NO BUS CONVERSIONS !!!!!!!!!!

[JackConrad]

Since it is only on the Passport America site, maybe they figger all the Passsport America members are old hippies in old school buses?  Jack

[Tom Y]

If you want to go to Apopka, Go to Kelly Park a county park that we have enjoyed.  I think they will let your bus in if not full.  Tom Y

[Hartley]

Heck there's a Super Wal Mart on 441 just down the street from IBP and if Wal Mart is full, I would just go to IBP... 1/2 mile away to the south..
( Just Kidding Guys about parking at IBP ) unless I was getting parts... Well Then....

[brojcol]

   I say, screw'em.  Someday, they'll beg for our buses!!!  When they are all stuck on the side of the road because there's no fuel, and we are just rolling along with all our buses smelling like french fries!  Instead of sticking their noses in the air, they'll be sticking they're thumbs in the air!

At least that's what I think...

[Ncbob]

Here is the reply I received this morning from Sun Resorts in answer to my E-mail:________________________

In answer to all those conversion bus owners who have declared war on us…

We are uncertain what has caused this backlash from conversion bus owners but in more than thirty years of successfully hosting campers, we have never had such an issue about buses until now. Yes, we have a camping facility within a condominium association that has a rule of no converted buses. This rule was implemented years ago because not all bus conversions are the same in safety and appearance. However, this rule does not apply to the quality RV type buses that we are getting hammered over by e-mail andapparently a bulletin board at gobusing.com. We have and will continue to host Prevost, Blue Birds and many other types ofbuses.

 In addition, at the expense of being beat up by owners with units longer than forty feet, the size of our camping sites, orange county ordinances and the association setback requirements will allow us to host units no longer than forty feet. We regret we are unable to host larger units.

 For those of you who think we are in Apopka, we are not in Apopka although our address states Apopka, we are in NW Orange County close to Apopka and Orlando about 35 minutes from Disney. Being in beautiful Central Florida is definitely a great place to be.

 Lastly, we are definitely not a snooty better than thou camping facility that does not appreciate the fine folks that own conversion buses. If we can host you, we absolutely will.

Thank you,

Sun Resorts

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IMHO, perhaps it was that someone might have garnered the wrong impression from a Website without verifiying the information with the campground?  It's not for me to determine...

Bob
 

 

[Clarke Echols]

Well, if the web site says "no conversions" but doesn't mean it, they ought to clarify the
web site.  It's called "communication": Saying what you mean in a way that the reader or
listener cannot possibly mis-interpret the meaning of what you say.

As for "High-end" parks that are "too good" for ordinary folks, one should remember the meaning
of "status" (as in keeping-up-with-the-Joneses):  Status:  Buying things you don't need with
money you don't have to impress people you don't like.

Clarke

[Casper4104]

The website was pretty clear - "No converted buses".  Kinda tough to misunderstand that.

Maybe what they meant to say was "No converted buses unless it looks really nice", or maybe "No converted buses that will embarass our snooty clientele".

Here's the neat part - they have tent sites! But don't allow fires,,, that's like having sausage grave but no biscuits, ain't it?  Green Korean War surplus army tent, cooler, rusty Coleman lantern,,, (great way to really camp BTW) No problem.  Polished stainless Prevost with Jacuzzi and Home Theatre - not welcome.

I'll see you guys at Wal-Mart

Casper

[NJT5047]

Sun Resorts, by posting the "no bus conversions" sign (they probably have an RV age limit too), allow themselves the legal lattitude to refuse "skooliies" and hippy buses, and about anything else that is really offensive.  I've camped in several "no bus conversions" campgrounds, and those with 10 year age limits, with my coach and never had a problem.  However, the campground could refuse someone if they chose.  My guess is that the "refused" RV or coach would be something that no one would wish to camp next to.   Campground owners may  have other limits too...home style ACs, electric heaters,  and pets.
Be careful for what you wish for in non-exclusive campgrounds....it can get really nasty!  
I'm heading out to a "no bus conversions" campground at Lowes Motor Speedway.   Fleetwood Camping Resort...gotta watch for that "Re$ort" word...but they don't cull many campers from what I saw last year at Fleetwood.  
I don't care for really "upscale" campgrounds....as I'm more of a redneck than any other description, but I don't want any out of control situations nearby either.   Some rules (and order) are good.
I wouldn't be too hard on Sun Resorts....these rules are quite common.   Modern campgrounds often have a page of fine-print rules...many of which you don't find out about until you register.  
All these rules remind me of the "No Alcohol" signs at bluegrass festivals...those signs are a joke...however, if one becomes obnoxious, the gendarme will put them out.  
Cheers, JR




  

[edvanland]

Did not buy my bus or other motor homes to go to a place and be ten feet or less from the next guy, unless it was my group, then we would be three feet apart if need be. I have always liked the wide open spaces where I could do it my way. 
Don't need to spend high dollars to put up with their cr----p.
As is always said
DO IT YOUR WAY
ED
MCI 7

[Hartley]

Actually having the rule may not be all that bad in one sense.
The central Florida area is a tourist attraction anywhere within 50 miles of Disney. There are lots of nice neat looking motorhomes and Bus conversions that come into the area year round.

But there are also some really trashy looking rigs that come from all over that even I personally wouldn't want to look at much less park next to. There are a lot of transient people that pass through the area at times and sometimes the situation is worse than usual. Many people who travel in transient mode have little more than the basics even though many times an old motorhome or yes even a bus conversion might be what they have and all they can afford.

There has been an old Silver 4106 GMC roaming around and appearing abandoned at times in parking lots all over the area. I have seen it being towed from a closed K-Mart parking lot. I have seen it parked at the back corner of a Sams Club and I have seen it in  towing yard storage lot. It was once a Nice looking rig, But faded from glory now. Still the guy that owns it has his good days and bad apparently and apparently lives in it full time. He is out there somewhere and still traveling between breakdowns.

So if all you have is an old bus and no place else and nothing better you run what you got.... That's my feeling...

If all you have is a 1972 Winnie and you want to stay at some glorified and rule-bound parking lot/Resort I would bet you probably couldn't afford the rates anyway. Or just wouldn't want to associate with snobby people paying exhorbitant fee's....

What did I say here.... I don't have a CLUE !.... My brain stopped processing somewhere in there....

Been a bad day in the looney bin again... A 25 hp air compressor at work self destructed at about 1:30 today and blew the whole
end off the pump section and parts flew out the door...What a Mess... It lost an internal governor weight and vibrated so much that the bolts unscrewed themselves out of the cover and 150 psi air just exploded out the opening spraying parts, oil and who knows what else everywhere....
Just not my lifetime it seems....

[busboy]

We have been travelling for over 2 months and we have seen all kinds of campgrounds...and rigs.  We used to be campground owners and I say that they all pay the same.  The only thing we did not allow was monthly tent campers....we had a few when we got started and they all ended up being bad news.  We are Passport members and we have not found many Passport parks that were any cheaper than the other parks in the area...we have 4 kids and by the time the Passport park adds 2-3bucks for the kids and 3 bucks per night for 50 amp and one park in Rawlins where we are staying won't give Passport folks a full hookup sight, you have to stay in a water/electric site.  We have also run into a lot of parks that have poor electric, bad grounds, bad neutrals, etc.  I stayed in an old rundown used-to-be KOA last night in Pinedale, WY that I had to fix the water faucet before I could use it.  There are a lot of campground owners that need to wake up to the real world and what people expect!  <RANT OFF>
Hey, maybe I need to go to one of those meeting too.
Happy Trails,
Brent

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Dr Dave,

Didn't you just put that compressor in back in feb...... I remember when I stopped at your place, you were just done batteling that beast into the building.

Man, That didn't last long.  Back to the drawling Board....Huh.

Nick-

[NJT5047]

Did not buy my bus or other motor homes to go to a place and be ten feet or less from the next guy, unless it was my group, then we would be three feet apart if need be. I have always liked the wide open spaces where I could do it my way.
Don't need to spend high dollars to put up with their cr----p.
As is always said
DO IT YOUR WAY
ED
MCI 7

You ain't gonna be staying in too many campgrounds Ed.  
And BTW, I wasn't me (JR) that started this thread...it was jjrbus, who's someone else.  In 3 years of busing and over 30 years of a good bit of camping with all sorts of equipment, I've never been turned away from any campground.  All of my camping vehicles were nice looking, but several were definitely over the year requirement.  First time I saw that I figured they were gonna kick me out!  Nope. 
I'm happy...my panties aren't in a wad.   
jjrbus, if your conversion looks complete on the outside, and isn't garish, you shouldn't have any problem with entering any campground that has vacancies, and can handle a bus conversions weight and length...no vacancies is a problem in Florida. 
I definitely wouldn't get too exercised about anything that's posted on their websites.   As usual, when making reservations, don't use the word "bus"...this is not a good time for such.  Call it a "Mortorhome"..and if they quiery you...act like you have no idea what the H they are looking for...Motorhome...a 40' motorhome.  
Cheers, JR 
 

[Christyhicks]

Well, I agree and disagree with about everything said here, ha ha.  

For me, saying "No Converted Busses", well, that would mean, um, no bus that's been converted.  I don't know how you could misunderstand that.  Pretty much describes my bus I seems.

Now, for those who would suggest that "they really don't mean" it, well, then don't say it.  A simple sign saying "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" would suffice.  The fact is, they don't want any units that don't conform to their concept of a desirable looking coach.  Looks to me like they could just raise their rates to the point to where "low end" coach owners wouldn't want to spend the money to stay there.  

I guess it just bothers me a little because years ago, when our children were young, we couldn't afford a nice RV, so we had an old travel trailer, an old motorhome, and an old boat.. . . and we had a BLAST.  We couldn't afford new units, but we always made it a point to clean up every scrap of trash before we left, and sometimes cleaned up our campsite when we arrived.  My boys were polite and well behaved . . .( enough that we always had people come up to us in restaurants to compliment their behavior), so I assure you, even if we didn't look it, our behavior was "high class".  

People always use transients as an excuse to make rules, but I just don't see a transient paying the fees that these parks charge.  I think they put a lot of effort into making their park look "pretty" and they think old rigs detract from the beauty.  Everyone has the right to run their business they way they choose, but I just wish they could be more honest in their reasoning. . . . if they think they are right, then stand up by golly and say, "we think your rig is not attractive enough for our park".  In fact, they could actually ask you to submit pictures BEFORE they take your reservation.   . .that way, you don't waste your time driving there to start with.  If they are not going to enforce the ban, then get rid of it, because, well, some people find it a bit offensive.  Sure, when the BigBus is done, we hope it will be a beautiful rig, but we're going to be the same ugly old people inside it anyway.    

Man, we've been inside some houses of very rich people that lived like pigs. . .I mean, SLOBS!  Nice address, fancy outisde. . . OMG SLOBS!  Dog crap all over the granite floor slobs!   Hummer in the driveway, moldy dishes of food on the counter!  I'm not exaggerating!

Now, on the bright side, I got a very long and nice letter from Passport America, and it could be the same nice long letter they send to everyone for all I know, but it went into great detail on the fact that they do not attempt to control the campground members in their system, even if they think some of those rules can be self-defeating and even offensive to some RVers.  I understand their position and do not hold them responsible for the attitude of Sun resorts and others of their ilk.  

Gosh, I hope I don't ever get to the point where I seriously judge people based on the "quality" of their RV. . .man, I sure hope not!  I don't know, but sometimes I just go with my gut feeling, and my gut tells me it's not a good thing.  Oh well, to each his own, and I see everyone's point, this is just mine. . . worth as much as it cost you.. . nothing!  Christy Hicks