Florida State Park Reservation window changes

Florida does not like Mickey or Snowbirds -

Snowbirds don’t stay at Fla. state parks, the max length of stay is 14 days. Nothing wrong with giving priority to the people that pay your salary and benefits.

nickthehunter wrote:
Snowbirds don’t stay at Fla. state parks, the max length of stay is 14 days. Nothing wrong with giving priority to the people that pay your salary and benefits.

Oh, but they do!

We camp in a FL State Park at least once a month and there are always snowbirds in many sites. Most say they book for 14 days and then move on to another SP. Many don't mind moving every 2 weeks.

Arrived home today from St George Island State Park and at least 50% of plates were from northern states.

Keeping people out of the CG's and making life hard on Disney is not good policy for a state where tourism is its number one industry.

A month lead time is probably the best the state can do, under the circumstances. We locals need a pocket of time for local camping reservation. But, a lot of our revenue to support the parks and part of our economy depends on snowbirds and tourists.

We are local too, and when myself or me and wife need/want a day or so in a vacant site in FCG we can usually find it. It's the extended two weeks in a row that's tough. So, we just split up our time when it's available and pop over for a day or two when we can get it. We live here, we don't need two weeks - and we're retired as well, so pretty flexible with dates.

I suspect this will make it easier for a family, or working folks to reserve and enjoy sometimes in nature.... Hope it works out for all that want it. :)

Maybe the best thing is to let it happen and see how it goes. If the state ends up losing major tourism dollars, they'll change it back. If they don't lose tourism dollars, then they'll keep it.

That about kills our winter visits to FL. It's been fun while it lasted.
TX here we come.

Lantley wrote:
Keeping people out of the CG's and making life hard on Disney is not good policy for a state where tourism is its number one industry.

This policy is not going keep people out of campgrounds. There are more than enough year round Florida residents to fill them. Year round Florida residents who have been pulling their hair out for years trying to get reservations in their own park system, that are hoarded and gamed by Snowbirds. I think its a step in the right direction and would like to see other state park systems adopt such policies.

As far as Disney, who cares. Its the most overated and overpriced attraction in the Orlando area. It's great however if you like spending $150.00 for lunch for a family of 4 and standing in lines for hours a day.

bucky wrote:
That about kills our winter visits to FL. It's been fun while it lasted.
TX here we come.

Hasta luego y buena suerte.

I'll take what I can get but wish they would address the cancelation policy which would stop most of the abuse... Increase the cost to cancel to fifty percent of the reservation fee and require the whole reservation to be canceled....