jaytrem
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2007
- Messages
- 2,025
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The muffin that broke the camels back?
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VAIL SUCKS
- Thread starter thebigo
- Start date
No, not personally. I rarely if ever buy resort F&B anymore. Not because I can't afford it, but because it's become more and more of a ripoff virtually everywhere.
My comments on Vail have always been about the overall cutting corners operationally to meet shareholder expectations vs skier expectations. It's glaring and this is just another example.
This is a dog and pony show. Vail made a big deal about raising their wages with press releases, etc. Yet now they're cutting hours. Basically seems like they're trying to minimize the actual impact of those higher wages on their bottom line budget. In the end some of these employees will end up walking away with the same amount of money they would have earned prior to the raises. This will make it harder for them to attract and keep staff in subsequent years once people learn the higher wages will be offset by less hours...
I'm curious to see how the second half goes. For me after a too slow of a start I've had a positive experience the past 4 or 5 weeks overall but am not optimistic about spring operations.
Geographically this pass wins as I like to move around for both the sake of variety and to follow weather. I don't care about the bar or the food and ski midweek with a vet pass for cheap. This year I'm staying east but last year I utilized this pass at some pretty fun areas out west so the value for me is definitely there.
I get super envious of the work they do at mtns like Sunday river and loon. That pass is steep but probably worth it. Problem is while loon is an easy drive Sunday River is a solid 2.5 hours which is just not gonna work for daytripping and sugarloaf drive is a Def overnight thing. Ikon would work if there was a closer unlimited mountain.
I'm also watching cannons spring ops as well because its Feb 13 and avalanche isn't open t2b so they have some issues as well.
Geographically this pass wins as I like to move around for both the sake of variety and to follow weather. I don't care about the bar or the food and ski midweek with a vet pass for cheap. This year I'm staying east but last year I utilized this pass at some pretty fun areas out west so the value for me is definitely there.
I get super envious of the work they do at mtns like Sunday river and loon. That pass is steep but probably worth it. Problem is while loon is an easy drive Sunday River is a solid 2.5 hours which is just not gonna work for daytripping and sugarloaf drive is a Def overnight thing. Ikon would work if there was a closer unlimited mountain.
I'm also watching cannons spring ops as well because its Feb 13 and avalanche isn't open t2b so they have some issues as well.
Come on Doc.... You know the drill ( Ha Ha, NO pun intended) After F'ing up the F&B Dept. Vail usually promotes them to GM somewhere else...
A lot of AT/Cat employees are already looking for an early start to their next seasonal job.
Cat was under staffed today, F&B was running though...
2 new lifts don't mean much if you don't make enough snow to keep the trails open they serve
The ski industry appears to be back to it's old ways of screwing over employees. What vail is doing is a total bait and switch and will make it impossible to retain staff in key departments, but now that they are back to being able to flood the workplace with foreign labor, they can partially get away with this. They weren't able to do this in the couple years prior which led to massive staffing issues and motivation to start changing some of the f'ed up things they were doing to employees, now that the supply is greater than demand, they no longer have the motivation to give a shit
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
i really dont understand the '2.5 hours is too long for a day trip' comment. i know i have a higher bar for long drives than most on here, but 2.5 hours isn't a long drive. that's leave at 6 AM, park at 8:30, ski from 9 to 3, and be home by 6 PM. that's eminently reasonable day tripping.
You're right but I'm spoiled that way and I'm pretty lazy tbh
Feel you there Kusty I’m day tripping 3 hrs each way to Stowe tomorrow and regularly do the ~1:45 hrs to Killi in the spring. Lucky for me Mt. Snow and Magic are ~1hr with Jiminy ~30 mins so I have options.
But if your two closest resorts are 1.5 and 2.5 then thats kind of a slog (unless you’re conditioned to the long drives).
But if your two closest resorts are 1.5 and 2.5 then thats kind of a slog (unless you’re conditioned to the long drives).
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
I'm not in the same boat as most of you, but 2.5 hours isn't worth it as that only gets me to 7 Springs, the Poconos, or Blue Mountain. Sure Blue is great, but I've always heard its a shit show on the weekends. I'll take the 4 mile drive to my local Corporate Overlord owned Vail mountain because its convenient. If I lived in the actual northeast, I wouldn't have an Epic Pass...
A long day, but doable.
thebigo
Well-known member
Tolerance for long drives is different between those of us in northern new england compared with the midatlantic and southern new england crowd. I will do 2:15 to SR early season when they are the only game in town, same with K late season. 90 min max drive for a day trip Dec 1 - May 1.
And Snowseek - if my memory is any good, boyne midweek was around $475 after renewal discount and 5% boyne rewards. One of the better pass values, plus you get weekends early/late season.
And Snowseek - if my memory is any good, boyne midweek was around $475 after renewal discount and 5% boyne rewards. One of the better pass values, plus you get weekends early/late season.
ctdubl07
Active member
Back on the F&B managment (or lack) thread, strolled over to the "Iron Loft" which is the upstairs restaurant in Carinthia Lodge at MS for a bloody and beer around 4:30 yesterday. Love the crew working there this year.... whos apologetic when I order because "they've got no garnishes for BMarys because they stopped stocking bar on Sat. Why? "When we came to work on Friday, we got the news that today (Sunday) was last day of season"
Im like WTF? who makes the decision to close so abruptly? And you dont see enough value in at least going thru the next big/last 3 day weekend?"
The Valley in general needs food options on a Sat night. Every place is a 2 hour wait and all serve same things: flatbread, wings, burgers....
After Peaks left, they basically forgot that with some marketing and word of mouth, they could have something with that space. F-ing foolish to waste it.
(side note, i guess with sundays sun and soft snow, someone decided to put music thru the 2.3 relic "working" speakers on BTrap)
Im like WTF? who makes the decision to close so abruptly? And you dont see enough value in at least going thru the next big/last 3 day weekend?"
The Valley in general needs food options on a Sat night. Every place is a 2 hour wait and all serve same things: flatbread, wings, burgers....
After Peaks left, they basically forgot that with some marketing and word of mouth, they could have something with that space. F-ing foolish to waste it.
(side note, i guess with sundays sun and soft snow, someone decided to put music thru the 2.3 relic "working" speakers on BTrap)
BodeMiller1
Well-known member
Why wouldn't they cut hours? It's the ski industry?
Employees who work this gigs will vote with their feet and leave for an extra dollar per hr.
Dear Krusty'
You create your own reality. Meow, I've day tripped Sunday River from Boston and SugarLoaf from Concord, NH. Cannon from Portland Maine was a bitch.
Getting up at 3:00 AM to be first in line on a powder day is a trip in and of itself. Keep up the good work.
I challenge you to a ski off. More on this latter
See; you realize that a ski off does not have to be a bad or horrible thing. There doesn't have to be the carnage others adore.
Keep up the good work son.
Yup- Wifey just called from AT, F&B is definitely cutting way back.
They say "staffing issues". Yeah, you F'ing didn't hire enough people in the first place.....
Anyone wanna wager that AT pulls the plug in March, not even trying to make it to April.
Also heard that The Cat could be done making snow.....
Sad state of affairs in Vail's NH world
They say "staffing issues". Yeah, you F'ing didn't hire enough people in the first place.....
Anyone wanna wager that AT pulls the plug in March, not even trying to make it to April.
Also heard that The Cat could be done making snow.....
Sad state of affairs in Vail's NH world
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Smellytele
Well-known member
Seems it is even spreading to VT. When you have dr j bitching you know that something at right. Where’s Joshua (vail kissass) segal?
It definitely not just a vail thing. Since covid there has been a definitive just be happy we are open, nobody does more then The bare minimum anymore. Skied black yesterday, they don’t even bump the chair anymore. Crack the back of your leg, they don’t even try. Cranmore was charging $109 midweek last week and still don’t have a lot of the regular runs open. It’s the middle of February. Across all industries customer service sucks now.
A few comments. First, the quality of employees for these positions (if they can find them) may not be up to snuff. Second, I believe that folks have said numerous times that the owner of Black is eccentric to say the least (and an asshole according to some) so that may be playing a role as to the level of staff they attract. Third, as to Cranmore and other mountains, snowmaking conditions have been pretty bad. Add to it continuing staffing shortages.
But yeah customer service is not great.
LACK OF Customer Service - No one even attempting to answering the phone for Guest Services at The Cat. It goes straight to VM.
Messages left on Sat am have not been returned.
Probably done for the year....
