It's A New Age of Making Reservations.

**Terry Bush** · 03-31-2021, 11:49 AM

I agree, I tried to book my summer of camping and can't find many places to stay in July and August. Last year I got to visit Yellowstone during the Covid thing and it was awesome. No crowds, lots of empty spaces in the campgrounds. I'll never get to do that again LOL. That being said I live in Utah and we get so many visitors to this state it makes it crazy for us locals to visit any of the local parks. I guess I need to learn to boondock. Sorry I need to rant.

**Fivecodys** · 03-31-2021, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Terry Bush

I agree, I tried to book my summer of camping and can't find many places to stay in July and August. Last year I got to visit Yellowstone during the Covid thing and it was awesome. No crowds, lots of empty spaces in the campgrounds. I'll never get to do that again LOL. That being said I live in Utah and we get so many visitors to this state it makes it crazy for us locals to visit any of the local parks. I guess I need to learn to boondock. Sorry I need to rant.

Well Terry,
We are going to be one of those annoying groups coming to Utah this summer. We tried to make reservations for our group in Wyoming but they are booked solid until September.
Hopefully we can all behave ourselves.

It's almost impossible for us to get in over at the coast. Just too many of us now. Hopefully this will calm down some after the summer break.
Hang in there!

**Oldcow** · 03-31-2021, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Txfivver

This thread is interesting to me and a little worrisome, I guess it depends on where you're trying to stay. I leave next week for a 2 week trip to Disney World and booked 8 nights at Ft Wilderness back in January with no problem at all, thanks Covid! It totally slipped my mind to book 2 nights at KOA's for the trip down. I literally called the KOA in Baton Rouge and the one in Tallahassee about 10 days ago. Got pull thru sites at both for about $50 a night with KOA membership discount. They both said no problem, they would no where near full. Nice! Guess I dodged a bullet and won't have to do the rest area thing.

Let us know how you make out with the new truck.

Oldcow

**Txfivver** · 03-31-2021, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Oldcow

Let us know how you make out with the new truck.

Oldcow

Thank you, I will. I still chuckle every time I see your screen name lol. Unfortunately we've had to move the trip up 30 days due to a family member having appendix removed this week, he is going on the trip. I was able to get everything at Ft Wilderness and Disney moved up 4 weeks so it worked out. FYI for anyone planning a trip there, my 8 nights at Ft Wilderness went down $ 260 bucks total due to May being an off peak time for them instead of April. Even the 2 KOA nights I had booked each way went down 10 bucks a night for same reason. Nice!

**DarthMuffin** · 03-31-2021, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by rmaly76

Interesting. If there are bots buying up all the sites, they would be to benefit of resellers, no? Where is the secondary market? I'm aware of how it happens with a more consolidated reservations system or with physical goods but having a hard time conceptualizing how this would work on NP or SP. Or is it just a KOA/Jellystone/Wallycamping sort of thing? Its all supply and demand. Not opposed to paying extra on a secondary market, nor employing a bot myself if I can arrange. Thankfully, my book as soon as the booking window is open has served me well and we have all of our 8 long weekend trips planned for this year except for the October which window opens in 2 weeks.

There are bots for hire -- you pay them and they try to snag a site for you, or you get a license to run it for your use. Or more technical people can buy scripts or even write their own, and then use it to snag sites for them and all their friends. Have heard from people at Yosemite that it's what they did and pretty much the only way now.

**WhittleBurner** · 04-01-2021, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Txfivver

Thank you, I will. I still chuckle every time I see your screen name lol. Unfortunately we've had to move the trip up 30 days due to a family member having appendix removed this week, he is going on the trip. I was able to get everything at Ft Wilderness and Disney moved up 4 weeks so it worked out. FYI for anyone planning a trip there, my 8 nights at Ft Wilderness went down $ 260 bucks total due to May being an off peak time for them instead of April. Even the 2 KOA nights I had booked each way went down 10 bucks a night for same reason. Nice!

Price decreases in FL are because a big chunk of snowbirds head north on the last few days of March. (never figured out why, April usually has the best weather) Some places in FL discount in May some start the "off season" rate a little later. Enjoy the trip!

**Txfivver** · 04-01-2021, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by WhittleBurner

Price decreases in FL are because a big chunk of snowbirds head north on the last few days of March. (never figured out why, April usually has the best weather) Some places in FL discount in May some start the "off season" rate a little later. Enjoy the trip!

Thanks Marcy, I will!

**Terry Bush** · 04-01-2021, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Fivecodys

Well Terry,
We are going to be one of those annoying groups coming to Utah this summer. We tried to make reservations for our group in Wyoming but they are booked solid until September.
Hopefully we can all behave ourselves.

It's almost impossible for us to get in over at the coast. Just too many of us now. Hopefully this will calm down some after the summer break.
Hang in there!

We do not mind the visitors here in Utah. It is part of the everyday around here. LOL

**traveldawg** · 04-01-2021, 07:08 PM

When I started this thread I was more miffed at having to send an email or leave a voice message just to find out if they had any sites available for the dates I was interested in.

Often I sit down and try to link a string of campground stays based on travel times between places I want to visit. My go-to lately for planning has been a combination of RV Trip Wizard and Campground Reviews. I usually look for highly rated campgrounds. But when those turn into a requirement for an email which, obviously, doesn't work when trying to make plans without delays or waiting days, or when I have to call only to get voice mail because a campground is "too busy" or the "office is closed" it is simply maddening.

Last week I called Sun Resorts (their "corporate line"), left a message and got a call 2 days later! 2 days! In this day of instant networking they take days to call back? Usually I just don't bother when they call or write back as I have found equal accommodations at another campground.

**SGT ROC** · 04-01-2021, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by traveldawg

When I started this thread I was more miffed at having to send an email or leave a voice message just to find out if they had any sites available for the dates I was interested in.

Often I sit down and try to link a string of campground stays based on travel times between places I want to visit. My go-to lately for planning has been a combination of RV Trip Wizard and Campground Reviews. I usually look for highly rated campgrounds. But when those turn into a requirement for an email which, obviously, doesn't work when trying to make plans without delays or waiting days, or when I have to call only to get voice mail because a campground is "too busy" or the "office is closed" it is simply maddening.

Last week I called Sun Resorts (their "corporate line"), left a message and got a call 2 days later! 2 days! In this day of instant networking they take days to call back? Usually I just don't bother when they call or write back as I have found equal accommodations at another campground.

In this age of communication, people communicate less than before. It IS maddening. Sometimes you are given 3 ways of getting a hold of them and NONE of them even work!