Thousand Trails (TT) offers Free Weekend getaways for people who they are targeting for membership. The Sales office is always nice and friendly and portrays a VERY agreeable atmosphere that anybody would want to be a part of. HOWEVER, once you buy into TT the truth of the operations of the park become painfully apparent.
TT Operations Issues (from a Member of just over One Year):
1) The Sales office and the Operations Office (i.E. Rangers) are in complete conflict at all times. What sales tells you is good information and SHOULD be no problem but the Rangers are SO annal about being legalistic with the Rules that they cannot see past their nose when it comes to recognizing that people have just paid a lot of money for their memberships and don't want to be hassled, especially when the Sales personnel have given the clear go ahead. On multiple occassions from the onset of our experience with TT we have been put, uncomfortably so, in between the inner conflicts between these two offices. For example: Sales tells you one thing and then when you do what they tell you that you can do, you get hassled at the Ranger Station.
2) Which brings me to the main issue that is the FACT of using your TT membership. The Rangers are predominatly elderly men who have worked here for years and years and are stuck in their ways and are totally focused on being the Camp Police that they completely forget that people have come to the reserve for ENJOYMENT! The Rangers are like little puppets for the old people who find it their business to complain about every tiny little infraction they see.By the way, they see it because the have nothing better to do than to constantly LOOK for things to complain about. These petty people complain and then Rangers just believe what they say hook line and sinker and confront people left and right about the littlest of things. It is complete harassment and ruins all chances of having an enjoyable stay at TT.
3.) Furthermore, about the Rules, the Management is very selective about WHO they apply rules to and who they don't. For instance, we have gotten a complaint about our Dog being a leash while we, for just a couple of minutes, went inside to get our steaks to put on the Barbi. However, the old people who use the park heavily and also the people who may just camp for a weekend, constantly have their dogs out on a leash and nothing is ever said. This is just ONE example of many many that I could list where Rules are applied to some people but not to others. It truly is an atmosphere of an inner circle mentality and if you are not in the inner circle of old full timers you are discriminated against and are expected to follow the rules perfectly when all the while you constantly see those in the inner circle regularly breaking the same rules you are expected to follow.
4.) The fact of the matter is that the Rangers and Park Operations Management are the reason for this petty, unfair, and harassing environment that new, young, members are subjected to because they themselves engage in the same petty mindedness and cator to the other petty minded inner circle hypocritical complainers.
5.) The pictures on the Web Site and in the Brochures of the reserves in the TT system are untruthful. I will supply pictures of the reality of the reserves for anybody who wants them.
Your "maintenance fees" don't go for maintenance AT ALL. The bathrooms are so bad, rusting and old and disgusting that you just thank God that you have your own bathroom in your RV. If you are tent camping, well, I feel sorry for you. The camp maintence seems to not know what a WEED WHACKER is.
The grassy areas are dead accept for the areas that are most obvious at the entrance to the camp (of course to give the appearance of good maintenance to those who are new to the park.)
The electrical systems DON'T work. The electrical system is ancient and uses ancient wiring so you can't use your RV conviences even on their 50 amp sites because they are so run down.
The Rentals are roach motels and run down and you will constantly be having issues with the appliances and infestations if you stay their.
The youth center video games of constantly out of order with a big sign that says "use at your own risk! No refunds! No Acceptions!
Basically, the reserves are not well maintained and that is being nice to say it that nicely. For what you pay for, it is NOT worth the money. They let RVs in the park that are literally being held together by rope and duck tape with windows broken out only to be replaced with card board. Yet, they will complain about you, a new member for having a garbage can that has a lid at your site, claiming it looks "Trailer Parkish" Considering the fact that we have the newest RV in the Park, a you would think they would be able to see past their noses that the RVs that are literally falling apart are the real "Trailer Parkish" problems of the reserve. But then that would be logical and reasonable. Both things that these people don't seems to be able to grasp.
Basically, if you think you are going to join Thousand Trails (TT) to have a membership that you will ENJOY for a lifetime, think again. We regret ever buying our membership but now we are stuck in it and can't sell it because, well, frankly, I wouldn't sell this membership to my worst enemy it is THAT bad.
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