Electric Charge

[Phil503]

I began actively promoting the Gillette Family reunion because of the prospect of electric (1,700 permanent on site RV park, recent FMCA attendance has been under 2,000 at Family Reunions, thus plenty of electric is available especially considering this is Wyoming). I many members more interested because of the electric and being site permanent the cost would be more reasonable than when FMCA has to contract to outside vendor for temporary electric setup. Was I ever wrong when the registration was published and we found that the electric was going to cost $170 for 30 amp and $215 for 50 amp. This is the same charge when there is no on site electric and a outside contractor is brought in for temporary set up. Total rally registration for a member coach comes to $335 for 30 amp and $380 for 50 amp vs $165 if you dry camp and use generator. Last year the NEWMAR Kountry Club held a rally at Gillette and although I do not recall the exact cost it was somewhere around $380 with full hookup and included most breakfast and dinner meals over 4 days.

So what is the deal here? What is FMCA rational/justification for setting this charge so high? At the Western Area Rally in Indio the charge this year is $60, and includes outside contractor to setup outlets to existing electric as well as mobile generators.

I believe if the electric charge at Gillette was more reasonable ($80) many more might attend. As it is I will run my generator (if we do not change our minds about attending because of the exorbident electric charge, $40+ per day) at much less cost. I also believe that at this cost we can no longer get the large group from lour chapter to attend that we earlier had projected, and certainly not do any volunteering.

Any others have thoughts on this?

[RVerOnTheMove]

You do understand that FMCA is in the business of running a business, right? Profit is paramount. Without that profit FMCA will perish. I don't fault FMCA for trying to make a profit, I am just always surprised when "members" question FMCA's motives.

[judy3972]

Do we know that FMCA does not have a cost factor for the electric?

If that is the fact, the marketing team failed to present the costs, so as to not have the membership raise up in arms.

Presentation is everything.

FMCA should know that their members expect to be treated fairly and give the option to have sites with water & sewer but no electric or have pricing for generator areas.

JMHO.

On a personal note almost $100.00 a day is high.

[moldtech]

Is there going to be water and sewer hook up too?

[Guest]

Following are a few points to keep in mind during discussions.

1. The registration fee at Gillette is only $165 for 4 days of activities. Electric campsites are optional, not mandatory.
   
2. The optional electric campsites are not free to FMCA. Venues include the cost of electric campsites in their overall grounds rates and someone has to cover those costs.
   
3. Most Reunion attendees will be volunteering their time as Governing Board members or volunteering to support event functions and they will be staying on grounds for 7 nights. Therefore, Governing Board members and volunteers will be paying an average of $24 per night for a campsite with 30 amp electric and $31 per night for a campsite with 50 amp electric. Other Reunion attendees will stay on grounds for an average of 5 nights. Therefore, they will be paying an average of $34 per night for a campsite with 30 amp electric and $43 per night for a campsite with 50 amp electric. There are advantages to volunteering and registering early.
   
4. The optional electric sites at Gillette are less than Indianapolis, where over 1,000 were purchased.
   
5. Large events require services which are usually not found at smaller events (EMS support, trams, police, etc.). These additional services (and costs) are for the attendee's safety and comfort. It is not accurate to compare the costs of Reunions with the costs of smaller events.
   
6. Each event uses a different set of guidelines (parameters) when establishing registration and electric campsite pricing. FMCA Reunions strive to keep the registration fee as low as possible to encourage attendance while charging appropriately for optional services. In the end, all bills must be paid.
   

[Guest]

Limited additional services may be available upon arrival at no additional cost. The Gillette venue has 1,146 campsites with electric, water, and sewer. At Indianapolis just over 1,000 electric sites were purchased. There are advantages to volunteering and registering early.

[judy3972]

Following are a few points to keep in mind during discussions.

1. The registration fee at Gillette is only $165 for 4 days of activities. Electric campsites are optional, not mandatory.
   
2. The optional electric campsites are not free to FMCA. Venues include the cost of electric campsites in their overall grounds rates and someone has to cover those costs.
   
3. Most Reunion attendees will be volunteering their time as Governing Board members or volunteering to support event functions and they will be staying on grounds for 7 nights. Therefore, Governing Board members and volunteers will be paying an average of $24 per night for a campsite with 30 amp electric and $31 per night for a campsite with 50 amp electric. Other Reunion attendees will stay on grounds for an average of 5 nights. Therefore, they will be paying an average of $34 per night for a campsite with 30 amp electric and $43 per night for a campsite with 50 amp electric. There are advantages to volunteering and registering early.
   
4. The optional electric sites at Gillette are less than Indianapolis, where over 1,000 were purchased.
   
5. Large events require services which are usually not found at smaller events (EMS support, trams, police, etc.). These additional services (and costs) are for the attendee's safety and comfort. It is not accurate to compare the costs of Reunions with the costs of smaller events.
   
6. Each event uses a different set of guidelines (parameters) when establishing registration and electric campsite pricing. FMCA Reunions strive to keep the registration fee as low as possible to encourage attendance while charging appropriately for optional services. In the end, all bills must be paid.
   

Thank you for the additional information. As I'm a new member I was not aware of all the facts. You have made things a little clearer now. It may have been better if this was stated prior to questions being asked.

[tractor16]

Wow we just got a year Membership from Lazydays after we got our Tiffin Coach. We were looking to go to the Rally in Gillette, Wyoming but after seeing what it would cost for 4 Days Dry camping with 50amp at almost 400.00 that is not going to happen. We plan to take a trip up that way but will not be at the FMCA thing. We are also Life Members of Good Sams and will make plans around their Rallys. We use to be Members of FMCA but I don't remember the costs of the Rallies being that expensive. JMHO

[Keggar]

I see this sentence twice in the preceeding entries, "There are advantages to volunteering and registering early." Yet, I see nothing stating what the advantages may be... other than, I would guess, the obvious personal gratification for volunteering. What are those advantages? I can see where showing up early may mean less traffic enroute, less waiting while registering into the camping area, perhaps a better/larger campsite and closer to the activities,... but what else? Are there any cost savings for volunteering and/or registering early?

[judy3972]

Limited additional services may be available upon arrival at no additional cost. The Gillette venue has 1,146 campsites with electric, water, and sewer. At Indianapolis just over 1,000 electric sites were purchased. There are advantages to volunteering and registering early.

How do you arrive a day early and or stay a day longer? I do not see any provision for this on the form.

[Guest]

The answer will depend on what you mean by "a day early." Arrivals are usually scheduled over a 3-day period and if you call 800-543-3622 and ask for Gillette Reunion Registration, a representative will be able to explain your options. The CAM-PLEX will be allowing coaches to stay over after the Reunion for an additional camping fee and those arrangements can be made on-site at the CAM-PLEX Administrative Offices anytime during the Reunion.

[kelliepoodle]

This will be our first large FMCA rally and we are volunteering so we are coming in two days early. We have a small class C with not very large fresh and gray water tanks. Sufficient black water holding tank. We also sent in the proper documentation for a handicapped spot as one of us has problems walking.

When I looked at the site plan for Gillette, I saw that there are many sites with water and sewer. We are paying for 30 amp and need electricity for a medicaly mandated breathing machine.

What are the chances that we will get a site with water and sewer? If not, will there be water delivery and hooney wagon service or will we have to disconnect and drive around to find both?

Thank you for answering this.

[whstaley]

We are looking to attend the Gillette Reunion. It would be our first FMCA rally. Reading this thread, and looking over the website, I am confused by the options. I've searched the website for more details on the Reunion and can only find registration information. Nothing on volunteering or general details of the Reunion.

As a previous poster stated, what are the advantages of volunteering and registering early? We have attended events at the CamPlex and we knew in advance whether we would have full hookups or, electric and water only.

I called the number given above and was told, "It just depends on where they park you". Is it first come gets full hookups, if you volunteer, or some other criteria?

[univmd]

Based on past experience, getting full-hookups is not first come first served. It is based purely on chance, which section FMCA is filling when you arrive.

Based on this thread, it seems that the advantage to volunteering is that you will have to stay longer, so the cost per day goes down, not the total cost.

The advantage to booking earlier is that you have the rights to pay $380 for a 50 amp site before they run out.

Yes there will be honey wagons and water fill services for a charge.

Have fun!

[bambiajkora]

Let us think deeply;

What FMCA can do to make the fees in line and competitive to other organizations? What promotional and or marketing activities can FMCA instigate to encourage membership? What can improve the membership benifit / cost ratio?

[sandyhepburn]

...We are paying for 30 amp and need electricity for a medically mandated breathing machine.

Sorry to hijack this thread but this brings up a question: I've seen mention of handicap parking at events such as this before. Now normally one thinks of handicap parking for obvious physical handicaps, and to be eligible for the handicap parking a valid handicap placard is required. But if someone requires an electrical hookup for a CPAP machine, is a handicap placard also required, or is a doctor's note/prescription/etc. sufficient?