I have a plan to make our Fort trips much better.

[Shan-man]

But cranking up the pup and all of the work that goes into getting a campsite ready is starting to get old...Im ready to relax more and work less!!!

Yeah, the wife mentioned a p-up a couple of times, and I was really interested in a Hi-Lo/TrailManor before getting the moho, but the set-up is a major drawback. It'll be bad enough having to run back to the camper in the rain at rest areas. I sure don't want to have to do 15 minutes of setup just to take a nap or fix a snack. That's a real nice advantage to a moho: slap it in park and walk to the bed without setting foot outside. We'll be two years paying for the truck before we consider buying a trailer (unless a steal falls in our lap that we can pay cash for) so I'll have plenty of time to consider the pros and cons. When we do make a move it will probably be a bumper-pull 26' or so. Something with a real bed (I'm 6' 2") and a real shower (I'm Santa-shaped!) and I'll be happy.

 

[BradyBz12]

Yeah, the wife mentioned a p-up a couple of times, and I was really interested in a Hi-Lo/TrailManor before getting the moho, but the set-up is a major drawback.

Setup is probably the #1 reason we're ditching the hybrid for a regular TT. We love our Kodiak and it's served us amazingly well over the past 5 years (incl. 4 lengthy stays at the Fort) but we're getting older and lazier and we want to just park and be done. Big factor for us is the pups - with the hybrid we have to shuffle their crates out of the truck and into the camper. The new TT has a bunk area where we're going to permanently "install" 3 crates so no more shuffling pups, setting up the bed, etc.

Park... level... margaritas!

 

[RocklandRVers]

When I first bought it I had fantasies of taking a nap while the wife drove some, or of her making sandwiches as we cruise. Never happens! My wife WILL NOT drive the rig. She won't sit anywhere but the passenger seat (typically). She doesn't like moving around while we are in motion and, despite having all that room, the dogs are in a bed on her lap so even asking her to grab me a soda is a hassle! If she's in real distress she'll upset the pups and venture back to the toilet, but that's rare. So, to grab a nap, a snack, or a restroom break we have to find a place to pull off anyhow.

Sounds like us! We developed what we thought was the perfect plan when we bought our Class B. We come from camping families. My in-laws had a nice Class C they got as they neared retirement. FIL was the sole driver and as he got older it was white knuckle driving the big rig on the interstates. My DW, DS and I used it more than they did. Eventually they sold it when he got sick and they never enjoyed those golden years. We couldn't afford one at the time. About 10 years ago, DW, DS and I decided we could buy our own. We went to shows and looked at TT, 5ers, popups, etc. Finally we decided on a Class B (Van camper) that sleeps 4. It was easy to drive although I am the one driver (DS age 20 has driven it in FL on I-4 /I-95 from the Fort to St Augustine once. He usually sleeps down and back.) Also like Ms. Shanman, DW will not use the potty while moving. DS does without hesitation. Anyway it is tight quarters and lately we have been looking to get a Class A particularly as we near retirement ourselves. Mostly we sit here confused what to do and just enjoy camping at the Fort once or twice a year and anytime we can on weekends.

 

[WeCampDisney]

Howdee Fort fiends! I have a wonderful update on my plan. Last saturday I sold my trailer after only one week advertising on RVT.com. I got my asking price and they got a really nice 30 ft ultralite camper so we are all happy. I left a note in the camper directing the new owners to this board and Disneyworld.com.
Next I will buy a 94 Chevy pickup from a buddy of mine. I can pay $2500 cash for it so no payments! He has owned it since new and took great care of it so its in great shape. I am so excited to be getting a nice clean pickup so cheap. I live about 8 minutes from work here in a small town so driving an old truck does not scare me at all. My wife drives a 2005 Honda van so we are in good shape. Anyway, a big part of my plan to get a motorhome is my not having a payment on my daily driver and I am taking care of that this week.
Next week I will put an ad on Autotrader.com to sell my Excursion. I was paying $520 a month in payments for the trailer and tow vehicle. I will clear several thousand after these sales and will pay off some debt. My wife will retire from office work by spring of next year if not sooner. Then we will be able to stay for 2 weeks or more at the Fort! I get 4 weeks vacation and 10 paid holidays a year. My Excursion is a perfect 2000 model Limited with only 92k miles on it. It has the V-10 which is widely regarded as the best truck motor Ford ever built. It also has the big factory towing mirrors and the 44 gal gas tank. I got an average of 9.5 mpg towing to the Fort using cruise control, 65mph. I got 10 mpg on one tank driving 60 mph. So, if anyone needs the ultimate family tow vehicle, I have it for sale.

 

[MomofSixinSC]

Reading all this as a tent camper due to finances is kinda depressing. But then I remember that while I will be in a tent, I will still be at the Fort, so it is all good.

 

[doombuqqy]

We started out with a 5th wheel from a friend of ours ( we got real cheap but the truck to pull it cost a fortune) we were not sure how much we would use it so it was a minor investment. Well we found out we LOVED it. 2 years later my husband wanted a nicer 5th wheel ( I wanted a MH) he did a great swap with our 5th wheel and a ski boat. We had found a brand new toy hauler 5th wheel and he was in a hurry to buy, we had several months until our next trip and was not in a hurry. He looked at a couple of MH but he was afraid to drive them and thought parking would be a nightmare. I drive big trucks for a living ( ambulances-International chassis *he drives a lil ol police car) so it is second nature to me. He came across a deal on craigslist that was just to good to pass. We discussed it, all the perks that would come with it bathroom,snacks,tv, naps ETC. We have owned it for 2 years now and he takes advantage of all the perks. He loves to lay on the couch enjoying beverages and wathching TV while I am driving. The only thing that would make our MH better is if it came with a driver.We take turns driving I would love to just sit in the passenger seat but they are my Diney trips he just gets to enjoy them

 

[Disneylitch]

Does Alamo pick and deliver at the Fort? We have used Enterprise many times with good results, and they have relocated to Hotel Drive (?) recently. Do you kniow how Alamo and Enterprise prices compare?

Yes, Alamo does pick up and deliver at The Fort. We used the Alamo location at the car care center and they usually have specials going on. We got a weekend special. They also have AAA and AP discounts. They will run the numbers to see which special will save you more money. I have never met a nicer, more helpful group of people.

 

[WeCampDisney]

Ok, I bought my pickup today. It is so beautiful because it's paid for! Thats one step closer to getting a motorhome. Next, sell the Excursion.

 

[John VN]

Sounds like us! We developed what we thought was the perfect plan when we bought our Class B. We come from camping families. My in-laws had a nice Class C they got as they neared retirement. FIL was the sole driver and as he got older it was white knuckle driving the big rig on the interstates. My DW, DS and I used it more than they did. Eventually they sold it when he got sick and they never enjoyed those golden years. We couldn't afford one at the time. About 10 years ago, DW, DS and I decided we could buy our own. We went to shows and looked at TT, 5ers, popups, etc. Finally we decided on a Class B (Van camper) that sleeps 4. It was easy to drive although I am the one driver (DS age 20 has driven it in FL on I-4 /I-95 from the Fort to St Augustine once. He usually sleeps down and back.) Also like Ms. Shanman, DW will not use the potty while moving. DS does without hesitation. Anyway it is tight quarters and lately we have been looking to get a Class A particularly as we near retirement ourselves. Mostly we sit here confused what to do and just enjoy camping at the Fort once or twice a year and anytime we can on weekends.

I do ALL the driving whether in car or MH and have no problem with that at all. After all, DW's job is to relax, sleep and sight see when awake.

We are thinking about going the "B" route with a Hi-Lo behind. With the "B" we have everything inside as far as not having to get out to eat, sleep, use the head and entertainment and then at location we have the Hi-Lo that takes 60 seconds to raise and lots of room inside to stretch out and relax. When DD and DSIL come over with grandchildren there is room in Hi-Lo for eating and visiting and then another place for sleeping at night that is separate from us and self contained for them. No tent needed and we have a vehicle to drive around.

OP's thoughts sound spot on for the family's needs and there should be tons of priceless memories.

 

[camp4]

in our case....sometimes things "present themselves" and it changes your plan! DW and I and the 2 DD's loved our pop up but we were getting weary of the up and down in the rain, sitting in a "wet bath" to do your business, etc. We had every intention of upgrading but were pretty much set on a TT/SUV combo because we already had the SUV. Then out of nowhere the RV shop that worked on our pop up when it needed minor repairs offered us a KILLER deal on a MH he was going to use for business travel and that was it! We love it! SO much easier! We picked up a tow dolly on Craigslist for the times we need a car...It works! The 5 minute set up, DD's having access to a bathroom on the road, etc. Very nice

 

[WeCampDisney]

Finally I sold my Excursion. Now I am one more step closer to getting our motorhome. In just three more weeks my huge loan (daughter's wedding) will be paid off! Then we will be able to save a lot of money for several months before we get the RV. Its a lot of fun shopping for the rv. Now I am kind of thinking about a diesel, boy I don't know, thats a lot more money.

 

[des1954]

Finally I sold my Excursion. Now I am one more step closer to getting our motorhome. In just three more weeks my huge loan (daughter's wedding) will be paid off! Then we will be able to save a lot of money for several months before we get the RV. Its a lot of fun shopping for the rv. Now I am kind of thinking about a diesel, boy I don't know, thats a lot more money.

Diesel MH's are a lot more expensive, but, if you will be doing a lot of driving in mountainous regions, you're going to want the extra power. What I don't like about diesels are the floor-plans. 99.9% of them have you entering thru the cab, walking thru the living area to get to the kitchen. It's somewhat of a pain to drag grocery bags between the driver & passenger chairs. Diesel fuel is also a bit pricier than gasoline. Diesel engines are made to be run. If yours is going to do a lot of sitting (like ours does), stick with regular gas. Diesel fuel needs additives to keep the fuel from getting moldy. You also need to run the engine and generator once a month for about 30 minutes to keep everything from gunking up. In retrospect, I should have stuck to my guns about staying with a gasser vs. a diesel. We do not use our MH enough to justify having a diesel, and the biggest hills ours climb are the overpasses on I-4 between our home and the Fort. It was a big waste of $$$ to buy the diesel. If I could have all the $$$ we've spent over the years on MH's, I could retire in style.

 

[thegoofyfamily]

Diesel MH's are a lot more expensive, but, if you will be doing a lot of driving in mountainous regions, you're going to want the extra power. What I don't like about diesels are the floor-plans. 99.9% of them have you entering thru the cab, walking thru the living area to get to the kitchen. It's somewhat of a pain to drag grocery bags between the driver & passenger chairs. Diesel fuel is also a bit pricier than gasoline. Diesel engines are made to be run. If yours is going to do a lot of sitting (like ours does), stick with regular gas. Diesel fuel needs additives to keep the fuel from getting moldy. You also need to run the engine and generator once a month for about 30 minutes to keep everything from gunking up. In retrospect, I should have stuck to my guns about staying with a gasser vs. a diesel. We do not use our MH enough to justify having a diesel, and the biggest hills ours climb are the overpasses on I-4 between our home and the Fort. It was a big waste of $$$ to buy the diesel. If I could have all the $$$ we've spent over the years on MH's, I could retire in style.

We had a Winnebago Chieftain gas model in 1999 and I loved it because of the floor plan. DH just HAD to get a diesel, so within a year, he got the Itasca Horizon diesel with the entrance at the passenger side and I HATED that for 9 long years. Now, I wish we hadn't sold it last year!! It was better than nothing! Which is what I have now!!!

I read these posts with impatience. DH is waiting another year so we can pay cash for a Class C. I want a trailer that we could get sooner because I don't want to wait. I even thought about a pop up, but it would be too cramped with a toddler and the girls, DH and I. In the meantime, we're staying in the cabins, but it's not the same.

At least we're at the Fort and that's all that matters!

 

[WeCampDisney]

des1954, you make a lot of sense about not using the RV very much being bad for a diesel. And yes, most of our traveling will be in the south so the advantages of the diesel rig in the mountains will be minimal. Basically, I can get a nice low mileage gas RV less than 10 years old for under $40K, but a diesel RV of similar size will cost at least $10K more. That $10K will buy a lot of gas.

 

[nana2tots]

Hey, Wanna trade 33' Travel Trailor for ur Motorhome ??

 

[dsnymnky86]

We had used a pop up one year, it was really rainy that year, in June. Now we are looking at a travel trailer small enough to be towed by a small vehicle I can drive. I can not imagine driving a motor home at all.

The trailers with fold out beds seem like a great idea and that is where we are headed