Rv Storage

[tw1nsmom]

I can't get search to work for me, so forgive me if this is a frequently asked/answered question. Has anyone ever stored their camper near WDW for the winter?

We were thinking of going to Florida in the late fall and would love it if we could store our camper and come back for another visit later in the winter. It's such a long drive for us we would never do it if we had to pull the camper both ways both times.

 

[auntie]

Sounds like a good idea..I'd be curious myself.

 

[becky1960]

There have been quite a few posts about this over time and yes there are some who do store their campers near WDW. One location mentioned was Winter Garden which is close by. You might do a search on this site.

 

[auntie]

Search does not appear to be working. E-mail notifications haven't been working either.

 

[AlyLynn]

We are looking at storing ours in South Carolina next year. We are new to camping, and just got ours this fall. We would love to store it where we could use it in the winter. We are going to camp at the campground in May to see if we like it. It's in Myrtle Beach. We'll let you know!
(Closer to Disney would be even better! )

 

[tw1nsmom]

Thanks for all the info. I called a place in Winter Garden http://boatrvautostorage.com/ and they said that outdoor storage of our camper would be $87 a month.

I have a little more research to do, but that seems like a fair price. I'd welcome more info. from people on this board though.

 

[lawnspecialties]

Thanks for all the info. I called a place in Winter Garden http://boatrvautostorage.com/ and they said that outdoor storage of our camper would be $87 a month.

I have a little more research to do, but that seems like a fair price. I'd welcome more info. from people on this board though.

$87 seems absolutely rediculous to just have a spot in a field for your camper. If you leave it there a few months, it would be more expensive than pulling it back home.

 

[AuburnJen92]

$87 seems absolutely rediculous to just have a spot in a field for your camper. If you leave it there a few months, it would be more expensive than pulling it back home.

That seems a bit high. I paid 52 a month (tax included) when I was having my driveway redone when the MH destroyed it after the erosion from the hurricanes underneath the driveway. I would keep looking.

 

[tw1nsmom]

Thanks, I'll keep looking. It is in line with what's charged up here and in Maine where we're doing the same thing this summer (driving the camper up, camping for few days, storing the camper and going back a few times), but I don't know what the norm is in Florida.

 

[LarryJ]

I can't get search to work for me, so forgive me if this is a frequently asked/answered question. Has anyone ever stored their camper near WDW for the winter?

We were thinking of going to Florida in the late fall and would love it if we could store our camper and come back for another visit later in the winter. It's such a long drive for us we would never do it if we had to pull the camper both ways both times.

Maybe I'm missing something, but that seems like a really inconvenient way to do it. Not sure where you are in NY or what the normal weather is when you plan to come back, but not having your trailer close when leaving means you have to take the time to stock it when you pick it up (Food, LPG, etc.) and face possibilities of something not working like a water pump, furnace, frig, flat tire or low air pressure from sitting for several months, etc. just seems to negate any $$$ in fuel or even possibly saving time just driving and not towing. Also, what are you going to do if you store the trailer and use it that winter after you leave, take it back with you . If so you're only saving 1/2 of the potential benefits from storing it outside of the cost of taking it back from your fall visit which I think might not be that much, but I could be mistaken since I don't know what your TV or RV is.

I do understand generally what you are trying to do, but not sure if you have weighed all the pluses and minuses, so please take the general jest of my post as some of the potential negatives.

Larry

 

[AlyLynn]

We are looking at Ocean Lakes in Myrtle Beach. it is about half the price of what you were quoted. We are "looking" into storage because it is too dangerous to pull a tt during the winter with all the ice and snow we get. We have a Christmas trip planned for next year, and we would be devastated if we missed out on those 10 days because of our weather. For us, it all comes down to everyone's safety. Larry's point about something going wrong is a good one. Especially because we are newbies--that's why we are looking into this place--it has a service/parts center too.

 

[lawnspecialties]

We are looking at Ocean Lakes in Myrtle Beach. it is about half the price of what you were quoted. We are "looking" into storage because it is too dangerous to pull a tt during the winter with all the ice and snow we get. We have a Christmas trip planned for next year, and we would be devastated if we missed out on those 10 days because of our weather. For us, it all comes down to everyone's safety. Larry's point about something going wrong is a good one. Especially because we are newbies--that's why we are looking into this place--it has a service/parts center too.

Ocean Lakes is an excellent campground. We've been a couple of times during cold weather and to me, the whole Myrtle Beach area is far better in the winter. Less crowds but plenty to do.

But do remember, if you leave it there, it will need to be winterized. Myrtle Beach will absolutely get well below freezing from time to time. Maybe Ocean Lakes will do it for you if you don't want to fool with it.

 

[tw1nsmom]

Maybe I'm missing something, but that seems like a really inconvenient way to do it. Not sure where you are in NY or what the normal weather is when you plan to come back, but not having your trailer close when leaving means you have to take the time to stock it when you pick it up (Food, LPG, etc.) and face possibilities of something not working like a water pump, furnace, frig, flat tire or low air pressure from sitting for several months, etc. just seems to negate any $$$ in fuel or even possibly saving time just driving and not towing. Also, what are you going to do if you store the trailer and use it that winter after you leave, take it back with you . If so you're only saving 1/2 of the potential benefits from storing it outside of the cost of taking it back from your fall visit which I think might not be that much, but I could be mistaken since I don't know what your TV or RV is.

I do understand generally what you are trying to do, but not sure if you have weighed all the pluses and minuses, so please take the general jest of my post as some of the potential negatives.

Larry

You definitely bring up some valid points. The reason we're looking into storing the camper is because Dh and I really don't enjoy pulling it (to be fair, it's only DH...I've never tried). This past year, due to work obligations and illness, we didn't camp at all.

We came up with the idea of bring it to Bayley's in Maine and having them store it for us. That way we could go up for three or four different weeks/weekends and not put do much wear and tear on our vehicle. Plus, for a fee they'll tow it to a site ad set it up for you and then bring it back to storage at the end of your stay. This way if my mom wanted to go up and use it she could, or if DH has to work I can bring up the kids alone.

Ideally we would get a similar set up in Orlando, but if not just having it stored down there would help. It would also help for it not to have to be in the snow and ice during the winter. If we got down there and it needed repairs, DH could do them, or we could have it done by a service center and we'd just have to stay in a hotel.

We also tend to do our shopping when we get to our destinations anyway, so with the exception of linens and dishes we don't load up before we leave anyway.

I'll continue to get info., but we'll have a better idea if the storage idea will work for us after we do it this summer. The winter/Florida idea may not be practical in the end (just because it takes so long to get down there with or without the trailer), but I thought it would be worth investigating as a way to get more use out of the camper. Once the snow flies up here it's impossible to move it. It also doesn't help that I feel snowbound/housebound and can't wait to take another vacation someday. Oh well, we'll see how everything plays out this summer.

 

[AlyLynn]

Ocean Lakes is an excellent campground. We've been a couple of times during cold weather and to me, the whole Myrtle Beach area is far better in the winter. Less crowds but plenty to do.

But do remember, if you leave it there, it will need to be winterized. Myrtle Beach will absolutely get well below freezing from time to time. Maybe Ocean Lakes will do it for you if you don't want to fool with it.

Glad to hear a positive review! We are going to camp there in May, right before our trip to Disney. Winterizing isn't a problem--For DH that is! I don't know a thing about it, but he had to do it this year. Again, storage is just an option we are looking into, too. To hopefully get more use out of our tt. Winter camping up here is NOT for us and the 4 kids!

 

[lawnspecialties]

Glad to hear a positive review! We are going to camp there in May, right before our trip to Disney. Winterizing isn't a problem--For DH that is! I don't know a thing about it, but he had to do it this year. Again, storage is just an option we are looking into, too. To hopefully get more use out of our tt. Winter camping up here is NOT for us and the 4 kids!

Do you have a golf cart? If so, you'll need to get a $50,000 liability policy to take it (less than $100). But Ocean Lakes is about the only campground in Myrtle Beach that still allows personal carts. They rent and sell them, too.

The whole campground is like a small village with everything from tent campers to multiple unit townhomes and cottages. It's fun to just cruise around and if you're not near the oceanfront, it would help with that as well.

If you don't have one, there's still a ton to do and a wonderful pool, especially for the kids.

 

[auntie]

You definitely bring up some valid points. The reason we're looking into storing the camper is because Dh and I really don't enjoy pulling it (to be fair, it's only DH...I've never tried). This past year, due to work obligations and illness, we didn't camp at all.

We came up with the idea of bring it to Bayley's in Maine and having them store it for us. That way we could go up for three or four different weeks/weekends and not put do much wear and tear on our vehicle. Plus, for a fee they'll tow it to a site ad set it up for you and then bring it back to storage at the end of your stay. This way if my mom wanted to go up and use it she could, or if DH has to work I can bring up the kids alone.

Ideally we would get a similar set up in Orlando, but if not just having it stored down there would help. It would also help for it not to have to be in the snow and ice during the winter. If we got down there and it needed repairs, DH could do them, or we could have it done by a service center and we'd just have to stay in a hotel.

We also tend to do our shopping when we get to our destinations anyway, so with the exception of linens and dishes we don't load up before we leave anyway.

I'll continue to get info., but we'll have a better idea if the storage idea will work for us after we do it this summer. The winter/Florida idea may not be practical in the end (just because it takes so long to get down there with or without the trailer), but I thought it would be worth investigating as a way to get more use out of the camper. Once the snow flies up here it's impossible to move it. It also doesn't help that I feel snowbound/housebound and can't wait to take another vacation someday. Oh well, we'll see how everything plays out this summer.

Know exactly how you feel. We are in a similar situation. We have our trailer eight years now. We live on Long Island, and my husband HATED towing it on and off the island. Basically there's one main Exprewssway on and off..and it's HORRIBLE most of the time..then the bridges to go anywhere. In any case we did this for a four years. Each year..using the unit less and less. As my husband did not want to tow just for a weekend trip. By the time we'd get anywhere on a Fri. late night..just to pack up and return on Sunday morning again in traffic again...well, it just wasn't worth it.
That's when we decided we were going to get a seasonal site in an upstate campground, near Saratoga Springs. It's the best thing we ever did. The trailer is on site from May 1st to mid October. We can shoot upstate after work on a Friday, and just put the key in the door. No setting up, it's done. I go myself quite often with one of my sons ..or even last summer, I spent some time there myself(first vacation alone EVER..but that's another post! It works for us. I have an older son who is a police officer, and whenever he has a three day..he's using it also. It is a camping resort that offers, pools, tennis courts, baskeball, two lakes. We love the area for kayaking and fishing. We are finally getting way more use of our trailer. We are enjoy it rather than dreding the drive...and trying to find the time. Prior to going seasonal, it sat at the back of the driveway. We would use it twice a summer for two week long trips, but other than that...it was going to waste. My husband had neither the time or the inclination to deal with towing it. I think if we had more time available ..where maybe we could leave on a Thurs. and take Monday..we would have used it more. While we had great expectations when we bought it of traveling all over, the time just isn't available to us. The seasonal site is best for us right now.
We usually bring it back home for the winter months, but this year we actually winterized it and left it on site. I've checked on it twice, and it's fine. Although I'm not crazy about leaving it in the ice and snow either. We have given serious thought to placing it on site somewhere down south so as to be able to use it for the winter months. My son usually gets a least one or two weeks vacation time in Jan. and Feb., so I know he'd use it, and I'd likely take the younger two for a week or so. Who knows..maybe even my husband and I could schedule a week for ourselves also. We too would be interested in bringing it down south in the fall and leaving it there until spring..hoping to use it over the winter months, where it would normally stay on site or at the back of the driveway.

 

[LarryJ]

We are looking at Ocean Lakes in Myrtle Beach. it is about half the price of what you were quoted. We are "looking" into storage because it is too dangerous to pull a tt during the winter with all the ice and snow we get. We have a Christmas trip planned for next year, and we would be devastated if we missed out on those 10 days because of our weather. For us, it all comes down to everyone's safety. Larry's point about something going wrong is a good one. Especially because we are newbies--that's why we are looking into this place--it has a service/parts center too.

Better yet you could always check with the Hagerstown KOA on storing it there if the weather around you precludes getting it home. That's a heck of a lot closer to you than Myrtle Beach. I think they are open year round, but you would have to check.

We live just outside of D.C. and going during the winter is a crap shoot, but coming back if we were to get 2 feet of snow (wishful thinking) then I would just stop at a KOA as close to home as possible and even pay for a campsite and come and get the trailer when the roads at home make it safe to do so. These types of things are always an issue when doing the winter thing and you just have to plan and be ready with a back up plan along with remaining flexible.

Larry