Camper Envy

[Lana]

So everyone said we would upgrade in no time when we bought our pop up, and we thought they were all crazy

After LOTS of trips last year and pulling into sites at dark on Friday (our kids don't get out of school until 430pm), my husband has major hybrid envy. We watched folks set up in no time and pop down on Sunday after we had been working for quite awhile and then they roll out before us. Maybe our RW HW takes more time than a smaller PUP to set up? Or maybe we are just slow

Even with the gas situation, he is really pushing for a hybrid. He does the towing, the backing, and the setting up, so if it makes him happy....

We are going to go see a 2019 Roo 233S this weekend and a 2018 Coachman 21TQX. They are different sizes as the Roo is longer and has a pop out dinette. Anyone have either of these models or any other words of wisdom? I've read the threads on swaying/towing and leaking concerns.

Also, we are going to WDW this spring and staying in a pop-up site. From what I have read, as long as you fit you are ok to stay in those sites (there is no sewer hook up). This will be our first time camping there and as it is driving distance for us, we are hoping we really enjoy it. Any past experiences there would be great too.

Thanks!!

 

[Sjm9911]

Good luck with the search. What are you towing with?
As for wdw, officially they state you cant be on a tent site, but they don't really enforce it. Worst case, if a full hook up is avaliable, they may make you take that instead. I had a long stay 4 years ago and got a TT right before the trip, we did the tent loop for a week and then transfered to a full hook up for the next week. So they can move and charge you. But, having the sewer hook up is probably better as the fort has no dump station. So if you are full, you have to drive around and find an empty site to dump your tanks. Not ideal. Good news, is that the confert stations at disney are top notch. So you dont need to ise your tanks. Depending on how long of a stay and how big the black tank is, that may last your whole stay. How many kids do you have and pets? Also, you may need a wdh, depending on what you tow with. And for all things disney planing, the disboards is pretty good, they have a whole section just on the fort.

 

[Lana]

I will check out disboards!! I'd be ok with moving up, but they dont show any availability in anything other than the tent/PUP sites. We booked 9 months ago. Without a site connect, even in our PUP, we won't use our inside sink as the grey tank fills up so fast in our PUP.
As for our TV, we have a Expedition MAX with tow package and I believe it has a 9k capacity.

 

[Sjm9911]

Probably will need the wdh. And they changed us at check in. Yes, the avaliable sites depending on when you go fill up quickly. I would call and see if they can change you. But first you need a camper! Mine is older and will fit a family of 4 nicely, but we are only a family of 3. We went with an expandable, as , it was avaliable, and the right price. But I was looking at hybrids. So, a smaller TT may work for you also. Keep looking around. The right camper will find you.

 

[Dingit]

I dunno. I've heard that thing they say about "upgrading"...

I went from a popup to a popup truck camper and then added a popup again after a good amount of time looking at everything on the market that our older TV can handle (14k lbs, so not a small number of trailers).

Sometimes a hybrid looks good, though. I can't get comfy in a totally hardwall trailer...

 

[tfischer]

Of all the things I think I could actually see myself buying someday, it would be a hybrid. I love our pup... it's cheap (and paid for), cheap to tow, towable with our minivan, storable at home without looking bad (we have a fenced-in area for it now), and provides a ton of usable space for the box size.

Hybrids still give you a lot of footprint for the box size, length and width wise. The height adds some issues when it comes to towing and storage. And I don't think I'd ever tow a hybrid with a minivan, even if it barely made the limits. I've seen too many campers go rogue, flip and explode on YT videos.

The downsides of course of a pup is the setup. It doesn't bother me that much... yet lol. When the kids fly the nest in a few years, I might have a different opinion. But I tend to be a sentimental sap sometimes and will feel bad getting rid of the camper that gave us so many fond family memories. And by then I won't need a minivan anymore either.

 

[NLB]

Of all the things I think I could actually see myself buying someday, it would be a hybrid. I love our pup... it's cheap (and paid for), cheap to tow, towable with our minivan, storable at home without looking bad (we have a fenced-in area for it now), and provides a ton of usable space for the box size.

Hybrids still give you a lot of footprint for the box size, length and width wise. The height adds some issues when it comes to towing and storage. And I don't think I'd ever tow a hybrid with a minivan, even if it barely made the limits. I've seen too many campers go rogue, flip and explode on YT videos.

The downsides of course is the setup. It doesn't bother me that much... yet lol. When the kids fly the nest in a few years, I might have a different opinion. But I tend to be a sentimental sap sometimes and will feel bad getting rid of the camper that gave us so many fond family memories. And by then I won't need a minivan anymore either.

Particularly Storage issues and costs!
Keeping my huge popup in my garage saves $, maintenance $, and time if I need to do something to it.

 

[tfischer]

Particularly Storage issues and costs!
Keeping my huge popup in my garage saves $, maintenance $, and time if I need to do something to it.

I think I could still keep a hybrid where we store the pup (outside in a fenced area). But I'd probably have to remove a tree due to height issues.

 

[giadiep]

We have a 3 bunk hybrid and love the space it gives relative to it's closed up footprint. We're thinking of going to a TT with an actual bunkhouse, but it will need to be stored elsewhere because it won't fit nicely next to our house like the hybrid does.

 

[Lana]

I dunno. I've heard that thing they say about "upgrading"...

I went from a popup to a popup truck camper and then added a popup again after a good amount of time looking at everything on the market that our older TV can handle (14k lbs, so not a small number of trailers).

Sometimes a hybrid looks good, though. I can't get comfy in a totally hardwall trailer...

Is that saying something like "more camper, more problems?".....

 

[Lana]

Particularly Storage issues and costs!
Keeping my huge popup in my garage saves $, maintenance $, and time if I need to do something to it.

Fortunately we have a boatyard/RV space in our hood. We just have to stay under 25' or get on a list for a larger spot. Our HW wouldn't fit in our garage either....it's too tall with the AC. If we didn't have the yard...it would be a whole other story.

 

[rtd]

My brother and sister each bought a Roo for their families about 10 years ago. They were each different model years, but, in both cases, the floors began to give out. My brother ended up shoring up from below with 2x4's; the sister added bare plywood sheets on the inside.
The way the floors were made was all about making them lightweight. Most of the floor construction was made of materials not made to take the weight of walking on them. There weren't enough steel members underneath to support the floor. A lot of the material used under the factory vinyl/plywood sandwich was some sort of honeycombed foam assemblies which failed over time. I don't know if water got in below or not.

 

[Sjm9911]

My brother and sister each bought a Roo for their families about 10 years ago. They were each different model years, but, in both cases, the floors began to give out. My brother ended up shoring up from below with 2x4's; the sister added bare plywood sheets on the inside.
The way the floors were made was all about making them lightweight. Most of the floor construction was made of materials not made to take the weight of walking on them. There weren't enough steel members underneath to support the floor. A lot of the material used under the factory vinyl/plywood sandwich was some sort of honeycombed foam assemblies which failed over time. I don't know if water got in below or not.

I think years ago they had some manafaturing issues with a barrier they put underneath that made the floors give out over time. I'm sure the newer ones are better.

 

[Sjm9911]

We have a 3 bunk hybrid and love the space it gives relative to it's closed up footprint. We're thinking of going to a TT with an actual bunkhouse, but it will need to be stored elsewhere because it won't fit nicely next to our house like the hybrid does.

Look at an expandable if they still make them. I dont think it would take up more space the the hybrid. I will say, i love the layout of mine, and I think its only 24 foot long.

 

[Lana]

What is an expandable? Who makes/made them? and Yikes on the flooring issue. @rtd

 

[Sjm9911]

This is what I have, not mine , but a video of it. There are a few around the campgrounds.

The rear bed in the back is a hard slide out.

 

[Sjm9911]

And all closed up and ready to go. Open its about 30 feet, roughly the same as the pop up I had.

 

[Dingit]

I'd call it a rear slide, but every manufacturer has to have their own terms.

 

[jmkay1]

My friend owns a Roo currently. Although they enjoy it they have experienced water leaks on couple bunk ends which unfortunately led to some delamination. Said leaks unfortunately were not very evident in his case as it didn't show much interior signs of a leak. My friends roo however did not have a floor issue so perhaps later years have a better floor. My mom however had a floor issue on her Rockwood travel trailer . In her case the manufacturer used a foam sandwich as a floor with very very few frame supports underneath. As one would expect foam breaks down especially without enough frame support to keep it firm.

 

[NLB]

Is that saying something like "more camper, more problems?".....

Lana, one thing for sure, there’s more equipment and fixtures on the roof than a popup. You need to pay special attention to that area.