Cuts to the Senior discount coming?
RV Travel Magazine Looks like they want to cut the discount on upcharges to the camping fee. But the big problem is cutting the discount all together during peak season. Pay full charges all summe...
Forum Discussion
I've always thought the Senior or Access Pass system was a bit weird. The standard passes provides free day access to the parks. So then they offer the (previously) highly discounted Senior/Military passes for those specific groups as an incentive. But they don't stop there. They then add on an additional half off camping benefit, etc. Most other places that offer access passes set them all up to include the same benefits - you just pay less for the pass as a senior.
And remember, the camping discount isn't $15 instead of $25 per night. It's $12.50 instead of $25 per night. That's an additional $2.50 per person per night over the above impact calculation.
My opinion on this is that the senior discount is way above most any other senior discount out there. Free day access AND 50 percent off camping. Most are between 10 and 20 percent off. As more baby boomers continue to hit 62 years old, this is going to severely cut into funding for the parks. Changing it makes sense. As an Xer, I would love to get this current discount, but it doesn't make economical sense to continue it.
As a camper, I have looked into the regular pass. For the high price, it does not make sense at all. I gain no benefit by buying the pass as long as I'm camping.
I would like to see a change something like this:
$100 per year for the regular pass. It will include a 20 percent discount on camping and 50 percent discount on day access fees. Rather than free day access. Twenty camping nights at $25 sites or twenty day accesses at $10 regular fees will pay for the pass.
$50 per year for the senior pass. It will include the same 20 percent discount on camping and 50 percent discount on day access. Ten camping nights or ten day accesses will pay for the pass.
$50 per 10 years for the disabled pass. This would be much lower because of the more limited access to all of the national parks, etc., for disabled folks.
$50 flat for active duty military personnel. Once they are no longer active, it will change to $50 per year. Catch: the military personnel must be in attendance in order to use the pass.
And remember, the camping discount isn't $15 instead of $25 per night. It's $12.50 instead of $25 per night. That's an additional $2.50 per person per night over the above impact calculation.
My opinion on this is that the senior discount is way above most any other senior discount out there. Free day access AND 50 percent off camping. Most are between 10 and 20 percent off. As more baby boomers continue to hit 62 years old, this is going to severely cut into funding for the parks. Changing it makes sense. As an Xer, I would love to get this current discount, but it doesn't make economical sense to continue it.
As a camper, I have looked into the regular pass. For the high price, it does not make sense at all. I gain no benefit by buying the pass as long as I'm camping.
I would like to see a change something like this:
$100 per year for the regular pass. It will include a 20 percent discount on camping and 50 percent discount on day access fees. Rather than free day access. Twenty camping nights at $25 sites or twenty day accesses at $10 regular fees will pay for the pass.
$50 per year for the senior pass. It will include the same 20 percent discount on camping and 50 percent discount on day access. Ten camping nights or ten day accesses will pay for the pass.
$50 per 10 years for the disabled pass. This would be much lower because of the more limited access to all of the national parks, etc., for disabled folks.
$50 flat for active duty military personnel. Once they are no longer active, it will change to $50 per year. Catch: the military personnel must be in attendance in order to use the pass.
