OT: Can we Talk about Pop-Ups here?

[CottontailCurl]

Thanks! And thanks everyone for tips and help with my pop-up questions!!

 

[T. Lynn]

We had a pop-up that was given to me by my parents. It was better than a tent but I grew tired of it.

When I wanted to put something in it or get an inventory of what was already inside (paper plates, etc), I had to have DH pop it up and then put it down. It was such a pain in the butt because he was always busy. Then, we had to throw everything in the car while traveling. Once the pop-up is folded up, there is not a lot of storage space unless you throw your bags on the floor and then DH would have to move them to set everything up. Also, I hated having to fold everything up in the rain and then when we got home, we'd have to pop it open to let it air dry or clean it up so the canvas didn't get moldy. You can't really lock your stuff up inside since the outside is canvas and most of it velcros. Also, you could hear noise very easy.

The last straw was when we went on vacation last year and as DH was popping it up, the cable broke. Luckily we were camping with friends who helped lift the roof so we could put the safety bars in to use it.

My husband finally said it was time for a pull behind. We were able to find a used Scotty 23ft travel trailer in excellent condition for $1700. Now I can pack all of our stuff inside without waiting for DH. It's nice to go inside whenever I want to see what we need for our next vacation. Now everything is in the camper ready to go instead of in the car. No wasting time transporting everything and setting up the pop-up. Just level the travel trailer plus and few minor things and it's ready to use. It was so much nicer when we went to Knoebels last year. We saved so much time and was able to head over to the park quicker.

We still have the pop-up because DH uses it for his guy fishing trips. I won't let him take MY travel trailer. Now I call them his and her campers!

 

[We4mickey]

Here is my 2cent.
If you are not sure a pop-up is for you rent one to try before you buy.
The noise that they all talk about,yes its there.
But if you are at the parks all day and you come back to your pop-up you just go into a deep deep sleep with sweet dreams.

 

[bama_ed]

Another thing about pop-up management at FW is that I often made an early morning or late night food run to Winn Dixie. It was only 10 minutes from the Fort Wilderness check-in area out the back way. Since the fridge in my camper is small and my growing kids eat like horses (we ate most meals in-even packed lunches into the parks), I made about 3 trips in a week last year. I didn't mind, though, because that was my get-a-way quiet time.

If anyone wants directions to the Winn Dixie I'll be glad to provide. Prices aren't jacked up like at Gooding's and you don't have to fight the tourist traffic like you do when going to any of the area Publix (which are great stores, though!).


Bama ED

 

[akamom]

Another thing about pop-up management at FW is that I often made an early morning or late night food run to Winn Dixie. It was only 10 minutes from the Fort Wilderness check-in area out the back way. Since the fridge in my camper is small and my growing kids eat like horses (we ate most meals in-even packed lunches into the parks), I made about 3 trips in a week last year. I didn't mind, though, because that was my get-a-way quiet time.

If anyone wants directions to the Winn Dixie I'll be glad to provide. Prices aren't jacked up like at Gooding's and you don't have to fight the tourist traffic like you do when going to any of the area Publix (which are great stores, though!).


Bama ED

I would love direction!

Instead of popping up to see what I need in the camper, I just do an "inventory" before we close up the camper at the end of a trip.

 

[CottontailCurl]

If anyone wants directions to the Winn Dixie I'll be glad to provide. .
Bama ED

I'd like them, too. By the back exit, do you mean the intersection where McDonald's and Chevy's Tex Mex are? If we get the pop-up that has the smaller fridge, I'm thinking about bringing a larger dorm sized electric fridge to allow us more room for supplies that will last us longer than one meal! I wonder if we'd have problems storing one in the pop-up as it moves on down the road?

 

[bama_ed]

http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result?newaddr=3520+Fort+Wilderness+Trl&taddr=11957+s+apopka+vineland+rd&csz=Orlando%2C+FL+32830&country=us&tcsz=32836&tcountry=us

I hope this link worked. If not, the FW address is 3520 Fort Wilderness Trail, Orlando, FL 32830 and Winn Dixie is 11957 South Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32836 on Yahoo:Maps. My directions say 4.7 miles and 13 minutes (if you drive slow I guess). The WD is on the right hand side of the road in a strip mall. It's a nice store.

Bama ED

 

[Kansasdreamers]

We started with a Jayco pop-up. In my opinion, it is the only brand of pop-up to get. They hold together very well. You can get a Designer series from the early 90's and still have a really nice camper for < $3000. Not to mention they are one of the only ones that you can get an oven in that are that old.

We moved up to the Jayco 25e Hybrid. Kept it for about a year and then due to little babies moved to a travel trailer. The 25e was not pretty and seemed bland. The Jayco Kiwi Too was a great camper for having a newborn and 1 year old in. We soon missed the ability to lay at night and watch the stars and smell the night air.

This last year we got a Starcaft Travelstar. I now believe that I have experienced the best of both worlds. The Jayco is an awesome pop-up and the Starcaft (made by Jayco) is a great hybrid. I could go on and on about why. Let me know if you have any questions. We do our local state fair every year to hit all the camper places and my husband makes a career of collecting each year of camper floorplans.

 

[disneymom2one]

2006 Fleetwood Williamsburg.

We love it. We're a smaller family - mom, dad, eleven year old but the space inside our Williamsburg is incredible. I love the slide-out and wouldn't go without it. We also make liberal use of the front storage area.


That being said, I think we could have gone smaller and lighter. We never use the shower and rarely use the restroom. The only cooking we do is with a microwave.

But we love our pop-up. It's a dream vacation for us - especially at the Fort.

 

[MALE*RN*777]

We have a 2001 Coleman Sante Fe which we love. You will get positive and negatives for everymake of camper from Pop-ups to Class A motorhomes. I personally think that Coleman which is now Fleetwood is the top of the line pop-up. Again this is my opinion.
My wife grew up camping in everything from tents to Class C motorhomes. I myself grew up going to the beach and staying in a Condo. I told her if I was going to camp, I wanted all the comforts of home. Our unit has a frig, A/C, indoor and outdoor stoves, heater, cable tv, telephone, hotwater tank for sink and outside shower, king size and double bunks and the dinette converts into a double, awing and screen room, battery for when we have no electric and propane for the stoves and heater. I have to say that I was hooked from the first trip. We mainly go to all resort campgrounds with full hook ups (elect, sewer, cable, water, telephone) and has activities such as pools, waterslides, mini golf, crafts, movies, gamerooms, etc... Hope this helps and you get what you want...

Here are some pics of our home away from home
Moderator, I tried to make them small but couldn"t get it to work.
If a problem please resize.. Thanks!!

 

[CottontailCurl]

Thanks for the info and posting pictures of your Pop-Up! I could look at camping set-ups all day, love the one with the moon above it.
I know what you mean about the good and bad of all the types of tt. Forget about Build-A-Bear, someone should come up with Build-A-Pop-Up, you make your choices (that lovely heated mattress, Jayco's weight and space, best warranty), push your pop-up frame to the innerds dispenser, press a button and viola!! perfect pop-up!! You walk home with your PUP in a huge cardboard box and the biggest smile on your face.

disneymom2one: thanks for that info, we're talking about no potty or shower so it was good to hear that you didn't really need one in yours.

Kansasdreamers: It looks like we'll most likely be going for a Jayco 1206, thanks for your thoughts on the Jayco brand.

 

[fourgonefishn]

We just purchased a Fleetwood Bayside 06 (left over stock), trading in our 02 Coleman Laramie. The 02 has a 10' box with front storage (front storage is a big plus) queen bed on one end and full I believe on other end. Good inside storage also. Draw back was tip over sink for travel, made storing under stove top area useless. No bid deal with water from sink was never much.
Went with Bayside as 12' box, slide out dining area, bump out across from it, sink area and bump out are both cantilever fold down.(eveything stays in storage area) stays the same way on the floor as when in use. Let us not leave out HOT WATER heater, double sink, outside shower to clean up the kids!
Stable when set up? Very stable, the ones you saw at show are set up on tile , painted, floor. They are not set up in dirt ,grass,sand or gravel....where the jacks or pads get a grip.
Gas appliances..... never a problem, we always cooked outside with our stove attached outside.(keeps smell and grease outside) Was ussually breakfast, all other meals are over fire. Now we have a gas grill to attach to the outside with new camper. Awning always out everytime so your always under cover.
Front storage good for keeping the dirty stuff in. I.E. tripod for over fire, lantern, fuel (going to be elimanting these last 2 as lack of use). Folding chairs, radio, hoses, electric cords......the list goes on.Thats the thing about getting new camper you elimanate the things you haven't used for awhile. Now I just have to talk my wife out of taking everything.
Ther was nothing wrong with our 02, we just wanted a little more room. 2 Kids age 4 & 6 and they aren't getting any smaller, and sometime or another they're gonna want to bring a friend.
Got A/C with this one, bike rack

 

[fourgonefishn]

Forgot to mention we always go camping with a small fridge in the back or the truck. Not a dormer the next size up about 3' tall. This wrks great as the fridges are TOO small in pop ups!



fourgonefishn

 

[Escape Artist]

...Forget about Build-A-Bear, someone should come up with Build-A-Pop-Up, you make your choices (that lovely heated mattress, Jayco's weight and space, best warranty), push your pop-up frame to the innerds dispenser, press a button and viola!! perfect pop-up!! You walk home with your PUP in a huge cardboard box and the biggest smile on your face.
...

I your Build-A-Pup concept! I was having a hard enough time resisting the new trailers on the showroom floor...how could I possibly resist this? What a GREAT idea!

Sue in Texas
...with an 04(?) Fleetwood Westlake, love it, love it, love it!