Ski Resort Response to COVID-19

[thetrailboss]

So for most the season is over.

And for a lot of us, who are passholders, we are losing A LOT of the season. Just wondering what your resorts are doing for passholders to make up for the lost portion of the season (if anything).

Burke offered a $200 credit to passholders; $50 credit for those who had other products.

 

[RichT]

Epic says wait till end of April

 

[Edd]

I don’t know. I get the argument for a refund but smaller areas probably can ill afford refunds. I’d prefer to let it go and give them a stronger chance of remaining open. This was something not in their control, like bad spring weather.


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[icecoast1]

Except for places like Killington that offered special passes for spring, is there really a need to refund passes? You had til mid march to use your pass, if you didn't get use out of it by then, that's on you

 

[cdskier]

Except for places like Killington that offered special passes for spring, is there really a need to refund passes? You had til mid march to use your pass, if you didn't get use out of it by then, that's on you

I agree. I "lost out" on 1.5 months roughly of potential skiing in the best case scenario IF the snow holds out to the typical start of May closing date for Sugarbush (that remains a big if looking at the forecast). Yet even so my cost per day on my pass was down to $18. Hard to say I didn't get my money's worth as is.

 

[VTKilarney]

Except for places like Killington that offered special passes for spring, is there really a need to refund passes? You had til mid march to use your pass, if you didn't get use out of it by then, that's on you

I agree.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Except for places like Killington that offered special passes for spring, is there really a need to refund passes? You had til mid march to use your pass, if you didn't get use out of it by then, that's on you

totally agree. I used my epic pass 46 times from mid-November to Mid March. they don't owe me shit... The reality is that they closed my local place 1 day before planned.

Was I going to use it more? Absolutely I had planned on going to at least Jack Frost and maybe even somewhere further north through the end of March and into April.

 

[fbrissette]

I agree.

As a Jay Peak pass holder, I expect to ski till early May, with generally good conditions till mid-April. So cutting the season short has a definite impact on my skiing expectations and perceived value of my ski pass.

However, in extreme cases like this, I believe that the costs are to be shared by everyone, including the customer. If Jay Peak was to issue a partial refund, it would have to be on the back of additional layoffs or diminished benefits for workers. So I'm totally fine with getting no refund.

They have graciously offered the following for pass holders renewing next year, as well as extreme flexibility for refunds. I think this is more than fair, as I don't believe they actually had to do any of that.

• A Golf round, including cart (up to $105 value).
• A day pass to the Pump House Indoor Waterpark ($41 value).
• Two tickets to the Clips & Reels Movie Theatre ($10 value).
• A transferable lift ticket for the 2020+21 Ski/Ride Season (up to $89 value).

 

[thetrailboss]

I don’t know. I get the argument for a refund but smaller areas probably can ill afford refunds. I’d prefer to let it go and give them a stronger chance of remaining open. This was something not in their control, like bad spring weather.


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Except for places like Killington that offered special passes for spring, is there really a need to refund passes? You had til mid march to use your pass, if you didn't get use out of it by then, that's on you

I agree. I "lost out" on 1.5 months roughly of potential skiing in the best case scenario IF the snow holds out to the typical start of May closing date for Sugarbush (that remains a big if looking at the forecast). Yet even so my cost per day on my pass was down to $18. Hard to say I didn't get my money's worth as is.

totally agree. I used my epic pass 46 times from mid-November to Mid March. they don't owe me shit... The reality is that they closed my local place 1 day before planned.

Was I going to use it more? Absolutely I had planned on going to at least Jack Frost and maybe even somewhere further north through the end of March and into April.

To be clear, I am not starting a debate as to what resorts should or should not do.

I was more interested to hear what areas are offering to their passholders.

 

[BenedictGomez]

They have graciously offered the following for pass holders renewing next year, as well as extreme flexibility for refunds.

I had 4 prepaid lift tickets I planned to use on vacation this week, they're honoring them until 12/24/20. Would rather they be honored late-season instead, but better than nothing.

 

[thetrailboss]

I had 4 prepaid lift tickets I planned to use on vacation this week, they're honoring them until 12/24/20. Would rather they be honored late-season instead, but better than nothing.

A lot of places are doing that. Better than nothing is right.


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[medfordmike]

Pico and Killington sent an email yesterday to passholders saying they will be in touch in May with their approach to the season ending early. I am a regular season pass holder at Pico so for K Spring passes any news could be on a different timeline.

https://www.picomountain.com/the-mountain/mountain-info/coronavirus-impact

 

[JimG.]

Pico and Killington sent an email yesterday to passholders saying they will be in touch in May with their approach to the season ending early. I am a regular season pass holder at Pico so for K Spring passes any news could be on a different timeline.

https://www.picomountain.com/the-mountain/mountain-info/coronavirus-impact

While I am expecting nothing because the season ended early I got the K email yesterday also and thought that while it is totally unnecessary for me it shows a lot of class that they are even considering doing anything.

Whatever they offer me will only reinforce my desire to purchase another K pass for next season. And that is brilliant marketing.

 

[thetrailboss]

While I am expecting nothing because the season ended early I got the K email yesterday also and thought that while it is totally unnecessary for me it shows a lot of class that they are even considering doing anything.

Whatever they offer me will only reinforce my desire to purchase another K pass for next season. And that is brilliant marketing.

Agreed. I think a lot of resorts are trying to make this a positive.

 

[Smellytele]

While I am expecting nothing because the season ended early I got the K email yesterday also and thought that while it is totally unnecessary for me it shows a lot of class that they are even considering doing anything.

Whatever they offer me will only reinforce my desire to purchase another K pass for next season. And that is brilliant marketing.

You’re buying one anyway no reinforcement needed


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[Hawk]

I believe that Sugarbush will allow you to use your unused quad packs up to Christmas of next year.

 

[medfordmike]

While I am expecting nothing because the season ended early I got the K email yesterday also and thought that while it is totally unnecessary for me it shows a lot of class that they are even considering doing anything.

Whatever they offer me will only reinforce my desire to purchase another K pass for next season. And that is brilliant marketing.

Totally agreed. But in a Pico context : -)

 

[Harvey]

A seasons pass is an exchange.

The mountain gets your money up front, and you get a CHANCE at a cost/day that is lower than the walk up rate.

It's not a guarantee.

It could rain all season. You could lose your job. Your could get sick. You could die.

For something out of the mountain's control, they don't owe you anything.

They could choose to do something, for a marketing advantage vs competitors or whatever. But they don't owe you squat.

OP, or anyone, what was your cost per day this season? How does it compare to the rack rate?

 

[machski]

Sunday River did a hard reverse course today and all use of the mountain is now prohibited and if you access, it will be considered trespassing. Further, all of their Lodging establishments they control are now closed UFN.

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[Zermatt]

The only people that deserve refunds or credits are for prepaid day tickets (10 packs, etc) and special passes like the the Killington spring pass.

Everybody else with a full season pass that complains should just suck it. Actually, If I was a manager at a resort I'd offer some sort of a refund for the complainers....but permanently ban them from skiing there again. Any credit or discount on the next season is just a gift, and I continue to believe that this may not be over by next ski season. Does anybody have the magic cure yet? Guess what, there isn't one as of today.

Season passes offer an incredible discount with no set guarantee on season length or getting the maximum value possible. We've been lucky in the east but many resorts in California have gotten nuked on and off the past few seasons will almost no snow and have closed way earlier than normal.