Poll: The Impact of the Epic Pass

[Andy_ROC]

Welcome to Disney...err I mean Vail

 

[Harvey]

Welcome to Disney...err I mean Vail

I had heard that was (opening?) on a pow day with a lift stoppage/issue. I don't THINK that line was moving?

 

[Andy_ROC]

I had heard that was (opening?) on a pow day with a lift stoppage/issue. I don't THINK that line was moving?

Yes I believe that is correct. I was just trying to find a ski line picture that reminded me of waiting in line at Disney

 

[tirolski]

Yes I believe that is correct. I was just trying to find a ski line picture that reminded me of waiting in line at Disney

From yesterday’s MTN earnings call transcript.

Pass product sales for the North American ski season increased approximately 47% in units and approximately 21% in sales dollars through December 5, 2021 as compared to the period in the prior year through December 6, 2020, without deducting for the value of any redeemed credits provided to certain North American pass holders in the prior period.

Pass product sales through December 5, 2021 for the 2021-2022 North American ski season increased approximately 76% in units and approximately 45% in sales dollars as compared to the sales for the 2019-2020 North American ski season through December 8, 2019, with pass product sales adjusted to include peak resorts pass sales in both periods.

We are very pleased with the results of our season pass sales, which continue to demonstrate the strength of our data analytics capabilities and the compelling value proposition of our pass products.

Driven in part by the 20% price reduction in passes for the 2021-2022 season, we expect that the total number of guests on all advanced commitment products this year will exceed 2.1 million, including all pass products for our North American and Australian resorts, representing an increase of approximately 700,000 pass holders from last year and an increase of approximately 900,000 pass holders from two years ago.

Make sure ya get a nice fat fresh tracks pass to go with yer wine or you’ll be whinin in line.

 

[Andy_ROC]

From yesterday’s MTN earnings call transcript.

Pass product sales for the North American ski season increased approximately 47% in units and approximately 21% in sales dollars through December 5, 2021 as compared to the period in the prior year through December 6, 2020, without deducting for the value of any redeemed credits provided to certain North American pass holders in the prior period.

Pass product sales through December 5, 2021 for the 2021-2022 North American ski season increased approximately 76% in units and approximately 45% in sales dollars as compared to the sales for the 2019-2020 North American ski season through December 8, 2019, with pass product sales adjusted to include peak resorts pass sales in both periods.

We are very pleased with the results of our season pass sales, which continue to demonstrate the strength of our data analytics capabilities and the compelling value proposition of our pass products.

Driven in part by the 20% price reduction in passes for the 2021-2022 season, we expect that the total number of guests on all advanced commitment products this year will exceed 2.1 million, including all pass products for our North American and Australian resorts, representing an increase of approximately 700,000 pass holders from last year and an increase of approximately 900,000 pass holders from two years ago.

Make sure ya get a nice fat fresh tracks pass to go with yer wine or you’ll be whinin in line.

Exactly. Once they own the ski industry they'll go the way of the airlines... an oligopoly that can do what they want. They'll offer a bunch of ridiculous upsells for a mediocre experience in a cattle car.

 

[raisingarizona]

This is all very dependent on personal situations. So my thoughts are that it’s good for some but not for others. Like most things in life you can’t look at it as it’s black or white. That’s rarely reality.

Personally it’s not for me. If I had a sweet van and two months to travel I could see getting the ikon for at least a season or two. The ikon offerings are a lot more attractive to me. Vail resorts sound like a big pia with parking fees, crowds and 18 dollar hamburgers. That’s enough to keep me away, especially for areas I’ve never been interested in.

 

[Woodski12]

Hate the crowds but the alternative has consequences and there are always complaints. Second best deal in America for almost 20 years. Cannot be #1 because the 9pm to 10pm hour on a weeknight in WNY is the best time and place to ski ever.

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

Conflicting would be checking both:

Epic is good for skiers.
Epic is bad for skiers.

I voted for all of the above due to the many of the reasons outlined by other commenters ?‍. Personally I'm not doing a multi-pass this year but may get an IKON in the future.

I do wonder if there is a breaking point at which the casual ~10 day a year skier has such bad experiences with Epic that they don't renew their pass and start going to the smaller mountains again. The pendulum can still swing back.

 

[Harvey]

the alternative has consequences

What is the alternative and what are the consequences of the alternative?

It's most interesting to me that when answering the question "is it good for skiers" the focus in large part is on the cost per lift ticket per day. (Not saying I am surprised by this, but that it is interesting.)

For me it begs the question - what factors determine whether or not you had a good experience? I guess that many skiers can't fully enjoy the day if they felt like they paid too much? But what else determines the quality of your day? Ticket price can't be the only factor.

Leaving the social aspect aside, for me snow quality, terrain and skier density are far ahead of ticket price. If I had to pay Vail day ticket rates to ski Winter Storm Riley at Plattekill, or at McCauley Pow on my birthday, I'd do it in a heartbeat, and never think twice. During Riley Plattekill's credit card system was down, and they were only taking cash. I happened to have it on me, so I gave it to my buddy. That IMPROVED my day. Those are experiences I will never forget, I think about them all the time. Worth whatever I paid that day.

Also, just me personally I don't see how something can be bad for skiing, or bad for my home mountain, and be good for me as skier.

 

[Woodski12]

I had heard that was (opening?) on a pow day with a lift stoppage/issue. I don't THINK that line was moving?

Looks like Blue Sky Basin lift, so would not even need to be broken. It won't open until 11am to 1pm even on powder days. It is way at the back there so people will ski some runs to get there and start to queue up and wait for the lift to open. I think waiting in that queue is foolish but that is local powder itinerary talk. In between the bowls getting skied out and Blue Sky Opening, there is only one thing to do IMHO...

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