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Canadian Snowbirds Winter 2020/2021


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Thousands of Canadian Snowbirds spend the winter in Florida, Texas, Arizona etc. Do you know if they'll arrive this season? It's only three to four months away. If not, do you think that will have an affect on lot rental prices?

Al

2008 HR 5th wheel Floral City, FL

 

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We have not even finished the first wave of Civid-19 yet. We may have a 2nd wave next Sept/Oct/Nov so who knows what the Canadians will do. If the traffic south is thin and all those RV Resorts are half empty they may have to reduce their rates. But if the pools are closed and all activities canceled like last spring, they won’t be worth staying there at full price either so another reason to offer discounts. 

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As a Canadian Snowbird, here are the issues we see that will affect our decision to travel south this winter.

First, our 'out of country' travel insurance will almost certainly exclude Covid-19, so the first hurdle will be the availability of a vaccine, so we are protected.

Second issue is how 'locked down' are the facilities like restaurants, movie theaters, and other entertainment and shops. If everything is restricted then it will be no fun, and we will be reduced to sitting in our rig.

If that is the case, we are more comfortable just staying at home, and will not travel this winter. If we do make it, we expect a late start (waiting for vaccine).

John

 

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1 hour ago, hiljoball said:

As a Canadian Snowbird, here are the issues we see that will affect our decision to travel south this winter.

First, our 'out of country' travel insurance will almost certainly exclude Covid-19, so the first hurdle will be the availability of a vaccine, so we are protected.

 

I wouldn't count on a vaccine for a while.  It's going to have to be tested (or should be) to see if it's effective and safe for the general public.

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If the Canadian Snowbirds can't or won't come to Arizona, for an example, there are a lot of things that will change. We are in Yuma and very familiar with what our northern neighbors bring. Economy during the winter will take a huge hit. RV parks that have many of the folks that are mobile could mean vacant sites. Many that have park models in parks still will have to pay the rent. The private lot rentals in the Foothills area sure will see a big difference. If they own the private lots, county taxes, will still have to be paid. If they own a house, that brings up huge ramifications. As far as the site rental prices if you mean in RV parks, time will tell. If by December and there are many open sites they could run something like 3 month specials. But the foolish owners have been known in hard times to still jack prices. In other words, roll the dice. We sure do hope you folks will be able to come south!

Edited by bobsallyh
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This may be bad news for some, but good news for others.  

This will be the first winter my wife and I are snowbirding in AZ.  Last month I started calling parks for reservations.  Either all the pet sites were already taken or the sites long enough for my 5er were already taken or the park was already fully booked.  Eventually I found a site in a small park.  The manager told me it was the last available site in the park.  

Once Oct rolls around, I'll re-evaluate and check with parks that are more in-line with our desires.  I may find a better deal or 2.  

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We are not Canadian but winter in Florida. Canadians make up a significant number  of the snowbirds in Florida. They left our park in droves in early March not knowing what might happen at the border . We own a lot in Florida so reservations are not a problem. It is as of yet to early to know what might happen between now and say early October. We are in a wait and see position but it sort of looks like we will be wintering in Northern Ohio this year.

 

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I am very doubtful it will be possible to get across the Canadian border before year end. Over 50% of Canadians want it to stay closed. The situation in Canada is nowhere near as bad. Here in BC we have a small handful of infections a day and barely any deaths now. We have the advantage of having one of the worlds foremost experts on epidemic, Dr Bonnie Henry in charge and the politicians have stepped aside and let her make all the decisions. It has paid off big time. We never even fully locked down. And that is despite Vancouver being the largest entry point in North America for flights from China. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/world/canada/bonnie-henry-british-columbia-coronavirus.html

I normally drive my RV down to Mexico each year. I do the customer orientation and website for an RV caravan company. Trips this year are seriously in doubt. I have booked airfare this year to go down (I am a legal resident, so they have to let me in),   but I am prepared to cancel if it is still too risky. We may look at running destination caravans where we can keep a group together and head for one beachside RV park for 3 months. May be able to do that safely, but it will be without Canadians if the border is still shut. There is  a possibility of  a vaccine by October (maybe in Mexico according to one publication) but who knows. We have put together some interesting info on Covid at https://mexicocaravan.com/Covid.pdf

Edited by telcoman
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On 6/28/2020 at 12:29 PM, 2gypsies said:

I wouldn't count on a vaccine for a while.  It's going to have to be tested (or should be) to see if it's effective and safe for the general public.

I suspect things may get so dire they will take chances. That happened with polio and the first batch caused issues. It also happened with a flu outbreak in the 50's and that time it worked well. regulation was slacker back then. I can foresee people signing releases to get one that is not fully tested. In Mexico they are talking about the Oxford vaccine being available in October. Presumably the regulatory hurdles are not present there. Insurance of course is the other issue. I am on Mexican medicare, but I am not so sure I want to end up in hospital with it down there.

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2 hours ago, telcoman said:

I am very doubtful it will be possible to get across the Canadian border before year end. Over 50% of Canadians want it to stay closed. The situation in Canada is nowhere near as bad. Here in BC we have a small handful of infections a day and barely any deaths now. We have the advantage of having one of the worlds foremost experts on epidemic, Dr Bonnie Henry in charge and the politicians have stepped aside and let her make all the decisions. It has paid off big time. We never even fully locked down. And that is despite Vancouver being the largest entry point in North America for flights from China. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/world/canada/bonnie-henry-british-columbia-coronavirus.html

I normally drive my RV down to Mexico each year. I do the customer orientation and website for an RV caravan company. Trips this year are seriously in doubt. I have booked airfare this year to go down (I am a legal resident, so they have to let me in),   but I am prepared to cancel if it is still too risky. We may look at running destination caravans where we can keep a group together and head for one beachside RV park for 3 months. May be able to do that safely, but it will be without Canadians if the border is still shut. There is  a possibility of  a vaccine by October (maybe in Mexico according to one publication) but who knows. We have put together some interesting info on Covid at https://mexicocaravan.com/Covid.pdf

An aside, withing your mexicocaravan.com link the Google translation link is broken, and the utube link is not a hot link. I find your pdf an interesting read, thanks.

Edited by Ray,IN
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4 hours ago, telcoman said:

I suspect things may get so dire they will take chances. That happened with polio and the first batch caused issues. It also happened with a flu outbreak in the 50's and that time it worked well. regulation was slacker back then. I can foresee people signing releases to get one that is not fully tested. In Mexico they are talking about the Oxford vaccine being available in October. Presumably the regulatory hurdles are not present there. Insurance of course is the other issue. I am on Mexican medicare, but I am not so sure I want to end up in hospital with it down there.

If/when there is a safe vaccine the U.S. would probably use a 3-tier system of administering it.  First would be those with greatest risk and key workers.

https://apnews.com/ee7a0459e8913984294f5f774f47f8a3

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15 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

Hey Rich,  why winter in the cold?  Won’t you do the same in each area, staying physically distant, wearing a mask, thorough hand washing, etc?  

That was my thought too.  We are in Wisconsin mid-May to mid-October and in Florida mid-October to mid-May.  We will definitely go back to Florida in the fall.  I feel we can take every precaution in Florida that we are taking in Wisconsin.

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That may be the case. Looking at the situation, right now any Canadian would be nuts to go into the US. The difference between the situation in Canada and the US is marked. Especially places like BC where there were only 2 new cases yesterday and no deaths, compared to over 500 just south in Washington state. Quebec is still not great, but considerably better than most US States. On that basis I really cannot see the US/Canada land border re-opening, probably until next year unless there is a drastic reduction in cases in the US. If it becomes worse in the Fall , I can see countrywide lock down and inability to travel interstate.

On the hand, and I hate to say this, so many people may have gotten it by winter that the number of transmitters have declined drastically, assuming people who have had it cannot transmit it,  which is still an if. That is not a nice way to get there, as it requires a lot of collateral damage.

I suspect you can reduce your risk a lot by wearing a mask and probably a face shield. It looks more and more like this is usually transmitted by respiration droplets and not so much by surfaces. If 100% wore one for a few weeks every time they are in proximity to others, the spread could probably be bought under control to the point where it reduces to controllable outbreaks. The issue is politicians get in the way.

 

Europe just banned Americans this morning. I hate to say it, but you have a big problem down there.

Edited by telcoman
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3 hours ago, telcoman said:

If 100% wore one for a few weeks every time they are in proximity to others, the spread could probably be bought under control to the point where it reduces to controllable outbreaks. The issue is politicians get in the way.

Part of the problem is people here that just will not conform in order to help others. 

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10 minutes ago, telcoman said:

I notice people starting to get careless around here,

The problem here is not carelessness but defiance. We have people still claiming that it is just a big political ploy and others who refuse to believe the scientists. Even among Escapees there are those who at least seem to be downplaying the seriousness of our situation. To me when I see someone out in a public area where there are people within 10' or so that do not wear a mask properly, that is an indication that they really don't care much about others and I go to great lengths to avoid them. 

Edited by Kirk W
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