Nunyadamn wrote:
This make sense on how you have explained, but you do realize that this is the problem. You are booking a site that for days that you don't need, then cancelling them once you get the few days that you need. If everyone does this, it really screws with planning trips for everyone else. This is also part of the reason that spots will open up a few days later once you get your specific dates. The problem with that is, others now only have the option of getting that spot for a few days before and a few days after you, so someone that really wants the whole 2 weeks can't get into that park easily or at all. I don't like it, but I guess I will have to start doing this also to get into a site. Now I will become part of the problem. Sorry to all the others that wanted the spot that I will be in. Looks like you have play the system that is setup.
Don't blame me - I didn't make up the rules.
(The only way I can think to end this practice is to NEVER give people a refund on their cancellations - and then the folks with the most money would get the good spots)
Requiring the spot be put back into the reservation pool for 24 hours before the same person could re-book won't work. Some people have multiple IDs. Only a national identity card system could enforce such a system - and one that links all the family members together.
Maybe requiring a complete cancellation of the entire trip - only allowing the spot to be re-booked at the start of the next booking day - might work.
I even know one couple who reserve one spot at a popular COE campground every weekend. Thursday-Sun - and call on Thursday morning to notify the CG they will be arriving on Friday. So they pay for three nights for every two nights they camp there. It raises their camping cost from the $20 per night to $30 per night - i.e. $60 per weekend.
One reason I usually never make reservations unless it is a holiday weekend.
But this has gone on for many years - long before on-line reservations.
My father ran into it in 1966 in Arkansas at a popular state park - back when you had to call the park for a reservation no more than one month before arrival. (And when you really had to consider the cost of long distance phone calls).
He got the same basic example when we finally got to the park for a less than perfect weekend.
I only heard about it about 10 years ago when complaining about on-line reservations - and he explained it to me.
I had always wondered why our trips got better in my later HS years.
I also learned back in the 60s the secret about 'First come, First served' campgrounds - always arrive before the weekend. Wednesday is best, Thursday early is okay. Never show up after dark on Friday.
Dad would take his vacation weeks - and we would not leave until Sunday afternoon - almost always getting a great spot on the lake as somebody left to go back to work. Whenever he tried to make the vacation longer by leaving Friday or Saturday - we (1) got a poor spot, and (2) ended up moving Sunday night or Monday.
That I picked up on early.
