When to arrive at Camp Scholler to camp EAST of Doolittle?

[Sawdust]

@flybuddy - to put it in perspective, I've been way out (as far down as 8th) for a number of years. It's not bad, just a little bit more walking (maybe an additional 10 minutes). Or, you can just catch the shuttle buses that run through camp, so there is a solution even you end up out west. With this many people, not everyone can be close, and EAA has done a great job of making Scholler a great place to stay no matter when you arrive.

Personally I like your idea of allowing folks to pay for advance reservations, but I guarantee that people would complain about "selling out" just for revenue, so it's a no-win for our fine EAA staff who have to try to make everyone happy. There's just no way to make it all "fair" (if that means equal) for everyone. For example, is it fair that your electrical hook-ups section took up a bunch of closer in spaces that us tent campers used to have a shot at? Tent campers probably don't think that's fair, but I bet you'll greatly appreciate it!

Just putting it all in perspective, can't wait to get to to Camp Scholler no matter where my spot is!

[flybuddy]

@flybuddy - to put it in perspective, I've been way out (as far down as 8th) for a number of years. It's not bad, just a little bit more walking (maybe an additional 10 minutes). Or, you can just catch the shuttle buses that run through camp, so there is a solution even you end up out west. With this many people, not everyone can be close, and EAA has done a great job of making Scholler a great place to stay no matter when you arrive.

Personally I like your idea of allowing folks to pay for advance reservations, but I guarantee that people would complain about "selling out" just for revenue, so it's a no-win for our fine EAA staff who have to try to make everyone happy. There's just no way to make it all "fair" (if that means equal) for everyone. For example, is it fair that your electrical hook-ups section took up a bunch of closer in spaces that us tent campers used to have a shot at? Tent campers probably don't think that's fair, but I bet you'll greatly appreciate it!

Just putting it all in perspective, can't wait to get to to Camp Scholler no matter where my spot is!

Thx for the positive thoughts. I've flown in over a dozen times and camped with plane. Couple of times with buddies in campground. My first year bringing Motor home with wife and kids. To put it in another perspective--they already have advanced reservations--you just have to do them in person (pay and stake off spot). distance folks can't do that. EAA might make more money with true advance reservations but then they would have to put a reserved stake at each site and may not want to deal with the extra work. Unfortunately, at this point, we are discussing other possible vacation spots with the camper. In this case, it's not a matter of getting closer, it's that we need a power spot which, for my wife, is a go, no go decision. If I tell her, don't worry honey, we'll get one and we don't, it will not be a pleasant week and guaranteed that the family won't ever go again.
One other thing--myself and one other buddy are two campers who always camp very early at Sun-N-Fun (front row). We have dozens of "friends" who grossly impose on us each year due to similar rules.

[Jeff Point]

It's fair if you're local.

OK, you got me there. I took the question about fairness to mean "is it acceptable to do so under the standards currently understood by everyone involved?" and I answered it in the context of that understanding. As others pointed out, "fairness" is often in the eye of the beholder, and I was not trying to pass judgement in that way.

I sent you a PM with my phone number. Perhaps I can help you out with your situation.

[Chris In Marshfield]

You certainly can pay for your site at Scholler in advance, but you can't really "stake your site" until you get there. The challenge with doing reservations there is that there aren't any defined spots, per se. It's essentially a really big field with roads sorta marked on the field, and you create a spot between the roads. Everyone gets a 20x30' spot, I believe it is, per paid registration. I usually camp with 8-12 people, and we usually get 5-7 sites, depending on how the year goes and who comes with us. And since we camp as a community, we combine those spots and arrange the square footage so that it accommodates us all and allows for community activities as well. I also host a type club dinner at our site, so it's nice to have the flexibility to arrange the site so that it works for us that way.

Electric/water sites are more traditionally set up with specific boundaries, just like any other campground, so you don't really have the flexibility to adjust your camp-space.

Either way you slice it, I wish you the best of luck in your travels, and hope you and your wife enjoy the event!

Best regards,
Chris