Ski3 Frequent Skier Card

[MC2]

Same as last two years, no? I'll be getting them again. Last years tix averaged $89.00 day for $250+ savings over nine passes.

9 x $89 = $801 + $59 Pass cost = $860

Isn’t there a season pass product that would be cheaper than this?

 

[gorgonzola]

9 x $89 = $801 + $59 Pass cost = $860

Isn’t there a season pass product that would be cheaper than this?

I should have clarified, the 9 days is combined between the Mrs and I, we both had 4 days plus I did a Belle day of bump bashin with my son. See creative sticker placement photo below

Limited Ski3 was $739 so would need quite a few more ORDA days to justify.

 

[Ripitz]

You have to love the hilarity of the term 'sold out' when it is applied ski area lift tickets. They never sell out. They just raise the ticket price. Kind of like when ski areas claim they 'limit' ticket sales. Who gets to audit that lie?

Belle does in fact have a limit for ticket sales.

 

[x10003q]

Belle does in fact have a limit for ticket sales.

That sounds good, but has anybody ever seen the accounting of this limit? Is it based strictly on sales or maybe just that the parking lots are full? How do they account for season passes? ORDA's published reports are pretty opaque.

 

[Ripitz]

That sounds good, but has anybody ever seen the accounting of this limit? ORDA's published reports are pretty opaque.

I don’t know the count but I do know that people are turned away on busy days if they didn’t buy in advance. I believe the limit started during Covid and has remained in place.

 

[MarzNC]

Belle does in fact have a limit for ticket sales.

Whiteface, Gore, and Belleayre use the same software for selling tickets online, which makes sense. The text about selling out online and not selling tickets in person is slightly different though. Same concept, different marketing style. Gore makes a point to emphasize that if tickets sell out online, then buying one at a ticket window won't be an option.

For 2025-26 season:

 

[gregmarx]

That sounds good, but has anybody ever seen the accounting of this limit? Is it based strictly on sales or maybe just that the parking lots are full? How do they account for season passes? ORDA's published reports are pretty opaque.

I don't know what the cap is either, but it's definitely based on sales not the parking lots. Day tickets at Belleayre routinely sell out in advance for Jan/Feb weekends, sometimes days in advance. Pretty sure how it works is they estimate what sort of turnout they'll get from season pass holders and FSC holders, and sell day tickets to fill the gap up to the cap -- so the actual number of people on the hill will vary according to how accurate their estimates were. There are a couple small categories where you have to get your ticket at the mountain day-of but can't be turned away (Mountain Creek passholders with reciprocal benefits, Ski NY kids passport) -- I didn't get an MC pass this year and bought FSC in part to have the flexibility to run up to Belle on a weekend without having to plan days in advance.

 

[Ripitz]

There are a couple small categories where you have to get your ticket at the mountain day-of but can't be turned away

This includes buddy passes for season pass holders.

 

[x10003q]

Whiteface, Gore, and Belleayre use the same software for selling tickets online, which makes sense. The text about selling out online and not selling tickets in person is slightly different though. Same concept, different marketing style. Gore makes a point to emphasize that if tickets sell out online, then buying one at a ticket window won't be an option.

For 2025-26 season:

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Both Gore and Whiteface have magic language which leads me to believe that they will never sell out tickets, and why would they?
"Walk-up tickets are not guaranteed and may be available in limited quantities at the discretion of management."

Belleayre's language is a little different - "If tickets sell out on-line".
I guess you might be able to see that tickets are sold out on line and not go to the mountain, but what if you didn't check and show up at Belle to buy a ticket? Is that on the potential buyer to figure out? Does Belle really want to turn away a few more customers? If Covid never happened, limiting tickets sales at the 3 ORDA areas would not exist.

I still think there is a level of breathless marketing involved with the 'limited ticket sales'.

 

[Brownski]

Yeah, that sounds to me like if you’re standing at the ticket window and make a stink, they’ll let you in.