Early Arrival Fee - Harper's Ferry KOA

[DrivesBGM]

Now I have a new fee to live with. $5 AN HOUR for arrival before 2 P.M..

I kid you not! I found this on an email confirming my site this coming weekend. This is in addition to their standard, minimum $40 plus per night fee!

I planned on arriving early, dropping the Montana (if the site was available), and heading out to look at houses in the surrounding area. Won't even be using their utilities or pool during this period.

I called to try to get relief. They would not accomodate me. I e-mailed them politely asking that they reconsider. They emailed back that under the circumstances they would only chage me a flat rate of $5 for early arrival!

Isn't that sweet!

I realize that CGs can charge anything they want and we are quite often not in a very good bargaining postition as we need a place to stay. But beyond a doubt!! CGs are going to kill the "golden goose" if they keep on finding ways to pile on attitional fees.

Under the current fee structure, this is my last stay at the Harper's Ferry KOA. And of course I will relate this experience to anyone who will listen!

Craig

[D and M On The Road]

wow... that's a new one on us! *shaking head*

I'm glad you are posting this information. We won't ever get over to that side of the USA in the next 5 years but it's good to know that some places are starting that. Now we'll remember to ask when making reservations for our short 2 to 5 day trips about an "early arrival" fee.

Thanks again.

[sreigle]

Are you serious? Is that fee only if you occupy the site before the stated time? I never heard of anything like that. Earlier today I called that park to try to get a reservation for Labor Day weekend. They're full, as is everything within reasonable distance of the area so we're going to go to the Morgantown area and just do a little exploring and a lot of relaxing. Then we move to Gettysburg on Labor Day.

[DrivesBGM]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Are you serious? Is that fee only if you occupy the site before the stated time? ...

Steve,

All I know is that they charge $5 an hour based upon your actual check in time compared to the advertised 2 P.M. check in.

Surprised you got into Gettysburg for the holiday. What campground?

We are going to our son's home in Danville for that weekend so we won't be able to link up this trip. But as long as you have those granddaughters in the area, I suspect we'll manage to get together sometime down the road.

Craig

[H. John Kohl]

They also charge for dump station use if you do not have a full hook up. They are the ones that had two sewer over flows. Our luck has not been good there so we stay away from them. Others have good comments. The sites are awfull close together also.

[Northstar]

Thanks for the tip. Nice to know the cgs that really support us. Keep us posted. Happyrving.....

[NJ Hillbilly]

Steve, We were getting close there. We were in Lancaster last weekend, stayed in the Old Mill Stream CG right next to Dutch Wonderland. We were out there for an Antique Tractor show. Neat CG but the sites are a little challenging, they are laid out parallel to the road and are in a "T" formation. One camper backs in and another pulls in so all awnings face the road.

Craig, we went through Danville (kinda) the weekend before going to Knoebels. We camped at J & D Campground a mile away from the park. Nice easy place that had about 4 Monty's in it. One is a permanent. Our group is there the same weekend every year in Aug so if You get out this way again We will have to try and link up.

John

[8.1al]

Thanks for reminding me why I avoid KOA's whenever possible.

[DiananColin]

Don't judge all KOAs as being the same - see our post about Barrie KOA in Ontario, Canada. Also can recommend Colonial Williamsburg but Halifax, Nova Scotia ruined our booking totally and are on our no-visit list. Couple of others are still on the OK for overnight list. We are scheduled for the new KOA at Kissimmee in October - all reports so far as excellent.

Trouble is KOA is a franchise and they are as good (or as bad) as the local owner.

[skyguy]

I've had a chance to chat with some of the KOA campground managers, KOA is pretty strict about many of the facets of their campgrounds.

I wonder how this "early bird" policy fits in their ideal model?? It may not hurt to fire a letter off to KOA management, to see if they agree with the additional fee, or if the campgrounds indeed have complete latitude in establishing rates....

Al

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by DrivesBGM
[br
Surprised you got into Gettysburg for the holiday. What campground?

Craig

I first called Drummer Boy but they were full. We got into Round Top. We were happy with that one and it's cheaper than Drummer Boy. But we only had a central modem hookup while I think Drummer Boy has wi-fi. We originally planned a week there but ended up staying 11 nights and could have done a month. We did the battlefield and related sites and also the Eisenhower Farm, went to Harrisburg for the RV Show and all.

Also, a distant cousin of mine (Daniel Peter Reigle) won the Medal of Honor during the Civil War, battle of Cedar Creek. He was not at Gettysburg, he was a prisoner of war at that time before being exchanged. Anyhow, we found out he mustered in and out at York, not far from Gettysburg. He was a farmer near Littlestown, even closer to Gettysburg and is buried in Mt. Carmel cemetery at Littlestown. So, of course, we found his grave and the govt plate denoting his MOH and took some pictures.

[dersequim]

I thought that KOA stood for KEEP ON ADDING! As a family we stopped using their locations because of all the EXTRA charges above the nightly fees.