WTTCS
freedom , U.S.A.
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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Yes, Queenmom, a lot of people do not realize the pain that families go thru trying to get a site at the last minute or even trying to make plans a week ahead. With kids, they have to come first. That is why I suggest the cost, then determine if you can or want to pay the money for that priviledge. As much as I dislike TT and some of the so called time share memberships, in your case and in cases on the liberal coast, it is a blessing to some to have em.
That really is the problem. Figure out if you want to pay the price and do what is best for you and your family
Good luck and happy camping.
1997 chev crew cab 454, 5 sp. 4.10
2000 Fleetwood Caribou 11.5
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MichDoc
Michigan
Senior Member
Joined: 01/02/2006
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QueenMom wrote:One of the reasons we are looking into this kind of camping is that there isn't much in our area to camp at and what there is, is booked so far in advance you can't get in. I don't know what we are doing 6 to 8 months from now to book a weekend and when we know we have a free weekend it is to late to get a reservation. It is so frustrating to not be able to to plan a month out. I would love to have the selection that Northern California or Oregon, Washington have, but we don't. So we are hoping that this will be the next best thing. To go to the Sierras is to long of a drive for a weekend. Retirement can't come soon enough!!
Is this something where you are guaranteed a spot if you are a member? If not, I'm wondering how membership will help. The membership we had allowed us to make reservations to hold a site, but if others beat us to it, and the campground filled, such as on holiday weekends or the nicest part of the summer, we were just out of luck.
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Padrinog
Chino CA
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Joined: 11/06/2006
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My wife and I bought into Mountain Lakes Resort last year and we love it and use it a lot. We live in Chino so we are close just as your are. Since then I have helped my son get a membership and my sister get one at a lot less cost than what we paid, but like a great steak... You dont mind paying as long as it worth it and it is worth it to us. My cousin and my wifes cousin are looking into buying also. We are both retiring this year and we are very happy with Mountain Lakes because we can still camp with our family that are not retired and have time restrictions. I dont think you will be disappointed if you do. If you need any questions answered, please send me an email
Don
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Firebird81
Anaheim, Ca.
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Joined: 05/22/2006
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Mountain Lakes is an amazing campground and the blueprint for what membership camping SHOULD be. You can find people selling memberships online for as little as $1500. You are allowed to put two of your adult kids on as associate members who can use the park 3 weeks each year. Fishing is only $7 and you don't need a license. All of the resort amenities are free. The campground is beuatiful. They have special events constantly and the entire staff focuses on making your experience as enjoyable as you want. Most mountain lakes members use their memberships enough to make it worth it. Only you know if you would use something like this, but you couldn't have picked a better park to consider. Mountain Lakes is simply put, the best.
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Sooner Schooner
Oklahoma Sooner, but all over USA
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Joined: 05/07/2007
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We have not purchased any memberships, and have enjoyed our travels just fine. We like the freedom and adventure of finding the best park at the best price in the area we are traveling to. Go for it and HAVE FUN!
2006 32' Keystone Everest
2001 Ford F-250 Super Duty 7.3 Power Stroke Diesel
1971 Camaro in storage
Keep A Light On, We're On Our Way
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PattieAM
Maryland
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Joined: 08/03/2005
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I bought a resale membership, and at the time, the transfer fee was $750 (for non-family). Annual dues are around $500. A membership is only good if you use it, so compare the costs (as another mentioned use $32/night as a cost base) of the various plans/memberships.
There are discount camping clubs (ie., Good Sam, Passport America, Happy Camper), which do discount nightly fees, but some have restrictions as to when the discount is applicable. The good part is the cost of membership is about $50/annually and no long term commitments.
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phil crouch
NW Oregon
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Joined: 06/18/2001
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MichDoc wrote:One of the membership pitfalls I've heard about is where you have to pay an exorbitant "transfer fee" to sell the membership, to a point where it isn't financially reasonable to sell, or where the person who buys your membership has greatly reduced usage benefits which keep people from buying from anyone but the corporation itself. At the same time, your yearly maintenance fees keep going up every year. So you can't sell it, and you keep paying more and more per year whether you use it or not. In some instances, you can't even GIVE the already paid for membership back to the company just to get out of the maintenance fee. If the contract wording is confusing, or if they try and confuse you with various "levels" of service, and different fees, it may pay to hire an attorney to weed through the contract wording so he can tell you what you really getting, and for how much.
Quote.. "Greatly reduced usage benefits"???? Don't know what you mean by that..
We bought a RESALE and we can use it just like the first time buyers do.. Our annual fees are the same, we can stay just as long as they can and we get full hookups just like they do...
We can sell it or give it away, or just turn it back when we are done using it..
The only thing the First time buyer has over me, is that they paid a higher rate when they bought in...
My Resale cost me $800 and INCLUDED the TRANSFER fees...
Bye the way, there are far more TRANSFERS of Campground Memberships every year than New Memberships sold, at least in my home park...
My annual fees have stayed the same for the last few years even when other RV parks are raising their daily fees to use their parks...
Yep, they have gone up and down over the years from $180 to $260.. but for the past few years, they have been $240...
The PROBLEM with most contracts, is that some people don't take the time to read/understand them... If one doesn't like wording in a Contract, Change it, or just don't sign it..
I have owned two Campground Memberships over the years, both were written in ENGLISH and was NO harder to understand than any other contracts that I have signed when purchasing something.... Never had a Lawyer look over anything that I have purchased so far in my life, even the 6 or so homes we have bought over the years....
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forte88
Hemet, CA
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Joined: 08/17/2004
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If your shopping, you might want to take a look at Silent Valley which is just a few miles up the mountain from Banning. We have enjoyed our membership, and you can find a lot of free ones out there on Craig's list. Most people give them away with only transfer fees of $400.00. I've even seen a few where some are willing to pay the transfer fee. Currently, annual dues are $600.00 for 120 nights. Dues have gone up pretty significantly in the past couple years because of the economy and expenses, so a lot of people are jumping ship which opens up some bargain resales. SV will want to try and sell you a new one which will get you involved in Resorts of Distinction membership which will allow you into other parks, but you will pay upwards of 3k for a new membership. Try the 3 nights free offer there and see if you like it. E-mail me if you have any questions.
2006 Keystone Challenger 32tkb
2001 Silverado 2500HD Vortec 8.1 ltr Allison Tranny
4.10 Mag Hytech diff
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Jambo31
IESoCal
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Joined: 05/17/2006
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Wow, this is an old post, thought I'd bring it back to life...
Queenmom, did you guys ever buy into Mountain Lakes in Lytle Creek? We'll be touring in the future, as we live 10 miles down Sierra! It's practically in our backyard!!!
While we still love Vail Lake Resort in Temecula, it's getting so expensive since they changed management....
2000 Jamboree 31W
2003 Glastron SX 175
1 Wife
3 Daughters
1 Dachshund
1 Yorkie-Poo
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bojumill
central AZ
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Joined: 07/29/2005
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We also love Mountain Lakes @ Lytle Creek we spend many weeks there every year thru ROD
we spend most every winter in So Cal ( inland empire ), but this we thought we would spend the holidays at home.
but last night it got down to about 25 ,we was thinking what the temp. would be in So. Cal.as we turned up the heat
Bob & Judy
Bob & Judy Miller
Pam the Watch Cat
1986 Pace Arrow
2004 Ford Taurus Station Wagon
Tow Master Tow Dolly elec brakes
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