RV Resort Membership ??'s

[jbjuices]

Tried to post earlier, but it wouldn't go through. My wife and I have 3 kids (15, 11, 9) and purchase season tickets to Silver Dollar City in Branson MO every year. We're over there about 4 times throughout the year, but would be more if we didn't have to make reservations 2 months out. Friends of ours recommended Treasure Island RV Resort which seems AWESOME. You buy a 1x membership at $2000 (unless you find another owner selling theirs), $180/yr & $8 a night to camp. Full hook-up, concrete, 2 pools, put put golf, fishing ponds and more. Table Rock SP is where we usually camp, but must reserve far out in advance, 30a electric hookup only and costs about $27/night. The resort is our on the edge of town which is a draw, but the draw back is that there's no fires allowed at the sites (not even a propane fire pit) and they're strict on rules. Neither of those scare me away.

What are your thoughts? Would you ever do it? I think if we did, we would go 6-7x a year since we're only 1.5hrs away.

[jbjuices]

arkie_camper wrote:
We are members at Treasure Lake and just came home from a week stay there. Several are right about the $180 maintenance fee being set. It can only be raised by a vote from members. I wish we'd been members when our kids were small, but we did join as soon as we discovered it. PM me if you have any questions.

Mark

Hey Mark - Left you a PM. Would like to talk to you about this resort before spending money on it.

Thanks

[arkie_camper]

We are members at Treasure Lake and just came home from a week stay there. Several are right about the $180 maintenance fee being set. It can only be raised by a vote from members. I wish we'd been members when our kids were small, but we did join as soon as we discovered it. PM me if you have any questions.

Mark

[hornet28]

Well I don't have experience with camping timeshares. But I'm a former owner of a regular timeshare. If they are anything alike the yearly fee and nightly fees will increase without any input from you. Also if they decide to have a major revamp you will pay for it in increased fees. The only certain thing in a timeshare is increasing fees and the worthlessness of it if you choose to resell.

[Bigdog]

It's getting to the point where you can't go camping on the last minute like we used to do 15-20 years ago, because there are so many more campers out there. One of the things that gets my goat,is when you can't get a reservation for a hookup site and then drive thru the campground and see folks in a tent there and there are tent sites in the same place. Why? because they have an electric cooler, electric hotplate and a toaster oven on the table and a line run to their heated and lighted tent

[jbjuices]

tatest wrote:
Memberships work if your visiting patterns, rules, costs work for you. RV park memberships make it a bit more complicated, because you might want to compare to other sorts of time shares in the same area. RVing might not be the least expensive way to visit Branson several times a year.

We can stay at one of the local hotels for $60/night, however I'd pay extra to have my house on wheels. Love my king bed, cooking, and sitting outside and watching TV visiting. I've added it up and at the end of the day; even staying at the $30-$50 night campgrounds, we'd be paying less than staying in a hotel. Reasons are: food expense and kenneling our 2 dogs. We would be putting out a lot in gas, but it just doesn't add up to the expenses of hotel'ing it.

[tatest]

Memberships work if your visiting patterns, rules, costs work for you. RV park memberships make it a bit more complicated, because you might want to compare to other sorts of time shares in the same area. RVing might not be the least expensive way to visit Branson several times a year.

[jbjuices]

I found a membership for $800 including the transfer fee, but I won't purchase it until we stay there in November. I'm glad to hear that the yearly fees haven't gone up in 20 yrs...that's one thing I was concerned about and was going to ask about. The people we're purchasing from have to sell due to health, but said that they've owned it since the mid-80's and absolutely loved the amenities and location.

[missourijan]

They have a listing at Treasure Lake for people wanting to sell their memberships. They even have it on their website. Don't pay $2000, we have some friends that just bought a resale membership for $200, the transfer fee is $400, then you just pay the yearly fees of $180. That fee hasn't gone up in 20 years.

[mikim]

We did the exact same thing with Mountain Lakes RV Resort in Lytle Creek, Ca. It was great and the kids loved it. We bought our membership off Craig's List, but we were careful to pick a membership that we were fairly comfortable with being able to sell it later.

The kids grew up and health issues we ended up selling it on Craig's List for more than we paid originally.....we really used it alot.

[kerrlakeRoo]

10 years from now when the kids are out of the house, will you still be forced to pay an annual fee which by then may be $500 for a camp you dont wish to continue to use?
There are reasons people try to get out of timeshares.

[jbjuices]

I think I'd be SOL, but that campground has been around since '82, so I'm not too worried.

[jarata1]

What happens if they go out of business or sell the campground

[jbjuices]

I'm checking CL now and we'll also look on the board when we get there. Thanks!

[eHoefler]

Watch the Sprinfield, Mo. Craigslist RV for sale section. I have seen these memberships for sale for as little as $200. Recently saw one for $500 plus transfer fees.