JaimeN

We feed our sensitive-tummied greyhounds the lamb and rice from Costco, they are doing really well on it. I originally went with the Grain-free food from Costco but my black dogs dandruff was awful with that, plus dogs are omnivores and don't really believe dogs need to be grain-free unless there's a proven medical reason. We also give raw turkey necks. I'd love to do all raw, but I'm already feeding a husband and three kids... so no more time in the kitchen just for dogs

This is great! I have to admit to quickly skimming and scrolling past the pictures as i don't want to see everything before our visit. This is not helping contain my excitement... two weeks until the RV rolls out of the driveway and heads west!

Oh I can't wait to read more. We are leaving the day after Christmas for a three-month RV trip out West and arriving at Anaheim RV Resort on January 2 staying until the 10th. My husband and oldest son were at Disneyland this past summer and I can't wait for the rest of us to visit. 

What you have (i.e. Class A, TT, 5th wheel): 2014 40' Forest River Berkshire DP

If you're towing (so TT or 5th wheel) how heavy is it: 

If you tow, what is your tow vehicle: 2002 Ford Explorer (the old girl has 160,000 miles on her and we think she's dying... or will die on our upcoming 3-month trip our West so I'm starting to think about our next TOAD. We need something that flat tows, fits 2 adults, 3 kids and (sometimes) 2 tall dogs).

Gas mileage: 8-9 MPG

Do you like it, love it or hate it (this applies to both the tow vehicle and what you're towing (or driving if Class A or C): LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Our first TT was a 34' Primetime Tracer with a bunkhouse (great for three kids), we traded it in for a 45' Tiffin that, while a lovely coach, didn't really work for three growing kids. When we saw the floorplan for our new coach we knew it was the right one for us, combined everything we loved about the TT in a Class A DP. 

If you'd like to make a change, change to what and why: Can't think of one thing. Our new coach is dreamy!

I have fooled many CM's at the gate by walking in backwards, thereby giving the illusion I am leaving.

Best laugh I've had today! 

True.

 

Here's a photo of it-that blue hose out the back is for draining the wastewater into a nearby ditch:

 

 

TCD

SERIOUSLY?!?! They were allowed to get away with that. 

We have three kids too (11, 10, and 7) and just upgraded to a new 2014 Forest River Berkshire 400BH. We traded in our 2007 Tiffin Zephyr (which was a larger coach) but the floorplan was less than ideal for a family of 5, who also travel with 2 big dogs. Before the Zeph we had a TT that we loved (it had a bunkhouse) but we wanted a MH. We realized with the MH that we wanted bunks again, it makes it sooooo much easier than folding all the couches out each night. So whatever model you choose, definitely think about floorplan and sleeping space. I've also seen some lovely Super C's with bunks. Every trip we take now DH or I comment on how happy we are with the new coach.

I agree with site 316. We spent two weeks on that site at Christmas (in a 45' MH) and it was perfect. In a smaller trailer or MH some of the other sites looked nice also. 316 backed up to the comfort station, easy walk to the dog park and bus stop and also to the marina if you wanted. 

So we have two weeks booked at the Fort for Thanksgiving and also at Christmas. We hadn't really made firm plans yet but wanted to make sure we were covered. Our original plan was to just do Thanksgiving and then call it a season for camping (we live in PA). We just purchased a new Class A the beginning of the summer but now we are thinking about getting the most out of the new coach, canceling Thanksgiving, heading down the day after Christmas (kids want to spend Christmas day at home this year... last year we were at the Fort) and then doing a two-month trip through the south, maybe working our way over to Disneyland! We'd try to be home by March. We'd have to pull the kids out of school for two months (grades 6, 4, and 2). I WAS thinking of homeschooling this year completely so that doesn't bother me, I'm just wondering if I should put the kids back in school when we return or just pull them for the second half of the year. I'd like to put them back in, but not sure if the school will give me a hard time on that front. Any thoughts on this, or do you know anyone who homeschools in an RV who could give me some insight?

Thanks

Brand reputation, dealer support, and factory support would be important to me.  My parents have owned 2 Tiffins and couldn't say enough about them.  They took a trip to Red Bay once for factory work and were very impressed.  Bob Tiffin is legendary for standing behind his motorhomes.  The facility in Red Bay has a campground to stay at when there for service and they go above and beyond to support their owners.  

 

If you are located within a reasonable distance from Red Bay, AL that would factor heavily in my decision.

 

I'm not that familiar with Forest River, but it does seem like a bigger company to me.  Not sure how their customer support after sale is.   

Yes, that Tiffin support is one of the positives for us. My husband has actually spoken with Bob Tiffin on the phone about a problem we were having once, not sure if we could get Warren Buffet on the phone.

I've been on both the FR and Tiffin owners boards, but I was thinking their input would be biased.  

So now that our kids are a little older we've decided to downsize our motorhomen (currently a 2007 Tiffin Zephyr) and get one with bunks, so we aren't just piling three kids in a bed each night. We've narrowed it down to the Forest River Berkshire 400BH or the Tiffin Phaeton QKH. We have a good price from a dealer to the Berkshire and are waiting to see if the Tiffin dealer can match something similar, which might make our decision easier but in the meantime we can't make up our minds. We've done the pros and cons (we like the floorplan of the Berkshire a tad better... which is really important to us) but the Phaeton is probably a little higher quality (which is also important in the long run). I'm starting to panic thinking that which ever one with go with I'll always think about the "one that got away..." When we got our first travel trailer I knew the moment I walked in it that it was the right one. The Zephyr has been great, but it's just not the right motorhome for a family with three growing kids (our kids are ages 11, 9 and 7 now).

 This motorhome is the one we will be keeping for many, many years so I want to really think it through. What factors do you/did you consider when purchasing your camper?

Thanks

We've stayed at Stone Mountain twice and really like it there. Peaceful but still stuff to do. Nice pool also.

I wouldn't worry about it for a while. We were there for two weeks at Christmas last year and it took several different bookings to piece is all together, and I started booking in March and it was October or November until I finally got all of the dates we needed. Closer to the date people will cancel. We have 3 weeks at thanksgiving and 2 weeks at Christmas booked, we aren't sure what our travel plans are yet so one of those will be cancelled... closer to the time. I know lots of other people book the Fort that far in advance just to secure the sites, just because we know what a pain the Disney system can be trying to book everything you want at one time.

Remember, the OP has a 37 foot travel trailer. Put that behind a tow vehicle big enough to tow it, and he's going to be way longer than your 45' motor home. Somebody with very good backing skills could get that size trailer in any of the preferred sites. But it would be a challenge in a lot of them.

TCD

We towed our 36' TT with a suburban, which probably made it about as long as our MH, not WAY longer. Like I said, we fit in a preferred along with several other coaches of similar size. But like I also said, we are switching to premium for future visits. But I wouldn't rule out preferred if it was our only option.

We have gotten our 45' MH into a preferred site (300 loop) with no problem. But for future trips we've booked premium. We lucked out with site 316 which is more paved that other preferred sites we saw, I'd totally take that site again, but wouldn't risk getting another. Driving around the loop in the coach was pretty cozy though.

It wasn't a fuse. It was a piece of plastic with metal nodes where both wires met. We are having it replaced but it just vibrated loose over time and the wire connection went bad.

We got home. Actually Hary did come out when we thought it was just a fuse, but then he thought there was a short somewhere in the system and wasn't able to fix it. That left us with our awnings out, jacks down and slides out. After another jerk of an RV repair man bailed on us at the last minute (and I wish I remembered his name to tell you to stay far away from his biz) we ended up calling coachnet since it appeared to be a bigger problem than a fuse. We were able to get an experienced RV repairman out on Friday and within 20 minutes he know the problem and fixed it. Apparently a conncetor had come loose and burn out as a result, the guy removed the connector and hooked the wires together directly and we were good to go.

We just spent two weeks in the 300 loop (site 316 in a 45' motorhome) and it was perfect and the other sites on the loop looked decent. When we were crusing around the loops I made a mental note to make sure we were never in loop 100 and possibly 200, 100 sites especially were tiny.

We were talking to someone at the Fort over the Holidays who said that Hilda pays a flat rate of $100 per night for her site. I don't know if that's true but anyway you look at it, that's a chunk of change!

We are. Ed posted on there last night when the lights first went out.

Right now we are stuck here as the jacks won't come up, the passenger side slide outs won't come in and our awnings are out. Swing by site 316 and say hi, my husband might be living here for a while.

He's here now. It appears there is a short in our 12v system. Ed and Gary were in the phone with tiffin. If we can't get our slide outs in my husband might be the newest resident at the Fort.

Thanks. I just called and spoke to Gary. He's coming later today. fingers crossed.

Anyone have a recommendation for a RV service center that will come to the Fort? Were having an issue with our 12v. Kinda need help today if we plan to leave tomorrow.

Why we are waiting until 5 or 6 to head to AK. The crowd level at our campsite is relatively low right now.

At AK and looking at the FP+ kiosk lines I'm very glad I have the app on my phone, our bands linked and know how to use it. Whew!