2020 Albuquerque Balloon Festival RV Reservations

No problem at all in 2017. In fact it was quite amazing how empty the dry camping area was by wednesday. Not a weather issue. They flew every day.

Book RV Parks now they will be full by Balloon Festival next year. You pay higher prices during that time also, most double prices, because they can. Motels too.

I can only speak (type) for 2018. We did not have reservations, went on the stand by list in August, and managed to get 2 Fiesta dry sites for Monday - Wednesday, then had to leave. When not in the Fiesta sites, we stayed at the Black Mesa Casino, about 22 miles north of the Fiesta grounds. Electric only sites with fresh water & a dump station for $20.00 per night. First come, and the place was never more than 1/4 filled. Basically a parking lot with electricity.

The drive to the Fiesta was a PIA, lots of traffic, parking fees, long walks or bus rides from the parking lots to the gate, etc but we did stay at the casino both before & after our stint at the Fiesta grounds.

Here is a link to the section of my journal for the start of the Fiesta visit.

Veebyes wrote:
Glad you got a reservation. I assume it was one with at least power. They are the ones in demand. People don't like to rough it a little. As suggested, the dry sites are easy without reservations as long as one drives in on Monday or after.

They had signs at all of the entrances that said "sold out. online reservations only. no drive-ups.".

I have reservations for dry camping. It's my understanding that within a couple of hours, they were no longer accepting reservations.

Here's an article on it:
https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/nearly-all-rv-spots-for-2020-balloon-fiesta-booked/5533799/?cat=10113

Interesting. Read the article. $100PN for dry camping? Where did that come from? One heckuva jump from 2017 when the no reservations drive up price was in the lower $40 range. Won't be going back for visit #4 if that is the price for dry. Won't be pressured into making reservations like cruise ships do for port excursions either. There is always something else somewhere else down the road.

Veebyes wrote:
Interesting. Read the article. $100PN for dry camping? Where did that come from? One heckuva jump from 2017 when the no reservations drive up price was in the lower $40 range. Won't be going back for visit #4 if that is the price for dry. Won't be pressured into making reservations like cruise ships do for port excursions either. There is always something else somewhere else down the road.

The $100/night is for a “VIP” location. The South RV lot is still $40.

But, the reservations required thing is no joke.