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Epic Pass Sales up 65% in 21-22 Season

GB_Ski

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The new economic model is really hostile against users and this is happening across all platforms. From airbnb to amazon, if you get banned from these platforms, you are essentially lose a significant market access as a buyer and seller. The biggest thing is most users don't realize the problem until it's too late.
 

BLiP

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They need to bring back the reservation system
They need a real reservation system with real crowd limits. Whatever they had in place last year seemed to be for show only. The parking lots and slopes were just as busy as they ever were before. Sadly the only way I’m skiing this year is if I take off of work and go midweek. The early season reports seem atrocious.
 

Prosper

This is the way.
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They need a real reservation system with real crowd limits. Whatever they had in place last year seemed to be for show only. The parking lots and slopes were just as busy as they ever were before. Sadly the only way I’m skiing this year is if I take off of work and go midweek. The early season reports seem atrocious.
I actually think the reservation system last year was manageable and IMHO cut down on the crowds a bit at least at the CO I-70 resorts. I was always able to find a reservation even on the weekends that were already full by checking the night before for cancellations. Everything seems more crowded this year. I kinda wish the reservation system would come back since I learned very quickly how to use it. Sometimes it was a little inconvenient but I'd trade that for less crowds anytime. YMMV.
 

Jersey Skier

aka RatherPlayThanWork or Gary
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I mean they say any publicity is good publicity, but...



 

raytseng

Making fresh tracks
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My thoughts just on this one, I think it's kinda a hit job.

Even though, a lot of the "posts" are dated today, it is just the admin doing copy-pastes of negative reviews from yelp, tripadvisor or other review sites; where a LOT of the posts are from prior seasons some even pre-pandemic;

A lot the issues are just plain common travel customer satisfaction issues; or the customer wanted special treatment or had some high expectations for some reason and were not given it. A more sophisticated unbiased ski traveler might assign more than half the fault of the situation to the customer rather than the resort.

But at this point, it just mirrors that common Internet thing of an echo chamber where people is getting some form of "enjoyment?" (schadenfreude?/ spite?) on feeding on comments and stories and the narrative rather than learning anything new about current situation itself.
 
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SSSdave

life is short precious ...don't waste it
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Bean counters at Vail management predictably before they went on the shopping spree plan to buy up most USA ski resorts, expected to use a usual myopic Wall Street playbook of overly consolidating local management and maintenance infrastructure with some poorly designed cheaper local, regional, and headquarters structure. A plan only those that know about such operations least make in secret lest it cause turmoil down at local resort levels. And isn't it supposed to roll out smoothly just like with what we did with toy or sporting goods stores?

They far away in tall financial offices thought the pandemic was just going to be an inconvenient bump in plans so regardless impatiently pushed through whatever despite endless whining and warnings of their own local troops, easily ignored. Now will come a finger pointing period while some rats flee the ship and others hold the dwindling $ bag.

All can eventually still work out well for we peon skiers once enough level of control and planning is given back to regional and local experienced experts. If there is truly a need for a long term significant expansion of ski resorts, that can happen too. First change is likely to be a return to online scheduling visits.
 
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Nevadan

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Reno, NV
New member's input.

Holidays and blue-sky January, February and March weekend days are always crowded at every resort, no exceptions, at least here in the Tahoe Basin area. It doesn't matter who owns them. Late March, April, May and June have become some of the best skiing months because the crowds are gone and of course corn is some fantastic snow. Stormy days have always been my favorite because of the lack of crowds and lines and remain so to this day, we've had many the past two weeks here in the Sierras.

I've recently had discussions with some local rippers and we've come to the conclusion that many new members to the sport view skiing as some sort amusement park outing. Ride the lift, whoo-hoo, and come down the mountain some how, some way. Skiing is an athletic sport, those of us who do it know, and the inundation of holiday and weekend crowds is filled with many non-athletic individuals out for the amusement park atmosphere. Once they're gone the mountains return to normal; good local skiers who love the sport. We just have to deal with it and keep an eye onstormy days, late winter and spring when they're off to Disney World or Dubai.

My spirits will never be dampened by crowds. Of course I live 30-45 minutes from five resorts so I'm a bit spoiled.
 

newboots

Learning to carve!
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Of course I live 30-45 minutes from five resorts so I'm a bit spoiled.

Yes!

These things vary all over. I used to live (sort of) between Killington and Okemo (VT) but we knew better than to ski on a weekend. Far too crazy for this old intermediate. Of course, being old means one can avoid weekends, for which I'm grateful.

Welcome, Phil's new friend!
 

fatbob

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My spirits will never be dampened by crowds. Of course I live 30-45 minutes from five resorts so I'm a bit spoiled.

Trying rocking up at Northstar on a pre Xmas weekday with friends who need to rent gear and buy a pass when the tools that run Vail haven't got enough ops staff to open all the lifts and tell us that the Soviet breadline experience won't dampen your spirits.

I think you are saying you avoid such days rather than they wouldn't dampen your spirits.
 

robertc3

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Kenmore, WA
This from the Park Record is the first thing that has given me hope this season.

A friend sent a Wall Street analyst’s report on Vail Resorts stock. He rated it as a “sell” because the business model of the Epic Pass is creating overcrowding and a poor customer experience that is “not pleasing their customers.” They won’t buy again next year. Why is Wall Street commenting on lift lines? Because Wall Street is running ski resorts. Instead of skiers. What could possibly go wrong?

Maybe if the stock tanks the Epic Failures, Managers will actually take some real steps to make things better. I hope that includes selling many resorts and they start with Stevens Pass.
 
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givethepigeye

Really, just Rob will do
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Charleston, SC
I hate to say it... But we likely will skip Vail's pass next year. We have some historical connection to Vail. Been skiing there a while. Always brings a smile to come over the pass and into the town. Unless the price of a pass is increased significantly, just not going to beat my head against the wall with the masses.

We ski midweek. recently was at another place in CO (which will not be named) and it was ski on lifts on a powder day and the day after, and the day before. Yeah, more expensive but experience was vastly superior.

Vail is now $2 pistol , masquerading as a Sig.
 

Steve Martin

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Nov 2, 2019
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Ohio
I am sorry newboots I didn’t intend to be rough on you, but i see my wording and tone was bad I am simply pointing out vail‘s resorts in my area sadly don’t give me that option :)
 

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