California State Parks dropping ReserveAmerica

[Ron3rd]

For those of us that camp in California and reserve through ReserveAmerica, you will receive an email (if you have not already) that California campgrounds will now be booked through a new site, ReserveCalifornia effective 8/1/2017. You will not be able to book California sites on ReserveAmerica after 7/26/2017 as the state has dropped them as a vendor.

Any current reservations you have will be carried over to the new site, BUT, you will have to set up a new account on ReserveCalifornia.

FAQ info here:

ReserveCalifornia

[Cali-MinnieWinn]

I actually received a call today regarding the e mail I sent ReserveCalifornia, wanting to know how to search for all available parks. Appreciated the call back, but not the answer. It is just like what we have experienced; you must put in a location, then you get the 3 closest campgrounds. So, if you are like me and want to just look up availability and then go from there, it will require multiple searches. Boo! Typical California though....wonder how much tax money they spent building this website and search tool that is only user friendly if you know exactly where you want to camp. I have discovered many new campgrounds by just searching for availability in the past (and still am discovering with reserve america and other state sites).

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

monkey44 wrote:
Comments folks make here are opinions

You listed your inaccurate opinions as fact. Your base presumption that RA is raising rates, charging more than the states should pay is simply wrong/ false information.

Yes, RA has raised rates - as new contracts have been awarded. They are now up to between $4 and $5 per transaction. Anything higher is money the AGENCY is charging users, not RA.

monkey44 wrote:
and never irrelevant or inaccurate. I don't make reservations because the system does not work as we need it to work AND because we watched it raise rates over and over - and many of the employees are rude when you try to go beyond the typical "Which days do you need", and "Oppps, we're full" ... and checking back over time, that hasn't changed - just because we don't make reservations and use a system that remains archaic doesn't make us ignorant of how it works.

That is a lot of opinion about a system you say that you do not use. A system which has been improving over time, and has worked to make their employees better able to understand the needs of campers/ RV'ers.

Like all tools, Reserve America takes training to learn how to use properly.

One also has to understand the limitations of the tool. The data on the Reserve America sites - both Recreation.gov and ReserveAmerica.com - is only as good as the originating agency supplies.

While a campground host at a national park, I compiled a new data set for the campground. Pictures of all 60 sites, accurate measurements, notes about which sites were suitable for RVs, which were not. The park staff said "Thanks but no thanks." They were worried about having to keep the data updated in the future, so they chose to just supply the least amount of data possible to RA.

I use it, well the Recreation.gov portal, at least weekly. Not to make reservations but for information. I want to know how fully booked a campground is, which sites are open.

Almost always when I arrive at a campground without a reservation, I can tell the gate attendant which site I want. Because I know the site is open, and I know it is not reserved for the length of time I want to stay.

I reserve about three or four a year - usually for major holidays only. But we frequently stay at a campground/ site which is in the Recreation.gov/reserveamerica.com system often
68 different campgrounds over the past four years for 403 nights.

I've never found the employees to be rude, but will agree that any large organization does have some bad apples, or some folks simply having a bad day.

Now from what I've seen about reservecalifornia, and my past career in IT.

These are my opinions.

The website was developed without much, or no, input from actual campers/ RV'ers.

The website was developed to be a social media portal "because social media is the wave of the future". It is designed to be graphical, use high bandwidth and cutting edge (imho unproven) technology.

The website made almost no use of the great volume of information the state of California and their state parks have compiled about their parks/ campgrounds/ individual campsites. As mentioned - the campground maps do not appear to be accurate, if the campground on the new website actually has a map. I've found several that do not.

In my professional opinion, the state of California is spending a lot more money on bring the reservation system in-house than they paid RA, and will be four or five years at this higher cost - which will be passed on to campers - before they get to the functionality of RA.

[Dutch_12078]

monkey44 wrote:

Comments folks make here are opinions and never irrelevant or inaccurate. I don't make reservations because the system does not work as we need it to work AND because we watched it raise rates over and over - and many of the employees are rude when you try to go beyond the typical "Which days do you need", and "Oppps, we're full" ... and checking back over time, that hasn't changed - just because we don't make reservations and use a system that remains archaic doesn't make us ignorant of how it works.

You still don't seem to get it that the individual parks/agencies set the reservation and other fees that are charged to the clients using RA. One example is Florida State Parks where a few years ago there was no reservation fee charged on RA, but now we're charged $6.70. On the other hand, the fee at the National Forest Service Salt Springs Campground in Florida is $10.00, while South Carolina State Parks are $7.76 and New York State Parks are $9.00. As already said several times here, the individual parks/agencies set the rates we are charged, not RA. RA only gets to set the rates the parks/agencies are charged per their contracts. I've never had occasion to call RA, so I have no idea how their CS folks behave. Online has always worked well for me...

[monkey44]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

monkey44 wrote:
When the original RA came up, it charged three bucks, now at eight or nine bucks, and a seventeen cancel or change dates fee

Those fees are what the state charges.

RA charges the state a flat fee per transaction. The fee varies a bit by state, with low number of transaction states like Louisiana paying near $5, and high transaction states like CA or the federal government paying near $4.

The state of CA was likely already making just as much money per reservation as Reserve America/ Active Networks.

Looking at the ReserveCalifornia web site - here are the major differences I see.

1. Customer Service support hours have been cut more than in half with the new operation.

2. Whoever designed the website expects all users have high speed full-time web access. It is extremely high graphics intensive. Making the website very un-friendly to people having to use a cell phone or a low speed wireless connection.

3. The search filters are horrible. There is a reason that RA had the search filters it used - tens of millions of reservations. It is no secret or proprietary data that people want to search by location, dates, available amenities such as water, power, sewer, etc.

If you almost never make reservations, haven't used Recreation.gov or RA frequently, then your comments are inaccurate or irrelevant.

I read what you said with interest, until you got to the last sentence - then I realized how insulting you became.

Comments folks make here are opinions and never irrelevant or inaccurate. I don't make reservations because the system does not work as we need it to work AND because we watched it raise rates over and over - and many of the employees are rude when you try to go beyond the typical "Which days do you need", and "Oppps, we're full" ... and checking back over time, that hasn't changed - just because we don't make reservations and use a system that remains archaic doesn't make us ignorant of how it works.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

monkey44 wrote:
When the original RA came up, it charged three bucks, now at eight or nine bucks, and a seventeen cancel or change dates fee

Those fees are what the state charges.

RA charges the state a flat fee per transaction. The fee varies a bit by state, with low number of transaction states like Louisiana paying near $5, and high transaction states like CA or the federal government paying near $4.

The state of CA was likely already making just as much money per reservation as Reserve America/ Active Networks.

Looking at the ReserveCalifornia web site - here are the major differences I see.

1. Customer Service support hours have been cut more than in half with the new operation.

2. Whoever designed the website expects all users have high speed full-time web access. It is extremely high graphics intensive. Making the website very un-friendly to people having to use a cell phone or a low speed wireless connection.

3. The search filters are horrible. There is a reason that RA had the search filters it used - tens of millions of reservations. It is no secret or proprietary data that people want to search by location, dates, available amenities such as water, power, sewer, etc.

If you almost never make reservations, haven't used Recreation.gov or RA frequently, then your comments are inaccurate or irrelevant.

[monkey44]

When the original RA came up, it charged three bucks, now at eight or nine bucks, and a seventeen cancel or change dates fee, the states are leaving too much money on the table. I suspect most or all will transition to in-state reservations as soon as it can develop or buy the technology.

We've never been a fan of RA, almost never make reservations, and the few times we did with RA early on, it was not a pleasant experience.

[DesertTracker]

I made a reservation through ReserveCalifornia today and it seemed to go well. I got the email that said it went through so I guess it worked. The searching isn't as bad as I originally thought it would be, but not as smooth as ReserveAmerica.

I read somewhere a couple of months ago that the cost would be less than ReserveAmerica; it's $7.99 instead of $8.00....wow.

[Cali-MinnieWinn]

That's too bad; hope they change it. Looking at all available campgrounds has helped us find new places to camp. Also, if going on a busy week/week-end, I would like to see all availability. Oh well.

[DesertTracker]

I also went on the site today to take a look around. So far, its a thumbs down. I generally have a direction in mind; mountains or beach; with ReserveAmerica, type in a location like Ventura and a list came up all the way up the coast. I've booked Carlsbad when I started with Ventura as I looked for availability. Quick easy list to look thru. With Reserve California, Ventura gives two options and the little campground layout was totally wrong for Emma Wood. Then had to search on each location on the coast. I never did find Thornhill Broome on ReserveCalifornia. I sure hope there are improvements coming.

[toedtoes]

It does not appear to let you do that. I suspect that they figured people would pick a campground by the area rather than just randomly.

[Cali-MinnieWinn]

Has anyone tried the new system today? I went on it to create an account and then see how it works. It doesn't bring up a list of parks; you have to put in your date and length of stay. In my case, it then just brought up 5 places that are relatively close to my home. I am trying to get it to show me all available parks, regardless of distance from my home. It won't let you just put in california as a destination, but you can put in a city or park name. I sent them an e mail for help. If anyone is on the site and has figured this out, please let me know. Thanx! Not urgent, just trying to figure it out before I need to make reservations in the future; realize there probably are some bugs as this is the first day.

[Ron3rd]

Folks, just so there is no confusion, The California State Parks system is dumping ReserveAmerica. They will have no affiliation with ReserveAmerica. They are launching a totally new platform on 8/1/17 so we'll see what happens, it might have some bugs!

[magnusfide]

Ron3rd wrote:
For those of us that camp in California and reserve through ReserveAmerica, you will receive an email (if you have not already) that California campgrounds will now be booked through a new site, ReserveCalifornia effective 8/1/2017. You will not be able to book California sites on ReserveAmerica after 7/26/2017 as the state has dropped them as a vendor.

Any current reservations you have will be carried over to the new site, BUT, you will have to set up a new account on ReserveCalifornia.

FAQ info here:

ReserveCalifornia

Good news! You just cheered my day! Thanks for the info!

monkey44 wrote:
I believe RA priced itself out of the contract. Was once $3, now about $8 ... and that counts for short or long reservations. So, it adds $8 onto even a one or two day site. And, I never had a good experience with RA, and find them sometimes courteous and sometimes rude, and often knew little about the site.

California, and probably these other states, decided the $$$ it was losing for the reservation was a nice bundle - and personally, I've always been of a mind that RA was doomed as soon as states figured out a way to charge a camper for the reservation.

Again, personally. I'd rather employ a local group to earn the $$$, and at least anything left over goes into the park system (well, we hope that anyway) instead of some foreign entity...

I think every state will eventually set up its own system, and generate the revenue for itself.

Double ditto. RA is riddled with problems. I'm glad to see one state getting rid of them.

[Ralph_Cramden]

monkey44 wrote:
I believe RA priced itself out of the contract. Was once $3, now about $8 ... and that counts for short or long reservations. So, it adds $8 onto even a one or two day site. And, I never had a good experience with RA, and find them sometimes courteous and sometimes rude, and often knew little about the site.

California, and probably these other states, decided the $$$ it was losing for the reservation was a nice bundle - and personally, I've always been of a mind that RA was doomed as soon as states figured out a way to charge a camper for the reservation.

Again, personally. I'd rather employ a local group to earn the $$$, and at least anything left over goes into the park system (well, we hope that anyway) instead of some foreign entity...

I think every state will eventually set up its own system, and generate the revenue for itself.

Watch what you wish for. When the bureaucratic establishment takes on something they have little experience with, (RE; specific software for a certain task such as a reservation system) you can almost never expect a better and cheaper solution. Its not in the cards and could very well cost a lot more in fees you can see, as well as fees you dont see as in taxes.The end user is going to pay for it no matter who operates it and the private sector is simply more efficient. The only thing bureaucrats are good at is taking from A and giving to B, where B usually deserves nothing. The undesirable issues can only be compounded in a lib bastion such as CA.