Thousand Trails

[msmith1199]

Been RVing for a long time but coming up on retirement (I'm already retired, but wife will retire at the end of the year) and looking to get out in the motorhome a lot more. Probably won't full time, but we'll go out for a few months at a time. So I started looking at Thousand Trails. I did a search and there are a few posts on here but not a lot. I read a really good article written by a couple on a RV blog that explained a lot. So I started looking for memberships on the resale market and prices are all over the place. I do have some specific questions.

Different memberships have all kinds of different benefit levels. I'd like to get one with the 21 day stay and no break in between. How important is the "reservation window" option? I see it appears to vary from 90 days out to 210 days out. I know the zone pass they sell is limited to 60 days out so all the real membership owners can beat out the zone holders, but is there any real issue in getting reservations? I haven't seen any on line complaints about making reservations at the parks. Obviously I'd like to have the 210 day option, but I don't know if that would be a deal breaker or not over a 120 option. And isn't there a limit to the number of reservations you can make? For example, say I wanted to spend an entire winter in Florida, could I make five 21 day reservations at five different parks all 120 days or 210 days out?

I think I saw where you may be limited to only two reservations at a time. So you could reserve two three week stays, but couldn't go loner until you are done with the first stay?? Is that correct?

Let me see the response I get to this and I may have more questions.

[msmith1199]

I got the original contract today. On the 10 encore parks it does say it expires at the end of the five years, but the language in the contract gives me some hope that I may get to keep it as it talks about it goes month to month with them having the right to cancel it after that five years. So I guess I just have to wait three more years and see what they do.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

I know it can be frustrating to figure out, but will become clearer as you start to use the various systems.

With your TT membership you get 20% off the normal rate at any Encore Park anytime. You need to make that reservation thru the Encore website/ reservations phone #. (Your included in your contract named Encore parks reservations are made thru the TT reservations system.)

RPI reservations need to be made thru the RPI reservations system.

I've also stayed at an Encore park with a Passport America discount on a reservation made with a phone call to the individual park.

My understanding of the 5 year deal is that Encore reserves the right to take a park out of the TT system after 5 years. That it is not an individual contract restriction. Might be wrong about that.

[msmith1199]

I'm finally getting this TT membership all sorted out and seeing some things that weren't completely disclosed during the sale. For example, I was told my membership included 10 Encore Parks that could be used the exact same as the TT parks. And that is true, it does include those 10, but what I wasn't told is those 10 parks are only included for 5 years from the original upgrade of the membership, which was 2 years ago. So I only have three years left of using those 10 parks. I wish I had been told that, but even if I was told it would not have been a deal breaker so I'm not that mad about it. I already have my first reservation for 1 week in one of those Encore Parks at South Lake Tahoe with a cost of $0 for the week.

I am also still trying to figure out the Encore Park rule. The Encore parks in California are in much better spots than the TT parks, and some of the Encore Parks have normal camping rates of over $100 a night. I talked to the rep at TT today and they say my RPI membership paperwork is en-route and it would explain more about using the Encore parks. So I still don't know if I'm just looking at a 10% to 15% discount, or if once I get that membership if I can do the $10 to $24 per night deal. I don't mind at all paying the $24 a night for some of those parks. There is a nice park in Pacific that has campsites right at the top of a cliff overlooking the Pacific. There is also a nice Encore Park in Oceano right on the beach. None of the TT parks are on the beach.

[msmith1199]

I see now in the fine print (actually it was in an email) that Encore parks just offer a "discount" versus the $15 rate.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

That is a question you have to ask TT member services about the specific contract you are buying.

Most Encore parks not included in your contract are 20% off the standard rate, + a $4 or $5 per day resort fee for stays of less than 30 days.

Some newer contracts offer $10 or $15 nightly rates at almost all Encore parks.

The TT magazine usually offers some great rate specials at certain Encore parks for weekly or monthly stays during the off-season/ shoulder seasons.

[msmith1199]

I'm in the waiting phase now while Kimberly at Campground Membership Outlets does the paperwork. So I have one question while I wait. In looking through the parks I see lots of Encore Parks that I really want to stay at. The membership I bought has 10 encore parks included in the free use and one of those is at Lake Tahoe which is great, but the others are all over. With the Elite membership, what does it normally cost to stay in other Encore Parks? Do they all fall under the $10 or $15 a night rule? Some of these parks would be up to $100 a night where they are so I have no problem paying $15.

[msmith1199]

Well I bought a VIP Elite with the 81 park deal plus 10 Encore parks that have the same unlimited use as the TT parks with the 120 day reservation window. It also has some other features because the current owner had recently upgraded it.

[msmith1199]

chiefneon wrote:
Howdy!

This Thousand Trails membership was on the Escapees site today.

Thousand Trails Platimum membership

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

That looks like a good deal with the exception of the reservation window. It says only 90 days out. I know some of the parks I'm going to want to stay at are going to be high demand parks so I want at least the 120 day reservation window. That means you can beat out all the 90 day people.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

This Thousand Trails membership was on the Escapees site today.

Thousand Trails Platimum membership

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Depends upon the campground.

Generally you just have to drive around and look for open sites. The 'ranger' when you check-in can give you an idea where open sites might be. Often on Friday there will be two or three folks driving around looking for a site at certain times.

As far as leaving for the day with a small rig - you get a piece of paper when you check-in which has your departurer date in big numbers. It goes either on a window of the camper so that it is visible from the road, or clipped to the power pedestal. If you see one of those on a power pedestal, you don't camp there.

The other thing is you look for 'Personal Site' signs (or Annual Site) so you know those sites are not available to use. If you see an empty site with a brick patio, a small storage shed, etc. - that is obviously a site that is rented for the season and not available.

At some campgrounds, if you see an electric meter on the site - it is not availalbe for use except by the person paying for the electricity.

At one CG north of Dallas, you look for a 50Amp site with a padlock on the electrical connection. Since they charge $3 per day extra for 50Amp - a padlocked pedestal is available. One without a padlock is rented.

It is easier than it sounds to find a site, just you will almost always see a great site you would like to have, but can't.

[joanne0012]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
... When you make a reservation you do not get a site assigned. When you arrive at a campground (with one or two exceptions) - you get told - drive around and choose your site. ...

When you arrive, are you able to find out which specific sites are available so you can check the specific sites, or do you have to literally drive around and find one? If you have to just find one, how can you be sure that a site is vacant, vs occupied by a Class B that's just out for the day? If you're one of those B's, how can you be sure nobody will take your site (by accident of course)?

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Encore Resort questions can be tricky. Specifics can be hard to come by.

You might want to talk to a TT salesman or I would recommend contacting Chad or Kimberly at CampgroundMembershipOutlet.com. We did our purchase through them and were very pleased with the process.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Someone above mentioned RPI

Resort Parks International (RPI), Coast to Coast and Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR) are reciprocal programs that offer $9 or $10 per night camping at affiliated resorts. You have to be a member of a home resort. In some of the programs that can be almost nothing, in others it can be thousands of dollars per year. The advertised cheap camping sites at other resorts are limited. The affiliated resorts are for their own members first, and only left over sites are available for traveling folks.

They can be a good value / addon to a TT membership (RPI) but a person should investigate the individual program and how it might help their own usage/ travels before considering the additional costs.

Affiliated resorts/ campgrounds:

AOR - 140+
C2C - 400+
RPI - 285+

Every person's needs/ desires is different. TT/ Encore/ RPI are all valid and valuable options for many people. And not for others.

[msmith1199]

Thanks for all the info, it is helpful. The biggest problem is there are just so many variables it's hard to figure them all out. We plan on traveling all over the Country but most of my use will probably be in California. There are several "Encore" parks in California that I would really like to be able to use under the TT rules. South Lake Tahoe, Pacifica, and Santa Cruz just to name three. What would I have to do to get those RV parks included? I may even buy direct from TT if I could get those parks included.

Edit: And Oceano! If I had those four parks on the 21 day stay rule I may full time and just travel between the four of them! And I'd pay good money for the membership even if I had to buy from TT.