As has been stated...if you use it then it's a good deal. How much of a deal depends on how much you use it and just what you want out of it.
Not everyone looks at it on a pure dollar and cents basis. To many the availablility of campgrounds, the ability to get in on short (or even no) notice, the security, the cleanliness, the amenities, etc., also add value.
The dollars obviously play a role but so do a lot of other issues for a lot of different people. Just food for thought while you are contemplating.
We are all good at something.....
I just happen to be a good bad example.
We sold our membership a few years ago for a third of what we paid for it. There are many more parks on the West Coast which would work well for the original poster, not enough on the East Coast for us to use year round. I suggest you check ebay or any other campground membership resale outlets online for a better deal.
Current member of Thousand Trails, joined in 2000. There has been traffic on this forum about the increasing cost of staying in campgrounds. I went to the California Parks website and looked at their fee structure. It looks like a campsite is $25.00 a night. If it is a premium site you have to add $10.00. If peak season, add $5.00. It says hookups are $9.00 and a hike and bike fee of $5.00 per person. That all adds up to $74.00 a night. Camp for 2 nights and you have a bill of $148.00. If you go nine times a year, that is possibly $1332.00. As you know the cost of camping adds up quick.
Is Thousand Trails equivalent to Fort Wilderness or Jellystone, maybe, maybe not. We have been to every preserve in Texas and one in Tennessee. The are all pretty nice places. They all have activity centers, pools, mini golf, play grounds, etc. They may be well used, but I have not seen an unsafe preserve. I can't speak for California preserves, but the preserves in Texas are all full on major weekends and busy the rest of the time. If it was such a bad deal, I do not think this would not be the case.
One more cost example. Fort Wilderness costs $71.00 a night during the regular season and $94.00 a night during the holiday season. Thousand Trails has a preserve less than 10 miles from Disney World that you can stay at for 14 days, and you can do that as often as you want. I have done the math, and Thousand Trails is a good deal.
My beef with Thousand Trails is it is difficult for a part timer to get a decent campsite if you work full time and can't take off and go up there on a Thursday or early Friday a.m. You cannot reserve specific sites...which also makes it difficult if bringing a guest that arrives later than you. I feel it caters more to the full timers and less to the families. You can have a reservation and still wind up in over flow...which doesn't seem fair. If I book early, I want a full hookup site. In Pio Pico...which is closest to you they built so many permanent sites in the good section and the general members lost the use of those sites. Have you gone as a guest of anyone or of Sales? I'd definately recommend doing that before you purchase.
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