Florida building a bunch of new RV sites

[tiggerdad]

Reading some interesting articles on rv site availability as a whole, considering the new explosion in RV demand. Some articles are showing 6,000 to 7,000 new RV sites for Florida. This includes new parks and expansions on current ones.

Not Disney though...

Projections say this year possibly as many as 500,000 new units expected to sell this year.

Across the nation expectations based on current plans is that 54,000 new RV sites will be built this year.

 

[Bishoparc]

If I had the money I’d build a campground on my property we camp at. Would be a great spot. I can tell you, it is hard to find a last minute spot in Florida

 

[Stork]

Reading some interesting articles on rv site availability as a whole, considering the new explosion in RV demand. Some articles are showing 6,000 to 7,000 new RV sites for Florida. This includes new parks and expansions on current ones.

Across the nation expectations based on current plans is that 54,000 new RV sites will be built this year.

New construction of homes AND RV parks in Florida will be competing for what little real estate is available to develop. I'm sure we'll be paying premium prices for campsites for a long time to come.

 

[BarbLynnM]

If I had the money I’d build a campground on my property we camp at. Would be a great spot. I can tell you, it is hard to find a last minute spot in Florida

If I'm reading your post right, you own land in Fla you can camp on? Reason I'm asking is himself and I were kicking around the idea of buying a lot/acre around central Fla (well, for travel to Disney), improving it with a septic, electrical posts, water and a slab as though it was a campsite, and staying on it in our camper for the winters. I'm sure we'd have to check out zoning, etc to make sure it's ok (up here they're pretty tight with that). If you've done this, might there be hope for others or perhaps you were grandfathered in? Just wondering.

 

[Bishoparc]

If I'm reading your post right, you own land in Fla you can camp on? Reason I'm asking is himself and I were kicking around the idea of buying a lot/acre around central Fla (well, for travel to Disney), improving it with a septic, electrical posts, water and a slab as though it was a campsite, and staying on it in our camper for the winters. I'm sure we'd have to check out zoning, etc to make sure it's ok (up here they're pretty tight with that). If you've done this, might there be hope for others or perhaps you were grandfathered in? Just wondering.

Great question, the property I'm referencing is actually in northwest Florida. That being said, we've also got some family property about an hour and a half from Orlando as well that does have septic, etc. Orange county in particular is very strict on how long you can stay on a piece of a property "living" in your camper. This is the link to the Orange county info - Boat, Recreation Vehicle and/or Temporary Portable Storage Container (TPSC) permit (orangecountyfl.net)

You'd have much better luck somewhere outside Orange county.

 

[MudQueen22]

I do wish they would build additional campgrounds nationwide to accommodate the influx of new campers. Unfortunately, building a campground is incredibly costly.

 

[PaHunter]

Reading some interesting articles on rv site availability as a whole, considering the new explosion in RV demand. Some articles are showing 6,000 to 7,000 new RV sites for Florida. This includes new parks and expansions on current ones.

Not Disney though...

Projections say this year possibly as many as 500,000 new units expected to sell this year.

Across the nation expectations based on current plans is that 54,000 new RV sites will be built this year.

I have heard stories that dealers are getting trailers that are not even complete.

 

[Sjm9911]

I do wish they would build additional campgrounds nationwide to accommodate the influx of new campers. Unfortunately, building a campground is incredibly costly.

Im still hopeing they build them for the old campers!

 

[Stork]

Im still hopeing they build them for the old campers!

Are you talking about you or your RV?

 

[tiggerdad]

Are you talking about you or your RV?

You beat me to it!

 

[Brett Wyman]

I feel sorry for all the mom and pops who start up new parks only to find demand plummets in a few years.

 

[Stork]

You beat me to it!

And it was after only ONE cup a joe this morning!

 

[Teamubr]

I feel sorry for all the mom and pops who start up new parks only to find demand plummets in a few years.

This was my thought. There were a huge number of campgrounds that sold out/went out of business after the 2008 banking fiasco and the economy crashed. At least 3 campgrounds within an hour of me are gone and many more switched to a "seasonal" or purchase option.

I think the increased demand for camping/RVs is a temporary thing. In a few years with Covid in the rear view, many people that only stayed in hotels will be back in hotels. Then maybe I can get a weekend reservation somewhere less than 6 months in advance.

j

 

[tiggerdad]

This was my thought. There were a huge number of campgrounds that sold out/went out of business after the 2008 banking fiasco and the economy crashed. At least 3 campgrounds within an hour of me are gone and many more switched to a "seasonal" or purchase option.

I think the increased demand for camping/RVs is a temporary thing. In a few years with Covid in the rear view, many people that only stayed in hotels will be back in hotels. Then maybe I can get a weekend reservation somewhere less than 6 months in advance.

j

I agree with this. It's just a matter of

A - How long the covid scare lingers in their minds (usually up to the media)

B- At what point they realize camping is too much work for them

C - The hotels catch on and offer reduced rates to recoup the business

 

[MudQueen22]

This was my thought. There were a huge number of campgrounds that sold out/went out of business after the 2008 banking fiasco and the economy crashed. At least 3 campgrounds within an hour of me are gone and many more switched to a "seasonal" or purchase option.

I think the increased demand for camping/RVs is a temporary thing. In a few years with Covid in the rear view, many people that only stayed in hotels will be back in hotels. Then maybe I can get a weekend reservation somewhere less than 6 months in advance.

j

I've wondered that, but then I keep going back and forth. We are among the new campers, but I don't believe we will stop camping unless some life event forces us. We purchased our unit just over three years ago, but I had been wanting one for a good 12+ years before that. It just took that long for me to get to a point in life where I could afford to do this.
I wonder what percentage of these campers are doing it due to covid, what percentage are doing it because it's trendy, and what percentage are (like me) doing it because they have always wanted to RV camp.

If it's a larger portion of people like me, the RV parks and campgrounds may end up really banking. Personally, I find it to be the optimal way to travel if staying in the continental USA.

If a larger portion of the newbies are the trendies and covid-campers, then the market may be flooded with lots of used units within the next few years. And I hope the campgrounds can still do well.

 

[Stratman50th]

@tiggerdad and @Teamubr Agree with you guys. Been thinking this since the beginning. RVs sound like a great thing until you actually start doing it. They require constant maintenance that hopefully you can do some of yourself. That isn't cheap. There's setup and breakdown, second nature to a lot of us but surely not for the people who are used to carrying their bags into a hotel. Packing and unpacking is still required. You can eat out while camping, but most prepare their meals in house, at least some of the time. It's work. Work that we enjoy but not for everyone. I bet we see a real glut in the used RV market in a year or so.

 

[Teamubr]

We are among the new campers, but I don't believe we will stop camping unless some life event forces us. We purchased our unit just over three years ago.
If a larger portion of the newbies are the trendies and covid-campers, then the market may be flooded with lots of used units within the next few years. And I hope the campgrounds can still do well.

MudQueen,

I wouldn't consider you one of the "newbies". From what I have been reading, the sudden popularity is due to Covid. There is probably also some pent up demand for regular RVers that cancelled most things last year, but that would be short lived once we start to get our camping fix again. Many of the articles I've read are focusing on the trendy side of the increase and try to say that "most" people that got into RVing due to the pandemic will stay in. I don't think so. As Stratman said, RVing isn't necessarily cheaper or easier than flying and a hotel. Once the pandemic resides, many people will come to that same conclusion. Some will stay, but I doubt most will. At that point the "trendiness" will reside and we can all get reservations again.

j

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

As soon as the "trendy" and COVID campers have to do their first warranty claim, they're gonna be OUT!

 

[tiggerdad]

As soon as the "trendy" and COVID campers have to do their first warranty claim, they're gonna be OUT!

Imagine all the "first time sewer line unhooked prematurely " incidents.

 

[Teamubr]

Imagine all the "first time sewer line unhooked prematurely " incidents.

I'm not sure that mishap is limited to 1st time campers. I recall a thread on here about our own mis-adventures. I remember telling the story of nearly having a black tank geyser from hooking the water up to the black tank flush by accident. Someone else chimed in and told about their actual Mt. Vepoopius.

j