That’s SO Vail.....

[El Chupacabra]

Vail, in the spirit of Christmas and supporting skiing communities, has bumped the price of industry (ski shop, pretty much) employees ski passes from $300 to $400 this season before the passes are no longer issued at all next year. Fuck Vail Corp and that wall street asshole CEO who will almost singlehandedly ruin skiing.

Wait a minute... Vail charges its employees $300/400 for the season pass while working there?

[dtown]

modeling your ski business on the casino business.

Interviewed there a few years ago for a marketing role, every VP I️ interviewed with was from either MGM or Ceasars, no one from the ski industry.

Their revenue growth model seems to be in the side of buy Resort, lower price of existing season pass to attract more season pass holders, market the shit out of it to the Midwest or southeast and then gradually raise the price of the season pass.

Met with their CMO for about an hour, seemed like a total bitch and asked whom they see as their major competitors and the answer was “no one in the ski industry, we view ourselves as a luxury resort company, not a ski company”. At that point I️ lost interest in the interview.



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[ffmedic84]

Wait a minute... Vail charges its employees $300/400 for the season pass while working there?

I think it’s non Vail owned shops...pretty sure all Vail employee get a free epic pass

[TNKen]

Inbound killer avy's??

[MagnificentUnicorn]

That was a Carly Simon's hit: "Your so Vail" or is that Vane...

It could be 'vain' but maybe she was singing about windmills.

[RShea]

That was a Carly Simon's song "You're so Vail" or is that Vein or Vane??

[SkiBall]

I am used to it and not driving a distance when there is a mountain right here. I have fun where I go and generally avoid a lot of peeps once I get off the frontside, or go to the frontside when everybody going to the back bowls. Pick your spot, pick your flow, don't get hung up on the bs that is out of your control. Getting mad about it just taking away from your own state of mind.

[joetron]

I am used to it and not driving a distance when there is a mountain right here. I have fun where I go and generally avoid a lot of peeps once I get off the frontside, or go to the frontside when everybody going to the back bowls. Pick your spot, pick your flow, don't get hung up on the bs that is out of your control. Getting mad about it just taking away from your own state of mind.

That is so Vail

[splat]

Wait a minute... Vail charges its employees $300/400 for the season pass while working there?

Most resorts give a break on passes to people in the industry. The industry extends far beyond Vail. Shop passes are what the local shop slaves count on to be able to afford a a pass and then when people ask the shop peeps where they ski, a recommend is typical. One hand washes the other. No more. Shop peeps are going to send customers/tourons anywhere but Vail.

[joetron]

There’s only a few shops left in Vail that aren’t owned by Vail

[thefortrees]

If a single day pass costs $169, it's gotta be great skiing, right?

[Benny Profane]

It's not skiing, it's a luxury lifestyle experience.

[El Chupacabra]

Most resorts give a break on passes to people in the industry. The industry extends far beyond Vail. Shop passes are what the local shop slaves count on to be able to afford a a pass and then when people ask the shop peeps where they ski, a recommend is typical. One hand washes the other. No more. Shop peeps are going to send customers/tourons anywhere but Vail.

That makes more sense. Still, fuck Vail.

[Telemarketeer]

If a single day pass costs $169, it's gotta be great skiing, right?

I recently discovered that a private lesson at Beaver Creek starts at $700, not including lift tix or ski rental. It goes up if you'd like an "Expert" lesson. That about made my head explode. You could literally spend a thousand dollars a day, per person, just on skiing. Many of these folks would buy their instructor lunch and a fancy on mountain restaurant as well, since Vail sure as hell doesn't cover that either.

[SkiBall]

That is so Vail

Maybe so. Better than being stuck in the city for me.

[MakersTeleMark]

Most resorts give a break on passes to people in the industry. The industry extends far beyond Vail. Shop passes are what the local shop slaves count on to be able to afford a a pass and then when people ask the shop peeps where they ski, a recommend is typical. One hand washes the other. No more. Shop peeps are going to send customers/tourons anywhere but Vail.

FYI, that never existed in Vail. Locals could get a merchant pass, but it was blacked out, and did not belong to them. Meaning, their shop could just pull their pass and give it to another employee so as to force folks to stick with their crappy job.

Most places just offer a bonus to cover a pass if you make it through the season.

[reckless toboggan]

I recently discovered that a private lesson at Beaver Creek starts at $700, not including lift tix or ski rental. It goes up if you'd like an "Expert" lesson. That about made my head explode. You could literally spend a thousand dollars a day, per person, just on skiing. Many of these folks would buy their instructor lunch and a fancy on mountain restaurant as well, since Vail sure as hell doesn't cover that either.

I wonder how much of that $700 the instructor sees?

[TahoeJ]

Vail is French for traverse.

I thought that's what Alta meant. ;-)

(not a knock on Alta, btw, I love that place)

[Vt-Freeheel]

I wonder how much of that $700 the instructor sees?

If you ask that 3 times FairWages will return.

[schindlerpiste]

Pure Gold! Sums it up perfectly. Add $25 pre-cooked hamburgers that come right to your plate from it's luke warm water bath resting place

Crowds.

slow signs

Yellow jacket speed nazis.

profits before ski experience.

Early closings.

[bigdude2468]

[TGRVIDEO_REM][/TGRVIDEO_REM]Please, someone post a lift line picture from Vail, looks like squat is open, 12 of 31 lifts and 32 of 195 trails. Might be wise to wear an orange construction vest.

[TAFKALVS]

I recently discovered that a private lesson at Beaver Creek starts at $700, not including lift tix or ski rental. It goes up if you'd like an "Expert" lesson. That about made my head explode. You could literally spend a thousand dollars a day, per person, just on skiing. Many of these folks would buy their instructor lunch and a fancy on mountain restaurant as well, since Vail sure as hell doesn't cover that either.

I wonder how much of that $700 the instructor sees?

Probably around $20 per hour on the low end lessons (and ~$40 an hour for the expert lessons if you're a PSIA L3) with an unpaid lunch and maximum 6 hours of pay. But you're expected to show up at 8 am for 9am line-ups. Pay starts at 10am when client arrives. Pay ends at 2-3pm when lesson is done. Then you're expected to go an unpaid "non-mandatory" clinic that you have to attend so you can get the good lessons.

At least that was the way it was at the hill I worked at.

[Danno]

OTOH, I expect those privates get some good tips most days.

[Dee Hubbs]

Especially if you tell your clients you’re a 100 point FIS racer.

[El Chupacabra]

OTOH, I expect those privates get some good tips most days.

Just the tip...