Thousand Trails Zone Pass

[GMandJM]

Noticed that ThousandTrails currently has a two-zones-for-the-price-of-one ($545) special on a yearly pass. 14 days in/7 out between stays. First 30 nights free and then $3/night after that.

It doesn't SAY it requires a long-term membership.

Anyone have real-world experience with these zone passes?

I'm commitment-phobic when it comes to "joining" this kind of stuff, anyway. Someone once told me that TT and such are like STD's - hard to get rid of once you've got it.

Opinions/advice/actual useful information welcome.

[ependydad]

RVcrazy wrote:
With the zone pass, do they restrict you to only "standard" sites? If so, can you pay a few $ to get a better site? How much trouble do you have getting in with only being able to reserve 30 days out? Thanks!

It's all first come, first served. You arrive at the park and find an open site. Whatever you get, you get. We are rarely unhappy with our sites.

[Mich_F]

RVcrazy wrote:
With the zone pass, do they restrict you to only "standard" sites? If so, can you pay a few $ to get a better site? How much trouble do you have getting in with only being able to reserve 30 days out? Thanks!

I really don't know what the premium sites are. Two of the three times I was there I stayed directly across the street from the front of the activity center. I know I could have stayed in the wooded section, but was told it gets buggy there.
I can reserve 60 days out with my zone pass. I only had a problem reserving at Clermont for one of the days I wanted after Christmas and over New Years. I just got a site at Peace River instead.

[RVcrazy]

With the zone pass, do they restrict you to only "standard" sites? If so, can you pay a few $ to get a better site? How much trouble do you have getting in with only being able to reserve 30 days out? Thanks!

[Mich_F]

I also received a zone pass in Mar. 2013, when I bought a new RV. The first time I used it was about a month or so before it was to expire. We went to Clermont Fl. and stayed for 4 nights. The place is huge with over 800 sites and not bad, considering it was free. :B
They sent me info on renewing which I didn't intend to do, at was going to be around $500. They eventually offered a one year, one zone renewal for $199, which I ended up doing. Since then, I've been back to Clermont twice for a total of seven nights, and spent four nights at the Wauchula TT, because we couldn't get the 4 nights we wanted at Clermont, between Christmas and New Years. Wauchula is considerably smaller and not as nice, in my opinion, as Clermont. They also had electrical issues in one section, which appear to have been going on for years. We are going to Clermont later this month for four nights. The only other Fl. TT park that I can go to is in Wildwood, where I have not stayed yet. I believe you can also use your TT zone pass at Encore parks and receive discounts under certain conditions.
Another consideration is that each zone pass covers a fairly large part of the country. Some states have more TT parks than others. I believe the southeast zone pass stretches from N.C., down through Fl. and as far west as Texas or something like that (I don't have their brochure in front of me).
From what I"ve seen from talking to others at Clermont there are a bunch of different rates, programs, what not depending on when and how you got your TT membership. I believe as others have said the zone pass is a year to year deal and no big bucks are involved getting in or out. Then again I haven't opted out yet (renewal at whatever rate will be coming up soon) so don't know if they will hound me if I choose not to renew. :B

[GMandJM]

Thanks for the helpful replies. We visited the TT in Clermont and it looked very nice. Fair-sized sites, especially for Florida where many parks pack in campers fin-to-gill.

Presumably the zone pass is good on the "regular" sites and not the premium ones that back to the woods and such?

Was just wondering if the zone pass was simply that and if there were hidden "buy ins" or expensive membership requirements, as I had read about people dropping thousands of dollars for membership and then having to pay yearly fees in perpetuity. Apparently that is not the case with a zone pass.

Read the complaint site, also - wow! Some very upset folks.

Thanks again.

-jhalf

[KampingKris]

There's always someone who feels ripped off. We have two zones on the west coast and it works for us. We like that we can cancel each year if something changes in our lives. The yearly fee is close to the same as the national plans and we're not in the mode just yet.
The parks generally are okay...We are in Camp Verde and it's probably one of the better ones (minus the food...)

[JerJan10]

I had not read the information on Thousand Trails until today and it sounded like a good idea for us but then I read the reviews: http://thousand-trails-rv.pissedconsumer.com/
There are other review sites with the same complaints.

[ependydad]

It can be a good deal so long as you use it. Like anything else, if you don't use it, it can be a waste of money. We don't full time, but we typically camp 50-100 nights per year. With our TT membership, I keep my nightly rates between $11-17/night.

As mentioned, with the zone pass, there is no long term commitment. It truly is year by year.

See if this article helps you decide:
http://www.learntorv.com/2013/06/is-thousand-trails-right-for-you.html

I also have a variety of other posts on my blog about Thousand Trails. I hope it helps!

[Godfather2u]

We got it free when we purchased our travel trailer in 2013. We renewed because they offered $299.00 for another year plus an extra zone. It's paid for itself within th year of camping for us.

-Gerry

[samsontdog]

My Son had the Zone Pass for one year. He thought it was a good deal but they only used it one time for 7 days/nights. So it really was not as they are both working and did not have time to use. I think it is good as you can walk away after one year. I have been a member for over 34 years and we use it. TT is great for us

[rv2go]

The Zone pass is just for one year. After the 2 for $545 year, the next year if you still want it, will cost the same $545. Opt out after the first year if you want to.
If the Zone(S) are in the areas you want to visit, I think it's a good deal.