VR Winter Operating Plan

[crgildart]

Maybe it’ll be ”honor code.” But that’s a whole other bag of worms that we won’t explore here.

I'd seriously consider quitting my job if I worked there and that was the only measure in place to protect the workers. Guests can dip in and out quickly to get/do what they need. Staff is stuck in there for hours and hours in a sea of humanity exhaust. Ya they can wear masks, but when exposed all day inside like that I'd want to confirm vax status of others in there if I had to be in there ALL DAY.

Done exploring..

 

[pchewn]

I'd seriously consider quitting my job if I worked there and that was the only measure in place to protect the workers. Guests can dip in and out quickly to get/do what they need. Staff is stuck in there for hours and hours in a sea of humanity exhaust. Ya they can wear masks, but when exposed all day inside like that I'd want to confirm vax status of others in there if I had to be in there ALL DAY.

Done exploring..

It is not the "only" measure in place: VR employees are required to be vaccinated, required to wear masks indoors.

 

[crgildart]

It is not the "only" measure in place: VR employees are required to be vaccinated, required to wear masks indoors.

So are the guests allowed inside but it is best if the rules are enforced via verification rather than "the honor code"..

 

[Rich McP]

So are the guests allowed inside but it is best if the rules are enforced via verification rather than "the honor code"..

There is no honor code. All indoor access requires a mask. Cafeteria type spaces require vax. No honor code.

 

[crgildart]

There is no honor code. All indoor access requires a mask. Cafeteria type spaces require vax. No honor code.

I thought it said vaccination required to go inside.. That's where folks are speculating honor code. Others have said vax status will be added to the RIFD pass info and scanners at lodge doors. Otherwise how do they document vax status to enter cafeteria??

 

[Rich McP]

I thought it said vaccination required to go inside.. That's where folks are speculating honor code. Others have said vax status will be added to the RIFD pass info and scanners at lodge doors. Otherwise how do they document vax status to enter cafeteria??

The how hasn't been specified yet. One of the passport apps; show your papers? Don't know. VR has been very clear that vax status will not be saved (FAQs), so no, not tied to your pass.

 

[dovski]

My guess is that at some point if things continue in the direction they are going, Vail will have to partner with one of the many companies offering digital vaccine validation aka vaccine passports. For my company they hired two third party vendors to validate our vaccination status, in my case that was OneMedical. I had to upload my vaccine card and details and they then validated that with the CDC vaccine records. My HR file now shows that I am vaccinated and I was issued an RF ID sticker for my security badge that shows I am vaccinated. Trying to lie about your vaccine status would essentially be a form of fraud and grounds for termination, though I am sure someone will try to upload a fake vaccine card if they have not already. My guess is that like my company Vail will want to distance themselves from this process and will hire a company that specializes in this. That also addresses @Eric@ict concern about showing paperwork ... etc. since all of these companies offering vaccine validation appear to be medical providers who are HIPAA compliant. Bottom line is that if you are not vaccinated this season you will clearly be restricted from multiple activities at Vail and other ski resorts given a lot of the new requirements.

 

[Wendy]

I'd seriously consider quitting my job if I worked there and that was the only measure in place to protect the workers. Guests can dip in and out quickly to get/do what they need. Staff is stuck in there for hours and hours in a sea of humanity exhaust. Ya they can wear masks, but when exposed all day inside like that I'd want to confirm vax status of others in there if I had to be in there ALL DAY.

Done exploring..

Ah, I shouldn’t have mentioned the “honor code” thing. My bad. I know your family had a Covid bout so understand your feelings. But it seems VR is doing a good job to be safe this season. Nothing is going to be perfect, and let’s not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

I thought it said vaccination required to go inside.. That's where folks are speculating honor code. Others have said vax status will be added to the RIFD pass info and scanners at lodge doors. Otherwise how do they document vax status to enter cafeteria??

I speculated “honor code,” but I meant it as a joke. Don’t get hung up on it!

 

[crgildart]

Ah, I shouldn’t have mentioned the “honor code” thing. My bad. I know your family had a Covid bout so understand your feelings. But it seems VR is doing a good job to be safe this season. Nothing is going to be perfect, and let’s not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

I speculated “honor code,” but I meant it as a joke. Don’t get hung up on it!

Ya it's good to see that they intend to push vax requirements strongly indoors. The unknowns are fewer this September than they were last September. But we do still have almost 2 months before the big crowds start showing up and things can change. At least it's fairly certain that folks who have done everything they can to be safe and can prove it will be allowed indoors.

 

[raytseng]

I think a lot of this is just setting the expectations before the last final push for epicpass sales.

The policy can still be finetuned, but they are giving enough decisionmaking details for people to decide to buy a pass or not.

In the decision to Buy a pass, the exact details about how they are going to enforce is less important vs just laying out the stated policy.

Technically the Epic Coverage does not cover refunds for vaccination requirements (or the reverse), or the quality of the guest visit.... but thats not going to stop people from complaining and pouting if the rules get sprung on them late, and aren't to their individual benefit.
At least VR can say, we told you the general requirements back in Sept.

Otherwise it will be like last year when they introduced Reservations late, they had to open up a whole system to process Refunds for those that wanted to unwind the deal due to a such a big change in Product.

 

[Eric@ict]

I think VR will get it right for most people. I’m glad we will be skiing this year and can enjoy friends and family on the slope. @Wendy for me it’s no so much about HIPPA or any company. This whole thing has turned so political that any questions from the other side, people are shutting others off and out and proud of it. I’m ready to ski, and can’t wait for our first trip to Breck in December. It will be interesting to see how this plays out at VR.

 

[Eric@ict]

I think a lot of this is just setting the expectations before the last final push for epicpass sales.

The policy can still be finetuned, but they are giving enough decisionmaking details for people to decide to buy a pass or not.

In the decision to Buy a pass, the exact details about how they are going to enforce is less important vs just laying out the stated policy.

Technically the Epic Coverage does not cover refunds for vaccination requirements (or the reverse), or the quality of the guest visit.... but thats not going to stop people from complaining and pouting if the rules get sprung on them late, and aren't to their individual benefit.
At least VR can say, we told you the general requirements back in Sept.

Otherwise it will be like last year when they introduced Reservations late, they had to open up a whole system to process Refunds for those that wanted to unwind the deal due to a such a big change in Product.

Ray, I agree completely. Last year there was so much ambiguity and angst over the whole situation, setting the expectations early was a priority for this year. Those that are dead set against the shot, will know what will be available to them and the requirements. It’s hard to find a balance in the world right now and the closest thing to it currently is know the expectations of the place you are going to.

 

[Tricia]

Listen folks. We had a successful ski season last year with policies laid out ahead of time and people (for the most part) honoring the policies.

We here at SkiTalk are posting policies for different resorts just to inform the ski traveler, but we are not debating how they will go about reinforcing because, if we've learned anyhting in the past 18 months or so, policies will be adjusted, skiers will adjust and we will have another successful ski season.

We are NOT promoting more covid/vaccine/mask discussion.
We ARE promoting ski and ski travel discussion!

That's where folks are speculating

Pretty much this.
Speculating doesn't seem to have served any of us well over the past few years.

 

[Tricia]

I think VR will get it right for most people. I’m glad we will be skiing this year and can enjoy friends and family on the slope.

....annnnnd pretty much this!

 

[Wendy]

I think VR will get it right for most people. I’m glad we will be skiing this year and can enjoy friends and family on the slope. @Wendy for me it’s no so much about HIPPA or any company. This whole thing has turned so political that any questions from the other side, people are shutting others off and out and proud of it. I’m ready to ski, and can’t wait for our first trip to Breck in December. It will be interesting to see how this plays out at VR.

Yup, skiing is where all of us can get together and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a great uniting agency. I’m not concerned about skiing this winter at all. The resorts did a great job last year, learned from it, and will do the same this year.

 

[Jilly]

Epic pass holders thinking about WB....same rules apply. There is no mandate for social distancing in BC, so loading up the chairs and gondola's. Masks will be required in the gondolas, and indoors.

As for vax proof, if you have an iphone...load it to your apple wallet. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/new-tool...ily-show-their-proof-of-vaccination-1.5594400

 

[crgildart]

Google Wallet probably has a similar feature as all my ticketmaster stuff goes through that.

 

[Saintsman]

Epic pass holders thinking about WB....same rules apply. There is no mandate for social distancing in BC, so loading up the chairs and gondola's. Masks will be required in the gondolas, and indoors.

As for vax proof, if you have an iphone...load it to your apple wallet. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/new-tool...ily-show-their-proof-of-vaccination-1.5594400

Following up on this for us poor non-Canadians heading to WB......

My understanding is that as an international visitor to BC, I need to show both proof of Vax and my passport to enter restaurants etc. Understandably I don't fancy carrying my passport with me everyday on mountain -- does anyone have any idea if a photo of my I'd page would suffice? I've already mailed the Canadian embassy, the BC gov, and Whistler tourism, and got a big fat zero

 

[DanoT]

Currently for restaurants and bars in B.C. you have to show proof of vax and ID. I suspect it will vary from establishment to establishment on how strict they are re: ID.

Try emailing actual restaurants or bars in Whistler vs dealing with useless government bureaucrats.

 

[New2]

Anywhere official and most businesses, I'd expect you need to present your actual ID, not just a photo of it.

Maybe I've just heard too many horror stories about stolen passports, but when I'm out and about in another country, my passport stays on me. A lot of ski gear has big pockets, or an around-the-neck passport holder is pretty unobtrusive.