No Seniors Rv Park (55 And Under Only) Options

[Galli]

Interesting topic! A lot of 55+ resorts and those who aren't but operate as if they are will tell you that you better put a deposit and get booked because they fill up during the winter and you will be out of luck. L.O.L. There might still be some that do actually fill up but there are far more that haven't been over the past couple years. As this recession/ depression or what ever you want to call it drags on I see more and more seniors cutting their stays shorter and as fuel prices rise more head back home sooner. If this continues I don't see how it can be good for those who have hung their hats on the 55+ crowd. Perhaps that is why some are giving to tolerating families for no more than 14 days etc. I have seen more and more families home schooling and traveling with their kids. It will be interesting to see if these hard times continue on for a few years how many of these 55+ resorts will humble themselves and reach out to the younger travelers or choose the other option which will be closing their doors.

Interesting your point of view but, as you mention it depends of the place that you are planning to go, I shall give you an example, it is my 7th. Winter in Florida in a Specific campground and yes I agree with you, there are available spaces during winter but, if you want a specific place, you have to book it in advance.
I have a fishing boat and in order to keep it in the water without having to take it in and out every times I use it, I have to have a lot that confines with the water; I know that there are other persons that are using the public hygienic facilities and if the place available is on the other site of the resort…. , however, if you wait till last minute, you might have a choice to decide in a minute notice while booking in advance you may not be satisfied to having chosen that place.

[togators]

I have been reading this tread because I am in my mid 30's with a child and I enjoy seeing both opinions on this matter (and a few that are in the middle). The last entry mentioned that you must reserve in advance in order to get a specific spot. We are regressing from the original topic but I do have a view on that. Each park should have a limit on how much in advance you can make a reservation and how long you can stay on that specific spot. I realize some rv parks do but recently, especially with bad ecomomy, most don't. The same rigs are in the same spot year after year. I understand that you develop a community while in Florida, but what about the working guy that only has the weekend off that wants to have his boat behind his rig. I am willing to book in advance, and pay a premium but the same people renew the same spots usually before they go home for the summer. We never have the opportunity to make that reservation. I do not know the answer to this problem (maybe allow reservation only 6 month in advance, which I know some do). Sorry for the lenght but as you can see, It gets frustrating trying to rv during the winter for me.

[dalsgal]

Most likely those campgrounds that allow people to reserve the same spot each year just want that spot rented. It is better to know that you have a certain spot rented for the season than to leave it open just in case someone comes along and might want it for a week end or even a week. They see the reservation as money in their pocket and an open site as "maybe" money.

[Galli]

Most likely those campgrounds that allow people to reserve the same spot each year just want that spot rented. It is better to know that you have a certain spot rented for the season than to leave it open just in case someone comes along and might want it for a week end or even a week. They see the reservation as money in their pocket and an open site as "maybe" money.

Unfortunately it is always the money talking, it is not fair but, booking in advance it mean for the full season, winter season which means at least 3 to 4 months and the camp administration will give the priority to those people than the week enders.
I am paying $ 2,700 for 4 months and I insist to have a specific spot, if not granted, they are going to loose me.
I know that it is not fair but we are living in a capitalistic environment and more they are earning more privileges are given.
Don’t feel too bad, if we have this privileges is because we have time in our hand and if we do have time it means that we are old and been old , according to logic we will die first he, he, he.

[kcmoedoe]

I have been reading this tread because I am in my mid 30's with a child and I enjoy seeing both opinions on this matter (and a few that are in the middle). The last entry mentioned that you must reserve in advance in order to get a specific spot. We are regressing from the original topic but I do have a view on that. Each park should have a limit on how much in advance you can make a reservation and how long you can stay on that specific spot. I realize some rv parks do but recently, especially with bad ecomomy, most don't. The same rigs are in the same spot year after year. I understand that you develop a community while in Florida, but what about the working guy that only has the weekend off that wants to have his boat behind his rig. I am willing to book in advance, and pay a premium but the same people renew the same spots usually before they go home for the summer. We never have the opportunity to make that reservation. I do not know the answer to this problem (maybe allow reservation only 6 month in advance, which I know some do). Sorry for the lenght but as you can see, It gets frustrating trying to rv during the winter for me.

To an RV park, a site is nothing but a piece of inventory. Same as a loaf of bread at Walmart. If someone is willing to buy that site, they sell it. They would be foolish to turn down a sale and hope that someone else will come and buy it at a later date. You go to the RV park to enjoy and have a good time. They open to make money. It is just a different perspective. You would be happier with a better site and if the park loses a few days of rental on that site, you would be fine. The park would be happier to not lose those days of rental even if they lose you as a customer.

[joez]

I have been reading this tread because I am in my mid 30's with a child and I enjoy seeing both opinions on this matter (and a few that are in the middle). The last entry mentioned that you must reserve in advance in order to get a specific spot. We are regressing from the original topic but I do have a view on that. Each park should have a limit on how much in advance you can make a reservation and how long you can stay on that specific spot. I realize some rv parks do but recently, especially with bad ecomomy, most don't. The same rigs are in the same spot year after year. I understand that you develop a community while in Florida, but what about the working guy that only has the weekend off that wants to have his boat behind his rig. I am willing to book in advance, and pay a premium but the same people renew the same spots usually before they go home for the summer. We never have the opportunity to make that reservation. I do not know the answer to this problem (maybe allow reservation only 6 month in advance, which I know some do). Sorry for the lenght but as you can see, It gets frustrating trying to rv during the winter for me.

We winter in FL at our stick and brick. If we want a weekend outing with the motorhome we have to go to north FL, AL, or MS. Snowbirds will reserve and stay in all of the warm weather good locations. There are some walk ups at FL state parks, but we are not really hope for a spot people so we have some of the same issues you do. In the summer we visit grandkids who live in short camping season areas. There, a lot of parks have gone to marketing themselves as seasonal parks. With fuel costs rising, seasonal spots have become very popular in those areas. We just had an rv park call and cancel our reservations for the month of July (made last fall) as they have decided to rent only to seasonals. Seasonals and snowbirds with yearly reservations are a way for a business to guarantee cash flow. They depend on cash flow to pay their expenses and feed their families. It would not make sense to expect a campground to turn this income away just to satisfy transients. Even though expensive, we are thinking we may have to pay for a whole season at two different campgrounds in two different states if we want to visit the grandkids for more than a couple days at a time.

[Alessandro]

This year we spent 2 nights at the RV resort of Ruby's Inn at Bryce. Then on the first afternoon 2 huge coaches arrived, loaded with teenagers and some adults of course. They set up camp just 200 yards away from us. They had a lot of fun setting up the tents. Then it became dark and they all had lights and again: fun, fun, fun! When people have fun, it is mostly nice to look at. Then it was about 10.00 p.m. and they all turned quiet! Hardly a sound! In the morning they broke up again, not disturbing anyone.

Kids are not always a pain in the ***. One yelling kid can be more a nuisance than 20 nice ones.

[TXBobcat]

Also there is the point that some people will come in with not only their children but a number of their friends making it a free for all. You have seen it when two or three family's come in togeather and stay in one site. It strains the facilities and the others around them.

We have just arrived at one campground that advertises a fee for a couple and one for a family. That to me is reasonable.

FWIW
BC

[Galli]

Also there is the point that some people will come in with not only their children but a number of their friends making it a free for all. You have seen it when two or three family's come in togeather and stay in one site. It strains the facilities and the others around them.

We have just arrived at one campground that advertises a fee for a couple and one for a family. That to me is reasonable.

FWIW
BC

Hi TXBOBCAT, fortunately where I am going every Winter, the administration is quite efficient , they don't mind if you have a visitor or two by one or two nights but when the place is becoming a small village, they break it up. As a matter of fact, upon assigning the place an ID tag is being issued to put on the car and every car without ID is going to be questioned .
I am not resenting the happy people thatt enjoy their vacations, but after midnight I hate to have noisy drank people around vomiting … etc .

[7ramblingkids]

We too run into some of the same problems with our tribe - 7 kids, and 2 dogs and we always laugh and say, "there's always Walmart".

I like to think our kids are well behaved but I think that depends on the people they are around.

We have found that boon docking suits us best, and it is much easier on the budget. We stayed in an over 50 campground once, where my parents stay (my mom vouched for us), and we all had a great time. My parents friends had a wonderful time with our kids and our kids left there with a very full love bucket but our money bucket was a lot less full because they charged extra for every person over the initial 2 people.

I understand the over 55 parks and respect that, but I do think it would be nice if a couple of them had a separate area that was family friendly. I know the feeling of being tired and just wanting to find a decent place to pull in for the night.

[Denali]

...
I understand the over 55 parks and respect that, but I do think it would be nice if a couple of them had a separate area that was family friendly. I know the feeling of being tired and just wanting to find a decent place to pull in for the night.

I think the 55+ parks would run in to legal problems if they routinely rented sites to younger campers.

The 55+ designation is part of the Housing for Older Persons Act. If a park allows younger renters, they could lose their HOPA designation.

While it appears to this non-attorney that these geezer parks could have up to 20% of their residents in households without a member 55 or over, it's foolish for us amateurs to try to interpret the law.