Higher Cancellation Fee at ReserveAmerica? - Oops My Mistake

Here is the list current as of Jan 29, 2014.

Warnings - I only identified the reservation system by the look and links information. There are three states which currently have their reservations systems off line. One reservations system - Recreation Dynamics does not appear to be working, nor does the reservations system for the few parks in Alabama.

System - States

Reserve America (30) - Federal (Recreation.gov), CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NY DEC, OR, RI, SC, UT, VA, WI

Recreation Dynamics (3) - LA, MN, MO

Active Network (3) - OH, PA, TX

CAMIS (2) - MI, WA

Leisure Interactive (1) - SD

Unknown System (2) - AZ, TN - appear to use the same system

Unknown unique state systems (2) - AR, VT

Mixed - AL - 13 parks call, 9 parks - appears to be CAMIS

Unknown Currently Off Line - ME, ND, WY


No web reservations available

All Walk-up First Come/First Serve - NV

Call Park for Reservations - OK

Mail-In Form - WV


Alaska does not appear to have reservations for their State Park campgrounds.

Hawaii does have on-line reservations for some of their State Park campgrounds - a unique state system. Yes, you can camp with an RV in at least one Hawaii state park - in a rental RV on the big island.

EDIT - I listed New York State Parks and New York Department of Environmental Conservation separately. They both use Reserve America - but they have different web sites if you are trying to find information about campgrounds. NY SP runs the whole state except the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves. NY DEC runs the 52 campgrounds in those forests/ parks.

Dog Folks wrote:
Maybe Florida is getting tired of the many people that make multiple reservations for the same time period at three or four parks and then canceling all but one when the time arrives?

Sorry if I'm being naive, but people really DO that? Could get very expensive considering you're charged full payment on your credit card immediately and each reservation is subject to a $17.75 cancellation fee or a $10 change fee (...or in my case - both).

On the previous R/A Rant thread someone mentioned that Florida park reservations are somehow being re-sold or auctioned, but that poster didn't elaborate. Is there a black market for Florida park reservations?? Sad if that's happening, and again, sorry if I'm being naive here.

Anyway, thanks for all the input. Sorry again for the misinformation in my OP.

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:


I started on a project of identifying RA state parks systems and non-RA systems. Maybe I'll get back to it.

That information would be very helpful!!

Maybe Florida is getting tired of the many people that make multiple reservations for the same time period at three or four parks and then canceling all but one when the time arrives?

That reduces the possibility of renting those sites (at the last minute) to near nothing. It results in empty sites and loss of revenue.

In super busy parks, such as the Florida keys, someone will fill those openings, but that is not the case statewide.

The empty site syndrome is common in any busy park in most states. The computer will show the park 100% full, but actually there are 5-10 sites open. Surely some of those are empty because of a true family emergency, but most are from multiple reservations being made and then cancelled at the last minute.

Sorry-- The OP updated this thread while I was typing,(slowly), my response.

Okay, I must apologize. Apparently the cancellation fee at RA is still $17.75. After many conversations with RA personnel, it was explained that the additional $10 was a fee I had paid previously for changing my reservation a few months ago. The $27.75 shown as a cancellation fee today was CUMULATIVE ($17.75 cancellation today plus the $10.00 change fee that was previously deducted).

Do I understand it? Yeah, I guess. Do I LIKE it? No, not really.

Still interested in other State Park systems that don't use Reserve America if anyone has that information.

Apologies for the mis-information. If you'll excuse me now, I have an RA Rep to call and apologize to.:o

j-half

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

I've also found that a couple states with non-RA systems are having major problems this winter with new upgrades for the first of the year not working correctly.

As we've said before, we've encountered many more problems with RA losing our reservations than we ever had with traditional state reservation systems.

I agree about checking with the mgmt as RA sends your credit card charge outside of the USA and you might have been hacked.

GMandJM wrote:
They've raised their Florida cancellation fee to $27.75.

No - the State of Florida raised the cancellation fee, not RA.

RA gets only part of the cancellation fee - and likely the same $ as they got before the change.

I started on a project of identifying RA state parks systems and non-RA systems. Maybe I'll get back to it.

I've also found that a couple states with non-RA systems are having major problems this winter with new upgrades for the first of the year not working correctly.

EDIT - I just checked the Florida SP reservations - the canx fee is still listed as $17.75.

Something fishy about your $27.75 charge.

Let us know about the results of the phone call.

(Did you shop at Target, Neiman Marcus, or other big box stores over the holidays?)

Seymore wrote:
I would think if you have it in writing from when you made the reservation that it would be $17.75 they should hold up to that. I would escatate it to management.

My thoughts exactly. Have e-mailed them via their site already and will follow-up with a call when their office opens.

Funnily enough, I just got an e-mail confirmation about the cancellation that says this:

"Cancellations up to the day before arrival may be made for a fee of $17.75. If you want to cancel on or after the day of arrival, contact the park directly. You will be charged the first night's use fee, in addition to the $17.75 cancellation fee."

(And no, I didn't cancel on or after the day of arrival).

I would think if you have it in writing from when you made the reservation that it would be $17.75 they should hold up to that. I would escatate it to management.