Re: New Reservation System Info

I recieved this email today......

IMPORTANT CHANGES!

ADVANCE CAMPING AND TOUR RESERVATIONS CAN BE MADE AT MOST PARKS SIX
(6)
MONTHS IN ADVANCE INSTEAD OF FIVE (5) BEGINNING FEBRUARY 7, 2007!

Beginning February 7, 2007, the National Park Reservation Service
(NPRS)
and the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) will
combine to
provide a one-stop, on-line service for advanced reservations for
camping,
tours, day use, cabins, and more. The new recreation reservation
website
will be: www.Recreation.gov

The current Recreation.gov website is being redesigned and
enhanced in
order to provide improved reservation services online for
Federal
facilities and activities. Reservations will also be available via
the
NRRS Call Center at 1-877-444-6777. (Note: there will no
longer be
separate phone numbers for camping, tours, and Yosemite National Park;
all
reservations can be made through this single toll-free number).

A short blackout period from January 24 through February 6,
2007, is
necessary so that the two reservation services can be consolidated.
The
NPRS officially closes for advance reservation sales on
January 24, 2007, in order that migration of information from the
current
system to the new NRRS can occur.

On February 7, 2007, at 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, customers
will be
able to make reservations through the new Recreation.gov website. You
will
be asked to create a new customer membership on Recreation.gov to
book
advance reservations. Your existing reservations will be
migrated to
Recreation.gov. Customers with active reservations made prior to
the
blackout period and with arrival dates after February 7, 2007 will be
able
to make changes to these reservations by contacting the NRRS Call
Center.

Below are IMPORTANT changes concerning when advance reservations
can be
made:

****Beginning February 7, 2007, the booking window for most National
Park
Service sites will change*****

For overnight camping and individual tours, customers can make
reservations
6 months to the day in advance of arrival (See examples in table
below):
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| If you call on: |You can make reservations
with an|
| |arrival date of:
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 7th (2007) | August 7th (2007)
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 8th (2007) | August 8th (2007)
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 28th (2007) | August 28th (2007)
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|



For group sites and organized tours, customers can make
reservations 12
months to the day in advance of arrival (See examples in table below):

If you call on:You can make reservations with an arrival date of:
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 7th (2007) | February 7th (2008)
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 8th (2007) |February 8th (2008)
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 28th (2007) |February 28th (2008)
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|


This booking window change DOES NOT APPLY to Yosemite National Park.
Reservations for Yosemite will continue to go on sale for a 5-month
period
on the 15th of each month (See table below):

If you call on:You can make reservations for arrival dates between:
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| January 15th | January 16th and June 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 15th | February 16th and July 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| March 15th | March 16th and August 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| April 15th | April 16th and September 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| May 15th | May 16th and October 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| June 15th | June 16th and November 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| July 15th | July 16th and December 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| August 15th | August 16th and January 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| September 15th | September 16th and February
14th |
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| October 15th | October 16th and March 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| November 15th | November 16th and April 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| December 15th | December 16th and May 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|


ALSO NOTE: Beginning January 1, 2007, personal checks and money
orders
will no longer be accepted for advance reservations in the NPRS.
All
payments must be made by credit card at the time the reservation is
made.
Also, reservation requests will no longer be accepted through the
mail.
Reservations can only be made through the internet and the
toll-free
telephone number.

For more information on specific park rules and information, visit
each
park’s website at www.NPS.gov. For further information
about
Recreation.gov and the consolidation of Federal reservation services,
visit
www.Recreation.gov. For information on the current NRRS,
visit
www.reserveusa.com


Thank you for using the National Park Reservation Service. We look
forward
to serving you at our consolidated reservation service
at
www.Recreation.gov in the future.

But not for Yosemite - right? Still five months?

Bruce Jensen

---

Wilderness forever,
Bruce Jensen

This booking window change DOES NOT APPLY to Yosemite National Park.
Reservations for Yosemite will continue to go on sale for a 5-month
period
on the 15th of each month (See table below):

If you call on:You can make reservations for arrival dates between:
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| January 15th | January 16th and June 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| February 15th | February 16th and July 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| March 15th | March 16th and August 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| April 15th | April 16th and September 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| May 15th | May 16th and October 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| June 15th | June 16th and November 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| July 15th | July 16th and December 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| August 15th | August 16th and January 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| September 15th | September 16th and February
14th |
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| October 15th | October 16th and March 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| November 15th | November 16th and April 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| December 15th | December 16th and May 14th
|
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|

Dan-o the Man-O wrote:

> Reservations for Yosemite will continue to go on sale for a
> 5-month period on the 15th of each month

That explains the huge surge of traffic I get on http://yosemitecampsites.com/ around the 15th of the month now.

Eeek - I think that big surge has always been the case, hasn't it? The old system started the next round of reservations on the 15th too -

FWIW, I think it is a darned stupid system. They should go on a more frequent basis to avoid those big pileups.

---

Wilderness forever,
Bruce Jensen

bpnjensen wrote:

> Eeek - I think that big surge has always been the case, hasn't
> it? The old system started the next round of reservations on
> the 15th too -

I didn't notice it until this year. But people probably hadn't found the site yet before.

> FWIW, I think it is a darned stupid system. They should go on
> a more frequent basis to avoid those big pileups.

I agree. The way it is now the site exceeds all my other sites' traffic for about two days and then dies down until the next month.

Yosemite National Park Initiates Improved Campground Reservation System
Date: January 18, 2007

New system highlights improved customer service and easier access to campsite reservations.

On February 7, 2007, the National Park Reservation Service and the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) will combine to provide enhanced reservation services in Yosemite National Park for both group and individual campsites. Campers will be able to use the http://www.recreation.gov website or contact the NRRS Call Center at 877/444-6777 to make reservations. All previous reservation phone numbers and websites will automatically redirect campers to the new system.

As before, reservations may be scheduled in Yosemite National Park five months prior to the date of arrival.

Campers wishing to make reservations should be aware that a short blackout period will occur between 7:00 pm (PST) on January 23, 2007 and 7:00 am (PST) on February 7, 2007 while the old and new reservation systems are consolidated. Reservations made prior to the January 23, 2007 blackout will be migrated into the new system. Campers wishing to make changes to reservations made prior to January 23 will be able to do so after February 7.

Personal checks and money orders are no longer accepted for advance reservations. All payments must be made by credit card at the time the reservation is made. Additionally, reservations will no longer be accepted through the mail.

For more information about the improved campground reservation system, contact www.recreation.gov or call the NRRS Call Center at 877/444-6777. General information about Yosemite National Park can be found at http://www.nps.gov/yose or by calling 209/372-0200 during normal business hours.