Published on November 21, 2024
Downsides to the AutoCamp Black Friday Promotion 2024
Oh, AutoCamp, AutoCamp! This is torture!
You are offering us a 40% discount on 2025 bookings – that’s huge! Wonderful! Great!
Until you get to the booking screen.
AutoCamp Black Friday Promotion 2024
We were so very excited to see this promotion come in email!
So off we went to book lots of trips for 2025! We’re going to AutoCamp Yosemite and AutoCamp Sequoia in May. AutoCamp Sequoia should finally be open by then (good Lord with those delays!).
We also got the email that AutoCamp Asheville will be opening September 1, 2025, after having been just a few weeks away from opening when Hurricane Helene damaged the campground so extensively.
Downsides to the AutoCamp Black Friday Promotion 2024
First, we started booking Asheville, even though we weren’t going until November. We felt so badly for everyone in the Asheville are, including family and friends, and we want to get down there to support their businesses – including AutoCamp! What a blow to be just weeks from finally opening after so many delays, only to suffer so much damage that they are pushed back another 10 months.
So, here is what we saw for our dates, November 8 – 12, 2025 at AutoCamp Asheville in an Airstream:
We then added the code NATURE, and it was applied.
And now our rates are:
What?
What happened? Where did the other options go?
Apparently, once you enter the code, there is now only 1 option, but you’re getting 40% off, so you’re happy, right?
Not so much.
Downsides to the AutoCamp Black Friday Promotion 2024 – 1 not so small one
- $310 – 40% = $186
- $369 – 40% = $221.40
- $374 – 40% = $216.92
All of these are less than $237 per night. For a 4 night trip, even at the worst rate, that’s about $60 plus tax. It’s “not nothing”.
Ok, let’s put that aside for a moment because there are two other very significant issues:
Downsides to the AutoCamp Black Friday Promotion 2024 – 2 Major Ones
Yup, you read that right.
Policies
Guarantee Policy
A deposit equal to the full amount of the stay value will be taken at the time of booking.
Cancel Policy
Free cancellation up to 30 days prior to arrival. Cancellations inside 30 days are charged the full amount.
My 4 night stay one year from now will cost me $1,050.44 RIGHT NOW. And insult to injury: I have to cancel beyond 30 days before my stay to get my money back.
Downsides to the AutoCamp Black Friday Promotion 2024 – Is it Just me?
I also need to book AutoCamp Sequoia and AutoCamp Yosemite. By the time the 3 are booked, I’ll have to lay out about $3500.
Am I being too critical? Does anyone else have an issue with having to pay 100% up front and also having a very restrictive cancelation policy? Am I making too much of it?
What would you do? Book it and be glad when the trip comes it is paid for? Wait for better terms on payment and cancelation?
Honestly, I’m torn.
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I shared your very valid criticism of our Black Friday sale with our Marketing Team! Thanks for all your support! Jill at the Front Desk
Thanks, Jill. 40% is huge! I think even a lesser amount but with more favorable and forgiving terms would be more compelling. I appreciate your consideration!