# Resort Fast Passes



## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

It's called taking a lesson.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

f00bar said:


> It's called taking a lesson.


When I was teaching lessons way back in the day I largely worked with the school groups and the instructors would fight over who got the older age group. Lessons were included in their pass and the older riders didn't need/want lessons but realized the instructor would alllow them to skip lines, so we would all fight get them because it was really just an hour long session to shred without having to teach while getting paid.


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

I didn't realize you were being serious when I read this, then I saw the link elsewhere and that Killington is one of hte ones actually doing this. What a terrible idea.

But it makes sense. Thanks to epic, icon, etc, season pass prices have dropped in many cases by over 50%. So now they've packed the mountain and have a way to make up the difference.

I will say this. Now I'm sad.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

f00bar said:


> I didn't realize you were being serious when I read this, then I saw the link elsewhere and that Killington is one of hte ones actually doing this. What a terrible idea.
> 
> But it makes sense. Thanks to epic, icon, etc, season pass prices have dropped in many cases by over 50%. So now they've packed the mountain and have a way to make up the difference.
> 
> I will say this. Now I'm sad.


Not sure where season pass prices have dropped, they've been going up across the board from my experience, although you are now in a way getting multiple season passes with the mega passes so maybe getting cheaper in that way?

But Yes dead serious.The crazier part is resorts announced this AFTER already selling thousands of passes which is a significant change to what they expected on the mountain when people originally bought their pass.

On one hand i'm like, hell yes let me get a way to ride again without waiting with the hoard, but obviously then there's all the downside. And in reality I feel like this could inevitably add to the crowds with wealthy folks more likely to go ride weekends now that they can buy their way past the lines


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

lab49232 said:


> Not sure where season pass prices have dropped, they've been going up across the board from my experience, although you are now in a way getting multiple season passes with the mega passes so maybe getting cheaper in that way?
> 
> But Yes dead serious.The crazier part is resorts announced this AFTER already selling thousands of passes which is a significant change to what they expected on the mountain when people originally bought their pass.
> 
> On one hand i'm like, hell yes let me get a way to ride again without waiting with the hoard, but obviously then there's all the downside. And in reality I feel like this could inevitably add to the crowds with wealthy folks more likely to go ride weekends now that they can buy their way past the lines


Epic passes were going for what, $450? Mt Snow season passes alone were over $1200. Granted that's early vs late pricing, but prior to last season I never would have even thought of a season pass to Snow, now I get Snow, Okemo, and Stowe for less than half that.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

I think it's a terrible idea that is only going to make the overcrowding / long lines worse

If there's no other solution available, I'd rather pay more for a pass at a place that limits the number of daily visitors


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Whistler has something called a "Founder's Pass". Costs a shit-ton, but you basically get to walk up to the front of the line in the morning and walk straight onto the gondola. I'm sure there are other benefits, but that's the one that stands out.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Donutz said:


> Whistler has something called a "Founder's Pass". Costs a shit-ton, but you basically get to walk up to the front of the line in the morning and walk straight onto the gondola. I'm sure there are other benefits, but that's the one that stands out.


Right and now resorts are selling passes that allow you to do that all day every day.... And for like $50-$100 extra per day


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Copper has had this as a pass option for a while actually... Had no effect on lines in my experience.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

lab49232 said:


> Is there a better answer though, especially taking in to account these are businesses, not services?


This is what it boils down to in my mind. Yes, it sucks that it's catering to the wealthy even more than it already does, but businesses gonna business.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Nivek said:


> Copper has had this as a pass option for a while actually... Had no effect on lines in my experience.


If memory serves Copper had this as a season pass add on, not a daily purchasable upgrade at the ticket office.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

True, my point was this is not a new concept for at least one resort. And it was cheaper than the equivelant day per day add on, so I don't know. I just don't think it will make that big of an impact at the resorts doing it. People just freak out over the rich getting more priveledge cause they're rich.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Nivek said:


> True, my point was this is not a new concept for at least one resort. And it was cheaper than the equivelant day per day add on, so I don't know. I just don't think it will make that big of an impact at the resorts doing it. People just freak out over the rich getting more priveledge cause they're rich.


Not really... Real issues:

1: Fast pass add on at resorts like Bachelor were announced AFTER season pass sales. A fast pass system changes the product they are selling. It's like when Tahoe and Vail tried charging parking after season pass sales which resulted in lawsuits which they lost.

2: It's not so much about the rich being granted more privilege but rather the rich taking away possibilities from the rest. And thats a big difference. In the end it will inevitably result in longer lift lines for those who don't buy in. If last season a lift line was 15 minutes and this season the lift line is the same but a bunch of people pay to cut in front that lift line is gonna take longer. If it had no affect on others it would be buying priveledge. When it's paying to negatively impact others that becomes something entirely different.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

I haven't cared to look into the details to be honest, but with a season pass, can you pay day of for the fast-pass?


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

They didn't have it last year because COVID, but Whistler also usually has a breakfast buffet thing where you go up early, eat, and when the mountain opens you're already up there instead of in the line. Fresh Tracks? First Tracks? Something like that. I think it was $25 per, but if you have a season pass you can buy a certain number for half price.

The food was okay, pretty typical buffet stuff. Not terrible, not memorable. And I don't remember ever having to spend the morning in the toilet.


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## robotfood99 (Mar 19, 2016)

I think it's not a bad idea, as long as the resorts can manage the number of fast passes on the hill on any given day. Too many of them could mean noticeable delays for the masses and that's never good.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Ill wait for judgment until I see what it does. Copper didnt seem to ever really have an effect on the lines. Im guessing it will be like the premium parking at bachelor, it is only really a bonus on the absolute busiest of days. 

When at copper for first chair, they always let the first people that got there up first, after the first 8 or 10 chairs, they would start loading the fast lane people..... The fast lane was usually only ever a little bit shorter/faster and not worth the extra.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

I just want more noon groomers


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Nivek said:


> I just want more noon groomers


Can I get some fresh grooming at noon too please?


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Nivek said:


> I haven't cared to look into the details to be honest, but with a season pass, can you pay day of for the fast-pass?


Anyone, season pass holder or not, can walk up to the window day of, until they sell out, and buy a fast pass.

Don't get me wrong if my resort sells em i'll buy it every day but it largely serves as just bonus revenue for the resort without actually helping their clientele at a time resorts are already getting overpriced and overcrowded. Weekends go from I won't ride with those crowds to "i can go buy a fastpass and ride all weekend long"

I don't think they'll be catastrophic to the experience but I also think they are an extremely bad look at a time when people are all asking resorts to address record crowding.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

With that, I don't see the problem. Yeah not everyone can afford and extra cost every single day they ride, but at the end of it all, skiing and snowboarding is still a rich person activity. It just is.


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## SEWiShred (Jan 19, 2019)

lab49232 said:


> Not sure where season pass prices have dropped, they've been going up across the board from my experience, although you are now in a way getting multiple season passes with the mega passes so maybe getting cheaper in that way?
> 
> But Yes dead serious.The crazier part is resorts announced this AFTER already selling thousands of passes which is a significant change to what they expected on the mountain when people originally bought their pass.
> 
> On one hand i'm like, hell yes let me get a way to ride again without waiting with the hoard, but obviously then there's all the downside. And in reality I feel like this could inevitably add to the crowds with wealthy folks more likely to go ride weekends now that they can buy their way past the lines


EPIC is doing it very hard for some reason. Vail owns Wilmot here, they dropped their price for just Wilmot to $350. They lowered their prices by 20% across the board. Just the Wilmot pass changed from $449 to $359. Meanwhile, Alpine Valley went from $449 to $524 (for Sept rate, it goes up every month). It's currently $551 for one right now, getting closer to twice that of Wilmot.

Vail Resorts is plotting something for this season where they think they can sell more passes at a discount and make up the money somewhere.



lab49232 said:


> Anyone, season pass holder or not, can walk up to the window day of, until they sell out, and buy a fast pass.
> 
> Don't get me wrong if my resort sells em i'll buy it every day but it largely serves as just bonus revenue for the resort without actually helping their clientele at a time resorts are already getting overpriced and overcrowded. Weekends go from I won't ride with those crowds to "i can go buy a fastpass and ride all weekend long"
> 
> I don't think they'll be catastrophic to the experience but I also think they are an extremely bad look at a time when people are all asking resorts to address record crowding.


This is BS though, the season pass holders are meant to cover for resorts when they have a bad year and don't sell a lot of tickets. It is guaranteed income for them whether every holiday is a complete bust or not, and it saves them in a bad season. Season pass holders should be treated well when ticket sales are good so they come back when sales nose dive. I really don't know what's going to happen in my situation, Wilmot and AV are basically direct competitors, one got cheaper season pass and one got one more expensive.


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## bob2356 (Jul 13, 2012)

f00bar said:


> I didn't realize you were being serious when I read this, then I saw the link elsewhere and that Killington is one of hte ones actually doing this. What a terrible idea.
> 
> But it makes sense. Thanks to epic, icon, etc, season pass prices have dropped in many cases by over 50%. So now they've packed the mountain and have a way to make up the difference.
> 
> I will say this. Now I'm sad.


Killington tried it pre covid, got slammed by everyone, and quietly dropped it. I don't think they have revived it again.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Season pass sales are to get the mountain open. They account for that. Everything else is day tickets, lodging, and food.


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