Vail Resorts Sells 650,000 Epic Passes

[dlague]

Building on several years of robust season pass sales, Vail Resorts expects sales of all its pass products, including at its newest resort Whistler Blackcomb, to reach 650,000 this season. That’s an increase of about 150,000 over last year, with sales dollars up 20 percent compared to this time last year.

Vail Resorts has likely sold more Epic passes this season than all other ski resort season passes sold across North America combined.


This was just reported a bit ago but this strikes me - "likely sold more Epic passes this season than all other ski resort season passes". If that is true then season pass sales average about 1300 per resort. I would imagine that there are many that are way below that and there are several way above that too!

Still 650,000 passes is nuts! They did not break down the number by pass type.

 

[4aprice]

I think this shows the wisdom of the multi area pass, and Epic (Vail) were the pioneers. I will say as a skiing consumer, it is something I've wanted to see for a long time. If I was in Colorado or planned to do some Lake Tahoe skiing I would look into it. It changed the game IMHO. Buy the pass then make the travel plans. If Vail, BC, Breck, Keystone and A Basin can't keep you entertained, nothing will. Buy RMSP the next year for variety

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[bdfreetuna]

Are all the "pass products" full Epic Passes?

If so, you said it best... nuts!

 

[Hawkshot99]

This was just reported a bit ago but this strikes me - "likely sold more Epic passes this season than all other ski resort season passes". If that is true then season pass sales average about 1300 per resort. I would imagine that there are many that are way below that and there are several way above that too!

Still 650,000 passes is nuts! They did not break down the number by pass type.

There are 13 resorts in the Vail resorts group. 650,000 passes divided by 13 resorts is 50,000 per resort, not 1,300.



Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[ss20]

There are 13 resorts in the Vail resorts group. 650,000 passes divided by 13 resorts is 50,000 per resort, not 1,300.

1,300 passes per mountain outside of those owned by Vail. About 450-500 ski resorts in the US. 650k divided by that will get you roughly 1,500.

 

[Hawkshot99]

1,300 passes per mountain outside of those owned by Vail. About 450-500 ski resorts in the US. 650k divided by that will get you roughly 1,500.

gotcha. misunderstood that then.

 

[thetrailboss]

To put that in perspective: that is more passholders than live in the ENTIRE State of Vermont!

 

[deadheadskier]

I think this shows the wisdom of the multi area pass, and Epic (Vail) were the pioneers. I will say as a skiing consumer, it is something I've wanted to see for a long time. If I was in Colorado or planned to do some Lake Tahoe skiing I would look into it. It changed the game IMHO.

I'd say American Skiing Company were the pioneers of the multi area pass at a fair rate. Vail perfected it due to a stronger portfolio of resorts on better financial footing after ASC. Intrawest would be another multi-mountain business operation that once was a much stronger business than Vail.

ASC had:

Sugarloaf
Sunday River
Attitash
Waterville Valley
Cranmore
Killington
Sugarbush
Mount Snow / Haystack
Steamboat
Canyons
Heavenly

Though some of those they had to divest due to monopoly concerns. (Not sure why Vail hasn't had to do the same)

Intrawest had:

Mount Tremblant
Stratton
Mountain Creek
Snowshoe
Blue Mountain (Canada)
Panorama
Whistler Blackcomb
Winter Park
Copper Mountain
Steamboat
Interest in Squaw Valley
Several International ski areas

Though I don't recall Intrawest offering a compelling full portfolio pass price like ASC did.

 

[freeski]

I will miss the ASC pass for the rest of my life. I kept a spreadsheet keeping track of the cost per day and was down to around $12 a couple of years. Because my tickets were so cheap I traveled and stayed at the ASC resorts Friday and Saturday night every other weekend or so. With the ASC pass I could stay at the Snow Cap Inn at Sunday River for like $130 a weekend. Used to go to Killington for 4 or 5 weekends and Sugarloaf once a year. North Conway to hit Attitash. When ever there was a storm I'd go where the most snow was forecast. Man I miss those days.

 

[dlague]

There are 13 resorts in the Vail resorts group. 650,000 passes divided by 13 resorts is 50,000 per resort, not 1,300.



Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

1,300 passes per mountain outside of those owned by Vail. About 450-500 ski resorts in the US. 650k divided by that will get you roughly 1,500.

Yup I used 500 for rounding purposes!

Sent from my SM-G930P using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[dlague]

Are all the "pass products" full Epic Passes?

If so, you said it best... nuts!

I was reading elsewhere that it was the Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass. They sell a boat load of Epic Local Passes here. I am sure the same applies in California. The other popular pass here is the Rocky Mountain Super Pass generally purchased by anti Vail types.

Sent from my SM-G930P using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[RISkier]

A few years ago we planned a trip to CO and saw that the Epic pass was about the same price we'd end up paying for lift tickets. So, we planned a 2nd trip and bought the passes. On a per day basis I think we were paying half or less that what we otherwise would have paid for tickets. Haven't looked at the current rates but it doesn't take that many days to make it worth while. Living in Southern NE, none of the NE annual passes make any sense for us. At least not any of the passes of which I'm aware.

 

[ironhippy]

that's pretty incredible, I worry about what happens when they kill all the competition.

One Pass to rule them all.

 

[nhskier1969]

Just remember all those passes =
I skied Vail a couple of years ago and one of those days, they set a record for skier visits. The news was reporting over 50,000 people

 

[jimmywilson69]

No way Vail's passes surpassed all of the other ski areas season passes. That's total bullshit marketing right there.

I guarantee that my local hill Ski Roundtop sold much more than 1300 season passes, let alone a place like Killington or Stowe. I know we are talking average, but still there is no way that statement is correct.

 

[Smellytele]

Just remember all those passes =
I skied Vail a couple of years ago and one of those days, they set a record for skier visits. The news was reporting over 50,000 people
View attachment 21232
View attachment 21233

1st pic High noon? 2nd pic is the bottom of Blue sky basin and the tea cup right?

 

[drjeff]

1st pic High noon? 2nd pic is the bottom of Blue sky basin and the tea cup right?

+1

 

[dlague]

This is Vail's philosophy:

A resort that offers only skiing is a terribly risky business model -- like a snow farmer whose yearly harvest is only as good as the snow crop.

Instead, both Vail and Whistler have devised and refined a business that keeps income as constant as the weather is variable. It comes down to two smart hedging strategies. Strategy One: Own the skiers. Strategy Two: Own the mountain.

As a result Vail wants to be and is the best all-around resort company in terms of the combination of terrain, skiing, service, lodging, food, shopping, instruction, things to do, etc., sort of a one stop shopping destination for skiers of all types.

40% of their revenue comes from pass sales and another 6% come from lift ticket sales the remaining 54% comes from the other services which includes their growing business of becoming a year round resort.

 

[dlague]

No way Vail's passes surpassed all of the other ski areas season passes. That's total bullshit marketing right there.

I guarantee that my local hill Ski Roundtop sold much more than 1300 season passes, let alone a place like Killington or Stowe. I know we are talking average, but still there is no way that statement is correct.

I am trying for find data on this, but will take some digging.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I'm not holding you personally responsible for those figures.