western horizon resorts

[Russinator]

Hello all - Several days ago we bought our first PU, a 2005 Fleetwood Niagara. Due to the rain we haven't been able to use it, other than in the driveway - there's been a day or two without rain.

When we bought the PU we were given a free years membership at Western Horizon Resorts. I did a search on this board but found no info on them. Do any of you belong and do you recommend western horizon resorts.

Thanks in advance - Russ and Donna

[kimrb266]

We too got one of those free camping trips when purchasing our Niagra.  We were looking to camp in the San Diego area and go to Sea World & the zoo.  DH mentioned to one of his co-workers about possibly going camping there and she pulled out a 2 page complaint letter about this specific campground.  She happened to be a member and had a horrible experience with them.  Needless to say, we aren't camping there.  

Please note, this problem may be with this certain campground and others affiliated with them may be perfectly fine.  We just don't want to risk it.

[kimrb266]

We too got one of those free camping trips when purchasing our Niagra. We were looking to camp in the San Diego area and go to Sea World & the zoo. DH mentioned to one of his co-workers about possibly going camping there and she pulled out a 2 page complaint letter about this specific campground. She happened to be a member and had a horrible experience with them. Needless to say, we aren't camping there.
 
Please note, this problem may be with this certain campground and others affiliated with them may be perfectly fine. We just don't want to risk it.

I may have miss spoken, we received several free camping offers and I'm not sure if Western is the one that our friend had problems with.  I'm going to have to check.  Sorry!!!!  I do know that it is one of the offers that we received.

[campincrew]

We purchased a Western Horizon Membership 2 years ago.  We love the resorts that we have visited since then.  Our home resort eneded up being in Indiana.  We lived in Illinois at the time and have since been relocated to Virginia, so we are not very close to a resort right now.

The only downside I see now is the transfer fee to move home resorts, seems to me that it should not matter since all the resorts are owned by the same company.  

Do a search on the net for them and check out the resorts and by all means use the free weekends they provide.  The sales pitch is not very agressive so it should be an easy 90 minutes out of your time there.

[cb]

We often drive past Ramona Canyon RV Resort (it has changed names several times over the last few years) on our way to camping in the desert or the mountains east of San Diego.  Every time, we look at the huge motorhomes all lined up next to the suspicious-looking pond in this campground, right next to Hwy. 78, and say "Why would anyone stay here when there are such good places not far away?"

[kimrb266]

Sorry for the delay to my above post.  I talked with DH and he said that our friend DIDN'T have a problem with Western, it was Romona Canyon.  DH wants to check out Western before we go camping there.

[kimrb266]

Sorry for the delay with my above post.  I did talk with DH and he said that our friend DIDN'T have problems with Western, it was Romona Canyon that gave them a HORRIBLE time.  Actually, Westerns' employees' threatened bodily harm so our friends moved their camping to another location.

[beacher]

I too received a few "free" camping memberships when I purchased my PU.  I have attended two of them, and they end up being a friendly sales presentation, and a rude goodbye.

You are generally required to sit through a 90 minute sales presentation, (with your wife present if you're married).  If you decide not to buy into the membership, things immediately get nasty.  They are also proud to tell you that you are NOT purchasing a timeshare with a deed to the property that you can pass down to future generations, or sell.  You are simply purchasing a membership that can only be transferred or sold, (with a significant transfer fee), a limited number of times, usually three.  They still give you your "free" membership for the year, but they explain the fine details, like only M-F reservations, or "if" they have availability.  One salesman at KQ Ranch in Julian, representing Colorado River Adventures, (some old guy from Louisiana), almost poked my three year old daughter is the eye as he shoved some paperwork towards me.  Very nasty indeed!

If you are at all interested in membership camping, you might want to consider a company called Choice Camping.  They give you a free membership to a home resort.  You still pay a yearly maintenance fee, just like you would with any other program.  Then, through an RPI membership you can stay at virtually any other membership resort for $8, $10, or 50% off.  Western Horizon Resorts are $8.00 a night!  You do not spend thousands of dollars initially purchasing your home resort.  If you do the math, there simply is not a better way to go.  Unless you are a full-timer and literally live at these membership resort places 365 days a year, (by moving every 14 days).

The new selling point to membership camping is the mini-cabin.  The cabins are a little pre-fab two story, (second floor is a tiny loft).  For the premium membership they have to sell , you generally purchase the opportunity to stay in one of those new mini-cabins one week a year, (if available upon check-in).  If a cabin is not available when you arrive, you get to stay in a rental Travel Trailer, woopie!!  You can also "exchange" that week at any other location including houseboats and some exotic locations.  Once again, if you do the math, you really can have the same thing for much less by using a good travel agent or a discount internet travel service such as Hotwire or Priceline.

[Russinator]

Hello Beacher and everyone else. Thanks for all your help. I'm waiting for the people from Choice Camping to call me back. From what I've read about CC it seems like a great way to go.