Season Pass Options/Considerations

[dlague]

Everyone is stuck with these megapass deals essentially. This model may fall apart faster and destroy the skiing industry far faster than anyone imagined.

Wait to see prices after this season when nobody is going to fly.

I think that the mega passes are offering options that are local and as a result still provide a awesome deal. Epic in NE and several options of you do not want to fly, Colorado is the same as well as Tahoe. Ikon provides similar options. I do not see the mega passes going away anytime soon. Sales may be down a little this year but once we bounce back from this it will return to sales levels that are close to what they are now.

 

[boston_e]

I think that the mega passes are offering options that are local and as a result still provide a awesome deal. Epic in NE and several options of you do not want to fly, Colorado is the same as well as Tahoe. Ikon provides similar options. I do not see the mega passes going away anytime soon. Sales may be down a little this year but once we bounce back from this it will return to sales levels that are close to what they are now.

Agree there are plenty of options in the Northeast that can make the passes worthwhile.... they become not much different from a resort specific pass that we are historically used to at a price reasonable to expect to get enough days to cover the cost.

The wild card in New England will be what happens with state to state travel restrictions. If Maine and Vermont have their 14 day quarantine requirements in place this winter, it could be hard on the resorts as it could alienate a big chunk of their clientele who come up on the weekends from Mass, CT and NY.

If those travel restrictions are still in place in November, expect a lot of people to take the passes up on their credit / refund offerings.

 

[dblskifanatic]

While we have 20% off our veteran epic pass we are thinking of not getting it! Already have A Basin Pass and thinking about getting a Ski Cooper pass for $249 and gives 3 days at other resorts like Loveland and Monarch and a few others.


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[Pez]

"If those travel restrictions are still in place in November, expect a lot of people to take the passes up on their credit / refund offerings. "

I've been sort of following this thread. Have you guys figured out if this is going to be a thing. As in the resort may be running but if i can't get to VT from MA without a 14 day quarantine does that count in getting a refund?

I started reading some fine print on the Epic website, but didn't get to finish it all.

 

[p_levert]

While we have 20% off our veteran epic pass we are thinking of not getting it! Already have A Basin Pass and thinking about getting a Ski Cooper pass for $249 and gives 3 days at other resorts like Loveland and Monarch and a few others.


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It's August, so the Ski Cooper pass is now $349.

 

[dblskifanatic]

It's August, so the Ski Cooper pass is now $349.

Yup found that out this weekend! May just stick to A Basin and use Gems Cards.


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[deadheadskier]

So today i attempted to purchase a 20/21 Epic Northeast Value Pass and use my 19/20 Epic Local Pass credit for a discount. So it turns out if you want to use a 19/20 credit on a lower priced pass product for 20/21 than the pass you bought in 19/20, you have to fill out an exemption form and wait for an email or phone call from Vail Resorts to process. Has anyone done this? I filled out the exemption form but it said response will take 5-6 weeks. I will try calling them this week as 5 weeks from now puts us past the Labor day deadline.

I just called them direct today and they applied the same 20% off the Northeast Value I wanted instead of the Epic Local.

Folks should note, if you have a five or six year old, they offer a $49 Northeast Value pass for that age group. It's not listed with the other value passes. I just assumed you had to go with the $379 Epic Local for five year olds. Not so. A friend let me know about the $49 pass. I called back, they switched the pass and refunded me the $330

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[xlr8r]

I just called them direct today and they applied the same 20% off the Northeast Value I wanted instead of the Epic Local.

Folks should note, if you have a five or six year old, they offer a $49 Northeast Value pass for that age group. It's not listed with the other value passes. I just assumed you had to go with the $379 Epic Local for five year olds. Not so. A friend let me know about the $49 pass. I called back, they switched the pass and refunded me the $330

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Yup, I called last week and got them to process my pass purchase over the phone as well. $480 for the Epic Northeast Value Pass, heck even if VT has its travel restrictions is still a good deal just to go to Attitash, Wildcat, Sunapee, and Crotched in NH next year.

 

[boston_e]

"If those travel restrictions are still in place in November, expect a lot of people to take the passes up on their credit / refund offerings. "

I've been sort of following this thread. Have you guys figured out if this is going to be a thing. As in the resort may be running but if i can't get to VT from MA without a 14 day quarantine does that count in getting a refund?

I started reading some fine print on the Epic website, but didn't get to finish it all.

Not sure about Epic but Killington / Pico is offering a no questions asked refund before November 20th if you have not yet used your pass.

 

[mbedle]

"If those travel restrictions are still in place in November, expect a lot of people to take the passes up on their credit / refund offerings. "

I've been sort of following this thread. Have you guys figured out if this is going to be a thing. As in the resort may be running but if i can't get to VT from MA without a 14 day quarantine does that count in getting a refund?

I started reading some fine print on the Epic website, but didn't get to finish it all.

That does not appear to be a covered personal event to receive a refund.

a. Stay-at Home Order. You are unable to use your pass during the Core Season because the municipality, county, state, province, or country in which your Permanent Residence is located is subject to a “quarantine,” “stay-at-home,” “shelter-in-place” or other comparable mandatory governmental order lasting thirty (30) or more consecutive days. Your “Permanent Residence” refers to your fixed, permanent and principal home for legal and tax purposes.

c. Travel Restrictions. You are unable to use your pass during the Core Season because of a government-imposed prohibition on your entry into the United States that affects all similarly situated travelers.

n. Personal Medical Quarantine. You are unable to use your pass during the Core Season because you are quarantined for at least thirty (30) or more consecutive days at the direction of a Physician after you purchase your pass. This provision applies only if you provide verification from the Physician.

 

[bizarrefaith]

Not sure about Epic but Killington / Pico is offering a no questions asked refund before November 20th if you have not yet used your pass.

Cannon is also no questions asked prior to opening day.

"Prior to our projected opening day, if you request a credit on your pass purchase, regardless of the reason, we will issue a credit for any reason, for the full amount you paid, to be used towards a 2021 - 2022 season pass."

 

[ScottySkis]

On Gore Facebook page about official canceketation for next season possibly a
We’ve updated our policies to offer you more flexibility and peace of mind in buying your 2020-2021 season pass. We have added assurances if things change for you before the season, for in-season closures, and for travel restrictions or medical needs. Our passes are ready to go at the same great prices as last year through September 2, and we are busy installing two new lifts! Find out all the details here: https://www.goremountain.com/tickets-passes/season-passes/purchase-confidence"
"

 

[Cobbold]

https://nyskiblog.com/forum/threads/passes-for-2020-2021.50/page-5


Wonder if this is true, if so the ski industry is changing as we know it.

 

[icecoast1]

https://nyskiblog.com/forum/threads/passes-for-2020-2021.50/page-5


Wonder if this is true, if so the ski industry is changing as we know it.

Can't say I'm shocked. They're bleeding money like pretty much every other business in America , except for Amazon, Grocery Stores, Home Improvement Stores and UPS.


Many places would almost be better off staying closed for the winter until restrictions on capacity and indoor facilities are lifted. Not to mention with no foreign labor, good luck to them on hiring staff

 

[bizarrefaith]

Not to mention with no foreign labor, good luck to them on hiring staff

No foreign labor AND they can’t even offer unlimited skiing as a perk of employment if there is a capacity cap.

 

[snoseek]

Well shit, it's almost like they might have to pay a living wage and eventually rethink their stupid cheap pass prices....

 

[ss20]

https://nyskiblog.com/forum/threads/passes-for-2020-2021.50/page-5


Wonder if this is true, if so the ski industry is changing as we know it.

One of my ski industry finance friends told me that Alterra is near bankruptcy. According to him, they make 80% of their EBITA in March so they were hurt pretty badly by the early closure. Apparently American Express is looking at their exposure to Ikon refunds because an Alterra bankruptcy.
In other news, a friend who organizes group trips told me that Killington is planning NO indoor services except bathrooms, and NO cash sales at all. He’s thinking he’s out of business.

Both sound like complete bullshit. Especially Killington doing no "indoor services". They're renting bikes, have the peak lodge open, and are selling food right now. I'd imagine someone got in a tizzy because a few weeks ago the GM said something along the lines of "be prepared to boot up at the car and go right to the lift due to limited lodge capacity".

As for Alterra that claim is just absurd. And if they were in dire financial shape they could easily take on low-interest debt with the sheer amount of property/assets they own...especially now that every plot of land in rural America has increased in value since people started fleeing the cities 5 months ago to the day.

 

[ss20]

Sunday River thinks it's a great time to sell $.5m-$1m lots...per an email from TODAY...

https://sundayriverliving.com/merri...s://sundayriverliving.com/merrill-hill/​&nck=

 

[BenedictGomez]

Both sound like complete bullshit.

Of course it's total BS.

Best part is the follow-up post about this same "source" predicting that soon there'll be no snow due to Global Warming. Dude's a nut-job.

He thinks Stratton has no viable future, partly because of climate change.
FWIW he thinks climate change will ruin trout fishing in Colorado too. He’s even more pessimistic than me. He’s teaching his children to ski so that they can tell their children what snow was like.

 

[JimG.]

Well shit, it's almost like they might have to pay a living wage and eventually rethink their stupid cheap pass prices....

This.