CampingKarma
Mount Pleasant, NC USA
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Joined: 03/08/2004
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We got a certificate for a "2000.00" private membership with Forest Lake of Thousand Trails. After reading some posts on the initial cost that is usually associated with becoming a member - the 2000.00 seems VERY low. Has anyone else had one of these certificates? Seems like it will still be some kind of up front money sales involved but wanted your opinion. We undersand there will be yearly maintenance to pay and think it would be worth it, but are curious if the 2000.00 deal is really some "limited" or "associate" type of membership that does not entail all the benefits you normally get. Anyone know about this? Thanks as always..
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DDVTX
Houston, Texas
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Joined: 01/16/2004
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You can probably pick up a membership on e-bay or via the newspaper for $500-1500, so the $2000 is not that great, unless I misunderstand and it is a certificate for $2000 off, and even then you can probably still get it cheaper.
David (N5SNS), Darlene, and young Victoria (a RVing family)
FMCA; AAA; Tousand Trails; Good Sam Club Life Members; HR Club
38' HR Endeavor-D
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areeves
Northern AZ
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Joined: 02/23/2004
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More likely its a membership in the single campground only for 1 year. Then they also give you a free 2 night or 4 night stay at the same campground to hear their 90 min speech/sales pitch.
most of the memberships run from $10,000 to $6,000 and yearly dues of $300 to $500 a year. Once your a full member you can stay at the park you signed up at 14 days for free, or some arragenment like that. But other thousand trails camp grounds you pay $3 or $8.
Most of these you can buy at deep discounts from others like on ebay. but notice that some membership campgrounds will not allow you to buy one and transfer it to your name if you have had a sales pitch given to you in the last two years.
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2000 Bounder 31M
N7SF
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sigthor
san antonio, texas, usa
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Joined: 07/28/2002
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My understanding is there are numerous types of Thousand Trails membership, each affording various entitlements. The one I have is initially $4000 plus $400 yearly maintenance. There are 57 parks throughout the US that I may stay in for free for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks you have to be out for 1 week where you have the option to stay at an RPI park for $8 per nite. Then you may go back to a Thousand Trails park for 2 weeks free again. You can repeat this as many times as you want. Your actual cost of the membership depends on how often you use it. Each free nite is equivalent to an average of $25 in other parks. I too suspect that you have been given a year's membership for that one park only. The facitilites at the parks I have been to are pretty decent.
2001 Allegro Bay DP, Banks Stinger Installed
2007 Wrangler X Unlimited 4WD, Blue Ox Aventa II
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Liz M
wherever we park
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Joined: 03/20/2004
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We've been Thousand Trails members since 1989. When we joined we paid $8500.00 for what is called a gold card. At that time there were no single or regional memberships available. I believe what you have been given is a membership to one park in the system which is probably upgradable later. There are annual dues to be paid which vary depending on the membership you have. We have been satisfied for the most part with our membership and hope to be able to make better use of it this fall when we plan to become fulltimers. Liz M
Vic and Liz
Fulltimers
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HR Fan
Jonestown, PA
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Joined: 12/30/2003
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When we bought our Wilderness TT in 97, Fleetwood had a 30 day free camping certificate included at Thousand Trails. It included a 25% discount. My brother in law and us both went and both joined. After figuring initial cost and yearly dues, I knew I could break even after 4 years of use. They have different memberships available at different times. When I joined it was only for the NE region and I don't believe it’s available anymore. Later I upgraded to east coast.
Probably this is membership in 1 park and you will be given the opportunity to upgrade initially or later. Look at the total cost and compare it to what you are paying now. Some people find that they save money (if they camp a lot) while others do not (camp less frequently). When you have the information you can decide if it is a good deal for you.
2004 Holiday Rambler 36RLT
2005 Chevy LT D/A CC
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CampingKarma
Mount Pleasant, NC USA
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thank you all for the help. probably is a one year membership or a membership to that park only. wouldn't mind if it were a lasting membership with no time limits to that one park since it's so close to home but wouldn't like it if we had to spend the 5k or whatever at the end of the year to be able to continue to use the park or wait a year (it's supposedly 2 with Bullek parks) before buying a resale. Maybe we should just buy a resale to start off with. Don't think we can get the answer to this without taking the tour.
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samsontdog
Sac. Ca summer, Yuma Az winter
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Joined: 08/06/2002
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There are all types of Thousand Trails Memberships! I have been a Member for close to 25 years and my dues are $280.00 a year. I can go to any TT Resort with no restrictions. I do not have to be out any certain time to go to another TT. I believe if I use say Lake
Of The Springs in Calif for three days I could not go back there for three days but I could go to another TTs.
Call up whoever gave the info on the Membership deal to you. Noething ventured noething gained. Out of all the Memberships that
I have owned Thousand Trails is by far the best for us. I have had
three Memberships in Coast To Coast where you have to buy a Membership in a Private Club before you can join C To C . Took me 8 years before I got rid of them. I still RPI, PassPorts, and maybe one
or two others.
I can stay year around in TT for the $280.00 yearly dues, no restrictions, 14 days in one then move to another then back to the first one if I so choose. Do not have to pay extra for elect,water
etc. Might have to pay for the Honey Wagon but so far I have never
had to pay for this service.
Check it out you might like it.
samsontdog 
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vat426
Fountain Valley, CA, USA
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Joined: 01/30/2004
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What they want from you is basically $7500 for the lifetime membership plus annual maintenance fee of ~$400 and at your option to pay ~$80 annually if you want to access other network campground associated with TT. They told me the lifetime membership cost me $9500 but offered to discount $2000 right off that price. Sounds kind of like what you are getting. I asked if it would cost me to use network campsites, they said half price the first night but could not tell me the cost after that.
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