RV Park Reservation Ploy?

[pawatt]

We travel without reservations because we wander at our own pace & if we find an area we like may stay a while so we never know where we will be until the night before or at best a few days ahead. We may call 1 night or 2 ahead esp for weekends for a last minute reservation. When calling we are often told they only have 1 or 2 sites left or that we got the last site. Upon arriving and staying I see that this is often not the case as several or many sites remain unoccupied. Does this happen to you too?

[Johno02]

This is obviously an outrageous scam, actively defrauding the American RV way. Congress MUST take immediate action with a full investigation and punishment befitting the crimes. To this purpose, funds should be approved for members to purchase new Motor Homes and purchase gas for traveling as a part of the investigation. Note that this will not be a vacation, but a major investigation funded by Congress.

[Lantley]

Johno02 wrote:
Having worked with the reservation system, this is just one of my pet peeves. When you or especially the reservation system agen looks at the supposed reservation data base, especially for weekends, it shows everything booked. However, the only one that really knows is the person actually at the campground, and lots of times they are not sure either.

MANY people make reservations far in advance, just in case they might want to go some weekend. Then they will cancel at the last minute, right before they are charged a cancellation fee, or even worse, just transfer their reservation to another weekend. Of course, this does not get posted on the database until the last minute, so when you called, everything shows full. Then, some folks just don't show up at all. Of course, that means that the site sits there empty all weekend, And in most cases, all week because no one likes to have to stay all week, just to have to leave over the weekend because someone has it reserved for just one or two days.

Of course, the reservation system (which is a private corporation) doesn't care, because they get paid for the reservation whether the campground does or not. Private campgrounds know all about this, and do their own reservations, and generally manage them a LOT better.

If the reservation system is not being updated promptly than shame on everyone involved. Both CG and reservation system are at fault if this scenario is allowed to persist.

[SDcampowneroper]

There are so many variables. What type of hookups, PT or not, trees or no for your sat. TV, near or for from pool or activities to name just a few.
Sometimes sites sit empty because at that time, they were not what the caller asked for or no shows.
If you ease your criteria a little, say, ok to a back in instead of insisting on a pull thru, or can come or leave a day differently you may find there is a lot more available. i can't see why any camp would not give you all the choices they have that fits your dates. , it is in their interest to give you the best they have that fits your needs and wishes.
Online reservation systems that I know of just can't work with all the variables unless the camp is a cookie cutter big box store type lay out.

[rogerramjet442]

The original post is absolutely right on, johnno02 is right he has seen it and so have I as being a C G host for 7 yrs. some people just dont get it as long as they get what they wont.

[MPond]

kalynzoo wrote:
We like to sleep in and get a late start on the road. Often, I will call ahead to the next destination and make a reservation for the evening. We then toodle down the road, making scenic stops, arriving at a park after the office has closed. since our reservation included our credit card I am a happy camper when I see my name posted on the board with my space number. With years of vacationing under my belt I have yet to be disappointed.
Happy Trails.

I usually book in advance, but I completely agree with you about pulling in after the office is closed and seeing my name posted on the board with my space number. It takes away the stress of arriving late and having to search for an available space.

Every year we book our month-long trip in advance for exactly that reason. And once or twice each trip we make last-minute changes and it costs me a 1-night deposit on a reserved site that I don't show up for. I bet many of the empty sites you see when parks are full are guys like me who booked & paid for it, but didn't show.

Just about every place I've been to holds the space once it has been paid for, even if you don't show.

[mytime]

I understand what you are saying, we too have had that happen, maybe an hour out, call in and they say,yea, we have 1 site left, have to have that CC# right then, when we get there, there are sites all over that is obvious that are not rented.
But traveling this spring and summer in the N.west I can say there were several times when we called that they said just come on in we have plenty of sites. I really don't like giving CC# out over the phone. Just Me., we have had our card compromised several times.

[mgirardo]

When we stayed at Fort Wilderness in April we asked for 5 different sites in the 1400 loop when we checked it. We were told they were not available. When we checked in those sites were all open. All but one of them remained open the 7 nights we were there. I figured the woman that checked us in couldn't read a map.

-Michael

[Dance_Chick]

accsys wrote:
I think many times it also depends on how many days you want to stay. If you want multiple days, they have to find a site that is open for those days and there may be only one or two. You would find when you stay there that there would be a number of sites open but probably not for the several days requested. Where I currently am, we took the last available site for the next three days. As I type this I can see two more sites empty but I bet they will not be empty for the entire three nights I am here.

We've wondered the same as the OP, not complaining, just wondering. I thought the same as above that probably there weren't any sites available that fit our criteria...length of stay, 50 AMP, and so on.

[kalynzoo]

We like to sleep in and get a late start on the road. Often, I will call ahead to the next destination and make a reservation for the evening. We then toodle down the road, making scenic stops, arriving at a park after the office has closed. since our reservation included our credit card I am a happy camper when I see my name posted on the board with my space number. With years of vacationing under my belt I have yet to be disappointed.
Happy Trails.

[accsys]

I think many times it also depends on how many days you want to stay. If you want multiple days, they have to find a site that is open for those days and there may be only one or two. You would find when you stay there that there would be a number of sites open but probably not for the several days requested. Where I currently am, we took the last available site for the next three days. As I type this I can see two more sites empty but I bet they will not be empty for the entire three nights I am here.

[robsouth]

I also see that often. The last time we went down to the Gulf, our favorite campground told us that they did not have any sites available for our time frame, so we went down the road to another place. Well, we went down to the "full campground" on Saturday to visit some friends there, and counted 9 empty places. I asked in the office and told that they were no shows so far, but still reserved. About then, the owner walked into the office and overheard the conversation and asked which site I would like because his rule was if the reserved site was not taken or cancelled by a certain time on the eve of the reservation, it was open and available. It even says so on the reservation form. The desk person looked really embarrassed and said she did not know that. HMMMMM.

[pawatt]

fla-gypsy wrote:
You were given a site so I am not sure what the problem is? I love RA as do most of us who work and need a guaranteed spot and also like to pic the site.

Not complaining, just making an observation. And I was referring to private parks not RA.

[fla-gypsy]

You were given a site so I am not sure what the problem is? I love RA as do most of us who work and need a guaranteed spot and also like to pic the site.

[Big_Katuna]

I'm just glad if they don't use Reserveamerica.com
I detest RA.