tedede
NewEnglandSkier13;c-56988 wroteThat's certainly not true. I don't buy amusement park tickets ahead of time usually. And sporting event tickets are often purchased on-site, with the possible exception of MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, etc. And those are different anyway because those don't have a learning curve.
I'm not talking minor league attractions like York's Wild Kingdom or the Portland Sea Dogs.
NewEnglandSkier13
tedede;c-56989 wroteNewEnglandSkier13;c-56988 wroteThat's certainly not true. I don't buy amusement park tickets ahead of time usually. And sporting event tickets are often purchased on-site, with the possible exception of MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, etc. And those are different anyway because those don't have a learning curve.
I'm not talking minor league attractions like York's Wild Kingdom or the Portland Sea Dogs.
But those would be better comparisons to Wildcat and Crotched. Those aren't the Six Flags or Hershey Park of the ski industry.
tedede
Yes, but Vail is a global enterprise. The pricing model is consistent across all of their properties.
NewEnglandSkier13
tedede;c-56991 wroteYes, but Vail is a global enterprise. The pricing model is consistent across all of their properties.
And that's exactly the issue. Their resorts have no more individuality unlike almost every other resort company which leaves at least some individuality and uniqueness at each mountain, but Vail wouldn't like that because corporate wouldn't have 100% control.
tedede
Extrapolating a pricing model you disapprove of into a global lack of individuality is nonsense.
NewEnglandSkier13
tedede;c-56993 wroteExtrapolating a pricing model you disapprove of into a global lack of individuality is nonsense.
I think it's pretty widely recognized that Vail homogenizes their resorts. The pricing structure is just another example of that.
tedede
NewEnglandSkier13;c-56994 wroteI think it's pretty widely recognized...
So much anonymous authority packed into so few words.
NELSBEER
Homogenizing is something they do to MILK locally.
At Crotched there are a few weekends a year when the racing program, fresh snow and downstream areas selling out result in too little parking/lift capacity for too many people. Parking being the most absolute limit. Vail didn't invent this, they just upped the crowds a few more good weekends a year. Locals don't think twice about bring 2 cars if it is more convenient, its that type of area normally.
Should they tip the scale in favor of one time/annual visitors or pre-paid annual passholders? They have chosen the later, fair if you have a pass, disappointing if not.
PEAK put in the Rocket, a pretty good lift for a regional area, doing what they could about lines & capacity with a reasonable investment. Not perfect but still the first & only HSQ in the southern tier of NH. If volumes build they could do a triple in place of the double (probably the limit with trail capacity). Local management is doing what they can for parking. Environmental & physical concerns limit expansion in most directions.
Strangely enough turning away day trippers is not the most 'greedy' answer. Infrequent or first time skiers typically forget, need and buy more clothes, equipment, lessons & food, they spend 1 1/2 to 2 times more money per visit than locals who have the outfit, bring their own drinks & coolers. Ski areas love newbie business, especially on weekdays but building lifts for it doesn't pay at a small area.
The old Crotched did have NH's first & only Double Bubble Lift but it will be a while until they can find and justify the hand-me-down Heated Bubble 8-pack that people are hinting at. Maybe we could do a Peak-to-Peak rope tow to open the other side of the Crotch for exhilarating new adventures?
newpylong
I always thought that field just to the west of Lot 3? on Francestown road would make a nice overflow lot if there was a shuttle.
joshua_segal
newpylong;c-57010 wroteI always thought that field just to the west of Lot 3? on Francestown road would make a nice overflow lot if there was a shuttle.
I've suggested that too - but I was told that the owner isn't interested in renting that field.
NELSBEER
Whole new line of thought. Vail is testing a new paradigm in ticketing this year with roll out to the public next year. I assume as a patroller I will be testing it.
Your Phone Is Your Ticket to the Slopes: Vail Resorts Plans Hands-Free, Digital Access to its North American Resorts
New Guest Experience Innovation Expected by the 2023/24 North American Season
BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vail Resorts today announced its plan to introduce a new technology that will allow guests to store their pass or lift ticket directly on their phone – eliminating the need to carry a plastic card, visit the ticket window, or wait to receive a pass or lift ticket in the mail. With the new innovation, guests will be able to buy their pass or lift ticket online, activate it on their phone, put their phone in their pocket, and get scanned, hands free, using Bluetooth® Low Energy technology.
"As a company focused on investing in the future of skiing and riding, we believe that digital innovation, more than ever, will be key for delivering a great guest experience on-mountain," said Tim April, chief information officer of Vail Resorts. "We are excited for the more seamless arrival experience this technology will provide for our guests and look forward to unveiling it across our resorts."
The new feature will be tested during the 2022/23 North American winter season, with roll-out to guests expected for the 2023/24 season.
Once launched, guests will no longer need to wait in a line at the ticket window if they need to purchase, pick up, or reprint their pass or lift ticket. In addition to the significant enhancement in the guest experience, this technology will also reduce waste from printing plastic cards and RFID chips – supporting Vail Resorts' Commitment to Zero sustainability promise.
Even after the feature is launched, Vail Resorts will continue to make plastic cards available to any guests who cannot or do not want to use their phone as their pass or lift ticket.
Better get a back-up battery if you run lap counter software that runs through your whole battery. You'll know when it is time to recharge when you can't load again. :)
Sounds good conceptually. The kids and grandkids leave their passes everywhere for me to locate, their phones are attached at the hip.
NELSBEER
Year-end VAIL meeting included announcements that 3 lifts planned for this year at Keystone & Park City couldn't be completed due to permitting & environmental problems. They took 2 of the lifts to Whistler & are putting them in there. They expect to get replacements for them and install them next year at Keystone & Park City.
"New announcements for 2023/2024 include one New Englanders have been waiting for"
"At Breckenridge, we plan to upgrade the Peak 8 base area to enhance the beginner and children's experience and increase uphill capacity from this popular base area. The investment plan includes a new four-person high speed 5-Chair to replace the existing two-person fixed-grip lift as well as significant improvements, including new teaching terrain and a transport carpet from the base, to make the beginner experience more accessible. At Stevens Pass, we are planning to replace the two-person fixed-grip Kehr's Chair lift with a new four-person lift, which is designed to improve out-of-base capacity and guest experience. At Attitash, we plan to replace the three-person fixed-grip Summit Triple lift with a new four-person high speed lift to increase uphill capacity and reduce guests' time on the longest lift at the resort. These lift projects are subject to regulatory approvals and are currently planned to be completed in time for the 2023/2024 North American winter season. Additionally, the Company plans to expand parking across 4 resorts by more than 500 spaces, to improve the guest experience.
Chuckstah
Phone ticketing is a terrible idea. It's terrible for concerts or sporting events, it will be terrible for skiing. Phones suck and rain and cold. Who really wants to ruin a $1,000 device on a marginal day when it can get wet?
Also, only about 84 percent of Americans have a smartphone, so that leaves 16 percent on the outs. It would be okay for an option, definitely not the only option.
NewEnglandSkier13
Wow, that sounds like a terrible idea. So when my phone runs out of battery, I can't ski anymore?
DrJeff
One of the press releases did state that if one doesn't want to use their phone as a pass, that the current printed on plastic stock pass will also be available and a valid option
NewEnglandSkier13
DrJeff;c-57197 wroteOne of the press releases did state that if one doesn't want to use their phone as a pass, that the current printed on plastic stock pass will also be available and a valid option
At least at first
Chuckstah
NewEnglandSkier13;c-57199 wroteDrJeff;c-57197 wroteOne of the press releases did state that if one doesn't want to use their phone as a pass, that the current printed on plastic stock pass will also be available and a valid option
At least at first
Like most concerts and sporting events. No longer an option at monopoly venues (Ticketmaster/ Live Nation)
slatham
Chuckstah;c-57202 wroteNewEnglandSkier13;c-57199 wroteDrJeff;c-57197 wroteOne of the press releases did state that if one doesn't want to use their phone as a pass, that the current printed on plastic stock pass will also be available and a valid option
At least at first
Like most concerts and sporting events. No longer an option at monopoly venues (Ticketmaster/ Live Nation)
Apples to (frozen) oranges. Concert is one and done, inside under controlled conditions. Or maybe outside but warm. Skiing is every run (potentially) in a brutal environment where exposing the phone 3 to 4 times an hour will kill all phones.
This sounds like a great idea in the cubicle farm of Bloomfield by people that really don’t ski very much, and not at all when it’s less than 20 degrees out. Complete fail.
Edit: unless they can be used while still in pocket. But even then it’s questionable whether a phone will survive a full day at 10 degrees even in a pocket.
Chuckstah
slatham;c-57203 wroteChuckstah;c-57202 wroteNewEnglandSkier13;c-57199 wroteDrJeff;c-57197 wroteOne of the press releases did state that if one doesn't want to use their phone as a pass, that the current printed on plastic stock pass will also be available and a valid option
At least at first
Like most concerts and sporting events. No longer an option at monopoly venues (Ticketmaster/ Live Nation)
Apples to (frozen) oranges. Concert is one and done, inside under controlled conditions. Or maybe outside but warm. Skiing is every run (potentially) in a brutal environment where exposing the phone 3 to 4 times an hour will kill all phones.
This sounds like a great idea in the cubicle farm of Bloomfield by people that really don’t ski very much, and not at all when it’s less than 20 degrees out. Complete fail.
Edit: unless they can be used while still in pocket. But even then it’s questionable whether a phone will survive a full day at 10 degrees even in a pocket.
Phones would really suck skiing, even more so than concerts, is exactly the point I was try to make.
DrJeff
slatham;c-57203 wroteChuckstah;c-57202 wroteNewEnglandSkier13;c-57199 wroteDrJeff;c-57197 wroteOne of the press releases did state that if one doesn't want to use their phone as a pass, that the current printed on plastic stock pass will also be available and a valid option
At least at first
Like most concerts and sporting events. No longer an option at monopoly venues (Ticketmaster/ Live Nation)
Apples to (frozen) oranges. Concert is one and done, inside under controlled conditions. Or maybe outside but warm. Skiing is every run (potentially) in a brutal environment where exposing the phone 3 to 4 times an hour will kill all phones.
This sounds like a great idea in the cubicle farm of Bloomfield by people that really don’t ski very much, and not at all when it’s less than 20 degrees out. Complete fail.
Edit: unless they can be used while still in pocket. But even then it’s questionable whether a phone will survive a full day at 10 degrees even in a pocket.
Pretty sure that there's even some SJ folks who can attest that their phones can run all day in their pockets via the ski tracking apps that many use today.
Guessing that Vail and their IT department will have a way, such as if they have their Epic Mix app running, that their phone will transmit through their pockets of their coats so that their Epic Mix overhead scanner bars that they have at most all of their lifts now, will record thr users data
