2021-22 Season Passes

[2planks2coasts]

I think a lot of people who ski largely weekends / holidays due to job issues would pay extra for a pass that gave access to a VIP lift line. I wouldn't blink at spending an extra $100 per pass for our 3 passes for that. If I get in 40 days a year that is $2.50/day/person to spend at least an hour less standing in line.

You're correct. That's the problem though. As you say, "a lot" would pay for that access. A lot of people using the VIP line reduces its value significantly.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

its also a pretty big turn off to the common folk who don't splurge. just add it to the pile of vail turn offs.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

Blue Mt in PA has a VIP line for all their passholders. It used to help a lot but I understand with reduced chair capacity it has gotten swamped too and no longer that helpful.

 

[abc]

You're correct. That's the problem though. As you say, "a lot" would pay for that access. A lot of people using the VIP line reduces its value significantly.

But that's great for Vail. Offer a "premium pass" that cost extra. A good portion of the pass holders will gladly pony up the extra. But then, the VIP lines got just as long. Too late, Vail already got your money!

Isn't that what the "reservation system" did? Some of the people who otherwise not buy a pass probably bought it because they want to be sure they get to ski at all.

 

[Smellytele]

Someone mentioned Disney. Isn’t Disney fast pass free? and allows you to book times on rides not just by pass lines when you feel like it.

 

[PAabe]

Fast lane at Hersheypark is infuriating and makes me wish I was at Knoebels every time I'm there fwiw. Customers don't like being treated like plebs. Even if financials make sense in the short term, does it turn off repeat business in the long term? I assume people have done studies on this and assume it sadly makes sense for the places that do it.

 

[jimmywilson69]

when I went to Cedar Pointe I bought the cut the line priveldges. I'd do it again too. I'm not waiting in a 2 or 3 hour line to ride a roller coaster.

I don't think that model works all that well with skiing though... again maybe I'd buy it for a vacation but so might everyone else!

 

[Zermatt]

interesting. so i guess i chose all destinations, and the email only went out to people who will actually get some sort of credit.

I picked Stratton and got the email too. I don't recall them closing due to Covid unless their late opening counted somehow.

 

[bizarrefaith]

You're correct. That's the problem though. As you say, "a lot" would pay for that access. A lot of people using the VIP line reduces its value significantly.

The premium fee for line-cutting already exists in the form of private lessons at a lot of resorts. If they did a VIP line access type ticket product, no way it would be $100 extra a year or anything close to that.

 

[bizarrefaith]

Someone mentioned Disney. Isn’t Disney fast pass free? and allows you to book times on rides not just by pass lines when you feel like it.

Yeah the line cutting perk at Disney is the VIP tours, which are several hundred dollars per hour, with 6-7 hour minimums and do not include park tickets (which you still need). The single day cost of the line cutting experience at Disney is like $2K+.

 

[Zermatt]

The premium fee for line-cutting already exists in the form of private lessons at a lot of resorts. If they did a VIP line access type ticket product, no way it would be $100 extra a year or anything close to that.

VIP lines just piss people off. Even ski school cutting lines makes me mad. That product simply does not exist in Europe, probably because anybody can just cut the line.

I'm a bigger fan of early access. That seems like the better trade off. I paid for early access at Steamboat in February and timed it perfectly with an overnight snow storm. Banged out a few great runs before the mountain opened them was in prime position to access the rest of the mountain when they dropped the ropes up high.

 

[dblskifanatic]

My wife just pulled the trigger on A Basin Military Pass which includes dependents. steep jump in price but worth it still - went from $179 to $299 but are going to reduce the number of passes by 10%. E/ven though we are now in Boston, we plan on making several trips out west.

Going to consider something local to NE but have not decided yet.

 

[Zand]

Not sure if someone posted it already but just saw in an email that 21-22 Ragged passes are $359. I'm sticking with Ikon and Indy so no need for me to get that, but hell of a deal regardless.

 

[drjeff]

The premium fee for line-cutting already exists in the form of private lessons at a lot of resorts. If they did a VIP line access type ticket product, no way it would be $100 extra a year or anything close to that.

Agree 100%.

The fee for coaching AND line cutting on most lifts at Mount Snow that my daughter gets to do with her race training is just over 2k per year, which is around triple to what her Epic pass cost.

If EPIC was to offer a "premium" pass with a "VIP" line, and I doubt they will, my hunch is the price point would be far closer to double what the non VIP lane Epic pass would be, and far greater than the $100 that was thrown into the mix in this thread.

 

[ss20]

iirc Killington tried offering a line-cutting pass and it only lasted a month or so before the backlash became too great and they nix'd it mid-season.

 

[dblskifanatic]

iirc Killington tried offering a line-cutting pass and it only lasted a month or so before the backlash became too great and they nix'd it mid-season.

It was like $199 in addition to the pass price. I would imagine that stopping something like that mid season would required some sort of refund.

 

[Dickc]

iirc Killington tried offering a line-cutting pass and it only lasted a month or so before the backlash became too great and they nix'd it mid-season.

I believe about 2-3 years ago Sunday River tried much the same thing., If I recall correctly it lasted one day as the uproar was YUUUUUGGGGGEEE!

 

[abc]

It just occurred to me the IKON spring benefit dates seem to be around the time when the Vail resorts planned closing dates.

Or was those similar dates in years past?

 

[jaytrem]

It just occurred to me the IKON spring benefit dates seem to be around the time when the Vail resorts planned closing dates.

Or was those similar dates in years past?

I think 2 years ago the pass was valid a little earlier then this year at most places. Probably not covid related since that was the plan for last year before things got shut down. Worked great for Squaw and Mammoth at the end of the 18/19 season. I know I used it at Squaw on April 14, 2019, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't one of the first days possible.

Here we go, info from end of 18/19...

Spring skiing is available immediately after purchase at Big Bear Mountain Resort, Blue Mountain and Snowshoe. Spring skiing is available starting April 8, 2019 at Winter Park Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Solitude and Tremblant.

 

[dblskifanatic]

Not sure if someone posted it already but just saw in an email that 21-22 Ragged passes are $359. I'm sticking with Ikon and Indy so no need for me to get that, but hell of a deal regardless.

It is a good deal but Ragged gets old quickly. If I lived close to it. That might make sense. We used to live in Andover NH and we skied there all the time.