Early check in

[HappyKayakers]

I've heard of places that let you stay past check out for an additional fee. Has anyone heard of campgrounds or RV parks that allow early check in for an extra fee?

Yes, I understand that it's up to the campground and whether the site is available. I'm curious because the campground I'm currently at has large numbers of campers checking in early and disrupting the normal work flow.

[OleManOleCan]

HappyKayakers wrote:
I've heard of places that let you stay past check out for an additional fee. Has anyone heard of campgrounds or RV parks that allow early check in for an extra fee?

Yes, I understand that it's up to the campground and whether the site is available. I'm curious because the campground I'm currently at has large numbers of campers checking in early and disrupting the normal work flow.

I like to arrive early on Tuesday or Wednesdays.
Those seem to be the days with the most vacancies.
Campgrounds will accomodiate you easier in the middle of the week.
No one makes me wait for the traditional check in times during slack times.
I think of it as a Retirement Perk... 🙂

[Veebyes]

As it happens no,we did not know the policy of this CG. We are on a multiple month trip & reservations are seldom made, especially for Sunday to Thursday. First time we have come across an office of a COE closed in the middle of the day. First time in GA for quite sometime. Strange way of doing things. Site we are in is rated for 40' max Paced it out Pavement is over 90' Typical COE. Really nice. They just have unusual office hours & difficult ways of dealing with drive ups who are not familiar with the area & their unusual way of handling people a little early.

[valhalla360]

GeoBoy wrote:
Why is this even an issue, would you go early to a doctors appointment or show up early for a dinner reservation and expect to be seen/seated? :S

Typically a doctor's appointment is less than 30min away and in a local area you are familiar with. It would be odd to have traffic flow better than expected and you arrive 2hr early.

Pulling an RV is often several hours drive with stops along the way...if traffic flows well or the stops go quicker than expected, it's very easy to be an hour or two ahead of schedule.

Also, the doctor's office examination rooms are typically full until minutes before you are sent to one and the staff are occupied with other customers. As opposed to camp sites that typically sit for hours empty between customers.

Busy restaurant is a similar situation. Tables and staff are fully occupied until minutes before you are seated...if they aren't, I expect to be seated immediately if I show up early.

[Lantley]

Veebyes wrote:
We ran into an early check in issue for the first time today. A GA COE CG. The office was closed. Not open till 2. We did not have a reservation. Sunday. Who needs reservations on a Sunday? As one might expect Reserve America is involved. No same day drive ups. Had to make reservations for tomorrow via RA then change them. Good Grief! Here we sit the only site occupied on a point of land with only 5 sites on it. Gotta love the reservations systems that make life so easy & flexible for us. NOT!

You ran into a I don't know the rules scenario. Seems like drive ups were not permitted regardless of what time you arrived.
I'm not saying, I support the rule or the rules makes sense.
But there is a rule in place that prohibits drive ups.
Once again the camper believes the rules is for everyone but themselves.
For the record I have been guilty of trying to bypass a rule or 2 myself. When I do I must suffer through the penalty/aggravation of breaking/ ignoring the rules.
I have also had discussions with the CG when posted rules are not enforced, which is a topic for another thread....

[Veebyes]

We ran into an early check in issue for the first time today. A GA COE CG. The office was closed. Not open till 2. We did not have a reservation. Sunday. Who needs reservations on a Sunday? As one might expect Reserve America is involved. No same day drive ups. Had to make reservations for tomorrow via RA then change them. Good Grief! Here we sit the only site occupied on a point of land with only 5 sites on it. Gotta love the reservations systems that make life so easy & flexible for us. NOT!

[HappyKayakers]

Well put. Unfortunately, a lot of people see campgrounds and RV parks differently than other businesses. Some of the behavior I've seen would get you arrested or thrown out of most other businesses. And then there's the segment that think your rules shouldn't apply to them because {fill in the blank}.

GeoBoy wrote:
Why is this even an issue, would you go early to a doctors appointment or show up early for a dinner reservation and expect to be seen/seated? :S

[Fulltimer50]

It would appear that the OP is a campground worker not a customer.

[GeoBoy]

Why is this even an issue, would you go early to a doctors appointment or show up early for a dinner reservation and expect to be seen/seated? :S

[valhalla360]

Lantley wrote:

The CG don't have to be totally rigid but they need to maintain order, otherwise everyone can just check in and check out anytime they please:S
If policy is 1:00 don't show up at 12:00 expecting to get in.
If check out is 11:00 don't plan to stay until 12:00.
It's really not up to the camper to decide what is appropriate

My advice was for a campground operator...of course, as a customer, you don't get to make the rules...but if they are just stupid rigid, I probably won't go back (ie: there are consequences.)

[Dutch_12078]

We've arrived up to an hour early at a number of parks over the years, and have never been denied entry or charged extra. We did arrive at one state park about 15 minutes early last March where they checked us in, but asked us to wait in a picnic area parking lot until a volunteer gave us and several others the go ahead to move to our sites. They explained that they were short handed for a few days, and the volunteers were running behind in getting the sites prepped. We only sat for about 30 minutes though, so it was no problem. We notice that three volunteer sites were empty after we arrived, but two of them were filled in a couple of days.

[Sam_Spade]

vermilye wrote:
I was surprised at Blackwoods Campground, Acadia National Park.

If that is a govt. run facility, they don't care......because they don't HAVE to.

If it is a "for profit" business, they may die by their "principles".

[vermilye]

While I have rarely run into a campground that would not let you check in if your site was empty, I was surprised at Blackwoods Campground, Acadia National Park. They didn't assign us to our reserved site until 12:00 even though there were plenty of empty sites when we arrived at 11:00. No place to park while waiting for our turn at the entry station, and a long line at 12:00.

[Fulltimer50]

HappyKayakers wrote:
I've heard of places that let you stay past check out for an additional fee. Has anyone heard of campgrounds or RV parks that allow early check in for an extra fee?

Yes, I understand that it's up to the campground and whether the site is available. I'm curious because the campground I'm currently at has large numbers of campers checking in early and disrupting the normal work flow.

Sounds like you are working there. Just remember that the customer is your #1 job. If the owner wants to allow early checkins as an extra customer service its your job to do what he wants.

[Campinghoss]

I scanned all the replies and did not see one that addresses some campgrounds. I know of two that specifically state no check ins until after 1 pm. The reason is the road to them is a one way road which is too narrow for campers to meet. Both of these are scenic cgs and well worth the later check in. Actually one of them has an electronic gate that you cannot get the code to until 1 pm.