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Munnik · 11-30-2018, 08:51 AM

Florida SPs allow reservations to be made 11 months in advance, starting at 8am. We have tried multiple times to get Fall or Winter reservations but at seconds after 8am, everything is booked. What's the secret to getting through? We stopped by Curry Hamock SP today and asked a camper. Understandably, he was vague about how he snagged his reservations but bragged that he was always able to get them there and at other SPs in the keys. There must be a secret.

RandB · 11-30-2018, 09:02 AM

What we’ve heard is that having a hard line connection from a high speed service (some use company connections because of their speed) and not wireless or cell. Have multiple computers with the site you want up at 7:58 and begin the reserve and refresh process. Also be willing to adjust your dates (example. You want to go in feb 3rd for 4 days. Back up your reservation window to any site that is 14 days before your end date of 2/7). Then later you modify your dates to your actual dates- that way you have more chances. Then use wandering labs to check on openings..

TRIPPPIN · 11-30-2018, 09:07 AM

Good tips. What do you mean by "wandering labs"?

2dabeach · 11-30-2018, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munnik

Florida SPs allow reservations to be made 11 months in advance, starting at 8am. We have tried multiple times to get Fall or Winter reservations but at seconds after 8am, everything is booked. What's the secret to getting through? We stopped by Curry Hamock SP today and asked a camper. Understandably, he was vague about how he snagged his reservations but bragged that he was always able to get them there and at other SPs in the keys. There must be a secret.

Munnik...............It is unfortunate that there are people that have some kind of special access to Reserve America's reservation system that seem to have unlimited access to reserve sites in the Florida State Park System. There is one person that I am aware of that you contact and provide the site and dates you want and pay them a "finders fee" and they are able to get the site for you. Campers that are aware of this practice have brought it to the attention of people at Florida State Parks and nothing has been done to track down the people who have a business in getting reservations on their system and charging for the service. Florida doesn't care about fairness, as they will rent the sites no matter what happens. Nothing will be done until enough people contact the people in charge of the Florida State Parks and make it such a big deal that they have to address the problem and make changes so everyone has a fair shot at reserving a campsite in Florida.

Martin R · 11-30-2018, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2dabeach

Munnik...............It is unfortunate that there are people that have some kind of special access to Reserve America's reservation system that seem to have unlimited access to reserve sites in the Florida State Park System. There is one person that I am aware of that you contact and provide the site and dates you want and pay them a "finders fee" and they are able to get the site for you. Campers that are aware of this practice have brought it to the attention of people at Florida State Parks and nothing has been done to track down the people who have a business in getting reservations on their system and charging for the service. Florida doesn't care about fairness, as they will rent the sites no matter what happens. Nothing will be done until enough people contact the people in charge of the Florida State Parks and make it such a big deal that they have to address the problem and make changes so everyone has a fair shot at reserving a campsite in Florida.

I sold my Airstream this year and spend most of the year in the Keys so I am no longer a competitor for a scarce resource. I am not aware of any funny business going on in Reserve America but in the past before we moved down here we had considerable success in getting reservations using Wandering Labs. I think the way this worked was he was somehow linked in to Reserve America in a way that he could track cancellations as they arose and alert you to the possible availability. You still had to act quickly but if your timing was flexible you had a pretty good chance of finding something close to what you wanted. Reserve America must have given him a hard time for a while because he dropped out of sight but then he came back. I thought that Reserve America had also set up a similar system whereby you can be alerted to cancellations as or when they arise.

greghoro · 11-30-2018, 07:16 PM

I’m gonna be blunt when it comes to this topic.

Yes, there are methods that one can employ to increase their chances to land a reservation at a highly desirable campsite but it is very rare to see these freely revealed on a public forum. Bottom line, why would I want to help others beat me out on a site I want?

Besides, many methods I have come up with was through a lot of research, analysis, trial and error, much failure, knowledge of technology and common sense; Sweat equity, as it were. I have shared some of my methods, but only in one-on-one situations. Where I have determined that a person has put some work, effort and thought in, is willing to share something with me and that we both acknowledge that we would limit sharing this info. Selfish, perhaps but it’s not the same as sharing a technique for leveling or winterizing, where the use does not have a potential negative impact on me.

Campsites in desirable Florida State Parks is a numbers game and it is not favoring the camper. Especially in the Keys where there are just four parks; one of which is completely closed for reconstruction and another has a few loops out of commission. For all the Keys, there are just 159 RV sites in four state parks, if they were all in operation. An aside, I was at Curry Hammock for two weeks this last February and saw one camper move five times in that time period. They were willing to do what it takes to be there. There were a lot of cancellations at Curry early this year, as it was iffy when it would open up after the extensive damage from Hurricane Irma and what shape it would be in. They worked hard to find and leverage these cancellations to patch together a stay.

So to answer your question, I don’t know of one thing you can do, in a practical sense, to guarantee that you will come out with a site at one of these parks. Train 10,000 monkey’s (not one of my techniques, I only use 500) and I’m sure you can bring your chances closer to certainty. Kind of like putting a team together to buy every possible number for the Mega Millions lottery (it’s been tried).

Greg

Bigventure · 12-01-2018, 05:57 AM

Plus 1

tvketchum · 12-02-2018, 06:08 PM

Rumor has it there is a group who have multiple high speed computers programmed to snag up the sites as the window opens, then they trade the sites and days among the group members.

My wife and I were volunteers at Bahia Honda State Park a couple of times in prime season, and saw both rigs doing the site shuffle to cobble a two week stay, and, sites booked for a long two week stay, yet every few days, the rig left and later, a different one arrived on the site. Our inquiries to the occupants resulted in a few saying they were members of a club and paid the club a premium for the site, in addition to the park's camping fee. Not much more could be pried out after that tidbit.

Although Florida State Parks insist they are 'looking into' the situation, nothing really comes of it. Supposedly, per Reserve America, there are limits to how many nights total you can book in the Florida parks in a three month span, over and above that two week limit per park. However, on the ground working the front line, it was never applied, or, people used different names, license plate info, whatever, to circumvent the system.

tvketchum · 12-02-2018, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRIPPPIN

Good tips. What do you mean by "wandering labs"?

Google it, and you find a site which will notify you when a cancellation appears which matches your criteria. You have to act immediately, as others get the same notices. Wait even ten or 15 minutes, and the site is booked.

Shacksman · 12-02-2018, 06:20 PM

Personally I can't see the big interest in going to the Keys. It's expensive, crowded, and smells of dead fish with a constant wind. Been there one time and you can have it. I won't be in line for a site there.

Al Zeppelin · 12-02-2018, 06:37 PM

Given the number of RV's I saw heading southbound from Virginia to Florida on I95 last week it's amazing that any sites are open in the state. Just an endless caravan. We have to head up to Georgia soon as I have been unable to find anything state park wide available, and I've been looking daily for months.

Overstreet · 12-05-2018, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Zeppelin

Given the number of RV's I saw heading southbound from Virginia to Florida on I95 last week it's amazing that any sites are open in the state. Just an endless caravan. We have to head up to Georgia soon as I have been unable to find anything state park wide available, and I've been looking daily for months.

You know we welcome y'all down here every year. If it isn't spaces it's bugs, heat, humidity or traffic. There are other state parks, forests(state /national) national parks, and lots of private parks. It's tough for locals to find spots. But we do. Look for the not so popular places.

n2916s · 12-05-2018, 04:50 PM

I wouldn't come down here. It's crowded, often hot, buggy. We have pythons, Tegu lizards, Marine Iguanas and other exciting exotic, sometimes poisonous wildlife. Let's not mention Dengue and Zika viruses.

I'm pretty sure there are enough locals to keep the Key's campgrounds in business...

Lily&Me · 12-05-2018, 05:10 PM

I have found the drive thru the Keys, and Key West, beautiful and very unique...been twice, and always planned a third trip but we were going to take a boat rather than the drive down.

We didn’t care for the crowds, that was the worst part, and thus the plan to get on a boat directly to Key West and skip the campgrounds.

I know people who go every year, love it and wouldn’t miss it.

Maggie

Overstreet · 12-08-2018, 08:17 PM

A relatively few years ago the state parks were charged with being more "self supporting". Since then there has been a marked increase in marketing on the internet and the TV to get out and visit the state parks.

Mollysdad · 12-08-2018, 09:12 PM

You don't HAVE to stay at a state park. There are commercial parks too.

I joined Wandering labs, even donated, and can't say they actually do anything. (other than collect e-mail addresses).
I was never notified of a open space. Period.

As far as vendors buying up reservations and reselling them, if true, it will ruin the reservation system much the same as it has the concert venues. I went on a concert hall web site the minute tickets went on sale 9 months out and all the main floor was marked "sold out". Later, you can buy all of those seats for triple the price, I stayed home.

knunut · 12-09-2018, 07:19 AM

Have stayed in keys "Private CG" .My research confirms "tvketchum" info. There is a group that drives up and down daily seeking open site info. Don't understand the entire scheme? So we stay at private and visit State Park's daily.

knunut · 12-09-2018, 08:09 AM

"greghoro" provides good info. Only 195 sites??? How many people retire a day??? How many of those Buy RV's. Plus people who fly in from out of state or country and have rental rv's. Its not easy getting into State Parks.
I have been looking at a open site on RA and watched it vanish. That was a park in Wisc.
We would buy Gazetteer Maps, Topo Maps ,hire Guides. Make local friends to find good Canoeing/Kayaking/Animal Viewing. Now because of internet and Social Media any ? with a phone can post local, info, GPS and video of your favorite spot.(Animal) It has Destroyed some places.
We use to answer questions on the river "Have You Seen A (Insert Animal name)" not any more.

switz · 12-09-2018, 09:35 AM

The lack of camp grounds availability is not limited to Florida. Here in Phoenix starting in November thru April, camp spaces are filled a year in advance by the snow birds coming for sun and many to visit the baseball training camps.

If you want to visit the popular National, State and private parks in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah in the summer, reservations must be made a long time in advance or a Walmart might be the only place to park (not stay).

The RV industry is cranking out tens of thousands of new RVs every year. We are not making many new RV parking spaces. Thus there is a sellers market for the spaces.

I mean over $50+ per nite to park coupled with all of the "expenses" associated with our Airstream ownership and towing expenses makes a motel room look like a bargain....

patriciaphal · 12-09-2018, 11:36 AM

For many years, our family camped at Ft. Clinch State Park during our spring break and had the same problem. We found that a lot of people who camp in Florida are return campers so they make their reservations a year out whether they plan to come or not. I would try to get reservations early but if I couldn't, I would recheck every day until someone cancelled theirs. We made it every year so I know that lots of people do book them with no real intentions of going. I am not sure about the Florida Keys though - everyone seems to think that is the place to go once you retire.