J-Rooster
Port Orchard, Wa. / Lake Havasu City, Az.
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Joined: 11/14/2004
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jswickard wrote:On a recent two-month trip, it seemed that more campgrounds are tacking on extra charges than I remember from the past. Listings in the Trailer Life directory show many places with extra charges for Wi-Fi, pay showers, and charges for cable. One Ontario 10/10/10 campground not only had pay Wi-Fi and showers, but they charged an additional $7 fee just to make a phone reservation. Some of the Wi-Fi adders have been in the range of $4-$6 a night (which I decline; I can go to the local library or Mickey D’s). A highly rated costal North Carolina campground had a huge base rate for the campsite, and then added an unexplained $3 “resort fee!”
Is this a wave of the future? Will we someday face electric meters, pay toilets, and level site surcharges? With quality campground fees often in the $40 range, I find the approach of extra fees objectionable. How can we as RVers fight the trend of campgrounds trying to “nickel and dime” us to bolster their bottom line? I liked your post Jim! John
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gonesouth
Tatamagouche, NS
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Joined: 02/16/2005
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Fulltimers wrote:I have my own Internet, satellite TV, ect. I decline all the addons. We just took the Grandson for the summer and a lot wanted to charge extra for him. I am the only one that goes in to check in so I just didn’t tell them he was with us. I just don’t see where my grandson is going to cost then extra money.
And people say the customers don't LIE to you!
Looking for Free Wifi I noticed SSID " HRM_Police_Surveillance_Van_#2" Think it's safe to connect?
fulltime 6 months/year FMCA 368297
98 Beaver Marquis, one slide, CAT425HP, 2 stg Jake, Allison MD4060, Aquahot, 10KwOnan, 3Kw Xantrex, HWH Air Levelling
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gonesouth
Tatamagouche, NS
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dieharder wrote:Personally, if you want it, pay for it.
The only way you get free cable, or free wi-fi, is if the prices are raised for everyone, so everyone absorbes the additional cost. I think it's unfair for those who do not want it, or will not use it, to have to pay for that stuff. If I want cable, I'll pay for it. If I want wi-fi, I'll pay for it.
Lovely idea, but in my case I pay $1.28 per month per cable connection. If I had a park I'd have to have certain rows with cable, and others without to save anything by not providing it and not charging. You can set up a park on wifi for about $5-10 per site plus about $60 per month for the connection. If the owner of a 200 site park recovers his investment in the first year he needs to get about $1.00 a month more per site. But it's like the roads, the owner is committed to paying no matter how the year turns out. So, if I charge you $2.50 a night for wifi and cable, you call me a profiteer and reserve the right to come in and yell at me over it, and if I roll it into the rate, you go somewhere you can buy the wifi and cable each for $5 per night but the daily rate is lower.
Must be wonderful to own a park!
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SRT
Head of the Lakes, MN
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Joined: 02/18/2001
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Seems to me the Ala Carte method would be the least expensive for the consumer. You pay a basic rate for the site (30 amp electrical, water, maybe sewer). Extra cost items would be 50amp electrical, cable/WiFi, pool (would have a card for access), etc. You pay for what you want - your stay at the RV park would cost you for the services you want. The owners are not in business to give away services. Remember, in some places using services without paying the required fee is considered as stealing and you could be fined/jailed.
Remember the owner has to pay employee wages and taxes (yup, the owner also pays a tax to match the employee SS tax). Plus the "bed" tax, property tax, use tax, tax this, tax that.....etc.. And, of course, the owner wants a pay check too...
SRT
2000 32' HR Vacationer with Banks
1998 Subaru Outback Ltd. 5 spd
Brake Buddy & Blue Ox Aventa II tow bar
FMCA #266040 HRRVC #84109
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gonesouth
Tatamagouche, NS
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SRT wrote:Seems to me the Ala Carte method would be the least expensive for the consumer. You pay a basic rate for the site (30 amp electrical, water, maybe sewer). Extra cost items would be 50amp electrical, cable/WiFi, pool (would have a card for access), etc. You pay for what you want - your stay at the RV park would cost you for the services you want. The owners are not in business to give away services. Remember, in some places using services without paying the required fee is considered as stealing and you could be fined/jailed.
Remember the owner has to pay employee wages and taxes (yup, the owner also pays a tax to match the employee SS tax). Plus the "bed" tax, property tax, use tax, tax this, tax that.....etc.. And, of course, the owner wants a pay check too...
If you're going base plus options, other items I'd make optional with card access or coin slots would be washrooms, showers, laundry, dog walk, dumping station, rec hall, shuffleboard, ...............
And remember, besides a pay check, the owner should get a better return than you get on your investments.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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who charges double for 50 vs 30 amp? I have never run across that much of an increase. and I think it is wonderful that somebody who knows the other side of the fence can come in here and enlighten the so called "experts" who seem to have or at least claim to know the rv park business.
bumpy
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gonesouth
Tatamagouche, NS
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Bumpyroad wrote:who charges double for 50 vs 30 amp? bumpy
I'm not sure that double is unreasonable for 50 amp. It depends a lot on what you're doubling. As was shown earlier a 50 amp connection provides four times as much power as a 30 amp. If you are running A/C and electric hot water my experience in the motel business is that the consumption cost on the power bill is probably about $18 per day...and then throw something in to cover the demand charges and something for the huge investment in wiring....$25 per night is probably fair for 50 amp if the owner is just breaking even on the extra and not using it as a profit center. i.e. he makes the same on a 50 amp site as a 30 amp site.
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Phillerup
Usually Travelin' the USA
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Joined: 10/15/2002
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Just tell me up front when I call for a reservation or if you buy an ad in Trailer Life or something - put it in the ad. Don't make me drag it out of you or tell me when I am checking in AFTER I have driven to where you are. Be honest and up front and there would not be a problem. Don't try to be sneaky and honestly charge what you want to.
2003 Newmar DSDP 4005 dual slide king bed Spartan 350 Cummins 2004 Jeep Liberty 4X4 tow, SeaEagle boat in basement
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jwmII
out west
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Joined: 05/12/2003
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It's not the wave of the future. It is here now. The addition of extra charges everywhere has been here for a long time. Look at auto repair places for example.Frequently the fee collectors don't even know what they are charging for,such as a 3 dollar resort fee. It's all bogus and just a variety of ways to get more money. Let's all stay out of these places and when they present charges we don't like or they can't adequately explain let's all get on the same frequency and leave.
jwmII
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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I guess nobody here has ever had a car worked on and had "shop rags, etc." added to the bill. Or bought a new car and had, "administrative fee" tacked on??? the one that frosts me is adding in the "advertising" cost, and it surprises me that Consumer Reports thinks that is all right.
bumpy
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