Florida State Parks increasing fees.

[Retired_JSO]

Got an email from Florida DEP stating fees will increase effective May 5. All campsites and cabins with electric hookups will have an additional $7 per day added.
Entry fees for Florida’s state parks and trails will remain unchanged.

The new fee schedule is as follows.

Reservation Fee

Non-refundable reservation fee per reservation for reservations online or using the call center; fee collected at the time of reservation; reservation fees do not apply to primitive sites. (No change in fee.)

$6.70

Cancellation Fee

Cancellation fee assessed for each reservation cancelled; visitors canceling on the day of arrival assessed a cancellation fee and the first night’s use fee. (No change in fee.)

$17.75

Transfer Fee

Visitors charged a transfer fee when making reservation change. (No change in fee.)

$10.00


Utility Fee

Non-registered, day-use sites per unit per day, all campsites with electric and water service and all cabins. Does not apply to primitive tent sites or to sites that do not use electric.
$7.00

[2_Retired]

Just an aside here. Prices for wood products have been crazy high for over a year! We needed to replace parts of our wood deck (needed 16' slabs) and not only were they actually more expensive than replacing with composite material, they were no where to be found! We have several friends who do home improvement and they have complained for almost 2 years that prices are soaring and that availability for even the most common supplies is spotty, at best. They said they were told one major reason is Covid. Only recently have truck drivers and suppliers started to get any where near pre-pandemic levels.

[magicbus]

Recently seen on the Internet:



Dave

[JoeH]

GDS-3950BH wrote:
These increases will feel like a bargain compared to the increases you'll be seeing and paying in the next 6 months to a year. How about $5.00 gas, paper products are expected to triple in price just like the price of lumber and other wood products already has, beef and chicken prices are expected to go through the roof. That is only the beginning.

I know--- I bought some 2x4's and plywood last week.... wow what a shock !

[GDS-3950BH]

These increases will feel like a bargain compared to the increases you'll be seeing and paying in the next 6 months to a year. How about $5.00 gas, paper products are expected to triple in price just like the price of lumber and other wood products already has, beef and chicken prices are expected to go through the roof. That is only the beginning.

[2_Retired]

"Currently, fees are collected for making, changing and canceling reservations. There will be no change in these fees under the new fee schedule, and they will continue to be collected at the time reservations are made, changed or canceled. Utility fees, which are currently collected from day campers using park utilities, will be extended to cabin stays and overnight campsites using electric and water. The fee will be assessed daily."
From the E Mail posted. As I read it, overnight campsites using electric and water will include a new $7 per day (overnight) fee - "will be extended to cabin stays and overnight campsites using electric and water. The fee will be assessed daily".

[Bluhorn]

I guess we will find out on May 5th. Im guessing that it is as it says for non-registered users. Im not going to lose any sleep over it nor am I going to get nasty about it. I have always enjoyed Florida State Parks and Camping in general in Florida. I was a Snowbird and have been a full time resident for 8 years.I love it here.I do know that we lost about 900 campsites since Irma so that doesnt help and a lot of our visitors from Canada and elsewhere are not coming due to covid concerns and that causes loss of money but at least people can come here and vist and enjoy themselves.

[JoeH]

bucky wrote:
You do get a reduced rate as a FL resident. Half price for oldy oldsters. What else do you want? Eggs in your beer? 😄

Only for those 65 or older..... leaves a lot of other residents paying full fare after having funded the parks thru their taxes.

[bucky]

You do get a reduced rate as a FL resident. Half price for oldy oldsters. What else do you want? Eggs in your beer? 😄

[JoeH]

bucky wrote:
The simple reason that they won't do it is that they need our tourist money. I guess that you could vote for a state income tax if you wanted, your choice.
I didn't realize ya'll FL residents were so selfish. I'll call Gov Cooper later and get a toll gate installed at the NC border.

Florida State parks have a total of of 3700 campsites in the entire system. Compare that just to Disney, that has over 36,000 hotels rooms on their property alone. The Orlando area has over 120,000 hotel rooms and Florida has about 500,000 hotel rooms and then add in Air BnB and VRBO and the huge number of private campgrounds.
State park campsite revenue is not even a rounding error in the big picture of transient rental income.
The number of private campsites far outnumber the ones available in the state system and they are put at a disadvantage since the State Parks are funded and subsidized by Florida tax payers. Lets also try to level the playing field by setting us a price differential for residents vs non-residents
You might compare price with a state like Massachusetts, at their Scusset Beach campground, residents pay $22.... non-residents pay $70. There are price/reservation differences for residents vs non-residents in 26 of the 50 US states. Now consider, that most of the other 24 states that don't have a differential are non-tourist destinations. Seems fair that people that have paid their taxes to support the state parks should get a reduced charge to use them and in order to use them, there should be a preference in reservation access for residents that paid those taxes.

[bucky]

The simple reason that they won't do it is that they need our tourist money. I guess that you could vote for a state income tax if you wanted, your choice.
I didn't realize ya'll FL residents were so selfish. I'll call Gov Cooper later and get a toll gate installed at the NC border.

[JoeH]

Bears Den wrote:
I’m with you JoeH. The state needs to go by way of Pinellas County. Give Florida residents 11 mos out for reservations and all other 7 or 6 or whatever.

Agree-- Sarasota does the same... county residents are allowed to reserve before the rest of the world.

[bucky]

Bears Den wrote:
I’m with you JoeH. The state needs to go by way of Pinellas County. Give Florida residents 11 mos out for reservations and all other 7 or 6 or whatever.

Two things here to talk about. The first is that the FL tags in state parks in the winter far exceed any other visitors. I know one camp host that hosts in the same town that they own a very nice home. Could be that they rent the house out.
The other thing to mention is that when it's a zillion degrees down there and you want to come north we'll remember your stand on this. 😉

[Bears_Den]

I’m with you JoeH. The state needs to go by way of Pinellas County. Give Florida residents 11 mos out for reservations and all other 7 or 6 or whatever.

[2012Coleman]

Seeing as how I can't seem to get a reservation at any FL state park, this won't affect me in the least.