What are your biggest pet peeves at the campground?

[John&Andrea]

To me it’s crazy, a reservation should lock the site.

 

[Jim]

To me it’s crazy, a reservation should lock the site.

Well, of course it should. There are really only two ways to do it.

You rent a Standard or Premium site. You pay for that type of site, and when you arrive the park assigns you a site in that category. That's perfectly reasonable, and many parks do it because it gives them flexibility to maximize occupancy.

Or...

You rent a Standard or Premium site, select a specific site from the map, and that becomes your site. Period. You shouldn't have to wonder whether you'll actually get the site you selected unless you pay an additional fee.

Pick one method or the other. But asking me to choose a site, then charging me extra if I actually want to stay in the site I chose, feels a little like selling certainty as an add-on.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

As an RV park owner, I'm well aware of the latest trend of charging a "Site Lock" fee. It's a business decision, and every park has the right to run their business however they choose.

But today I had to laugh...

I needed an overnight stop and booked a site at Twin Oaks RV Park. Since I travel with a reactive dog, I intentionally picked an end site away from the rest of the campers. Their reservation system lets you select your site, so I did exactly that.

Then I got to checkout.

"Would you like to lock in your site for an additional $25?"

Wait... what?

If I don't pay the extra $25, why did you ask me to pick a site in the first place?

The site is already $75 for one night at a small interstate stopover. Now it's $100 if I actually want to stay in the site your reservation system just let me choose.

I don't mind paying for value. I just have a hard time paying extra to make my original selection mean what I thought it already meant.

WTF, Dorothy?

There you go! Your to easy going!

RV park owner love me and don't know it. There are considerate campers like you,and people like me. It's highly likely you will never see me in a 70 dollar site, but if I were the kind. I wouldn't not pay for the lock in on principle alone. You have your reason for selecting sites, but if the owner cannot respect it. Let him/her receive the complaints related to their choices.

 

[Rosy]

Well, of course it should. There are really only two ways to do it.

You rent a Standard or Premium site. You pay for that type of site, and when you arrive the park assigns you a site in that category. That's perfectly reasonable, and many parks do it because it gives them flexibility to maximize occupancy.

Or...

You rent a Standard or Premium site, select a specific site from the map, and that becomes your site. Period. You shouldn't have to wonder whether you'll actually get the site you selected unless you pay an additional fee.

Pick one method or the other. But asking me to choose a site, then charging me extra if I actually want to stay in the site I chose, feels a little like selling certainty as an add-on.

They've been learning from the airline industry.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

They've been learning from the airline industry.

It comes down to one discipline.

Don't ask what you can get, rather what can you offer.
JFK put it much more eleqently, some people of that time set a standard that day, others just went on.

 

[Jim]

It's highly likely you will never see me in a 70 dollar site . . .

Of course you wouldn't Kevin, that's because you like camping.

I don't do much camping anymore. I like to go to different resorts, eat at the restaurants, hang out at the bar and grill eating burgers while having a beer and watching football. The cost of the stay is second to the amenities that they have. I just use an RV to get from place to place.

But camping? No, not much anymore.

 

[Boat Bum]

Of course you wouldn't Kevin, that's because you like camping.

I don't do much camping anymore. I like to go to different resorts, eat at the restaurants, hang out at the bar and grill eating burgers while having a beer and watching football. The cost of the stay is second to the amenities that they have. I just use an RV to get from place to place.

But camping? No, not much anymore.

We could be friends.

 

[Holdmybeer]

They've been learning from the airline industry.

And others. Subscription services have caught on. Your basic subscription is no longer enough, if you want the good content you have to buy the deluxe subscription.

 

[redbaron]

The only ones this works for are the big parks that are high turn over and always sold out. Think west Yellowstone grizzly during June and July. The rest of the parks and even those in off season it doesn’t matter.

I’ve learned to choose parks when they aren’t busy and don’t require reservations and i can book a day out. Plenty of options

 

[Rosy]

Of course you wouldn't Kevin, that's because you like camping.

I don't do much camping anymore. I like to go to different resorts, eat at the restaurants, hang out at the bar and grill eating burgers while having a beer and watching football. The cost of the stay is second to the amenities that they have. I just use an RV to get from place to place.

But camping? No, not much anymore.

I still like camping but my family likes the amenities and full service sites do make things easier with 3 young kids.

 

[Phillbo]

The only ones this works for are the big parks that are high turn over and always sold out. Think west Yellowstone grizzly during June and July. The rest of the parks and even those in off season it doesn’t matter.

I’ve learned to choose parks when they aren’t busy and don’t require reservations and i can book a day out. Plenty of options

We always plan national park visits during the shoulder season.