Wall Mart Rules?

[Imbriaco]

Hi all! We’re not new to the RV scene but we are new to a ‘08 Montana 34RL and will be embarking on a full time RV life beginning in Sept. I need someone to settle a disagreement I have with my wife.

If you’re using a wall mart parking lot, is there a time limit, do you or can you d/c the truck from the trailer to check things out, and do you typically open all slides while parked there?

Thanks in advance for responses; this will be the 1st of many queries I have as awe prep for our next adventure.

[Old-Biscuit]

SidecarFlip wrote:

old guy wrote:
One night was all I wanted in wal mart. some nut kept driving around the parking lot with his load muffler and car

There seems to always be some altercation going on at our local Walmart. My wife calls it 'punch out at Wally World'. goes on weekly. Not sure if it's drug related or what but certainly not a good place to set up shop at.

Local Walmart got so bad had to escort her In/Out when she went there.
I do NOT enjoy having to provide 'security'

Cops ended up in a shoot out with a vagabond family that had set up in parking lot, panhandling/intimidating/threatening folks.
One of the low-lifes was shot and killed

Town council immediately passed a 'No parking/Loitering Ordinance'
With it cops then had a 'legal tool' to move folks along
Seemed like overnight the whole atmosphere in area changed.
Love it!!

No more 'stealth camping' and cops are proactive ----good for shoppers, good for citizens, good for businesses----not so good for scum. YEAH!

[toedtoes]

I think there is a difference between stopping at Walmart to get some sleep before another day of driving and stopping at Walmart for several nights to go sightseeing.

If your plan is to sightsee for several days, then find a campground/RV park.

If cost is an issue, then check out freecampsites.com, etc. There are a lot of legitimate options out there.

While you may get away with doing it, it WILL result in more communities and/or Walmarts banning overnighting in parking lots. Then you lose that option when you really need it.

[ulvik]

In my opinion arrive at night get some rest and leave out in the morning to your next destination. It is a place to get a little rest and not a campground. If people abuse this it will be taken away.

[IB853347201]

I must disagree with the majority of posters to this topic.
Wal-Mart has made it known that they welcome RV'rs to park overnight. (park, not camp) Those locations that do not always have signage posted in the parking lot saying otherwise. Parking at Wal-Mart overnight means park in the outer areass, arrive later, leave early. Slides out is always and option as many MH's are not accesable without the slides out.
In our frequent travels we have regularily stopped at Wal-Mart for an overnight stay. We do select those in safer areas, avoid those in others. We always end up shopping. We always check ahead of time on our "RVParky" app to see if parking is allowed.
We have never had an issue.

[agesilaus]

lee worsdell wrote:
stayed many times ,I do put my slides out only way to get to my bedroom. We do shop their also. I try to find the furthest spot so iam not taking parking spaces up that customers would use.

When we have a 'travel day' where we often drive to after 8 PM and plan to leave first thing next morning, then I see the attraction of Walmart or other RV friendly businesses. A CG has nothing except for a place to park in that situation for us. And getting in late can be a PITA in many CG.

Most Walmarts seem to be located in reasonably safe spots. Of course we aren't going to be found in urban Detroit or East St Louis. The only Walmart that I saw that looked potentially unsafe was one in Homestead FL where the store had a prominent supply of off duty cops doing guard duty.

[valhalla360]

If you just need a place to crash for the night before moving on in the morning, that is the intent.

People do abuse it. We've seen the same RV in the same spot for a week or more.

If you are going to stay in an area for weeks, check out the RV park long term rates. It's often drastically cheaper than the nightly price...

And you won't be ruining it for others when the authorities end parking because people are living in the parking lot and the local citizens don't like it.

[2chiefsRus]

We have spent 36 nights at Wal-Marts since we went full time in 2007. If we are traveling from Point A to Point B on our way to Point C, we will typically pull into a WalMart for the night. In my opinion it makes more sense for us to pull into a Walmart to restock our supplies on our way to Point C. We don't have to unhook the toad to drive to a store, we don't disturb the rest of a campground when we pull in later in the evening and then again when we leave early in the morning. Not every situation is the same.

In fact, one of the best stories that our grandsons remember from a three week trip to Yellowstone was spending the night in a WalMart in Montana. It is a cuter story when a 7 year old tells it to his Mom over the phone call back home but it goes something like this -

Everybody got to get whatever they wanted at the deli for dinner and it was only $20! Then we got hiking sticks and new hiking shoes and snacks and flashlights and matching ball caps, and everything! And we got a movie from the Redbox that we can watch in the parking lot. And Mom, we're getting donuts in the morning!

[Wadcutter]

Imbriaco wrote:

B.O. Plenty wrote:
Why not opt for the security and convenience of an RV park? We will never stay in a WalMart lot. They aren't all in good neighborhoods, besides if we park there it's one less spot for the 1/2 million dollar diesel pushers that roll in at noon to spend a couple days there.
B.O.

Totally agree. Just understanding how people use (or avoid) the cheap or free nights stay.

The same type of people who complain there are not enough campgrounds where they want to camp or the campgrounds are not kept up to their liking.
If you don't support the campgrounds when traveling then don't complain when you can't find a campground when they close because they can't make a profit.

[lee_worsdell]

And sidecar flip has nothing to do with price. I drive well into the night to get where iam going. Don't think at midnight a koa would let me in lol. Iam heading to pembrooke maine for a week this Friday after work. So a Walmart will be our choice Friday night.

[lee_worsdell]

stayed many times ,I do put my slides out only way to get to my bedroom. We do shop their also. I try to find the furthest spot so iam not taking parking spaces up that customers would use.

[SidecarFlip]

old guy wrote:
One night was all I wanted in wal mart. some nut kept driving around the parking lot with his load muffler and car

There seems to always be some altercation going on at our local Walmart. My wife calls it 'punch out at Wally World'. goes on weekly. Not sure if it's drug related or what but certainly not a good place to set up shop at.

[SidecarFlip]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
Check in with the manager, do some shopping there and generally be gone the next morning.

Or you could sprout roots and stay a spell, put your feet up...lol

Looks like a typical KOA to me. No trees and plenty of RV's.

That'Coachmen' looks like it has issues.

Never understood the Walmart attraction. Cracker Barrel is much better and a genuine RV park is better yet. My philosophy is, if you are that cheap (you have to stay at Walmart, stay home instead).

[old_guy]

One night was all I wanted in wal mart. some nut kept driving around the parking lot with his load muffler and car

[Old-Biscuit]

Imbriaco wrote:
Hi all! We’re not new to the RV scene but we are new to a ‘08 Montana 34RL and will be embarking on a full time RV life beginning in Sept. I need someone to settle a disagreement I have with my wife.

If you’re using a wall mart parking lot, is there a time limit, do you or can you d/c the truck from the trailer to check things out, and do you typically open all slides while parked there?

Thanks in advance for responses; this will be the 1st of many queries I have as awe prep for our next adventure.

Wally Docking:
1) Each store allows/disallows based on Local Ordinances
2) Time limit....OVERNIGHT
3) Not a CG so one should pull in..inquire with Store Manager as to YES/NO and if OK where to park---out of the way
4) Slides....??? really shouldn't cause it is NOT a CG but IF you have parked along a landscaped area away from flow of traffic then it is sorta OK

5) It is a business that has welcomed RVrs to utilize their parking lot for a overnight stay for the purpose of Sleeping....not sight seeing/adventuring or cheap camping

We Ftd for 7 yrs and NEVER needed to use a 'parking lot'
We traveled weekly..leaving one place around 10AM and parking/setting up by 3PM (CG/Fairground/City Park/State-National Parks/BLM boondocking)
Pretty sure Wally World did not intend on RVrs taking up parking area at 3pm and staying until 10AM before leaving

Use it if you need to catch some ZZZZZZZZZZZsss then move on

[IBcarguy]

Personally, I have never stayed over night at a Walmart parking lot and would only do that if I was on the road and absolutely had no other choice. If I did, it would only be to get some sleep. I'd never disconnect, put out my slides or awning, or grill hamburgers. If I can't afford to pay the fees at a state park or a private RV park, I'd sell my rig and give up the RV life style.