Orlando NW / Orange Blossom KOA Journey — Hotel in Apopka

A KOA trying to be a resort? - this is the best summary I can come up with. Read on if you want to know why.

-1 Star for harassment and lack of knowledge on vehicles. -1 Star for giving me an anxiety attack after having driven from Atlanta to stay here for an entire week to relax and suddenly thinking my $$$$’s, drive down, and reservation notes were for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

The Bad:

Upon arrival which was about 25 minutes before check-in, I pulled up to the front office in our Sportchassis truck, towing our 45’ triple axle 5th wheel. A detail that I specifically made note of in our reservation. A woman comes racing up alongside in a golf cart stating, “you can’t stay here, or bring that in here, it’s a commercial vehicle and that’s not allowed!” as I was getting out of the truck, to discover the office is closed from 1-2pm, check in is 2pm. I apologized first for being early and politely said, “ma’am this is not a commercial vehicle, it’s a special made luxury hauler with a heavy duty pick-up truck recreational vehicle registration for pulling our 5th wheel, there’s many of them out there”. It is also clearly marked “Private - Not for Hire” on both sides of the truck, there are no DOT or IFTA numbers on the truck either. She relented a bit and said “well you can’t park it here, maybe somewhere else, where would you park it anyway?” To that triple whammy, I said, “in front of our 5th wheel, just under it like I imagine anyone else would” with a shrug. I guess she realized her error, then she says, “well, ok I can see it’s not for commercial use, and I’m a new manager here” to which I again reinforced, that “I specifically made notes on our reservation stating exactly what we have, with special requests for site size, etc due to our length, and if there was any problem with it, you all should have immediately called me”. With no apologies, we got our site, set-up and the rest of the stay was generally pleasant for a KOA, except…

When your neighbors and many others walking by to do the campground chatter thing all share stories of the harassment level enforcement taking place. I truly understand wanting to keep the place nice and clean, those efforts are paying off, but this is NOT A RESORT. When you quickly become weary of every little thing you do, that is NOT relaxing, or camping in my opinion, it’s as bad or worse than dealing with the wicked witch living down the street in your HOA neighborhood.

The Good:

It’s nice, clean, the mechanicals (hook-ups) are in excellent condition, and I have to admit the staff while being pests are at least polite.

In closure:

I do not come to KOA’s for resort level harassment. I come for an experience that is an easy, pleasant stay that is NOT ANXIETY INDUCING. This is exactly why I use KOA’s, for a set of standards and expectations. Are there poorly managed KOA’s out there that probably should not be KOA’s? Yes. This KOA isn’t one of those, but ownership should run in the middle of the rules because that’s the KOA expectation. Not trailer park trashy, yet you’re not a resort by any means and should be accepting - or perhaps better put: non-discriminatory.

10 year age rule on RV’s? That’s a RESORT type discriminatory rule, not a KOA rule and I have never, ever seen it at a KOA before now and I’ve been staying at KOA’s since the days of Family Circus (30 years or more now?). I usually refuse to stay anywhere with that rule, and we are clearly new enough - but that’s not the point, it’s about the discriminatory posture you present. No commercial vehicles, or tractors? Ok - but know your vehicles and you need to define it better - WHAT COMMERCIAL CLASS TRACTOR is not permitted (Class 8, 7)? My truck, a professionally converted Sportchassis (Class 5) is not a commercial tractor like over the road truck driver type rigs which is what I think you really mean to prevent.

Lastly, ditch the KOA name if you want to run resort rules. I hope you value this feedback, and hopefully this location can...

I was at this camping ground the week of Dec 17, 2015. First of all the first thing I was hit when I check in was we were not allowed to put a play pin for our dogs. In any of the rules of the campground or the web site for dogs rules they said anything about fencing or play pin were not allowed, when you check in is to late to let you know this information. The other problem that this campground have is that the owners and I assume workers are all over you checking on you and repetitively let you know that no play pin were allowed after in fact again there is no other place let it you know about this rule. The traffic in Orange Blossom Trail since the camping ground is in the middle of manufacturing area, the traffic is horrible when the trucks passed by there it sound like I was in an earthquake, they also do not let you know about this. Then you have the train that passed by 10:00 PM and also around 2:30 AM blowing the whistle and walked me up every time the train passed. Also they do not tell you about mosquito and the fertilizing place there that smell like poop all the time. The mosquito eat you alive I had two in my trailer and it was full of blood. I will never stay there again. You do not do business that way if you have rules and regulations you need to make sure you let your customer know ahead of time so they can make a decision to stay or not in your place, not when you get there you let them know that there is no play pin allowed. I will not recommend this KOA to no one again. We went there with two other family. I had stayed in many KOA before and never felt so unease like I did there since they are washing you...

Stay away from this campground. Read into ever review and read the owner/Manager comments. This guy lies about everything. Like we're working in water smell. The residents are extremely rude. The children must be kept inside and not to play or make noise. I honestly don't see how they keep in bussines. Except for the permanent residents funding them. Every RV is judged by looks and if you have kids. They will ask you to leave or cancel your reservation so be prepared. Our children are all adults. We watched a couple get told the couldn't stay becuase they had children. Guys this was a good family with great children. I have used this campground several times my self. Along with recommending this location to freinds and family in the past. I can no longer recommend this KOA location. I own a 2015 camper my freinds all have new RV's and travel trailers. They wouldn't even stay past one day here due to the rudeness of owner/manager. Not to mention how fast stories change after asking questions of the ladies in the office. It appears they live here and fear they could be kicked out by manager/owner. This guy changes his mood as the day goes on. Goodness don't spill something on a picknick table. Or try and complain how the water smells. Don't even dare ask to park closer to the front. Unless your RV is 2020 model and just washed and waxed. Any thing older or have a pet or children. Your getting kicked out. By the way I live near here. I wouldn't recommend them ever again. Not to family friends or any one else. Appsolutly not untill they stop discriminating and the ownes and residents...