Vail Resorts Sells 650,000 Epic Passes

[thetrailboss]

And places where it doesn't rain.

Right. Western destination resorts where folks are committed to a multi-day stay. The exceptions are the two or three feeder hills that they own in the midwest that are one flight away from their bread and butter resorts. They are not into the day tripper market. Could you imagine what Jay, for example, would look like with the Epic Local Pass deal? It would be packed....and operating probably at a loss because those passes are cheap. Their model is to as one person said "own the mountain and own the skiers." Sure the passes are cheap, but the lessons, food, lodging are really expensive to compensate for it. So destination resorts are what they want. An eastern resort with day trippers doesn't fit that model. They of course could change and surprise us all, but we've heard the "Vail" name dropped as a potential buyer on this board for Jay, Waterville Valley, Saddleback, and even Magic.

 

[mbedle]

I wonder what their percentage is between day-trippers and vacation guess. Understanding that Colorado and Tahoe are huge vacation destination resorts, they also have a significant amount of locals within a pretty short distance. With Reno outside of Tahoe, Salt Lake outside of Park City and Denver to Vail. I would think with everything that's been built around Jay and the potential for more, it actually would be a good fit for them.

 

[VTKilarney]

Well, you mention the one-flight Midwestern resorts. My thought was that Montreal is one flight from Vancouver. Montreal is one of Canada's most prosperous cities, and there are plenty of direct flights to Whistler. But you are correct in that Jay may be a bigger operation than their idea of a feeder hill.

 

[Zermatt]

Well, you mention the one-flight Midwestern resorts. My thought was that Montreal is one flight from Vancouver. Montreal is one of Canada's most prosperous cities, and there are plenty of direct flights to Whistler. But you are correct in that Jay may be a bigger operation than their idea of a feeder hill.

I'd love to know the stats on how many people fly to Vermont to go skiing (and what is wrong with them). Unless you have some sort of family connection to New England it is the same cost to fly west with comparable or cheaper lift tickets and lodging. And that doesn't even touch on the snow quality or weather aspects.

 

[4aprice]

I'd love to know the stats on how many people fly to Vermont to go skiing (and what is wrong with them). Unless you have some sort of family connection to New England it is the same cost to fly west with comparable or cheaper lift tickets and lodging. And that doesn't even touch on the snow quality or weather aspects.

True no one is flying to Vermont, (a few from the southeast maybe) however a multitude of skiers live in the northeast, therefore a multitude of potential customers live in the northeast. The idea is to try and drive business to your resort. I know a lot of people who are going with the Max Pass this year because of the east/west combo, and because of this, they are planning on taking at least a trip out west, when in the past they would have just stayed in New England for the season. I'd love to see the Max Pass #'s for a comparison. Vail may never buy an eastern resort (Love the rain comment BTW :lol but its not a market that should be shunned.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Zermatt]

Jay really should go on the MAX Pass, it would drive lots of new visitors. I was just planning out my 2017-2018 MAX Pass season and I'd love to do a week at Jay after Christmas....I promise I'll buy lots of expensive food on the mountain, and beers.

Alternative was Tremblant, which is still viable. Its only 100 miles further from me (330 versus 430). Snow quantity may be less but reliability is much higher, also have the discounted Canadian Peso.

 

[benski]

I met someone who flew from Chicago to ski sugarbush many times a year.

 

[snoseek]

The way Vail spends money on their rockies resorts vs Tahoe resorts is very noticeable. Everyone assumes that if they pick something up they will dump tons of money into it. That's not always the case....they want a strong ROI and if they aren't guaranteed that then I doubt investment is going to be made. Heavenly's lifts are slipping way behind, several of Kirkwoods are downright dangerous...Northstar was mostly built up before they purchased although they did drop some money. If you could only see how tight they run shit at Kirkwood....

I can assure you that is how things would get ran back east. Don't imagine the huge budgets you see at Breck or Vail. Forget any kind of pre thanksgiving skiing. Forget reasonable free parking. Forget any sort of decent brown bagging area or anywhere to get a bud light for under 9 dollars. Seriously vail isn't evil they just have a completely different model to make money and it doesn't line up with how things work here. They know skiers will revolt if they pull that kind of shit at a beloved mtn like Jay. As it is right now many of you are willing to get on a plane, go out there and have a terrific vacation....lots and lots of people are. They don't NEED to enter the eastern market.

 

[Zermatt]

I met someone who flew from Chicago to ski sugarbush many times a year.

Current nonstop roundtrip flights for 1/20-1/23 (4 weeks out)

ORD to DIA: $89
ORD to BTV: $543

PS, Vail is never buying Jay Peak or any skiing area in Vermont.

 

[dlague]

Jay really should go on the MAX Pass, it would drive lots of new visitors. I was just planning out my 2017-2018 MAX Pass season and I'd love to do a week at Jay after Christmas....I promise I'll buy lots of expensive food on the mountain, and beers.

Alternative was Tremblant, which is still viable. Its only 100 miles further from me (330 versus 430). Snow quantity may be less but reliability is much higher, also have the discounted Canadian Peso.

Well Max Pass is a partnership between POWDR, Boyne and Intrawest so they would be an oddball in that grouping.

Jay would fit the Mountain Collective model better as a stand alone resort.

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[chuckstah]

Well Max Pass is a partnership between POWDR, Boyne and Intrawest so they would be an oddball in that grouping.

Jay would fit the Mountain Collective model better as a stand alone resort.

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Not so anymore. Independent areas such as Wachusett are now on it.

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[ss20]

I still say they'll pick up a hill in the NYC or Boston market. Something that already has a great set of infrastructure. Wachusetts or Mountain Creek.

 

[dlague]

Not so anymore. Independent areas such as Wachusett are now on it.

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Just saw that - interesting. Does anyone know how the resorts get compensated? It is pretty clear with Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass. But Max and MC are a mix of corporations or individual ski areas.

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[FBGM]

Vail is the enemy.

But anyone who wants to wait in 2 hour lift lines to ski shit terrain and eat $25 pizza is an idiot and should be skiing a fail resort

 

[dlague]

Vail is the enemy.

But anyone who wants to wait in 2 hour lift lines to ski shit terrain and eat $25 pizza is an idiot and should be skiing a fail resort

Well obviously you have a beef of some sort and your lift line time is way over exaggerated. I have been watching lift line times on Epic Mix and the longest waits have been around 30 minutes on two of the base lifts out of 31 lifts open.

That being said Vail has achieved some weird holy grail status and while not a target for some it is on the bucket list for most.

I have never been there and will be skiing there next weekend. They are killing it with opening trails with over 4000 acres of open terrain. I will see how it is. Then again I am not as particular about some in this forum about how bumped up trails are or whether or not trees are tight enough etc. I ski what the mountain gives me. The trip will not cost us much - 1/2 tank of gas, we bring our food and beer, and we already have our pass that cost about as much as my wife paid for her Cannon Season Pass so pretty cheap IMO.

So if you hate Vail well I am good with it but we are enjoying our Epic Passes so far.

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[snoseek]

Vail is the enemy.

But anyone who wants to wait in 2 hour lift lines to ski shit terrain and eat $25 pizza is an idiot and should be skiing a fail resort

Really? Ill be the first to criticize vail but your statement is way over the top. Two hours? Shit terrain?

 

[thetrailboss]

Vail is the enemy.

But anyone who wants to wait in 2 hour lift lines to ski shit terrain and eat $25 pizza is an idiot and should be skiing a fail resort

More for everyone else!


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[Whitey]

Vail is the enemy.

But anyone who wants to wait in 2 hour lift lines to ski shit terrain and eat $25 pizza is an idiot and should be skiing a fail resort

Well, I mean if it's really, really good pizza then. . . .

 

[Zermatt]

Just saw that - interesting. Does anyone know how the resorts get compensated? It is pretty clear with Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass. But Max and MC are a mix of corporations or individual ski areas.

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I ask this question here all the time and nobody seems to know....same for the Mountain Collective.

My guess is that after the season is over they divide up based on days where the person skied. Although, that would disproportionately benefit the small areas.

 

[drjeff]

Vail is the enemy.

But anyone who wants to wait in 2 hour lift lines to ski shit terrain and eat $25 pizza is an idiot and should be skiing a fail resort

The butt hurt in this post is large!!

Total BS top to bottom in this one! Unless you're talking about a full pie pizza wise that is loaded!

Because if one thinks the Back Bowls are "shit" then they've obviously never skied/ridden them

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