Anyone know anything about Thousand trails? Good or bad

[luvmydogs]

We are fultiming for the winter. Do not have any reservations yet as with the way this world is changing day by day, it's making it hard for us to plan much in advance. I've heard a few campers mention Thousand trails but cant quite get what sounds like reliable information on what exactly you are paying for and if you can really make your money back by joining. Someone said you stay free, but can only stay 14 days, then have to leave for 5 and then you can stay in any of there parks again for 14 days free. Free every time you go. Also was told there are always spots kept open for members so you wont be told that a place is booked. So can anyone fill me in on the truth? Good deal, bad deal?

[agesilaus]

KOA does an annual camping survey and this year they did it three times. According to RV Miles vblog only 18% if new campers plan to camp next year. Now a lot of these folks wee tenters, cabin renters and RV renters. So the suspicion is that most of the massive drop off will occur with those folks. Maybe not so much in people who bought an RV. But no one knows.
We did see an extraordinary number of tenters this summer. And what seemed to be a larger number of small Class C's, prime rentals. If their guess is correct those people who bought RV's thinking that they could rent them to make money or at least pay for the RV are going to be hard hit.
Here is the vblog, this conversation starts around 15 minutes but there is a lot mpre info in this episode:RV Miles

[luvmydogs]

Thank you all so much for the info. We have fulltimed now for almost 2 years and this is for the second time. It was a way to sell a house and move but the housing market is out of control so we are staying in the rv for much longer than I wanted. I had started seeing TT and Encore but didnt know what there deal was, I more understand a little better, but its way to hard to keep track and puts even more planning time on us and thats not how we roll. I completely agree this is probably NOT something I can get my money out of or deal with keeping up with, and I cannot stand dumpy campgrounds, which most seem to be anymore.Geeze I wish Rv'ing could go back to the way it used to be before WHE WHOLE WORLD had a dang rv. Getting thru winter and we are done. Thank you all so much. I knew I could get some good advice here.

[wapiticountry]

You can probably draw a lot of information based on how the marketing of Thousand Trails has changed over the years. Originally, it was presented as a series of resorts exclusively for members who paid a significant amount of money to join. Now, it is marketed as a cheap way to stay for very active RVers. The parks are now selling sites for permanent stays. With such a large resale inventory, there are fewer sales of the profitable new memberships. This means there is less and less money flowing into the system which leads to less and less upgrading and upkeep. I sure wouldn't be making a long term commitment since I believe their best days are behind them.

[Acampingwewillg]

Calling a campground a "resort" is pretty subjective so in my years as a member, I don't consider TT in general, to fit in that category. Each Preserve or Campground could have a range of amenities and Yes, upkeep can be an issue.

Check out the TT's in your area to see what you think....I'm in So Calif, and there are Preserves here that I Love, ones I could go to every year. Like many, when I do go, I like to stay a full three weeks then mosey to the next location for another three week stay and so on.
The longest trip I've taken was about 3 months, that's 3 months of mostly full book up sites at no additional cost. Whether you buy retail or resale, there is an upfront cost plus 500.00+ per year as dues. You can do the math on my 3 month trip, 90 days at let's say 30 bucks a night.....2700.00 dollars.

Oregon and Washington, just north for me, has some beautiful properties as does Texas( I've been to those) and would return.

Once again, your expectations will guide you in determining TT worth.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

TT does NOT work for a lot of people. It is a different animal to normal camping.

1) DO NOT LOOK FOR A RESALE MEMBERSHIP AT YOUR STAGE OF INTEREST.

You do not understand the system, the parks, how they work, how the booking system works, etc. TT has dozens of different plans, types of membership. You do not want to get locked into something which turns out to be less than other folks have, paying more than them.

I strongly recommend a visit to a TT park to look around, not camping yet. Preferably two or three parks. Look at the restrooms, the common use facilities, etc. With COVID restrictions, it is challenging, but look also for sites marked out of service, permanent sites with long term residents. Are those sites kept clean? Even such things as are the signs clearly painted or aged beyond being able to read, grass mowed, landscaping kept up, etc.

Then if you are still interested I recommend a 3 day weekend stay at a park (preserve or resort are names they use, but it is really just a mid-level RV park). The stay will be a bit expensive, but a bit of extra expense for 3 days and deciding it is not for you is a whole lot better than spending a few thousand and deciding it is not for you.

If you like that, but a ONE YEAR Zone Pass for the region where you plan to visit. Don't let them hook you with and easy payment plan and a three year commitment to buy a Zone Pass every year. Then see if using the system works well with your plans. USE the system. Frankly anyone not planning to be in TT parks at least 45-60 days per year is wasting their money in my opinion.

With TT it is always easy to upgrade to a higher level plan. Extremely difficult to downgrade, or to cancel out in the first few years of a plan.

We are happy full-timers for 7 years, TT for 4 years.

Frankly TT is cheaper for us because my son and daughter and 4 grandchildren live in the Dallas area. DW son and 3 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren live in Orlando/ Fort Lauderdale. DW daughter and 2 grandchildren and 1 gread grandchild live near Portland OR. The other granddaughter who lives with her mother is near Phoenix.

ALL of those locations are relatively close to TT campgrounds and associated Encore Trails Connection Parks.

[Old-Biscuit]

luvmydogs wrote:
Okay so how do I buy "resale"? Sorry I dont know enough to understand your post biscuit. I would only get for the southeast, not for the whole country. What is a resale membership?

And acampingwewillgo, did you find most of the campgrounds not "resort" like?I had the impression TT was really nice places, but dont really know.

RESALE....you purchase an existing members 'membership' via a RESALE Outlet. Pennies on the dollar for full membership
**Always check for ANY restriction/exclusions

RV Park Store RESALE

CG Membership RESALE


TT does have the ZONE PASS in S/W Area

[agesilaus]

luvmydogs wrote:
Okay so how do I buy "resale"? Sorry I dont know enough to understand your post biscuit. I would only get for the southeast, not for the whole country. What is a resale membership?

And acampingwewillgo, did you find most of the campgrounds not "resort" like?I had the impression TT was really nice places, but dont really know.

OK resale is buying someone else's membership in TT. They transfer it to you, there maybe a transfer fee to TT.I have not done it so you need to look at some of the websites. I don't understand your SE question but maybe it's because TT sells memberships in regions of the country. You buy a region where you plan to camp. You can also buy a national membership but I believe that costs a lot more. And don't forget there are annual member charges.

As for the resort question, there have been a lot of complaints that the parks in TT are run down and poorly maintained.

I am happily on the outside of TT not a member so my impressions are not highly informed. You may want to watch this vblog on RV memberships: You Me and the RV

They have a number of other videos on starting fulltiming that you may want to watch. And this vblog explains the TT membership:
RV Odd Couple

[arhayes]

We have been full time for 6 years and looked at TT early on. Besides the constraints on stays, it forces you to feel obligated to go where they’re located to get your money’s worth. We have toured now in all the lower 48 and would have missed a lot if we’d been staying in TT parks. Save you4 money and find RV resorts/parks near where YOU want to go.

[luvmydogs]

Okay so how do I buy "resale"? Sorry I dont know enough to understand your post biscuit. I would only get for the southeast, not for the whole country. What is a resale membership?

And acampingwewillgo, did you find most of the campgrounds not "resort" like?I had the impression TT was really nice places, but dont really know.

[Old-Biscuit]

If you are looking at a FULL Membership
BUY RESALE......DO NOT buy direct at FULL Price

Check out a Zone Membership FIRST
No membership just a one year purchase.
If it doesn't work for you you didn't spend big $$

TT ZONE PASS ---- $599

[Acampingwewillg]

Have been an Elite member for years, I am not a full time RV'er and yet, I love the membership. It's not for everybody and if you go in expecting high end resort, well, good luck with that.

Good info can be had at the Facebook site " Thousand Trails, the good and the bad"!
In a not shell, the Camping pass does limit you to two weeks at one resort than a week out of the TT system...or you can spend four nights and go park to park. Yes, a full membership is costly but I have a 6 month reservation window and I can stay at least three weeks at a location and then go directly to another. All I can say is do your research!

[LadyRVer]

I have had the Zone Pass TT for going on the 3rd year now. I certainly have done good with it. By the end of this year, I will have spent like 70 plus nights for free (after paying for the zone pass.) I do not have the full-blown membership which can be quite costly. With ZP, you can book 60 days in advance, yes, up to 2 weeks IF there is availability. Cannot do 1 week here and 1 week there but can do 6 nights here and 7 nights there. I just booked 11 nights at a park in FL at Christmas. With the ZP, there are only a few parks in most states but if you plan your trip, it works out. You have to be out a week (not 5 days) then can go back in or to another park. So many different plans in the TT packages.

[agesilaus]

There are a few that like thousand trails or at least refuse to admit that they were rooked. And the great majority that understand that it is nothing more than a time share scheme. If you must try it then buy a membership from the very large number of people trying to sell theirs.
1000 trails resale

[Lwiddis]

“Do not have any reservations yet as with the way this world is changing day by day, it's making it hard for us to plan much in advance.”

What is your proposed route-destination-objective? Hard to help without any preferences. Forget about the world day by day, where do you want to go?