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Submission
Yogi Bear Campground PA is a large family campground near Pittsburgh. The resort has many amenities and facilities.
Facilities:
-full hookups
-restrooms
-showers
-laundry
-camp store
-cable tv
-wireless internet
-dog park
-restaurant
-pools
-waterslides
-minigold
This was our 2nd time staying at Jellystone Mill Run. We had a great time in 2022; the upper pool was the highlight of our weekend (kids ages 10 and 12.) Our rental cabin was very small but was adequate for our needs as we spent most of the day outdoors. I was surprised at how clean it was for being a "rustic cabin"
For our 2023 trip, the exact opposite was true. The upper pool water was freezing and there were young lifeguards using their cellphones and chatting with other employees. Due to the tornado the week before, we were allowed to bring our own chairs, which we were grateful for. The pool bathrooms were extremely clean.
The Saloon had very limited ice cream flavors available when we visited (almost 8pm) and one of the employees couldn't tell me if a flavor had any peanut or tree nut ingredients, even though there is a sign on the display case reading: "Allergies? Ask us for details on products"
Lastly, our cabin this weekend was lacking in the cleanliness department. When I wiped up water off of the floor, the paper towel was black. We did not walk in our cabin unless we had shoes on due to this. The silverware organizer (see picture) was filthy. All utensils had to be washed prior to use. Several cups and bowls were also not cleaned properly. There were a lot of cobwebs and dead bugs hanging from the windows, ceiling fan and a/c unit. The bathroom, however, was very clean. The shower floor had been scrubbed very well.
Overall, it was a nice trip; just a few things to improve on that would justify the cost of staying.
This is not what camping should be like. Impossible to relax. Golf carts are constantly driving by, up and down the roads without a destination, blaring music and honking the horn for no reason late into the night. I understand some people need golf carts to get around the park because it is not ideal for walking, but I have never experienced such disruptive behavior at a campground before. I could not let my children ride their bikes for fear they would get run over by people driving well over the 5mph speed limit.
Campsites are packed close together and not very level. Activities for kids are fun but very crowded and some require long wait times to get your turn.
This was our first Jellystone park and we loved it! The kids had a blast! So much water play fun as well as other activities. The site we stayed in was well shaded. I do agree with some of the other reviews that young kids were running the upper water slides and seemed less than enthusiastic to be there. Grumpy sort of look, too cool to be running a water slide which actually requires a significant amount of responsibility to ensure water safety. Otherwise, my kids still had a blast. While the train was brand new with leather seats! The golf course, my husband joked that if you ever wanted to play on an abandoned and overgrown golf course, this was the one to go to lol. Our site was conveniently right by the outdoor movie theater and my 4 and 6 year felt so independent that they got to go there by themselves. Yes the golf carts were ridiculous running constantly and all hours until 11pm...but if you are in shape walking up the hill to the upper water park wasn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. You don't NEED a golf cart as others say you do. I pushed a double stroller with kids in it and our bags up the hill. We also went to Falling Water which was a short drive away and has been a goal of mine to visit for decades.
Beware there is no great way to access the park without driving up some steep roads. We were pulling a small travel trailer with our SUV for the first time and this was difficult on our car. When we return it will be with a more powerful vehicle to pull our travel trailer up! Overall great stay. Felt like a throwback to how childhood should be, away from all the technology and just pure family time and fun.
My kids really enjoy this campground. There is a lot going on to keep them entertained and the water area is fantastic. Highly recommend the upper sites unless you want to spend a fortune on a golf cart.
There were a few things we were unhappy about:
On Tuesday, 8/1, they seemed very understaffed. Two of the girl life guards just sat openly on their phones rather than watching the pool like they are supposed to. It seemed like these young girls were just doing what they wanted and that there was no adult in charge making sure that they were doing their job. The other girl would at least try to hide her phone behind her floating device, but the other girl was ignorant enough to just openly sit on her phone the entire time she was watching the slide area.
The water was freezing! Seems unreasonable for end of July/beginning of August.
Unfriendly staff. Most people we had interaction with were not very friendly. Hardly anyone was smiling and seemed happy and willing to be there working - all young kids. The man that checked to see if we were about to check out (prior to check-out), was very unfriendly as well. He was sure to tell me that we had 6 minutes left. Keep in mind that although we were trying to enjoy every minute of our time, we were almost ready to pull out. If we were there 15 or 20 minutes past check out, I could see being addressed that way, but prior to check-out is inappropriate when it isn't in a professional/friendly manner.
On the other hand, the men running the carousel and train were super friendly. The one young boy that was working the slides at the bottom of the hill on Monday (7/31) at the end of the day (he was also at the top of the slides on Wednesday 8/2), was also very nice and personable.
The traffic is horrible!!! Between vehicles and golf carts, it is scary to let you kids ride bikes.
Too long to check-in.
Although it isn't obvious based on this post, I am not one to complain. However, the service here just rubbed me the wrong way. When I pay these prices for a campground, I expect good interactions between the workers and guests - similar to a hotel.
Me and my family have been going here for 11 years now every summer. We always enjoy it here. The golf carts are loud, but most people here are coming to have fun not relax. But if you are here to relax and chill, please don’t. Other than the golf carts being loud, this place is amazing!
