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tomcat619's avatar
tomcat619
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014

Treated like a criminal at Sun N Fun

I have never been treated like this ever before. We have stayed at Sun N Fun in Sarasota 4 or 5 times starting in the late 1970's. We have always seen fishing boats on the sites. In January 2014 I called them to reserve a campsite. I told the lady that took my reservations that I had a boat and needed a site large enough to park my boat. I told her that we had always seen boats on the sites on Tennessee avenue and they are very large. She said she couldn't guarantee me a site on Tennessee but she would be sure I got a 60' premium site that would accommodate my boat.

March 21st we checked in and setup our 5th wheel with our screen room and settled in. 5am the next morning I headed back the 180 miles to pickup my boat at the marina where it was in dry storage. I got to Sarasota about 4pm and parked the boat next to my 5th wheel. About a half hour a person from the park knocked on my door to tell me I couldn't park the boat on the site. He said they had a complaint. I explained I had requested a site specifically that I could park my boat. He said that anyone "Staying over 1 week" had to park out front in the parking lot, which made no sense. I asked him if the lot was secure and he said NO. I told him I couldn't secure my boat and it wasn't leaving my sight. He said the park supervisor would come down to talk to me either the next day or on Monday. We fished the next day, Sunday, and it rained Monday so we stayed in. About 1pm someone showed up at my door saying she was head of park security and the boat had be park in the parking lot. She stated this time they don't allow boats on sites "This time of year". I told her I couldn't secure my boat and explained that I had Requested a site specifically to park the boat. She said the person who made reservation made a mistake. 10 minutes later The park supervisor showed up to say if I didn't remove the boat she wood call the sheriff and the would forcibly remove me, my 5th wheel, and the boat. I told her I couldn't find such a rule about parking boats. She said it didn't matter she could have me removed anyway.

I caved under protest, and took the boat back home 180 miles and returned, packed up my RV and left. A total waste of $400 of fuel, all the work preparing for a vacation, and the $200 for 4 days at Fun N Sun Sarasota!

I was given a booklet with the park rules in it when we checked in and there is no mention of boats on sites or any other things parked on a site. They took my reservation and charged my card the full amount, and that makes it a contract.

60 Replies

  • Hey, if you paid with your credit card, dispute it. Only pay them for the 3 days that you stayed and not the entire week.
  • Looked and don't think they are a good Sam park. Maybe this should be moved to the rv parks area as a warning to other people who may be thinking of going there and parking a boat on their site. This area is about the good Sam club itself.
  • I think the OP was just trying to give a heads up on this policy for the next guy. He wasn't asking for Good Sam to do anything about it but perhaps it should have been posted in the General RVing forum. That was an unfortunate problem since the OP asked for a site to accommodate his boat and he had seen other boats parked on site.
  • I would dispute the charges on the credit card. They carry a lot of weight with companies as they hold the purse strings.
  • You may have a good harassment case here? If nothing other than getting some of your money back.
  • So, the park offers a GS Club discount? I don't think that means they have to adopt GS approved park policies. Your beef is with the park, not GS Club.
  • Nothing to do with Good Sam if they aren't members anymore. Just a warning.
  • Tough situation. I'm surprised they didn't ask you the most irritating question in the world: "Who did you talk to?"