rainbow plantation not answering phones

[Dave O]

Does anyone know if they shut down at the Rainbow Plantation on the weekends?

 

It is now 1305 CST and 1405 EST and no answer on any of their lines.

 

Trying to make reservations.

 

Dave O

[homelesshartshorns]

Holladay week end!

[Dave O]

Holladay week end!

Hmm May be true, but I thought "holiday weekends" were when RV parks were pretty busy.

 

Dave O

[homelesshartshorns]

Maybe not if there full up?

[Dave O]

Thank You for your thoughts.

 

Is anyone there now or been there on a weekend and can confirm they actually close down on weekends??

 

Dave O

[Cyberdave]

Not any of the three times we've stayed there.

[Velos]

Sometimes parks put their hours on their websites: https://www.escapees.com/parking/rainbow-parks/summerdale-alabama

 

I didn't see any for the plantation but they did have 3 different phone numbers listed?

 

They also have a survey form on the website that you may want to let them know you were unable to reach the park? May not help for this visit but could assist others?

[Dave O]

HI All

 

SUCCESS!!

 

I made our reservations this morning at 0815MST with Bill at Rainbow Plantation.

 

He also stated they were on winter hours and WERE open for a limited time yesterday.

 

Guess I must have tried during the times they were not open.

 

Dave O

[2gypsies]

They were on WINTER hours in September?

[Rosita]

I'm with 2gypsies; being on a "winter hours" schedule in early September sounds pretty flaky to me!

[Velos]

Winter hours? all depends on how busy they are at any particular location and how many employees are available to man the desk.

 

Posting hours on the park website would be a customer service and help prevent confusion.

[Big Greg]

Why not go to the Plantation's website and make an online reservation? Greg

[Dave O]

Why not go to the Plantation's website and make an online reservation? Greg

Hi Greg

 

Great suggestion. However the website does not have any reservation capability past OCT and we needed reservations in Nov.

 

Dave O

[bilmorvn]

The Plantation's busy season is winter, not summer.

[Scottiemom]

We just arrived today and their hours posted are clearly labeled "Summer Hours" and are open a couple hours in the morning (till 11). Didn't see what time they opened. Afternoon hours are 3-5. We forgot and had changed time zones when we got here. Were told by one person that there were no 50 amp sites available. Only sites that were in the "box" for after hours checkin were two 30amp sites. Wanted 50. Went on website and found several 50 amp sites available for the time frame we needed. Actually reserved the site we wanted and was able to get it when the office opened up. Looks like just maybe 55% filled right now. Don't understand why "nothing available" when there are empty 50 amp sites. Nobody came in after us either. Website which says it's updated at midnight every night, shows about 6-7 for multiple days. I think the vacancy chart is very difficult to read. . . thousands of little squares. That surely could be improved. I think they may be too afraid of making a mistake and don't want to get into checking out the individual boxes, etc., for availability. I use a straight edge to read across the screen.

 

And. . . being a business teacher. . . checkin is always faster when the clerk knows how to type.

 

We called around and found some other parks in the area with 50 amp, so we were ready to move on down the road. I can use 30, but when 50 amp sites go unused and I'm told I can't have one. . . well, I will take my business elsewhere.

 

 

I miss the days when a member could come in off the road and know that a site would be waiting for them. That was something special about the Escapees parks and the primary reason we are members. Now they are just like every other campground.

 

Dale

[StarDreamers.us]

Could just be a "BAD HAIR" day at the park office. Also, many of the parks maybe in a rut? You maybe comparing the Escapees Park system with a FOR PROFIT operation that depends on good customer service for their business.

 

Safe Travels! Always Be Aware of YOUR Surroundings!

[Scottiemom]

I have been reading about the reservations system at the rainbow parks and what I understand is that up to 50% of the sites can be reserved. That leaves the remaining available for transients and shorter term customers. When I look at the park today, most but not all of the 50 Amp sites are taken. The 30 amp sites are sparsely populated. So does that mean that the 50% that is reservable is all being taken from the 50 Amp sites? That leaves the 30 Amp sites for all transients and shorter term campers. I believe it would be more fair to make the reservable sites half 30 amp and half 50 amp. That would leave many more 50 amp sites available for travelers who come in without reservations as well as an equal number of 30 amp sites.

 

I also think the idea of long term reservable sites to be the start of the decline of the campground as a campground. Walking around and looking at all the sites today we saw numerous campers with wooden platforms, wooden decks, fences, and wooden ramps. Those look trashy. There are yard barns, lots of storage containers and super large potted plants. Some of the units weren't even there and still this junk is sitting there on the site. I don't call that a campground anymore. . .it's becoming more of a trailer park. On most, there is no means visible by which to haul all this stuff out. . . in other words, there is more junk there than they can carry out. And while they are turning people away with 50 amp needs, they have empty sites there with "Campsite Occupied" signs on them. What used to be a beautiful pristine campground is turning into something else. A drive through the ERPU sites revealed many empty sites there. If people want to stay long term, why can't they go there?

 

I assume this was done to guarantee a certain amount of income. . . Has any thought been given to what happens when a member comes in and can't find a suitable site and moves on down the road? We spent today looking around and have found several other campgrounds in the area that fit our needs better. This is one case where I believe the old system was better.

 

Dale

[SWharton]

We went to make a reservation at Sumter Oaks in August for and October stay and were told 2 things: 1) the sites you see online aren't accurate and 2) they were filling up fast so good thing we called. #2 really bothers me. When we got there Sumter was 2/3 empty, we were only staying for a week. We asked for a different site and they hemmed and hawed(said only had sites in 30a we could go to) making a decision to move us even though there were so many empty sites. Something fishy is going on with the philosophy of reservations and the assignment of sites.

[StarDreamers.us]

The problem that I see is that of local management and Livingston control. The concept of a safe and friendly place to stay when you are on the road is still a wonderful goal for the parks. However, like most things that concept is going away. Many reasons, perhaps others may have something to add??

 

A new software system was recently added to the system may require some local training and input to be current. Old software concept that is still valid today. Garbage in and Garbage out. System must be kept up to date. Also many of the parks may have become the place of last resort for many of our seniors living in the parks. Could be that some may be too old to keep the place up to the parks standards?

 

Perhaps a local project could be organized in the parks to clean and get the junk out?? Many of us that are still able to help could make that a volunteer mission, who knows.

 

Safe Travels! Always Be Aware of YOUR Surrounding's!

[Dutch_12078]

If the lease holders do not place their sites in the rental pool when they're not phsically occupying their sites, then those sites are no more available to others than someone's leased S&B is when no one is there. Rainbow Plantation has 32 ERPU/Lease sites and Sumter Oaks has 25.

[Scottiemom]

It isn't a matter of cleaning up the junk. They are building more of it as we speak. In my opinion, wooden platforms and shabby ramps and steps have no place in a campground. So much stuff setting around their camper and some of it isn't trimmed, etc. These are not campers or travelers. They are more or less permanent residents. If they leave, do they expect others to care for their reserved site? As more and more rent the "campground spots" there will be no place for travelers to find a site they want coming in off the road.

 

Looks to me like people have found a cheap place to store their campers for the long term. I am not happy with these new changes. Others may be fine with it. But we will be moving on.

 

Dale

[traviscarr]

I have been reading about the reservations system at the rainbow parks and what I understand is that up to 50% of the sites can be reserved. That leaves the remaining available for transients and shorter term customers. When I look at the park today, most but not all of the 50 Amp sites are taken. The 30 amp sites are sparsely populated. So does that mean that the 50% that is reservable is all being taken from the 50 Amp sites? That leaves the 30 Amp sites for all transients and shorter term campers. I believe it would be more fair to make the reservable sites half 30 amp and half 50 amp. That would leave many more 50 amp sites available for travelers who come in without reservations as well as an equal number of 30 amp sites.

 

I also think the idea of long term reservable sites to be the start of the decline of the campground as a campground. Walking around and looking at all the sites today we saw numerous campers with wooden platforms, wooden decks, fences, and wooden ramps. Those look trashy. There are yard barns, lots of storage containers and super large potted plants. Some of the units weren't even there and still this junk is sitting there on the site. I don't call that a campground anymore. . .it's becoming more of a trailer park. On most, there is no means visible by which to haul all this stuff out. . . in other words, there is more junk there than they can carry out. And while they are turning people away with 50 amp needs, they have empty sites there with "Campsite Occupied" signs on them. What used to be a beautiful pristine campground is turning into something else. A drive through the ERPU sites revealed many empty sites there. If people want to stay long term, why can't they go there?

 

I assume this was done to guarantee a certain amount of income. . . Has any thought been given to what happens when a member comes in and can't find a suitable site and moves on down the road? We spent today looking around and have found several other campgrounds in the area that fit our needs better. This is one case where I believe the old system was better.

 

Dale

 

Hell Dale,

 

No we do not separate the 30amp site from the 50amp sites for reservations. We allow 50% of the sites to be reserved for reservations that are more than 60 days out. If you the first night of the reservation is within 60 days there is no 50% limit. 50amp sites are always the first to go and those the reason why we accept reservations. If we started to put multiple restrictions on the different types of site then it wouldn't allow those that want to guarantee a site to do so. This is how most campgrounds work, those that reserve first get priority and have the best sites to choose from.

 

In regards to the permanent structures at the sites. You are seeing either our ERPU or Lease program which is a very different from our monthly rates. These programs provide more of a permanent home-base options. We do not allow permanent fixtures on monthlies and all attached fixtures are approved before they can be added on the site.

[traviscarr]

It isn't a matter of cleaning up the junk. They are building more of it as we speak. In my opinion, wooden platforms and shabby ramps and steps have no place in a campground. So much stuff setting around their camper and some of it isn't trimmed, etc. These are not campers or travelers. They are more or less permanent residents. If they leave, do they expect others to care for their reserved site? As more and more rent the "campground spots" there will be no place for travelers to find a site they want coming in off the road.

 

Looks to me like people have found a cheap place to store their campers for the long term. I am not happy with these new changes. Others may be fine with it. But we will be moving on.

 

Dale

 

It is have always been our goal to provide all varieties of parking options from short to long term. The ERPU program is very popular and provides a home-base option for those that are looking for a place to come back to every year. In most cases these are in one section of the park. However, Sumter Oaks does have these site spread around the park. We do have a standard and expect this fixtures to be maintained and be presentable to the public.