2019 - Goshen Rally - Discussion Thread

jbeletti

Well-known member
We sure enjoyed the June 2017 Rally. Plan on making the 2019 Rally. Planning our route now from the SW corner of the USA.

BTW Jim B. I found this on the Main page of the rallies.

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/70040-EVENT-North-American-Heartland-Rally-IN-Goshen-6-10-2019-to-6-16-2019?p=579675#post579675

Rally fee: $275 for 1 RV and 1 person: $350 for 1 RV and 2 people: (increasing by $75 per registration for each additional person over 1).



  • On the link to the 2019 Nat. it says: Rally fee: $305 (1 RV and up to 2 people)

Is it $305 or $350?

Mark - $350 for 1 RV and 2 People is correct. Note that I could not find the $305 rate anywhere. Kindly provide me a link to where you saw that so I can fix it up.

Thank you!
 
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Bookoo

Member
Debbie, Ruby Marie the Wonder dog, and myself plan on attending from early start to finish. Hopefully life won't get in the way. This will be our first national rally.
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
Well if all goes as planned Rhonda and I will be making the trip out next year. Looking forward to the rally and doing the factory tour. We plan on spending some time in Nashville also.
Hope it works out.
 

mtnspet

Member
Good day every one,

Bill and I are planning on attending. We have it on our calendar.

Bill and DeAnna Haynes

- - - Updated - - -

We are planning on the pre rally too.

Bill and DeAnna Haynes
 

szewczyk_john

Well-known member
As this group and the national Rally grows is it at all possible for the Brand Managers to meet with the owners of their product lines to discuss specific plans or ideas with the current owners. I understand that this is done on one day during the rally after the factory tours. I think this would give the managers more one on one time with the owners of their specific products and might lead to a better line of communications for the end users of each specific line. Thus leaving the main group meeting to discuss more general topics with the higher up Heartland Officials. Maybe each brand in attendance can have a separate rally meeting with their brands manager during the week, before the day of the factory tours?

Maybe some of the design engineers could also come and hear some of the objections that we the end users have about perceived design flaws. Maybe have the group breakdown of full-time rigs, toy haulers, bumper tows, and light weights.

We love our current unit but there is not a single floor plan in the Heartland line up that would have us purchasing another one at this time. These are just 2 ideas that I am throwing out there, I guess that I would just like to know for sure that my thoughts and opinions were being heard by those in charge. By no means am I trying to be negative to Heartland nor past rallies, just looking to improve the rally experience.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Hi John,

Yes! Several of the brand managers are usually at the rally one or more days, hanging out over at the show coaches. This is a perfect time to chat with them, point things out to the on a unit there etc.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Wow - it's great to read all the rally interest posts here. Should be a grand time!

For those that will be first-time Goshen attendees, please note there will be an online registration process. At this time, it is planned that registration will open up on March 1, 2019 at noon central. Sites generally goes very fast (think concert tickets). If you do not get in, GET ON THE WAIT LIST. Those who get on the wait list early are very likely to get in. The wait list process is built into the registration system and is fully automated.

Plan accordingly friends.
 

JWalker

Northeast Region Director-Retired
Still pondering this. Can you give me some suggestions of pre-rally tours / events you think would resonate with the group?

Any chance of NEW events or activities during the RALLY? Not all can make it for 2 or 3 weeks prior.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Any chance of NEW events or activities during the RALLY? Not all can make it for 2 or 3 weeks prior.

Jamie - No new off-campus events are being planned for rally week. I do my best to program the rally to keep attendees on campus as much as possible. That said, those who have been to this rally many times have little interest in all the technical and lifestyle sessions as they've 'been there - done that'. For them, session time is a great time to 'get away, go explore and do their own thing'.

For everyone, please keep the feedback coming and be as specific as possible. I want/need to hear what you want, what you didn't care much for in the past and even what you thought was great in the past. Thanks!
 

mrcomer

Past Ohio Chapter Leaders (Founding)
As this group and the national Rally grows is it at all possible for the Brand Managers to meet with the owners of their product lines to discuss specific plans or ideas with the current owners. I understand that this is done on one day during the rally after the factory tours. I think this would give the managers more one on one time with the owners of their specific products and might lead to a better line of communications for the end users of each specific line. Thus leaving the main group meeting to discuss more general topics with the higher up Heartland Officials. Maybe each brand in attendance can have a separate rally meeting with their brands manager during the week, before the day of the factory tours?

Maybe some of the design engineers could also come and hear some of the objections that we the end users have about perceived design flaws. Maybe have the group breakdown of full-time rigs, toy haulers, bumper tows, and light weights.

We love our current unit but there is not a single floor plan in the Heartland line up that would have us purchasing another one at this time. These are just 2 ideas that I am throwing out there, I guess that I would just like to know for sure that my thoughts and opinions were being heard by those in charge. By no means am I trying to be negative to Heartland nor past rallies, just looking to improve the rally experience.

I like what John brought up. It would be nice if all brand managers were available at specific times during the rally at the fairgrounds. This would give all owners who wanted to, time to really ask questions regarding their specific unit. When we are ALL together at the RV Museum it is really hard for those who wish to make comments or have questions to get their turn. Seems like everyone has something to say so let's try to give them the opportunity. Not sure if this is doable or not but it would be interesting to see if it helps our fellow Heartland owners. If the on-site repair crew can do then I think the brand managers can too. Maybe this would be a good time to create a poll.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
I like what John brought up. It would be nice if all brand managers were available at specific times during the rally at the fairgrounds. This would give all owners who wanted to, time to really ask questions regarding their specific unit. When we are ALL together at the RV Museum it is really hard for those who wish to make comments or have questions to get their turn. Seems like everyone has something to say so let's try to give them the opportunity. Not sure if this is doable or not but it would be interesting to see if it helps our fellow Heartland owners. If the on-site repair crew can do then I think the brand managers can too. Maybe this would be a good time to create a poll.

Thanks for the feedback Mark. I feel that discussion we have with management at the RV Hall of Fame is best for a general discussion and to learn with the go forward strategy is from the team. But it's really hard in this short time to take many brand/model specific deep dives. I feel that this can be better done one on one at the rally at the RV displays and I will work hard with my boss to ensure we can have as many brand managers there as possible.
 

MikeR

Well-known member
Mike Sokol from "The No Shock Zone" would be an excellent presenter for one of the technical presentations. His presentations are pretty complete regarding RV electrical systems and he explains in language that everyone can understand.
 

szewczyk_john

Well-known member
I can only imagine what the managers have to do in a days time and that they have lot of responsibilities to attend to. But if the best we can do is to speak to them around the display coaches, can it be put on to the agenda as scheduled times? Been to 3 Goshen events. 2011 was our first outing in our brand new unit so I didn't even look at the display rigs. In 2015, my unit was still to new for me to replace so I didn't look at them again. 2017, I did look at the toy haulers on display but never got to discuss with any one from heartland nor did I know that Heartland reps where around. I thought everyone there was from the sponsoring dealership.

I really believe that the group setting would be a better experience. I'm thinking that it could be positive for both the owners and for the higher ups to hear what we have to say. If it can't be done, can we at least be given a chance to have discussions with brand specific representatives at pre-planned times? This seems more reasonable to me than just trying to run into someone by happenstance (especially if you do not know who your specific manager is or what they look like). I'm not asking for a complaint session either just a group discussion.

As far as of site events go, anyone getting their early for the pre-rally could look into the NASCAR race weekend at Michigan International speedway. The 2019 schedule has not been released, but MIS is usually held the weekend before Father's Day and it is less than a 2.5 hour drive from the Goshen area. I am not suggesting a group trip but just tossing out an idea for those interested.

One other think that has been brought up in the past is Ring Road dust. Everyone is brought in this entrance for registration. It works well this way and no need to change it. However, it seems that then folks leaving and entering the fairgrounds use that for the rest of the week. Could we encourage the different camping sections of the fairgrounds to use entrances/exits closest to each specific section? This would help tremendously to keep that dust to a minimum during the rally.
 
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