Ticket Prices 2015-2016

[steamboat1]

I agree with much of that, except for the part about unused tickets benefiting SB even more. Lost incremental revenue opportunities when a ticket goes unused. Lodging, food, beverage, rentals, lessons, gear sales etc.

They got me for $199 for one days skiing a few years ago when I was injured & couldn't use the rest of quad pack. Same thing with a friend of mine a year later. We weren't spending anything for lodging, rentals, lessons or gear anyway. So maybe they lost a couple of bucks on beers & a burger.

 

[deadheadskier]

Right, but that still lost them a bit of money. Some folks will be bigger contributors to incremental dollars than others.

After sitting in on numerous budget committee meetings when I worked in the business, the goal was always to see what ways you could get more cash out of people. It was never hoped that a voucher went unused because the cost savings to the resort for someone not showing up could barely be measured.

 

[JAM614]

I think the key is though that the feeder hills need to offer something to entertain advanced skiers. Whaleback very much does. Pats does too. A feeder hill like King Ridge (as awesome as my childhood memories are of skiing there) wouldn't make it because it's too flat.

This is exactly what the volunteer effort is working on at Black Mountain of Maine. Black is all about developing new skiers with low ticket prices $15 Fridays/$29 weekend, while offering gladed terrain for advanced skiers. Up to 15 glades for this season, with the potential for many more in the upcoming years.

 

[cdskier]

I agree with much of that, except for the part about unused tickets benefiting SB even more. Lost incremental revenue opportunities when a ticket goes unused. Lodging, food, beverage, rentals, lessons, gear sales etc.

Good point...I wasn't thinking of that probably because I rarely spend on any of those items on-mountain myself but I realize that's not the case for many others. Another way to look at it that I just thought of is that some people might have unused tickets towards the end of the season and that might encourage them to visit the mountain to use them when otherwise without the pre-paid tickets they wouldn't.

 

[dlague]

Tenney is wanting to do the same. Rather than having all types of discounts establish a lower cost to ski and and leverage efficiencies. Increase the programs that generate revenue and create events that will draw people. Hope it works.


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[Bostonian]

Gunstock just passed the $80 mark at $82 for the season up from $78...

I love my home hill and all, but who on earth would pay that much? They are now more expensive than Waterville, Cannon and Wildcat...

 

[VTKilarney]

Gunstock just passed the $80 mark at $82 for the season up from $78...

I love my home hill and all, but who on earth would pay that much? They are now more expensive than Waterville, Cannon and Wildcat...

I agree that they are very expensive, but when you factor in gas, are they really more expensive than some of those more northerly mountains?


.

 

[Bostonian]

I agree that they are very expensive, but when you factor in gas, are they really more expensive than some of those more northerly mountains?


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with gas being as low as $1.99, I don't think it is really is a factor. Also Gunstock from Boston, is the same amount of time (2 hours in change) as, say Cannon, and cannon is only 40 miles further.

 

[deadheadskier]

That's crazy pricing for Gunstock. However, with the crowds they get on the weekend, they must think they can get it. Sunapee is charging $82 as well, which I believe Gunstock views as it's main competition. I think Sunapee is the better hill of the two.

 

[xwhaler]

Ragged at $79 holiday/wknd, $69 midweek is the best of the 3

 

[BenedictGomez]

Oh please... the boomer generation that's currently skiing on cheap season passes is being replaced by the do-it-all dad of the 21st.

Demographics.

Baby-boomers are the life-blood of the ski industry, and they're not going to be "replaced", not in a true 1:1 fashion anyway, and the "replacements" are on balance less financially able/stable.

In my opinion, this will lead to higher ski area prices that are significantly above the rate of inflation in the coming years. My 2¢.

 

[billski]

maybe more to the story

That's crazy pricing for Gunstock. However, with the crowds they get on the weekend, they must think they can get it. Sunapee is charging $82 as well, which I believe Gunstock views as it's main competition. I think Sunapee is the better hill of the two.

Often, but not always, there is another coincident strategy, such as amping up their participation in Liftopia with bigger discounts, 2 fers, special days, handouts, etc. Certainly price vs. demand will be a factor (shorter drive for day trippers), but it's always easier to discount down than to price up. There are a lot of angles here.

 

[dlague]

Demographics.

Baby-boomers are the life-blood of the ski industry, and they're not going to be "replaced", not in a true 1:1 fashion anyway, and the "replacements" are on balance less financially able/stable.

In my opinion, this will lead to higher ski area prices that are significantly above the rate of inflation in the coming years. My 2¢.

I agree! While we have four boys and they were accustom to skiing 30+ times per season, now that they are out of the house (3 anyway) they are either not skiing at all or their skiing is limited. Our son in Colorado will be doing the most skiing out the the older boys. The other two are in warm climate areas. Meanwhile, this baby boomer (barely) will keep trucking along. In the end, if one continues the sport with their family (someday) then there is a 1:1 correlation, however the cost of the sport may prevent that!

 

[cdskier]

I'm only familiar with K. Early unlimited & blackout pass prices went up $100 this year, midweek only went up $20.

Unlimited at SB went up $50 if you bought at the end of last season, although it now includes unlimited summer access as well which it didn't previously. The 3 years prior to that the early purchase pass rate didn't change at all.

So in comparing day ticket prices, SB went up $4 for WE this year and $9 for MW. The MW increase is very substantial and I wonder what is driving that... Even the WE increase is more than previous years. The WE increase in the past few years was between 0 and $2.

2012 - 83/88
2013 - 84/89
2014 - 84/89
2015 - 84/91
2016 - 93/95

 

[Smellytele]

Okay we need to have a acronym list. Is SB Sugarbush or Saddleback. I am assuming in this case it is Sugarbush. Another thread had SB for Saddleback.

 

[Domeskier]

Okay we need to have a acronym list. Is SB Sugarbush or Saddleback. I am assuming in this case it is Sugarbush. Another thread had SB for Saddleback.

There's another thread where SB refers to our friend Steamboat. Or was that SOB? ;-)

 

[cdskier]

Okay we need to have a acronym list. Is SB Sugarbush or Saddleback. I am assuming in this case it is Sugarbush. Another thread had SB for Saddleback.

Hah...yes, Sugarbush in this case.

 

[bigbog]

These prices are a big reason why feeder hills are coming back.

+1

 

[xwhaler]

This is exactly what the volunteer effort is working on at Black Mountain of Maine. Black is all about developing new skiers with low ticket prices $15 Fridays/$29 weekend, while offering gladed terrain for advanced skiers. Up to 15 glades for this season, with the potential for many more in the upcoming years.

BMOM skis much more like a solid mid sized mtn than a feeder hill but yet offers feeder hill prices. Some awesome glades you guys are cutting up there.

 

[Scruffy]

Oh please... the boomer generation that's currently skiing on cheap season passes is being replaced by the do-it-all dad of the 21st. Do-it-all dad has a slopeside condo, passes for two kids, himself, and his wife... but only skis 14 weekends in the year because kid's soccer practice begins March 15. When do-it-all is at the mountain, he's buying the family 2-3 meals a day at the on-hill restaurants, getting tubing/mountain coaster passes, and putting the kids in seasonal ski improvement programs for $2,000 a head.

Do-it-all dad is much less frugal than his dad, because baby-boomer dad and his family lived on pb&j, lived in a modest winter home in-town, and "ski school" wasn't in dad's dictionary unless "(his name here) ski school" was the name of it.

Oh please... You must be speaking of only your own personal family experience. They had slope side condos, ski schools, resort restaurants, kids skier development camps, kids race camps, etc.. when your baby boomer dad/mom was ruling the world. The fact that older people spend less than younger people ( for a variety of reasons, not just because they are now on a fixed income ) is nothing new, and hopefully you'll live long enough to be in that group.