Question re: "RV Camping Resort" time-shares at Lake Havasu?

[RimCountry]

We got a phone call the other day from an outfit called Colorado River Adventures telling us that we had won a bunch of stuff... $100 gas certificate, a 10" android tablet and 20 free nights camping... all we need to do is sit through an "exciting" 90-minute presentation on their two members-only campgrounds, one on the Colorado River just below Parker Dam (Emerald Cove Resort), and the other just up the highway on the lake (Havasu Springs Resort).

Now, we've done these time-share things before, mostly for condos and destination resorts, so we're going into this with eyes wide open... we've perfected that glazed-over "we're watching the clock and we ain't buyin' nothin'" look, so that's not a problem. I'm more interested in any actual camping experiences that anyone may have had at either of these locations.

The brochures they send sure make the places look nice, and the cover letter goes on about modern, convenient amenities and friendly staff and all, and the websites, although a little sparse on the photography, are done fairly well. What's got us most interested in putting ourselves through all of this modern, convenient and friendly excitement is the 20 days free camping that they say we've won, and we can use them at whichever of the two resorts we choose, and take a full calendar year to use them.

So, we'd just be interested in finding out if anyone knows whether or not these places are nice enough to be worth the trouble. Oh, and there's another thing... I didn't see any photos of pop-ups in their promotional material (it does say "no tents"), just rows and rows of $400K rigs with $40K SUVs parked nearby. When we called the sales office and asked about pop-ups, she didn't seem to know the term. For this or any other reason, does anyone think we should avoid these places and just stay with any one of the great state parks in the area...?

[RimCountry]

LOL! Thanks, everyone... Suzy & I have no intention whatsoever of buying into the membership... we're just going for the free stuff. The part that I'm most interested in is the 20 days free camping that they give you just for showing up, and you have a year to use them. We live full-time in Strawberry (Central Arizona) and have friends over in SoCal, so the location is perfect for a mid-way overnight on these trips.

Frankly, I doesn't bother me a bit what some guy in a bus that costs more than my house thinks about me or my 16-year old pop-up... if I cared any less, I'd be caring backwards! Anyway, my idea of camping doesn't have anything to do with a leather couch or satellite TV.

I was mostly hoping that someone might have some first-hand knowledge of either of these places, just so we know whether or not they're even worth the trouble. The $100 gas certificate will more than cover the cost of the trip over and back, and we can always use another Android device... it's really the free camping with hook-ups that's got my attention. We've never camped anywhere except at large, in undeveloped areas, and it just seems like it would be kinda neat on these trips out to the coast and back to have a place we could could just wheel into - for FREE - and not have to worry about hauling water or firing up the generator, at least for that one night and the following morning.

I'm guessing that unless someone tells me that the place is on an active earthquake fault line, or that there's been a recent sighting of a wanted axe murderer in the area, we'll probably just go ahead and sit through the presentation, watching the clock and thinking of as many ways as possible to say "No" in one word or less, then grab the freebies and split. I'll come back here to the forum with an update when we're back home, probably around November 8th... or maybe even earlier if that Android device actually works!

[Cobra21]

I sat through one of these once too. Very High pressure. Put on a track suit
and some good running shoes, and run like you've never run before!

Brian

[DutchmenSport]

I hope you run from this and don't even bother going. More than likely, they'll take your membership money and then when you actually go there to camp, they'll turn you away because you have a "tent"..... run! Why let temptation even knock at your door! Spend the time somewhere you know you'll enjoy and have a fantastic week-end, (or whatever).

[guidry]

Look online and you can buy these same memberships from people who sat through that "exciting 90 minute presentation" for a fraction of what they or you would pay. I've looked and sat through one once. We didn't like the buy now pressure and when we said we would like a day to think about the offer, they said we had to buy now. I later saw offers to sell online. If you Google search campground membership reviews you will get a good idea of what others have found. Good luck

[tatest]

They don't know what kind of RV you have, you were just on some call list they bought. I suspect for your 20 free nights you might have to bring something bigger than your PUP, if they are calling themselves a RV resort.

I do know, however, of at least one "RV Resort" in my area that does allow PUPs, although it does not allow camping in tents (or camping without a tent).

[mayo30]

They must have gotten tired of fishing in the river an are trying on land.Even if you could park a pop up there after buying your neighbor in his expensive non popup may not be to happy.