Terre Haute KOA Cancellation Policy

soren wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
It is not a KOA only policy. We have found only stiff cancellation penalties will deter people from making multiple reservations in multiple places and leaving those parks high and dry when they finally decide where they actually are going. The current logic is they like to keep their options open.
Holidays are probably the worst, because if you get a cancellation, it is very difficult to fill that site. Most people make reservations for weekends like the Fourth and Labor Day leaving fewer last minute travelers on the road. Hence the reason for two weeks or greater notice.

Sorry, but it's tough to imagine having any difficulty filling a site in any desirable park, for the three big holidays. Most I have dealt with have waiting lists of back-up guests in the event of holiday cancellations. We had a change of plans, and casually shopped for a last minute spot at one of our favorite parks, this recentedly passed Memorial day. The desk clerk asked if we wanted to be #30 on the waiting list? Today I booked a last minute spot in West Yellowstone for the July 4th holiday. The spot was available for less than thirty minutes, following a cancellation.

I have no issues with pretty harsh cancellation policies, and understand why they are necessary. That said, assuming you have a park worth going to, if you can't fill it on a holiday weekend, there is a problem, and it's not a shortage of customers.

Well, just because you can't imagine it, doesn't mean it isn't true. I just did a quick look at one row of sites, the guests are from Alberta, California, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin and 2 from Florida. Exactly how many of those would be available to fill a last minute site in Montana?
I get nearly ZERO local business. Montana is sparsely populated and the locals generally don't travel to the local RV parks. They have millions upon millions of acres of Forest Service, BLM and National Park land to play in and every local has a favorite, secret spot.

westernrvparkowner wrote:
It is not a KOA only policy. We have found only stiff cancellation penalties will deter people from making multiple reservations in multiple places and leaving those parks high and dry when they finally decide where they actually are going. The current logic is they like to keep their options open.
Holidays are probably the worst, because if you get a cancellation, it is very difficult to fill that site. Most people make reservations for weekends like the Fourth and Labor Day leaving fewer last minute travelers on the road. Hence the reason for two weeks or greater notice.

Sorry, but it's tough to imagine having any difficulty filling a site in any desirable park, for the three big holidays. Most I have dealt with have waiting lists of back-up guests in the event of holiday cancellations. We had a change of plans, and casually shopped for a last minute spot at one of our favorite parks, this recentedly passed Memorial day. The desk clerk asked if we wanted to be #30 on the waiting list? Today I booked a last minute spot in West Yellowstone for the July 4th holiday. The spot was available for less than thirty minutes, following a cancellation.

I have no issues with pretty harsh cancellation policies, and understand why they are necessary. That said, assuming you have a park worth going to, if you can't fill it on a holiday weekend, there is a problem, and it's not a shortage of customers.

While I hate to waste $$ truthfully the penalty is negligible in the scheme of my overall camping budget.

Bingo. I feel the same way about toll, but that's a whole 'nuther subject!

I just had a situation with South Carolina state parks that led to me getting a 1 credit good for a year for a 1 night stay. It's worth about $50.00.
I doubt I will return in a year to use it,but it was a nice gesture.
In the end I blame myself for the outcome. I made a last minute cancellation.
I understand the rules and consequences.
While I hate to waste $$ truthfully the penalty is negligible in the scheme of my overall camping budget.
I could have avoided the penalty and stayed at another state park 20 minutes away and drove back and forth a few times. Resulting in wasted gas and time. Or I could pay the penalty and stay at my desired park the entire time.
Bottom line a wise camper knows the rules, cancellation policies and consequences.
The CG management has an obligation to enforce those policies for everyone if the policies are to be effective.

Artum Snowbird wrote:
A better solution might be to put through the charge, but if the site gets filled by another camper they put through a partial refund. They might get your business again in the future if they did that.

If I had three cancellations, and only one filled, who gets the refund? What if the cancellation was for the entire weekend and I only filled one day? Once we cancel a reservation, the information moves to the deep background on our software. There is no way to track whether an available site was at one time reserved by someone else and subsequently cancelled. Any policy that would be along the lines you suggest would be between unbelievably unwieldy to impossible to manage.
Others mention offering credit for a future stay, but that is also problematic. The park still would have the vacancy, so they lose that revenue. In my parks situation, many guests are a once in a decade or longer visitor. A credit for use within the current season would be meaningless to them. Carrying credits forward would create additional bookkeeping problems and may even require the park to carry those credits as a liability on the books. Just not worth it.

Many campgrounds have different policies for holidays vs. non-holiday. It's best to read all policies prior and find what you are most comfortable with. It would be nice of more campgrounds had a "if we can re-rent your site" type of policy but that becomes a bookkeeping nightmare at times. It's also a wise business decision from an economic standpoint to ensure steady income flow.

A better solution might be to put through the charge, but if the site gets filled by another camper they put through a partial refund. They might get your business again in the future if they did that.

It is not a KOA only policy. We have found only stiff cancellation penalties will deter people from making multiple reservations in multiple places and leaving those parks high and dry when they finally decide where they actually are going. The current logic is they like to keep their options open.
Holidays are probably the worst, because if you get a cancellation, it is very difficult to fill that site. Most people make reservations for weekends like the Fourth and Labor Day leaving fewer last minute travelers on the road. Hence the reason for two weeks or greater notice.

jrcrosby wrote:
We planned a trip to see family in Indiana and made reservations at the Terre Haute KOA. The cancellation policy for KOA states that any cancellation submitted < 3 days in advance is subject to a $10 fee which is fair. We cancelled > 2 weeks in advance and because it was a holiday weekend (July 4), they charged me $ 107 (2 nights). Is this a general policy for any campground or KOA ? We fulltime and have never had this experience anywhere, so I am wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them.....

Per KOA cancellation guidelines:

" Holidays and special events may have special deposit and/or cancellation requirements. Special conditions may apply during high-demand periods and special events. Please check with your selected KOA for details. "

Pretty common on holiday weekends. Most generally sell out on holiday weekend so why would they risk an empty site with a last minute cancellation.