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Old 08-07-2012, 10:47 AM   #41
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I, for one, have no problem with threads going east, west, north or south, makes for much more interesting reading.
There is that, but while I don't mind if a thread goes off at a tangent, I feel compelled to at least make a token admission of contrition, however insincere, at making it jump the tracks altogether.

So, here's a back-on-topic question… What perks come with a KOA membership?
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Old 08-07-2012, 11:01 AM   #42
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So, here's a back-on-topic question… What perks come with a KOA membership?
There's the 10% off and a points system. I found this

http://koa.com/value-kard-rewards/

Looks like they have deals with a few vendors like Coleman and cruise America. They keep your info and can check you in faster at the desk....


I personally don't see much advantage if you already have a good Sam membership. (I guess they honor good Sam, I can't remember)
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Old 08-07-2012, 12:50 PM   #43
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There's the 10% off and a points system. I found this

Value Kard Rewards - Camping Discounts & Savings | KOA Campgrounds

Looks like they have deals with a few vendors like Coleman and cruise America. They keep your info and can check you in faster at the desk....


I personally don't see much advantage if you already have a good Sam membership. (I guess they honor good Sam, I can't remember)
as far as I know, KOA only gives a discount for it's own card. The card is $24 per year, so if you spend more then $240 per year at KOAs, it's a good deal. We don't come close to that number so we do not buy the card.
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Old 08-07-2012, 02:03 PM   #44
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... sorry, I think I hijacked the thread, I'll be quiet now Wendy
I don't think anyone hijacked the thread. The first post was about how much the OP liked a particular KOA and why. I think everything posted so far as had relevance to that. Just my opinion.

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Old 08-07-2012, 06:57 PM   #45
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as far as I know, KOA only gives a discount for it's own card. The card is $24 per year, so if you spend more then $240 per year at KOAs, it's a good deal. We don't come close to that number so we do not buy the card.
I'm with you, I'm 36 and last weekend is the first time I remember ever staying in a KOA. I'm not going to run out and join up...
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Old 08-07-2012, 07:11 PM   #46
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I'm with you, I'm 36 and last weekend is the first time I remember ever staying in a KOA. I'm not going to run out and join up...
One cool thing about having the card, is it makes reservations and check-ins work without a waste of time.
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Old 08-07-2012, 08:01 PM   #47
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One cool thing about having the card, is it makes reservations and check-ins work without a waste of time.
We have not had a KOA card for ages, but when we call for reservations, as soon as they have our name, they come up with all our data including address, phone and size of trailer. This is even at KOAs that we've never stay at. It surprised me the first time it happened.

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Old 08-07-2012, 08:33 PM   #48
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We stayed at 3 different KOA's on a recent trip to MI. The one in Newton IA was plain and basic, but the staff was friendly and there didn't seem to be many long term campers. The KOA in Benton Harbor/Colmer MI (sp?) was a nice campground. The last one we stayed at was in Gaylord MI, and this was by far the best KOA we have stayed at. The managers/(owners) were very friendly. The site is only 8 years old and is as nice as some state parks and COE parks we have stayed at.
We were only looking for a place to spend the night. All of the parks had open sites available, including pull throughs. I don't have a card, but after the first night they just needed my name and address.
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Old 08-07-2012, 09:01 PM   #49
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Hi from GA/AZ. . . We gave up on KOA last year on our Yellowstone trip. $56 per night in Sioux Falls for muddy and unlevelable, $71 per night (71 DOLLARS !) in Jackson Hole for muddy, unlevelable, no cable tv AND unclean bathrooms. With just a little effort you can do better for substantually less money. Just saying ......Regards, Craig
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:01 PM   #50
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We have traveled from San Antonio headed home to Spokane in our new to us airstream. we have learned so far not to trust any rating in a woodall's guide!! And this KOA in Casper, WY is overpriced and run down. All the grass is dead and the staff is not very friendly. So far, not a big KOA fan.
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Old 08-09-2012, 06:02 PM   #51
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Complain to corporate, if you feel you got hosed. They do pride themselves on inspecting the Kamps and prolly missed a couple of them. I agree with the different pricing, some are just fine, and others are are a rip!
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Old 08-09-2012, 06:17 PM   #52
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We have traveled from San Antonio headed home to Spokane in our new to us airstream. we have learned so far not to trust any rating in a woodall's guide!! And this KOA in Casper, WY is overpriced and run down. All the grass is dead and the staff is not very friendly. So far, not a big KOA fan.
We were at the KOA in Casper a few years ago. Sounds like things have not changed.
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Old 08-09-2012, 06:19 PM   #53
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We were at the KOA in Casper a few years ago. Sounds like things have not changed.
Same with us, what a dump. KOA prides themselves on inspections every year, but I don't get it how so many of them slip under the radar.
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Old 08-10-2012, 05:16 AM   #54
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All the grass is dead and the staff is not very friendly.
The grass is dead al the way from Arkansas to Oregon. Drought does that. At Old Post Road campground on Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas (CoE, not KoA) they even lifted thie ban on greywater discharge because that's the only irrigation they get these days.

Drought doesn't expain the surly staff at your KoA, though.
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Old 08-10-2012, 05:30 AM   #55
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Same with us, what a dump. KOA prides themselves on inspections every year, but I don't get it how so many of them slip under the radar.
The problem with a franchise operations like KOA, McDonalds, Hampton Inns and other service organizations is the quality is really up to the individual franchisee and the location. Assuming the location is good, the stellar locations are those where the owner works the business everyday on site, has a commitment to customer service, and continuously plows sufficient earnings back into the business to improve the infrastructure. Once an owner begins to milk the business, the infrastructure becomes tired and the establishment becomes less desirable to customers. Holiday Inn, once the powerhouse in the lodging industry (1960's) became a tarnished brand by the late 1990's because most franchisees allowed the properties to become run down, putting the cash in their pockets instead of refurbishing on a timely basis, or the locations that were highly desirable in the 1960's became less desirable by the 1990's. No doubt campgrounds go through the same cycle.

In this recessionary environment it may be KOA has observed poor conditions at many locations and is "encouraging" the owners to correct them. However, if they enforce the franchise agreements to the letter KOA may be in a position there are so many owners underinvesting, and failing to meet standards, they might have to cut too many individual franchises to preserve the franchisee royalty fees that cover the cost of the mothership. To selectively enforce the agreements runs the risk of class action lawsuits from the franchisees. What we may be seeing is loose enforcement of the agreements during tough times in the hope they can tighten down when the economy improves and the franchisees have the cash flow to make the capital investments required to meet the standards set by KOA.

In visiting campgrounds I have noticed that those with on site owners working the business tend to be better maintained than those where an obviously poorly trained hired hand is the face in the office.
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Old 08-10-2012, 06:36 AM   #56
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Koa

You will find a lot variability with KOA's across the country from the wonderful to the holy cow what is this! Worth keeping in mind.
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Old 08-10-2012, 08:09 AM   #57
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We have the Allstate Road Help Insurance which includes the KOA card. We have not found a bad one yet.
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Old 10-27-2012, 04:27 AM   #58
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We stayed in our first KOA by mistake. We had called another campground for a 2 night reservation near Williams, AZ, to visit the Grand Canyon. That was the mistake. When we got there, that was the mistake! Awful place. Trash, undeveloped sites with weeds and some unknown electrical hookup. We left and found a KOA down the road. what a nice place. Friendly staff. A dog run. Everything worked well. After that we stayed in 4 KOAs on our trip back home, one night stands only. Never disappointed us.
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Old 10-27-2012, 10:51 AM   #59
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The Lakeside KOA in Ft. Collins, CO is a great place. Just north of Ft. Collins at the junction of 287 and 24 is another KOA that is nice.
The KOA in Cortez, CO is also very well kept.

The Flagstaff, AZ KOA is NOT a nice place. The staff is incredibly RUDE and the sites are hard to access. The tables are dirty. Sites are not level.
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Old 10-27-2012, 11:21 AM   #60
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No experience with the Ft. Collins or Flag KOAs, but we visited the one in Cortez (use dump station), and it was quite nice!

Lynn

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The Lakeside KOA in Ft. Collins, CO is a great place. Just north of Ft. Collins at the junction of 287 and 24 is another KOA that is nice.
The KOA in Cortez, CO is also very well kept.

The Flagstaff, AZ KOA is NOT a nice place. The staff is incredibly RUDE and the sites are hard to access. The tables are dirty. Sites are not level.
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