Vail Town Council Raises Parking Pass Prices

[fatbob]

Vail had good beginnings, in spite of being sort of like a highway truck stop, carved out of a high valley ranch to make a new, improbable ski area - narrow down below, wide horizons way up high.

Nice history. This kinda nails the problem - not a whole lot of space on the valley floor for the size of the mountain above. Add the accessibility from the highway and boom! I had a good time skiing Vail a bunch the winter I lived in Eagle county and learnt some ski bum parking tricks but must admit that usually Saturdays I tried to take a day off or hit the Beav.

 

[Tricia]

Lets face it, we've all had some really good days skiing Vail and shouldn't dismiss what the mountain has to offer, and we all know that the issue can be crowds. My question is, what is the balance between parking being crowded and the slopes being crowded?
Is there something to the idea of limiting tickets? But they don't limit Epic Passes so that's moot.
This is a head scratcher for me.

 

[ski otter 2]

To me, A Basin seems to be getting a handle on this in a way that could be an example to other areas, of necessity, perhaps - but they could have ignored it, very profitably. They put the overall core skier experience on the mountain, especially with regard to crowding, in realistic terms, as their first priority, risking a lot. And so far, they've succeeded. Not being a destination resort made that easier in some ways, but harder in others: they had more eggs in one basket, instead of having a more diversified portfolio with spread out risk, so to speak, with all the real estate, lodging and retail interests added in (to tempt or distract them, maybe).

 

[Wolfski]

I seem to remember that on the free parking also. I first skied Vail in 1970.

I do not recall paying for parking in the 70's and parking at Vail isn't fun on a slow day much less a peak day. I will say that the old Gold Parking Pass now the Premier (?) is almost worth it as you are guaranteed a spot in the garages. Sleep in, pull up to the cones, flash the card and pull right in. But that was when they only cost $3,600

 

[Blue Streak]

A fellow instructor expressed it perfectly:

We ski on a mountain we love, with people we enjoy working with, for a company we hate.

 

[mikel]

And that is part of the problem. Anything Vail does now just becomes a shit show or worse. Even something like them trying to get rid of paper tickets/rfid cards over 60% of respondents were not on board with the idea. They want their rfid. I guess there are more people that don't want to ski with their phone than I thought. And now the land issue and condemnation is heading to court. That will probably turn into a spectacle. Have to pay for that somehow.

 

[ski otter 2]

And that is part of the problem. Anything Vail does now just becomes a shit show or worse. Even something like them trying to get rid of paper tickets/rfid cards over 60% of respondents were not on board with the idea. They want their rfid. I guess there are more people that don't want to ski with their phone than I thought. And now the land issue and condemnation is heading to court. That will probably turn into a spectacle. Have to pay for that somehow.

Thanks.

I know this is how I feel, so just when I've started to ski Beaver Creek - and even Vail, a bit, after decades, dang. I will not carry a cell phone while skiing; that's part of all I get relief from on the slopes. Having to bring it out every time a lift operator wants to inspect my pass, dang again.

I was wondering if Keystone would issue a stand alone paper pass, so at least I could get that. Otherwise, for me it will be Epic bye bye.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Thanks.

I know this is how I feel, so just when I've started to ski Beaver Creek - and even Vail, a bit, after decades, dang. I will not carry a cell phone while skiing; that's part of all I get relief from on the slopes. Having to bring it out every time a lift operator wants to inspect my pass, dang again.

I was wondering if Keystone would issue a stand alone paper pass, so at least I could get that. Otherwise, for me it will be Epic bye bye.

Why would you have to bring your phone?

 

[ski otter 2]

From what I've heard, Vail plans to get rid of paper tickets or physical season passes in favor of scan patterns or something on a cell phone, for the 23/24 season. I thought this was what @mikel was talking about. It may be I can print the scan pattern and just carry that. Dunno.

 

[Bill Miles]

From what I've heard, Vail plans to get rid of paper tickets or physical season passes in favor of scan patterns or something on a cell phone, for the 23/24 season. I thought this was what @mikel was talking about. It may be I can print the scan pattern and just carry that. Dunno.

Idiotic. Good thing I seldom ski Vail resorts.

 

[Tricia]

From what I've heard, Vail plans to get rid of paper tickets or physical season passes in favor of scan patterns or something on a cell phone, for the 23/24 season. I thought this was what @mikel was talking about. It may be I can print the scan pattern and just carry that. Dunno.

I don't see how they can do that.
I mean, what about all the kids who are young enough they don't have a cell phone?
Heck I know a few ski instructors who still use a flip phone.

 

[SKI-3PO]

Vail Resorts: Your phone will be your ticket to the slopes

Vail Resorts announced Wednesday its plans for a future without physical lift tickets and passes with new technology that will allow guests to store their pass or lift ticket directly on their phone. The new feature...

www.vaildaily.com

Even after the feature is launched, Vail Resorts will continue to make plastic cards available to any guests who cannot or do not want to use their phone as their pass or lift ticket.

 

[VickieH]

I wonder if there will be a fee for those plastic cards

 

[Andy Mink]

I don't see how they can do that.
I mean, what about all the kids who are young enough they don't have a cell phone?
Heck I know a few ski instructors who still use a flip phone.

If people think lines are long now, wow! Can you imagine all those people trying to get their phones turned on with "touch" gloves that don't work, or having to take their gloves off then get them back on again after dropping them, stepping on them, falling over while trying to pick them up, and finally moving on? Yikes!

 

[fatbob]

Yup - phone passes are a nuts idea - faff factor, battery, kids' ownership and ability to break/lose plus international visitors unless they have a very good roaming package will probably be reluctant to have data on. So then VR probably decide you need NFC which a) isn't a universal on phones and b) people often prefer to keep it off as default to prevent walk by skimming etc. Covid certs just about worked as you could screenshot them and you were unlayering anyway to go into facilities but was still a faff.

 

[ski otter 2]

So maybe the system would work by a visible pass online, though in ignorance I'd thought it might be something one would scan,
since scanning is the thing more and more, and the lifties could simply scan the things hidden in your pocket, instead of having to eyeball them.
Either way, maybe one could print a copy of that pass or scan maze, from a screen shoot, dunno, and carry that while skiing.
Still, more of "the wrong fork in the road" stuff, seems like.

At any rate, I'm relieved I can still get a plastic card.


In a year or so, they might figure out it was a mistake, just as their business of no longer passing out free trail maps, I hear, is probably being reversed, and they will probably again issue those things. That too caused folk to take their cell phones skiing,
to be able to look at a trail map online when not looking at one on a big sign, or chair lift safety bar.

When an organization has such a complete, false corporate story line and verbiage, almost to the point of having their own secret language, such as Vail Corp executives have seemingly made up over the years, not much room left for common sense or connecting with people's reality, maybe.

It reminds me of what seems to be going on with the Denver Broncos right now, with both a new head coach and a new quarterback
heavily committed to positivity training speak constantly, in place of simply what's going on.

 

[dbostedo]

Having to bring it out every time a lift operator wants to inspect my pass, dang again.

For folks thinking the phones are a bad idea, it seems the actual usage isn't clear to a lot of people.

You only have to have your phone on you somewhere, just like your pass. It outputs a signal (Bluetooth based) they read, just like your pass.

You wouldn't have to get your phone out, or worry about the screen, etc. In actual operation it wouldn't be any different than your current RFID pass.

Now that doesn't address people who don't carry compatible phones, phones running out of power, etc. But it should work fine barring those issues.

 

[mdf]

But it should work fine barring those issues. all aspects of reality.

FIFY

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Some people will love it, the rest of us can keep using regular passes.

 

[Seldomski]

I wonder if there will be a fee for those plastic cards

Definitely.

I know my phone battery depletes much faster if I have bluetooth enabled. Usually put the phone in airplane mode on cold days so I know I can use it in an emergency. Getting rid of RFID cards is a terrible idea for me. I can see why Vail would like it - if you forgot your pass at home, you can just use your phone to get on the lift instead.
It fits with Vail's core ideal of reducing their customer service staff to one or fewer people.