Ontario Campsite Reservations — Hotel in Lambton Shores

The reservation system is an absolute nightmare! It is a lottery system, and I imagine there are people who have figured out how to hack the system. If I could give that a zero I would. It was hard enough the last several years to get a site, but it has gotten worse the past 2 years. I thought last year couldn't be topped, but it was! Last year 14 days to get in. This year, 15. (Last year I called to express my frustration numerous times. They knew there was a problem with the reservation system, but it was never fixed! I didn't even bother calling this year as they do nothing about the problem). We finally had to give up on the campground in the park we go to and have stayed at for the past 12 years, along with other families we meet up with every year. The park we go to is even insisting on putting hydro on 12 sites out of 116 or so! One little loop. I spoke to the park superintendent, but his mind (and others') was made up. The people with trailers had been complaining they wanted more hydro sites so now this entire campground within the campgrounds in the park has no non-hydro sites! That is one of the only places tenters could go that was away from the big RVs with all the lights and noise. Other than taking sites away from the water. AND because they haven't put the hydro in, those sites aren't even available yet! It just seems that Ontario parks are becoming RV parks. The staff are still friendly enough, but having the quiet of camping constantly be bombarded by bright lights (and noise of AC all night) of trailers nearby takes away a lot from the experience. That was our experience having to be in an electrical section for 2 weeks before moving to non-electrical (which is now being taken away). I do not mean ALL trailers. There are still some folks who are courteous and turn off their bright patio lights, fans and AC at night. I find it disturbing that the Ontario parks are supposed to be about preserving nature and 'stewardship' yet having bright lights and noise which also disturbs the animals, is okay. It's a about money and the parks already...

I totally agree with all the negative reviews and I would give a big "minus 5*" review if I could. The reservation is not only impossible but it is also a huge waste of time, and a very stressful and frustrating experience. And yes, the question is indeed: how come most of the campsites have been booked before the allowed reservation day posted on Ontario Parks Reservation? If you dare to give it a try for the very few available sites left, you will get stuck immediately, there is no way to make a reservation even if you click the bottom 1 second past 7:00am. I spent way too much time in the last 4 days, was there at 7:00 am every morning, on one of my "lucky" moments managed even to reach the payment step in the process just to get the message that the site that actually I was booking is not available anymore! After failing several times I was trying different other Ontario Parks with the hope that maybe, maybe I will get lucky to find 1(one!) available spot somewhere, anywhere else, I just wanted to be able to go up north for few days this coming Summer. I was so naive to even think that it will be possible! I tend to agree with the skeptical comments about the whole booking process and maybe it's true that inside people facilitate reservations to other people, for some different reasons... I am wondering, is anybody at Ontario Parks reading all of these negative reviews and if it is so, do you have a decent, intelligent answer for all of us, the unlucky ones that have had such a terrible experience? Or simply, you...

I'm reading all of these negative reviews and it makes me laugh. Don't people get it?... its not the reservation system or website... its actually quite good and interactive compared to many reservation sites I have been on (referencing websites for state parks in the US and many private parks). Its the number of people trying to reserve sites that is clogging up the system. Southern Ontario has a huge increase in the number of people that have decided to give camping a try, especially since covid decided to drop in on us. When you get up first thing in the morning and are prepared to click that mouse right at 7am, you are in fine company with thousands of other people trying to reserve the same site that you are going after. I like the new 7 day maximum booking rule for some of the more popular sites. It helps many people who couldn't get a site, at least have a fighting chance. There were too many people booking the maximum 23 nights and then cancelling as there reservation got closer. I actually think they need to increase the 7 day rule...