Vail Sucks 2021/20??

joshua_segal

NewEnglandSkier13;c-52275 wroteCrotched now isn't opening until the 26th (although Vail is still selling passes for the 24th and 25th). Also, they said hours of operation will be 9-5 daily. Does this mean no more night skiing for the foreseeable future? They keep blaming the delayed opening on weather, but we know they've had enough snow to open for weeks now. I wish they'd be straightforward with the real issue.

1. Opening day is Sunday December 26.
2. Hours of operation: 9 AM to 5 PM through January 2, 2022.
3. No Midnight Madness on January 1 as originally posted.

yardsale

joshua_segal;c-52279 wrote
NewEnglandSkier13;c-52275 wroteCrotched now isn't opening until the 26th (although Vail is still selling passes for the 24th and 25th). Also, they said hours of operation will be 9-5 daily. Does this mean no more night skiing for the foreseeable future? They keep blaming the delayed opening on weather, but we know they've had enough snow to open for weeks now. I wish they'd be straightforward with the real issue.
1. Opening day is Sunday December 26.
2. Hours of operation: 9 AM to 5 PM through January 2, 2022.
3. No Midnight Madness on January 1 as originally posted.

as in the other thread - what a disaster

tedede

yardsale;c-52282 wroteas in the other thread - what a disaster

In 2015 Crotched opened on the 26th.

So much caterwauling.

yardsale

My wife was pre-vet at UMO. I know what that means!
Edit - but I had to ask her - in fairness. Otherwise, I would have googled it.

Chuckstah

2015 was long before " Epic" crowds.

tedede

Chuckstah;c-52294 wrote2015 was long before " Epic" crowds.

Our typical Saturday daytime lines at Crotched were 10 minutes last year. I stood in them a number of hours reminding folks to mask up.

yardsale

It will be great to know the lift waits on Sunday 12/26/21. And good news that Vail now knows that the outdoor masking last year was BS. Too bad Vail makes us go thru all the BS this year. BTW - I am fully and boosted. But it is still all BS. And that all adds on to the Vail Sucks thing.

Chuckstah

Hopefully lines stay at 10 minutes or less, but with shorter hours this week, and a 70 percent increase in Epic sales, we shall see. It won't affect me as I downgraded to a midweek, but 10 minute lines for 900 vertical doesn't work for me.

tedede

yardsale;c-52296 wroteToo bad Vail makes us go thru all the BS this year. BTW - I am fully and boosted. But it is still all BS.

They are just following CDC guidelines: Get you jab, wear your mask, don't question the Fauci.

newpylong

tedede;c-52292 wrote
yardsale;c-52282 wroteas in the other thread - what a disaster
In 2015 Crotched opened on the 26th.

So much caterwauling.

Along with many other heavy hitters who struggled to open in the "winter" where 25 degrees was good snowmaking.

There is no sugarcoating that a 12/26 opening is weak this year. At least there will be a lot of terrain.

tedede

Chuckstah;c-52298 wroteHopefully lines stay at 10 minutes or less, but with shorter hours this week, and a 70 percent increase in Epic sales, we shall see. It won't affect me as I downgraded to a midweek, but 10 minute lines for 900 vertical doesn't work for me.

Honestly I don't know why anyone would ski on the weekends if they can ski midweek.

DrJeff

tedede;c-52299 wrote
yardsale;c-52296 wroteToo bad Vail makes us go thru all the BS this year. BTW - I am fully and boosted. But it is still all BS.
They are just following CDC guidelines: Get you jab, wear your mask, don't question the Fauci.

In reality it is show your proof of Vax status once when they have the vaccinated stickers, which they then put on your Epic Pass, then all you need to do going forward for vaxx status check is show your pass.

Table reservations, from my experience this year at Mount Snow, have been much more plentiful, and often have resulted in less time than I used to spend circling the base lodge during busy times to try and find some open seats for me, my wife and often a kid or 2.

Is it different? Yes. Is it all a result of Vail policies? No. Do I actually hope they keep somethings, such as the reservation system for tables in the lodge and limited times for tables in the lodges to prevent all day camping out at a table? Yes

yardsale

DrJeff;c-52303 wrote
tedede;c-52299 wrote
yardsale;c-52296 wroteToo bad Vail makes us go thru all the BS this year. BTW - I am fully and boosted. But it is still all BS.
They are just following CDC guidelines: Get you jab, wear your mask, don't question the Fauci.
In reality it is show your proof of Vax status once when they have the vaccinated stickers, which they then put on your Epic Pass, then all you need to do going forward for vaxx status check is show your pass.

Table reservations, from my experience this year at Mount Snow, have been much more plentiful, and often have resulted in less time than I used to spend circling the base lodge during busy times to try and find some open seats for me, my wife and often a kid or 2.

Is it different? Yes. Is it all a result of Vail policies? No. Do I actually hope they keep somethings, such as the reservation system for tables in the lodge and limited times for tables in the lodges to prevent all day camping out at a table? Yes

What? Vail is the only one doing this now. No ? You hope they keep this? My goodness.

NewEnglandSkier13

Crotched opening on the 26th will be tied with Whaleback, Storrs Hill, Abenaki, Arrowhead, and Black Mountain to be the last ski areas with snowmaking open in the state. For those saying that they didn't open until the 29th in 2015-2016, that season Black didn't open until January 1, McIntrye didn't open until the 6th, and Dartmouth didn't open until the 9th. Even Attitash and King Pine didn't open until the 26th that year.

joshua_segal

Chuckstah;c-52298 wroteHopefully lines stay at 10 minutes or less, but with shorter hours this week, and a 70 percent increase in Epic sales, we shall see. It won't affect me as I downgraded to a midweek, but 10 minute lines for 900 vertical doesn't work for me.

With lifts running at capacity this year, I don't think lift lines will be horrible this year. In the past, on the few days the parking lot was full and all lifts running, there was never more than a 2-minute wait on Valley, an 8-minute wait on Rocket (and 2-3 minutes if you used the singles line).

NewEnglandSkier13

Wildcat still hasn't opened any new terrain in the past few weeks. Still just a run from Tomcat and one from Snowcat. Pathetic

newpylong

Yes NH is doing nicely under Vail. No Crotched yet, only Sunapee peak (no Sun Bowl, South or North), no summit at Wildcat, no Bear at Attitash. But no biggie, just drive to Southern VT.

conrad

Really a shame about New Hampshire. Maybe it comes down to Vail trying to appeal to the few-times -a-year skiers who may be high-dollar spenders, and disneyizationing the experience. So resources go to their destination resorts in Vermont, not the ones that appeal to the weekend warriors or the midweek skiers. Mismanagement is a factor as well, but it all stems from New Hampshire ski areas being less of a priority. It's going to lose them some customers, but perhaps they don't mind losing the customer that's skiing every single weekend in favor of the package visitor who skis a few days in the East and then books a week long vacation out west.

newpylong

Yes to the bean counters it makes perfect sense. Why have all of your properties essentially competing when you can pair it down to start. To a rider (and the employees) who call one of those mountains home and has for years, it's just a bum deal. If you handed me an Epic pass I'd give it away.

obienick

I object to the categorization of Disney-fying. Disney doesn’t open Disneyland to just appease insurance on season passes and only operating one ride to convince you to go to Disneyworld.

I’m reading reports that Vail is offering below competitive wages throughout NH for critical positions (like snowmaking) and locals can get jobs paying more with bonuses at fast food restaurants. This isn’t a labor shortage but a clear and convincing wage shortage. It’s mismanagement to negligent proportions.

If this is what Vail gives their New England customers after record “pass product” sales with a bull market, what do we get when Vail has pissed off customers* forcing them elsewhere, they bleed money and their stock tanks? Not much more to cut to be honest besides closing down “underperforming resorts” and liquidating assets.

*I’m hearing from friends and others online they are one-and-done with Epic Pass/Vail. As they say if a deal sounds too good to be true……

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