Reserve America policies

NYCgrrl wrote:

2gypsies wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
You could always try to camp without a reservation and see how that works out for you.

That's what we did for 16 years of full-timing and it worked just fine. :)

With respect for your ability to live in that manner for 16 years yet assuming most of your no reserve camping was done outside of the east coast during the summer. Or you volunteered/work-camped/stayed at casinos/rest stops or similar.
Which still takes pre-planning.

You're correct. We purposely chose not to stay in the far eastern states due to not doing reservations.

We have stayed in the lower east and southeast sates without reservations along with the Midwest and western states.

We've stayed in major national parks without reservations such as Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion, Grand Canyon and many others. We stayed in many, many state parks, including the Oregon coast, national forest campgrounds, county and city parks without reservations.

We don't consider blacktop stays as preferred camping. We've done very minimal of that kind of stay and casinos are our preferred for a breakfast buffet and then we're on our way.

Yes, we volunteered for one season a year..no more. That would be 8-12 weeks.

That's just the way we enjoy RVing. Everyone is different.

this is my next trip to Edisto Beach in SC on Aug 12. I got curious to look it up now because of this thread :)

Cancellation policy on campsites:
Camping
> With 15+ days notice, there will be a $10 handling fee.
> Within 4-14 days, a one night's charge will be applied.
> Within 0-3 days, your entire deposit will not be refunded.

Refunds due will be processed via the same method by which the deposit was paid.

Transfers, Changes and Early Departures are also subject to certain handling fees and penalties.

Transaction/Reservation fees are non-refundable.


I paid a $14 reservation fee. So I am out $24 if I cancel 15 or more days before. (maybe a bit more? due to these 'transaction' fees I am not sure about :) :)


Thing is the info is clearly stated. One can not rant in true fashion and make it a reasonable rant just cause they didn't read the info. clearly provided :)

Wisconsin's cancellation fee is $5.00.

Additionally, from the WI DNR Site:
If you cancel no later than 3 p.m. Central Time two days before the day of the reservation, you'll be credited a full refund of camping fees, but not the reservation or cancellation fees.
If you cancel after that, you'll be credited a refund of camping fees for all but the first night. You will not be refunded the reservation or cancellation fees or the first night's camping fee.
No refunds are made for any part of a three-night holiday reservation once the site has been occupied.

I do know for fact that if you have to check out early on non-holiday weekends they will refund your unused nights. We had to do that a couple of times.

bukhrn wrote:

NYCgrrl wrote:

brucem10113 wrote:
Am very upset about cancelation policy. I cancelled a reservation a full month before my arrival date and was charged $10. When we reserved through the state parks proper (before the contract was given to Reserve America) you could cancel up to 3 days in advance without a penalty. But this new contracting service has everyone locked up with higher rates and fees. I know it is our lazy and cheap park services who didn't want to do the job anymore that gave Reserve America the right to do this to everyone and I think it stinks.

Cancellation policies are the provenance of the individual states that choose to use RA. NY's cancellation policy differs from CT's and so on and so on. For instance, CT waits until a week before a cancellation fee is imposed and NYS charges..9 bucks(?) before a fee is charged 7 days or so for cancellation.
What state is charging 10 dollars for a 30 day cancellation?

I don't believe it's any State under the Reserve America system, that is charging the cancellation fee, it's RA charging the fee, as well as the $9. reservation fee.
I like using the RA & Recreation.Gov, i know i'll have a site, all the fee & policies are clearly spelled out up front, i've had to cancel a few reservations,for various reasons, didn't really mind the $10 fee, what truly saddened me, was the fact that I had to cancel a camping trip.:(
The one thing that does upset me about the Recreation.Gov system, Is the reservation $9 fee, COE parks don't charge the fee, why do the other fed Campgrounds ?

The terms and conditions for fees is contracted with RA by each state. So in effect this state is allowing the fee to be charged by RA and may get a cut of it. Cancellation policies and fees on RA therefore vary from state to state as well as the initial reservation fee. I could make a reservation right now in my home state for 11 months out and then cancel it and still have to pay the cancellation fee. This has already been explained to prevent unscrupulous jerks from gaming the system.

Yep...that's GA State Park policy. We had weekend reservations earlier in year and an in-law had medical emergency so we had to cancel within the 3 day window and lost deposit which was 1 night fee. Was I happy about it? No. Did I understand why they have these charges? Yes. Did I rant on an internet forum about it? No.

I believe the Ga State Parks had same policy before they went to RA. I also lost deposit 18 years or so back when son had bike accident and broke his arm as I was loading truck for weekend camping. I had already gone over to park and setup tent. Next day I went to pick it up and asked office about refund and they said policy was we would loose 1 night fee.

2012Coleman wrote:
If the OP is from Cartersville GA., the GA. policy is as follows:

Campsites

Reservations can be changed one time without penalty, provided that a 3-day notice is given. Any additional changes will incur a $10 transfer fee (per reservation). Full cancellations made at least 3 days prior to arrival will incur a $10 cancellation fee. Any changes or cancellations made less than 3 days prior to arrival results in a loss of deposit. (Note: Visitors who have paid more than the minimum required will be refunded all but the required minimum deposit amount.)

found here:

http://gastateparks.reserveamerica.com/resource/contracts/ga/CancellationPolicy.html

If the OP is from Cartersville GA., the GA. policy is as follows:

Campsites

Reservations can be changed one time without penalty, provided that a 3-day notice is given. Any additional changes will incur a $10 transfer fee (per reservation). Full cancellations made at least 3 days prior to arrival will incur a $10 cancellation fee. Any changes or cancellations made less than 3 days prior to arrival results in a loss of deposit. (Note: Visitors who have paid more than the minimum required will be refunded all but the required minimum deposit amount.)

found here:

http://gastateparks.reserveamerica.com/resource/contracts/ga/CancellationPolicy.html

NYCgrrl wrote:
Still wish the OP would step back in and say what state has this cancellation policy. Doesn't seem very user friendly.

Not suprising really...registers, makes one rant post and disappears.

Of course they may be travelling looking for a place to stay. :W

Boy howdy you all really jumped on the OP and welcomed him/her to the group ... not!

I understand the need for cancellation policies and know it's clearly stated and things would probably be worse without them but, I for one, don't like them either.

NYCgrrl wrote:

brucem10113 wrote:
Am very upset about cancelation policy. I cancelled a reservation a full month before my arrival date and was charged $10. When we reserved through the state parks proper (before the contract was given to Reserve America) you could cancel up to 3 days in advance without a penalty. But this new contracting service has everyone locked up with higher rates and fees. I know it is our lazy and cheap park services who didn't want to do the job anymore that gave Reserve America the right to do this to everyone and I think it stinks.

Cancellation policies are the provenance of the individual states that choose to use RA. NY's cancellation policy differs from CT's and so on and so on. For instance, CT waits until a week before a cancellation fee is imposed and NYS charges..9 bucks(?) before a fee is charged 7 days or so for cancellation.
What state is charging 10 dollars for a 30 day cancellation?

I don't believe it's any State under the Reserve America system, that is charging the cancellation fee, it's RA charging the fee, as well as the $9. reservation fee.
I like using the RA & Recreation.Gov, i know i'll have a site, all the fee & policies are clearly spelled out up front, i've had to cancel a few reservations,for various reasons, didn't really mind the $10 fee, what truly saddened me, was the fact that I had to cancel a camping trip.:(
The one thing that does upset me about the Recreation.Gov system, Is the reservation $9 fee, COE parks don't charge the fee, why do the other fed Campgrounds ?

Still wish the OP would step back in and say what state has this cancellation policy. Doesn't seem very user friendly.