high for what you get and the one in Frankenmuth is in city limits so no fire pits just a community pit.

[melbornj]

We camped at one here in New York. It was off season get one night free deal. They had all kinds of activities that my kids did not get to do including the jumping pillow because we had to by a wrist band for all four of them if we wanted them to have access to anything but the playground. The band were $20 each sir it was twice as much as I payed to camp there.

[shineysideup]

Originally Posted by Scotty2

The one in Fremont Ind. was nice , has been awhile since we've camped there, kids are grown so don't need the "amusement park" camping, prefer nature, trails and outdoors.

The age of your kids plays a big part. We actually destination camped at Jelleystone, North Java, N.Y. last year. At first glance it seems a bit pricey but everything was included. I didn't feel nickel and dimed to death! Pools, big waterpark, mini golf, laser tag, pedal cars, canoes and Kayaks... Kids were 7 and 9 so right up their alley and easy for us to keep them entertained!

[Dodge Guy]

Originally Posted by Rugged Brown

We stayed at a Jellystone park somewhere west of Chicago. We were just driving through and pulled in on a Monday following a long weekend. The park was dirty, dirty, dirty, the site wasn't level, the pool was dirty, garbage everywhere and it was pricey. I just thought this was the way campers left the CG in this part of the world. The Jellystone park here in Nova Scotia is pricey with small lots, lots of activity for the kids and very clean.

Either Millbrook or Amboy. either one is usually very nice!

[MillerTime]

We stayed a week at the one at lake Eufaula in Oklahoma last summer. It was pretty good, a couple of spots of algae in the tile cracks of the pool and there was some on the the lake inflatables too. But it was like 110°+ (we had a record 113 or 115° that week) so algae was growing pretty uncontrollably.
-I think it was a pretty new park too. It cost $69 a night last year for rvs, wife just checked earlier this week and it was $89 a night now.

[kho6658]

Checked into Jamaica Beach lastnight. Kids enjoyed the beach today and playing scrabble.

[GoDuke1]

Co worker camped at the Jelleystone near Marion, NC this past weekend. She would agree that for the money they wouldn't go back. She said the pics on their site were old and the campground had changed since they were taken. She saved me a trip.