Michigan State Parks Fee Nightmare

nickthehunter wrote:
The cancellation policy is clearly stated on the reservation system. You may think the system was out to screw you but in fact the system was put in place to keep the parks accessible fairly to all. In the past, people took advantage of the system, would book two weeks then cancel the first week to get into a park that booked up real fast when the 6 month window opened. Hence the new cancelation policy much to your chagrine. You can blame the people that abused the system, not the state that is trying to fix the problem.

I cancelled in excess of thirty days for two separate and popular Michigan private campgrounds. They did NOT have a cancellation fee stated in their web sites. Each attempted to charge me with a five dollar cancellation fee as an "administrative cost." I refused and one charged my credit card. I had the charge removed! Each campground stated that it is customary in Michigan (born there) to charge the five dollar fee. SO, don't try and portray the state and their private campgrounds as innocent. I have never experienced this cancellation fee in any other state that I have visited. IF a cancellation is made with less than the "customary" 24 hour notice, I can then recognize losing one night of fee. That IS the customary business practice in "other" states. It's OK to defend your state, but lets keep the facts accurate.