It appears Stowe has joined the RFID game

[luvinjaycloud]

The $5 fee keeps people form losing it or throwing it away....think green. Also if people use the same card it is better for tracking repeat visitors....kinda smaaahhhtt! think-you're giving back to the snow gods or something.

 

[billski]

The RFID system proved quite reliable on Friday. Only one kicker is that the strike zone is impossible for kids. The turnstile is in the face of some tykes. When an adult picks up the kid, it often triggers the adult ticket, causing some confusion. OK Stowe mgt, go figure that one out.

It appeared that the system somewhat sped up the lines, but I can't say for sure. All the chairs were-walk up, including the 4runner, and the gondi.


The ticket counter lines to get your Evolution card were painfully slow. It was taking 10-15 mins per person to process. Of course brand-new (1 week) attendants didn't help the matter. A floating manager spent more time coaching the poor people than having trained them ahead of time. I heard wait times were as long as one hour on Saturday. My wait on Friday was only about 20 minutes. Ahem...

 

[mlkrgr]

The RFID system proved quite reliable on Friday. Only one kicker is that the strike zone is impossible for kids. The turnstile is in the face of some tykes. When an adult picks up the kid, it often triggers the adult ticket, causing some confusion. OK Stowe mgt, go figure that one out.

It appeared that the system somewhat sped up the lines, but I can't say for sure. All the chairs were-walk up, including the 4runner, and the gondi.


The ticket counter lines to get your Evolution card were painfully slow. It was taking 10-15 mins per person to process. Of course brand-new (1 week) attendants didn't help the matter. A floating manager spent more time coaching the poor people than having trained them ahead of time. I heard wait times were as long as one hour on Saturday. My wait on Friday was only about 20 minutes. Ahem...

Read that the smart cards that the T uses in MA of course costs $.87 each so that's quite a big profit if that's what the ski resorts are paying.

Geesh as for the evolution card lines. I am planning on coming up with a bus sometime this season so I hope that it just works as smoothly as Jay does it (that's the only way I can afford $teaux and cards are handed over to the trip leader, who then distributes them; groups get a one time use card but do not pay $5 for it); Bill Stenger even does it in fashion and waited for the bus in his Audi.

 

[BenedictGomez]

The ticket counter lines to get your Evolution card were painfully slow. It was taking 10-15 mins per person to process. Of course brand-new (1 week) attendants didn't help the matter. A floating manager spent more time coaching the poor people than having trained them ahead of time. I heard wait times were as long as one hour on Saturday. My wait on Friday was only about 20 minutes. Ahem...

There was a 1 hour wait for lift tickets? I've never heard of such a thing there, and I'm shocked it was that crowded. It was because of the new system?

Also, even 20 minutes is a really, really, really long wait in a lift ticket line at Stowe. Waits are often walk-up, rarely more than 5 minutes, and even on Presidents weekend and MLK, anything more than 10 minutes isnt good.

 

[billski]

There was a 1 hour wait for lift tickets? I've never heard of such a thing there, and I'm shocked it was that crowded. It was because of the new system?

Also, even 20 minutes is a really, really, really long wait in a lift ticket line at Stowe. Waits are often walk-up, rarely more than 5 minutes, and even on Presidents weekend and MLK, anything more than 10 minutes isnt good.

''

Yes.
Yes.

No. Everyone was alarmed at how long it took. It was taking 15 minutes per and there were only two people in line and 3 people at each ticket "window"

Unless they straighten this up quickly, it will turn into a huge disaster. I'm sure they are "working on it", but I am astonished that they only hired people last week and "trained" them. They are actually being trained on the job. Waaaay to much typing going one. Then they want to link to any other accounts you may have. All well and good, but you could waste a good hour+ of slope time.

Once you have your card in hand, it becomes easy online. But if you need to go to a counter to get a ticket (one of our vouchers for example), you could get stuck behind a bunch of people getting their card for the first time.

BTW. It was max crowded since it was xmas-ny week.

 

[billski]

Read that the smart cards that the T uses in MA of course costs $.87 each so that's quite a big profit if that's what the ski resorts are paying.

G

You are paying for the administration and ticket processing, right or wrong. The actual material cost of a card is irrelevant. You can turn it in at end of day and get your $5 back.

 

[steamboat1]

You are paying for the administration and ticket processing, right or wrong. The actual material cost of a card is irrelevant. You can turn it in at end of day and get your $5 back.

How long does that take?

 

[BenedictGomez]

'
Unless they straighten this up quickly, it will turn into a huge disaster. I'm sure they are "working on it", but I am astonished that they only hired people last week and "trained" them. They are actually being trained on the job. Waaaay to much typing going one. Then they want to link to any other accounts you may have. All well and good, but you could waste a good hour+ of slope time.

That doesnt totally surprise me. Stowe used to train new ticket sales folk each year in November so they could hit the ground running (I imagine they still do). But they wouldnt actually call you in for work (which is when you really learn) until the season starts getting busy (i.e., they wont pay 6 lift ticket folks when 2 lift ticket folks can handle the volume). I thought it was kindof penny-wise and pound-foolish even then, and I imagine that's the culture that still exists.

You are paying for the administration and ticket processing, right or wrong. The actual material cost of a card is irrelevant. You can turn it in at end of day and get your $5 back.

That's great to hear! Because IMO at most places this new system isnt much more than an ancillary source of revenue.

 

[snowmonster]

I was up at Stowe for New Year's. Just waited a minute for my RFID. I guess they've worked out the kinks in the system.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Geesh as for the evolution card lines. I am planning on coming up with a bus sometime this season so I hope that it just works as smoothly as Jay does it (that's the only way I can afford $teaux and cards are handed over to the trip leader, who then distributes them; groups get a one time use card but do not pay $5 for it); Bill Stenger even does it in fashion and waited for the bus in his Audi.

I was up for a bus trip in Decemeber and we had "one time use RFID cards" that they distributed to use. They were only good for the one day we were there and were cardboard. I would check with your tour operator on how this will work for your group.

which Tour operator are you using?

 

[billski]

I was up at Stowe for New Year's. Just waited a minute for my RFID. I guess they've worked out the kinks in the system.

It seems to have gotten worse. My report is from LAST FRIDAY, January 6th. Six people in queue, three windows, one at each window for a total of nine people. i waited about 15 minutes, first in the queue. Perhaps they resumed training?

 

[billski]

I was up for a bus trip in Decemeber and we had "one time use RFID cards" that they distributed to use. They were only good for the one day we were there and were cardboard. I would check with your tour operator on how this will work for your group.

which Tour operator are you using?

I never use a tour operator. I brave the systems myself,which has never been a problem for 35 years.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I never use a tour operator. I brave the systems myself,which has never been a problem for 35 years.

Bill my last message was in response to mlkrgr.

 

[40Berg]

It seems to have gotten worse. My report is from LAST FRIDAY, January 6th. Six people in queue, three windows, one at each window for a total of nine people. i waited about 15 minutes, first in the queue. Perhaps they resumed training?

Bill, I must've just missed you as I also picked up a card on 1/6. I did, however, have a different experience.

I arrived to a one-person line at the Spruce Lodge at 9:30 a.m. and was out with my RFID card minutes later. Employee looked up our liftopia reservation, answered a couple questions and we were out within five minutes at most. Sounds like lines got worse throughout the day.

 

[billski]

Bill, I must've just missed you as I also picked up a card on 1/6. I did, however, have a different experience.

I arrived to a one-person line at the Spruce Lodge at 9:30 a.m. and was out with my RFID card minutes later. Employee looked up our liftopia reservation, answered a couple questions and we were out within five minutes at most. Sounds like lines got worse throughout the day.

I was there at 800. I used a voucher, not liftopia. I am told that xmas week was bad too. Sounds like the problems oscillated through the day.

 

[snowmonster]

This shouldn't matter but, if I already have an RFID and buy a ticket on liftopia, will Stowe issue me a new RFID or do I just get to use the old one?

 

[billski]

This shouldn't matter but, if I already have an RFID and buy a ticket on liftopia, will Stowe issue me a new RFID or do I just get to use the old one?

I think those things are being sorted now. I would expect that you keep your card and a voucher is in effect "payment. You now have an "account". I saw my transactions hit it last night on the web. Everytime you have any sort of voucher or coupon, you go to the ticket counter, there is no interconnect between ticket brokers and the Stowe System.


I have a Stowe points card, but it is not connected to the rfid card. Nobody at Stow seemed to know how that link will operate in the future. It can be confusing, even for someone who has been using the stowe discount programs and vouchers before. This will be a year of growing pains.

 

[Black Phantom]

I think those things are being sorted now. I would expect that you keep your card and a voucher is in effect "payment. You now have an "account". I saw my transactions hit it last night on the web. Everytime you have any sort of voucher or coupon, you go to the ticket counter, there is no interconnect between ticket brokers and the Stowe System.


I have a Stowe points card, but it is not connected to the rfid card. Nobody at Stow seemed to know how that link will operate in the future. It can be confusing, even for someone who has been using the stowe discount programs and vouchers before. This will be a year of growing pains.

At least you got your beloved discount.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Six people in queue, three windows, one at each window for a total of nine people. i waited about 15 minutes, first in the queue. Perhaps they resumed training?

That doesnt sound like a training issue, that sounds like a technology failure.

I arrived to a one-person line at the Spruce Lodge at 9:30 a.m. and was out with my RFID card minutes later. Employee looked up our liftopia reservation, answered a couple questions and we were out within five minutes at most. Sounds like lines got worse throughout the day.

Other possible factor is the people who run the lift ticket show at Stowe are based at Spruce, so that may help too regarding knowledge/competence with new system.

Though maybe I'm reading you too literally, but if you were #1 in line and it took a full 5 minutes, that's horrendous. The average lift ticket sale takes < 1 minute if the staff is trained, the customer knows what he/she wants, and the technology works.

 

[snowmonster]

Looks like Stowe gives a pretty good discount on the one-day reload on the RFID card.