VAIL SUCKS

[thetrailboss]

"YOU ALL ARE FUCKING PATHETIC! AUSTRALIA IS KICKING YOUR ASSES! THEY DON'T EVEN DRIVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD!!!!!"

Epic Australia Pass sales through May 28 were up approximately 20 percent in units and about 8 percent in sales dollars as compared to the same period last year.

(Scroll up to the previous post for the full article)

 

[BenedictGomez]

The wailing in the night & gnashing of teeth will be epic a few years from now when the pass increases in price & you no longer get access to all Vail Resorts properties.

 

[Edd]

I spent a week at Whistler maybe 2005 way before Vail bought it. I’ve always meant to go back someday with my wife but hard to imagine it happening while Vail owns it. I presume it’s more of a shitshow than ever but the thought of never skiing it again makes me sad.

 

[jimmywilson69]

The wailing in the night & gnashing of teeth will be epic a few years from now when the pass increases in price & you no longer get access to all Vail Resorts proproperties.

That is where this is going no doubt.

Ikon has already done this. You want Jackson or Alta. You pay more. T

The difference being Ikon doesn't own all of their resorts and never offered that.

Vail does own all of there resorts and currently you get access, albeit limited, to some of their premium resorts. Limiting most folks to 10 days these places on Epic local has no impact on those who aren't local to that resort.

 

[machski]

That is where this is going no doubt.

Ikon has already done this. You want Jackson or Alta. You pay more. T

The difference being Ikon doesn't own all of their resorts and never offered that.

Vail does own all of there resorts and currently you get access, albeit limited, to some of their premium resorts. Limiting most folks to 10 days these places on Epic local has no impact on those who aren't local to that resort.

Not all are owned. Telluride is a partner as are their resorts in Canada outside of WB.

 

[raisingarizona]

Just a quick lil reminder, modern day corporate skiing SUCKS!!!

 

[BenedictGomez]

Vail does own all of there resorts and currently you get access, albeit limited, to some of their premium resorts. Limiting most folks to 10 days these places on Epic local has no impact on those who aren't local to that resort.

Last year I never left PC, but this season I finally took advantage of that perk, ended the ski season with a day a BC, a day at Vail, and 3 days at Breckenridge.

 

[thetrailboss]

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/06/jim-cramer-vail-resorts-has-potential-but-needs-to-make-some-changes.html?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKy1j1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhe-XaVxcHv-JL4kyJvVX8OnFlgEA4oHlGR6elXCwu0XBjmiEqCRJZP_ydeo_aem_v8NmGi6cyxUwBjMk35Df5g

 

[ctdubl07]

Wait for it...... I gaurantee they'll be a news release soon that uses some word salad like "and to align with our new portfolio branding, we've created a new Epic Pass cost structure"....

And by branding all the bumps into "Local" it makes it easier to offload the entire thing to a PE firm who will then breakup further to local interested buyers. Vail isnt putting a dime into that infrustructure. That Local vertical will sell soon...they need the cash.

 

[thetrailboss]

Wait for it...... I gaurantee they'll be a news release soon that uses some word salad like "and to align with our new portfolio branding, we've created a new Epic Pass cost structure"....

There's little doubt in my mind that they are going to repackage the EPIC pass for 2026-2027 in this way for a number of reasons. First, both Alterra and Vail are seeing that most of their folks have hit a price ceiling and sales are flat or in decline. Vail will likely drop the price of the "local resort" tier and increase the price for international and destination resorts access. This will, in their mind, regain folks who are saying the prices are too much while also reduce crowding at the destination resorts. I am not too intimately familiar with EPIC, but I know that for most folks it is two tiers--one with blackouts and one without. There already is a locals pass for those who live adjacent to a resort. Second, it is an easy and cheap way to try to repackage what they already have.

And by branding all the bumps into "Local" it makes it easier to offload the entire thing to a PE firm who will then breakup further to local interested buyers. Vail isnt putting a dime into that infrustructure. That Local vertical will sell soon...they need the cash.

Maybe? It seems that everytime things seem to be on the brink that they manage to come back. I know that some here are convinced that the end is near. Historically, it seems that it has taken an external event to shake up the industry and "reset" ownership groups. Think the Great Recession with Intrawest and ASC. Maybe we are entering into such a period with the current situation in D.C.

 

[BenedictGomez]

There's little doubt in my mind that they are going to repackage the EPIC pass for 2026-2027 in this way for a number of reasons. First, both Alterra and Vail are seeing that most of their folks have hit a price ceiling and sales are flat or in decline. Vail will likely drop the price of the "local resort" tier and increase the price for international and destination resorts access.

Vail wont drop the price on any price tier. They'll just rise other tiers.

The real question is whether they will let people who are actually "local" distance to a "destination" resort get some sort of a discount or will they just rape us on the highest price possible even though we wont be traveling to any "destinations". Sadly, I suspect the latter.

 

[thetrailboss]

Vail wont drop the price on any price tier. They'll just rise other tiers.

The real question is whether they will let people who are actually "local" distance to a "destination" resort get some sort of a discount or will they just rape us on the highest price possible even though we wont be traveling to any "destinations". Sadly, I suspect the latter.

It's the latter for sure.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Bobby likes to swoop in from behind

 

[BenedictGomez]

It's the latter for sure.

I think if they mess up big on pricing/access with whatever they do with local folks it might be the last straw and even the PC government may fight back. My sense is, "wit's end" is nigh, and that simultaneously Vail Resorts thinks it's so smart nothing can pose it any problems.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm obviously no fan of Vail, but I don't see what they're doing with pass pricing as that far out of historical norms. It's always been extremely rare for a major resort to offer a "locals" discount even if the skier's intention is to only ski that one area. Maybe they give a cheap Sunday afternoon ticket to locals, but certainly not a cheaper season pass.

Stowe kinda did back in the AIG days. If you worked for a local business that was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you could score a very cheap midweek pass with all holidays blacked out. But if you didn't work for a chamber business, you got nothing even if you lived locally.

 

[cdskier]

I'm obviously no fan of Vail, but I don't see what they're doing with pass pricing as that far out of historical norms. It's always been extremely rare for a major resort to offer a "locals" discount even if the skier's intention is to only ski that one area. Maybe they give a cheap Sunday afternoon ticket to locals, but certainly not a cheaper season pass.

Stowe kinda did back in the AIG days. If you worked for a local business that was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you could score a very cheap midweek pass with all holidays blacked out. But if you didn't work for a chamber business, you got nothing even if you lived locally.

Right...even the top tier unrestricted Epic that allows access to all their "destination" resorts is still cheaper than many stand-alone single mountain season passes were in the past (especially for "top tier" resorts).

 

[thetrailboss]

Right...even the top tier unrestricted Epic that allows access to all their "destination" resorts is still cheaper than many stand-alone single mountain season passes were in the past (especially for "top tier" resorts).

"That's right! And EPIC is a great value too! That's why all of you need to renew or buy your EPIC passes NOW, NOW, NOW!"

 

[jimmywilson69]

I bet there are Jeans under that Helly Hanson getup

 

[thetrailboss]

I bet there are Jeans under that Helly Hanson getup

"DON'T TAUNT ME LITTLE MAN! I AM NOT IN THE MOOD!"

 

[jimmywilson69]

Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz says European ski resorts would benefit from a megapass

Rob Katz thinks European skiers need an Epic Pass, and he may well be the one to bring it to them. But he’s not in a rush to do so. In the Vail Resorts CEO’s...

www.vaildaily.com