Triple Digit Lift Tickets

Twism86 · Feb 19, 2014

So a few years ago I was scoping out life ticket prices up at Stowe and they were around $92. I just checked back and they are at $98, just a tad under the triple digit price tag. Unless you count that card thing you need to buy for $5 along with it (which is BS because Blue Mtn gives you one included in the price then subsequent discounts...) I was wondering if any east coast resort has lost their minds enough to charge over $100 for one day of skiing. While it doesnt look like it yet, we cant say the same for the resorts out west.

A few are charging over $100 for a single day ticket.... Completely and utterly insane!! I dont know how the people who decide on those prices arent falling off their chairs laughing when they decided to raise the prices that high! I understand skiing isnt a cheap sport to begin with but seriously that is outrageous. As much as I would love to ski one of those big name resorts as a matter of principal im not handing over more than $100 to them!

How Stowe even gets business surprises me when you can drive 2 minutes down the road to Smuggs and save $30!!!

C-Rex · Feb 19, 2014

Those prices really only apply to last minute, walk up customers on holidays and Saturdays. Anyone with an inch of foresight can get a discount by buying ahead of time online, through a club, gas station discounts, etc. If you look at Vails pricing, it drops off for a 2 day or more ticket. And if you buy and e-ticket there's almost always a decent discount.

I get what you're saying, but they are really just trying to capitalize on those people who are too stupid to look for one of the multitude of deals, or those that have enough money to not really care what they are paying. Not to mention that resorts are offering a lot more than they used to. Fancier lodges, faster and higher capacity lifts, HUGE snowmaking systems, and not to mention the ever rising cost of energy to power it all.

They will never raise prices higher than the market can bear. So if they charge it, that means plenty of people are willing to pay it.

TheArchitect · Feb 19, 2014

It's pretty simple business principle to me. If the market continues to pay what they charge they'll continue to raise prices. They're in business to make money, right? Once they see a marked decline in ticket sales they'll reevaluate the price.

Personally while the terrain at Smuggs is awesome I really hate their lift system. I'll pay more to ski somewhere I'll get more runs in.

Twism86 · Feb 19, 2014

I havent paid window prices yet this year. I always buy in advance or reload a card.

I only boarded Smuggs a long time ago so I dont remember much.

Nick · Feb 19, 2014

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/88031-Vail-Beaver-Creek-lift-tickets-cross-100-mark

Twism86 · Feb 19, 2014

Newb here... Sorry. Looks like im a few years too late!

thetrailboss · Feb 19, 2014

Twism86 said:
I havent paid window prices yet this year. I always buy in advance or reload a card.

+ 1. Most of my skiing is on a season pass and it's been that way for probably most of the last 20 years or so. I also do promos as well.

steamboat1 · Feb 19, 2014

Twism86 said:
So a few years ago I was scoping out life ticket prices up at Stowe and they were around $92. I just checked back and they are at $98, just a tad under the triple digit price tag.

$98 walk up window rate, $84 if purchased on line. Pretty significant difference.

Nick · Feb 19, 2014

Twism86 said:
Newb here... Sorry. Looks like im a few years too late!

It's OK. That thread was a few years old. More done to point you to some earlier discussion about out-west places breaking the $100 barrier.

I don't think it will happen for at least a few years because of the psychological factor. I'm sure no resort in the NE wants to be the first with that on their website.

jimk · Feb 19, 2014

I went to Aspen around New Year's time. Great place, great mtns, great experience, but they don't want your/our business. It's almost like they don't want day tripper/economy skiers. At Snowmass there pretty much is no day lodge, at least not at The Snowmass Mall/Village where I entered the trail network. I had to boot up outdoors and leave my stuff under the overhang of a building when I went out to ski. Discount advance purchase price was $297 for three-day ticket. However, if IRRC even Aspen sells a four or five ticket package that averages about $60 per day if bought early preseason. They are also part of the ground breaking Mtn Collective deal from Liftopia which could get you down to about that price too. What they really want though are the ski weekers/multiday skiers buying into the total vacation package deal.

Same with Vail Resorts. Day ticket is triple digits, but season pass is ~400 to numerous big resorts.

These are bizarre times, but if you do your shopping you shouldn't have to deal with too many triple digit tickets. The way I justified Aspen was to stay in a $65 motel 25 miles down valley and cook food in the microwave.

Stowe is looking for some of the same kind of business, but most of the East is different because of all the nearby day trippers and fewer ski weekers.

Though it's from last spring, this article explains a bit about the general ticket pricing scheme these days: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryol...ket-pass-deals-are-right-now-for-next-season/

MadMadWorld · Feb 19, 2014

Twism86 said:
So a few years ago I was scoping out life ticket prices up at Stowe and they were around $92. I just checked back and they are at $98, just a tad under the triple digit price tag. Unless you count that card thing you need to buy for $5 along with it (which is BS because Blue Mtn gives you one included in the price then subsequent discounts...) I was wondering if any east coast resort has lost their minds enough to charge over $100 for one day of skiing. While it doesnt look like it yet, we cant say the same for the resorts out west.

A few are charging over $100 for a single day ticket.... Completely and utterly insane!! I dont know how the people who decide on those prices arent falling off their chairs laughing when they decided to raise the prices that high! I understand skiing isnt a cheap sport to begin with but seriously that is outrageous. As much as I would love to ski one of those big name resorts as a matter of principal im not handing over more than $100 to them!

How Stowe even gets business surprises me when you can drive 2 minutes down the road to Smuggs and save $30!!!

Stowe is a fashion statement. I know people that have season passes there just because they can. I don't think they ever get there money's worth.

And Smuggs is only 2 minutes down the road if you snowshoe it.

St. Bear · Feb 19, 2014

I used to think that all the big western resorts made their money off lodging and food, and used lift tickets as a loss leader. Turns out that's generally not the case.

steamboat1 · Feb 19, 2014

MadMadWorld said:
And Smuggs is only 2 minutes down the road if you snowshoe it.

You must hold the land speed record on snowshoes.

Smellytele · Feb 19, 2014

St. Bear said:
I used to think that all the big western resorts made their money off lodging and food, and used lift tickets as a loss leader. Turns out that's generally not the case.

They really want you to stay in the area (with them preferably) and ski them more than just one day.

BenedictGomez · Feb 19, 2014

steamboat1 said:
You must hold the land speed record on snowshoes.

I'm assuming he meant from the top of the Spruce lift. Although that would still probably be a land speed record. lol

Though regarding $98 versus $68 tickets rates for Stowe versus Smuggs. I'm not going to set the bar, and I'm not saying the disparity isnt TOO high, but Stowe definitely should have a premium rate over Smuggs.

ss20 · Feb 19, 2014

MadMadWorld said:
And Smuggs is only 2 minutes down the road if you snowshoe it.

Better have Tunaspeed snowshoes!

Anyway, I think Stowe's ticket prices will stall at 99$ for a few years before they jump up over $100. As someone said before, you don't want to be "that" resort that got the Northeast into triple digit prices.

I think it's OK for resorts to be charging these extravagant prices because it takes 2 seconds online to find a ticket 20$ cheaper. But for the people who are looking to get into skiing and don't know how easy it is to get discount tickets the price turns them off right away. Resorts need a "learn to" package that includes rentals and lessons for under 75$. That's how new people will get into the sport. Heck, how about an upgrade package that gives you seasonal rentals and a season pass (or a dozen lift tickets, discount card, etc.) for $200 more.

MadMadWorld · Feb 19, 2014

steamboat1 said:
You must hold the land speed record on snowshoes.

http://switchzoo.com/profiles/snowshoehare.htm

:razz:

steamboat1 · Feb 19, 2014

MadMadWorld said:
And Smuggs is only 2 minutes down the road if you snowshoe it.

BenedictGomez said:
I'm assuming he meant from the top of the Spruce lift. Although that would still probably be a land speed record. lol

Didn't realize there was a road on top of Spruce.

St. Bear · Feb 19, 2014

There was an article linked not too long about about Vail's revenue numbers that were released, including a breakdown of where they make their money (passes, lodging, food, etc.). It was really interesting, and a bit surprising for me. I'd refer to it, but I can't find it quickly.

Bottom line, it's true that they'll charge what the market will bear. I'm a great example. I'm going out to Summit County in a few weeks, and am looking at basically $100 tickets (for a day or two). My reasoning is that how can I go through all the time and effort to get out there, and not ski some of the biggest and best areas? Is that $50-whatever dollars really going to make or break me? No.

MadMadWorld · Feb 19, 2014

Why anyone pays ticket window prices these days are beyond me.

Triple Digit Lift Tickets

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