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Season pass or not?

post #1 of 51
9/4/05 at 10:07pm
Thread Starter 
I'm thinking about buying a season pass this year since I'm sure this year I would have more free time. Is it worth it? I don't want to be feeling obligated to going the same place though so what u think?
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post #2 of 51
9/4/05 at 10:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ctown
I'm thinking about buying a season pass this year since I'm sure this year I would have more free time. Is it worth it? I don't want to be feeling obligated to going the same place though so what u think?
Well that depends on many factors. How much is the pass? How many times are you likely to ski? How much variety do you value and how much is available where you're considering a pass? How much money do you have to spend? Do you have enough to hold a pass and also ski other areas? Does the pass you're considering also get discounts from other areas?

I will only need to ski 12 days to pay off the pass I'm getting. Last year's pass cost me about $5.17 per day on the hill. This year my pass will be good for a 26% discount off of a lift ticket at least one, sort of, nearby area. For me it's a screaming deal, because I live very close to a hill that really suits my needs (except for snowfall sometimes).

If you're going to be bored silly with the place before the pass pays itself off, then don't get one. If you really love the ski area, and plan to haunt it, a pass is a great way to go. Of course there are also multi-area passes in some regions. Much to consider....
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post #3 of 51
9/5/05 at 5:28am
Where do you live and what areas were you considering for a pass? Also, in some areas, multi site passes are available that allow you a bit of variety.
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post #4 of 51
9/5/05 at 5:39am
I've bought a pass at the same area for 20 some years. If the weather turns ugly no big deal if I ski 2 hours. Or the crowds show up early. It takes around 15 days to pay for a pass. Also free skiing at another resort. So for me it's the way to go.
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post #5 of 51
9/5/05 at 5:59am
I can almost guarantee that if the cost of a lift ticket is removed from the decision making process, you will decide to go skiing a lot more often. Also skiing the "same" area will allow you to find out it is never the "same" everyday.
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post #6 of 51
9/5/05 at 6:08am
Buy one.
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post #7 of 51
9/5/05 at 6:32am
Don't think of it as a season pass. Think of it as health club that will make you healthy, fit, and smarter at work.
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post #8 of 51
9/5/05 at 6:38am
Bonus points-You'll be a local.
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post #9 of 51
9/5/05 at 6:45am
No answer but simple advice:

Consider your specific conditions & habits, possible options and use some simple maths.
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post #10 of 51
9/5/05 at 7:01am
Season passes are awesome. Every day you ski the price of skiing goes down on average. As someone else said a 2 hour day is cool, not a waste of money. You can develop techniques on known slopes, which, as also said above, are always different.

And being a regular is fun, kind of like the old Cheers '... where everyone knows your name" song. You get to know the lift ops, the ski patrol, the instructors, the other regulars. I LOVE IT.
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post #11 of 51
9/5/05 at 7:17am
The best part of a season pass is the ability to get in & out of a place without the obligation to spend the whole day there. With small kids, it's easy to get there, ski a few runs and leave if: it's too cold, too warm, too snowy, too white, too early, too late, (I've heard it all). No problem, come back some other time. Of course this strategy works best if you live within 30 min. of your home resort.

Powdr
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post #12 of 51
9/5/05 at 7:18am
One advantage of a season pass is you end up going on mediocre days you wouldn't spend money on a ticket for and they turn into great days.
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post #13 of 51
9/5/05 at 7:19am
Someone else said it, but it bears repeating. When you have a pass you don't mind going for an hour or two and just getting in some runs. You are a lot less likely to go if you are spending $60 for those runs.

Of course a lot depends on where and how much the pass is for, but a lot of places have great deals on passes these days.
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post #14 of 51
9/5/05 at 7:41am
I'd get one, if I were you. I have one at my local mountain, and a college pass at my further away mountain (Gore and Whiteface) which I paid (I think) 59 dollars for and includes one day of free skiing then any day after that it costs 29 dollars to ski.

Best,
Chris
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post #15 of 51
9/5/05 at 9:34am
I have had passes at areas that were an hour away from my home. There, a pass is a no brainer.

I have had passes at areas that were 5-6 hours from my home. So, I had to drive and to pay for two nights lodging. Things worked out for me. But, buying a pass under these circumstances is not always a clear-cut choice
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post #16 of 51
9/5/05 at 9:41am
My main mountain moved about 10 minutes away, oh that's right I moved. It's now about 1:15 away. I skied every Friday, Saturday and Sunday last year, back and forth every day. Also a number of Wednesdays when work allowed. I didn't really like the driving, but the skiing was worth it and the season pass, about $400 was well worth it.

This year with gas prices so high and my driving slower to save gas the drive will get longer, so I'll probably ski more at the closer smaller hill 15 minutes away. Two season passes. Only way for me to get the 50+ days I'm skiing (including two weeks in Vail.) This year going for 60.

I averaged $19 a day last year this way (including the Vail tix.)
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post #17 of 51
9/5/05 at 9:48am
I would assume that if you are considering a season pass that you would ski enough to make it worthwhile. An additional benefit is that you do not stand in a line to buy a lift ticket. At some areas the pass also includes additional discounts on food, rentals, etc.
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post #18 of 51
9/5/05 at 9:58am
I want to stress the advantages of being a "regular". You will meet a whole new group of friends who like to do what you do (ski) when you do it. That has really changed the sport for me. I now go out to "meet the gang" rather then to just ski. We have planned other trips together, celebrated birthdays with a beer in the parking lot, and have even met a few of the wives (I guess they do allow them at the resort).

My son also has met people to snowboard with and I've taken his friends ( the grandkids of my ski friends) on trips to other areas. It is a lot like the "Cheers" Television show - but with skiing rather than with beer.

I ski much more now, not because I have the season pass, but because it is more fun.
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post #19 of 51
9/5/05 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MWskier
I want to stress the advantages of being a "regular". You will meet a whole new group of friends who like to do what you do (ski) when you do it. That has really changed the sport for me. I now go out to "meet the gang" rather then to just ski. We have planned other trips together, celebrated birthdays with a beer in the parking lot, and have even met a few of the wives (I guess they do allow them at the resort).

My son also has met people to snowboard with and I've taken his friends ( the grandkids of my ski friends) on trips to other areas. It is a lot like the "Cheers" Television show - but with skiing rather than with beer.

I ski much more now, not because I have the season pass, but because it is more fun.
MWskier is not exagerating about being a regular, especially at smaller ski areas. It can get to the point where you feel more at home on the mountain than you do at home. If you're there enough, employees might even start cutting you "invisible discounts". I was there so much last year that one bartender would automatically pour me a 20 oz. beer as soon as I walked in the door and would ignore me when I tried to pay, or I'd get my tab back at the end of the night and it would be about $5-6 dollars less than I figured. Of course tipping regularly helps this happen too.

The social aspect of being a regular at the mountain vastly increases the enjoyment of the experience, apres ski euphoria mixed with familiar faces can really make for a festive atmosphere.:
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post #20 of 51
9/5/05 at 10:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SkiMangoJazz
And being a regular is fun
NOORRRMMMM!
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post #21 of 51
9/5/05 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stache
NOORRRMMMM!
Liftie: "How's it going today, Norm?"
Norm: "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear."
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post #22 of 51
9/5/05 at 11:11am

being a regular . . . .

Forgot my ski poles -- the rental shop lent me a pair for free.

Lost a glove - - the ski school lent me a pair.

Buy a Fosters and get a ticket for a free snowboard -- I have a Fosters snowboard.

Left my skis at home -- drove home to get them.
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post #23 of 51
9/5/05 at 11:28am
Getting invited to long time secret celebrations like the end of season Wine Tree. Wine and BBQ off a closed trail, frequented only by regulars - like the 70 + woman who brings crackers and pesto.

Registering a mild complaint once about the area being closed the weekend before during only moderate rain - then having the General Manager find me the next week and give me a lecture about criticizing the way he runs the place. "I don't care what people think about the way I run the place." (He)

"Well i own my own business and am still successful because I DO care about what my customers think." (Me)

Yet still being on decent terms with him months later.
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post #24 of 51
9/5/05 at 11:50am
ASC's $399.00 is a heckava deal. I bought 3 of them for this upcoming season.
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post #25 of 51
9/5/05 at 12:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Pugliese
ASC's $399.00 is a heckava deal. I bought 3 of them for this upcoming season.
I agree with you Phil. I bought two of them.
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post #26 of 51
9/5/05 at 4:11pm
I know skiers that pretty much live at the resort.
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post #27 of 51
9/5/05 at 5:15pm
I must believe in season passes. I had to buy three of them this year for my daughter. One for her home hill (she'll be home for 3.5 weeks at Christmas). One for where her team will train. One for the place CLOSEST to her school so she can run over there after class.

One's enough for me.

The first year I had a season pass, I tracked my usage of the thing to make sure I was coming out ahead. That issue alone was incentive to get out there. Even after I discovered I was usually ahead $1000 or so year after year, the habit of making sure I get my money's worth continues and it gets me on the hill.
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post #28 of 51
9/5/05 at 8:35pm
Thread Starter 
I'm located in Long Island(as far east of the US as u can get with people actually living closest resort is about 2:30 away I nevr ski at night no and only weekends
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post #29 of 51
9/5/05 at 9:00pm
Pencil it out and if it looks close to an even deal, buy it. The freedom mentioned in other posts is great. The pain is over, and ticket price no longer figures into your plans.

Pay cash for it. Don't go into debt by putting it on your credit card and making payments. That way you'll be having fun without worries.
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post #30 of 51
9/5/05 at 9:15pm
By the way, many resorts have discounts for early buyers, BIG discounts. Our resort had its BEST season pass sale back in March, but is still offering better prices now than if you wait until the season starts. Look into that so you don't miss out.
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