Wal Mart vs KOA


C Nash

Senior Member
Well, here we go again on the walmart overnight stay again :bleh: . Took the grandkids to Morristown Ten this past week and left late thursday night around 7. The kids needed to be at the BMX track on Friday morning. After being called cheap and trailer trash for catching a few in wally world parking lot, we decided to pull in a KOA for a few hours sleep. Pulled in at 3 am and didn't even hook up. Went to the office at 7:30 Friday morning and told the desk clerk I had pulled in at 3 am and didn't use no hook ups. Showed him my KOA card and he gave us a discount HA HA 45 dollars. Did have four teenagers and wife and took showers. Guess I'll just go back to being cheap and trailer trash. Could have stopped at flying J and showered cheaper. boondocked at the race track the rest of the week end :approve: Yep have to watch them retirement dollars. :laugh:
 

John Harrelson

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Ouch !! sorry you got ripped off Chelse..

I have been telling folks about KOA for years.. They are totally disgusting, the way they rip off the public..

I would stay at a city dump before I would at a KOA,, at least the rats at the city dump don't pretend to be something they are not..

Hopefully you let the KOA people know what you thought about their "hospitality" before you left..

oh well, better luck next time, huh ?

John
 

ARCHER

Senior Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Wow. I'd be sending a corporate type letter to the KOA "home" office about this $45.00 charge for 4 1/2 hours worth of stay. Good thing you didn't stay 12 hours.....you'd have to get a second mortgage to pay them.
 

Krazeehorse

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

I'm a big fan of state parks. But I don't think I'll ever check in to a park or a motel at 3 AM and expect to get my money's worth. A parking lot (Walmart's or Flying J's or whoever's) or road side rest area would probably be the cheap fix.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Krazzeehorse, That is the reason I posted. A lot of people,well some, cannot understand why we sometimes park at wally world or gas service centers for a few hours. Wish some of the campground owners would jump in and answer why we are charged for a whole day if we only park for the few hours of rest but, they only have our word when we came in. Guess they could install time clocks for us to clock in. :laugh: Felt no safer there than in wally world lot. No gates or anything and was off beaten path. We also are fans of state parks and use them if they are handy or will be staying for a longer period of time. :approve:
 

janicenlarry

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Chelse, you now know why KOA has such a bad rep. with any body who spends any time on the road. Suggest you invest in Passport America and Escapees for some reasonable camping fees.
We never stay at Wally World however it is nice to know that it is there for emergency short stops. Dont think anybody can call you trailer trash for pulling in late and grabbing some shut eye and leaving in the morning. We reserve that title for the slobs who pull in for a week or two, put their jacks down, run the slides out, set up the chairs and BBQ, who yell at anybody parking close to them and then leave their garbage in the lot. Some of these pigs also dump their tanks in the lot. They are a very small percentage however they really reflect on those who just stop in for a short rest and leave it cleaner than when they got there. :disapprove:
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Larry, I agree with you on the few that ruin it for the ones that do right. I would never stay for an extended period in wal mart lot. I just add the trailer trash for humor and know that all the true campers understand catching a few hrs sleep in road pull offs or wal mart lots. I very seldom stay at KOA because of the price. Some argue that if you can,t afford the price you can't afford a camper but, I was raised to watch your pennies and the dollars will take care of their self. Can I justify the price of the MH and camping. No way but, it's what we always wanted and are at the age now to enjoy. :approve:
 

turnipbwc

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

It's geting to the point that it's cheaper to stay in a motel that at a campground with the prices some campgrounds charge. I know one family that just did that and thinking of selling their RV and just stay in motels when they travel. The price of gas going up don't help the gas miliage on the RV either.
Last year I heard about Class A owners downsizing because of the gas prices. I suppose we will see more of that as the gas prices rise.
Now about walmart, who cares what people says about staying there for a few hours. As long as walmart says you can then I see no problem. I see people staying here at the walmart all the time and moving on after geting a bite to eat and a nap. Brings money to the area is how I look at it.
Just had to ad my two cents.
turnip42
 

zigzagrv

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Don't want to be too defensive of KOAs, but I doubt the $45.00 you were charged for a 41/2 hour no hook-up stay is a policy of KOA. More than likely, just a GREEDY cg owner. Yes, KOAs are expensive, but I have found most to be run by pleasant, reasonable people. Let's not paint all KOAs with the same brush like some like to paint all who stay overnight at a WallyWorld trailer trash.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

The young lady that was at the KOA was very nice and not the owner so I'am sure she was just doing her job. The bathrooms were very clean but, the campground was just so so. Our daughter stayed at a motel for 39.99 in the same area but, there were only two people. I'am not knocking KOAs, most are very frindly and clean and close to major highways. Just think they could pull more late rvers if they had pricing for just a few hours.
 

zigzagrv

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Don't those 'one size fits all, no exceptions' rules drive you nuts!

We use KOA's only because they are usually conveniently close to our route, easy to find, and generally consistant in cleanliness. In other words, you know what your getting when you pull into a KOA.( including higher prices). We use campgrounds mainly as places to dump and recharge for a day or two, and then move on. We are more travelers than campers, if you get my point. We will also use Walmart occasionally for just getting some rest for a few hours or if we're traveling late. Walmarts are even easier to find than KOAs. :laugh:
 

Poppa

Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

A clarification needs to be made.

You can not be allowed to call yourself TPT unless the following are true;

Your rig has to be parked for at least a year or more without any tires on it. ;)

You have to have a tow vehicle that makes the owners of a wrecking yard shutter when you drive by hoping you are not going to drop it off to them. :clown:

Alright guys and gals help me out here :laugh:
 

Poppa

Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

If you E-mail the Texas Association of Campground Owners @ tacoexc@swbell.net , they will send you a listing of the campgruonds in Texas along with a discount card that will get you 10 to 15% off daily rates :laugh:
 

campbud

New Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

You know you would think that these campgrounds would think like the Wal~Marts...If they would have a few sites for rent for a few hours they could bring more money in...but then they probably think that a spot might fill for a guest paying for the whole night versus a couple of hours. But still I think most campground could find the room for one or two. I am anxious to see how the new RV oasis is going to be here (off 39 in IL)they are catering to the RVer..like a truck stop. Complete hook ups, dump, gas and food...it should open late spring. I am hoping to see more of these pop up in different places.
 

ARCHER

Senior Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Poppa, I found their web site and ordered their stuff and the discount card. Tks. Bye the way, I clicked on your website post and it was just for an email to them, but I did a search and found their actual web site. tks again.....we will be spending winter there in SE Texas starting this fall, cause all the good places in Florida have been sold for "condos". :disapprove: :disapprove: :disapprove: :laugh:
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Wal Mart vs KOA

Archer you trading the suntan lotion for boots and spurs :laugh: .
Follow up on KOA
Did get a letter asking what I thought of KOA from their head quarters. Told them I thought the 45 bucks was kind of high for the time I was there and suggested that a express type site might pull in some rvs just wanting to catch a few. i pass a Flying J every morning on 65 north Birmingham and there are at least four campers there every morning. Roads are still full of rvs. Fuel price has not affected rving yet but, wonder if most are camping closer to home although most on 65 are out of state.
 
Top