Vail Resorts RESERVED SKIING! It's gonna be EPIC!

[cmsummit]

I think Ikon is kidding themselves that reservations won’t end up being put into place later by December.

I feel like Ikon stole some Front Rangers away from Epic last season with the ABasin addition, but I'd be curious to know how many more jumped from the Epic ship this season with the reservation vs. no reservation policy.

[Benny Profane]

Why was I not informed that Epic had a midweek/northeast only pass? Normally, I could care less, but, this year, different game. Sure hope it snows in the Catskills.

[pureantigravity]

I feel like Ikon stole some Front Rangers away from Epic last season with the ABasin addition, but I'd be curious to know how many more jumped from the Epic ship this season with the reservation vs. no reservation policy.

Just jumped. It wasn't the reservations system alone but the combination of factors. Uncertainties about everything: weather, terrain/lift closures, staffing/facilities, past gripes about lift issues (Blackcomb gondola!), price, border closures, government restrictions, highway madness, etc..

We did buy a cheaper pass to smaller hill and are going to ride the crazy train as accommodations sales and vacation discounts come up at smaller boutique hills.

They want everyone to pay for passes. It is like buying a fixed mortgage.
But historically, variable rate wins!

Still keeping fingers crossed for a great season.
Definitely going to to more winter backcountry hiking and snowshoeing.
Probably buy a pass in 2021 or 2022 if things become more predictable.

[Conundrum]

Why was I not informed that Epic had a midweek/northeast only pass? Normally, I could care less, but, this year, different game. Sure hope it snows in the Catskills.

Can't even dial being a local where you're actually a local.

[Benny Profane]

Dude, really. Scraping bottom here. Do you feel better after typing that?

[~mikey b]

I’d call that skimming the scum off the top.

[Conundrum]

Dude, really. Scraping bottom here. Do you feel better after typing that?

It neither added nor detracted from the joy I feel most days.

[El Chupacabra]

It neither added nor detracted from the joy I feel most days.

I hadn't really pictured you as a nihilist.

[Conundrum]

Watch your chonson.

[Benny Profane]

It neither added nor detracted from the joy I feel most days.

X

[Toadman]

The letter doesn't say anything about needing a parking reservation for your private jet. So, that should be interesting to see if SUN adds additional parking for the jet setters during ski season.

Dear Valued Pass Holders and Guests,

All of us here at Sun Valley Resort are looking forward to the upcoming winter, especially now with the crisp hint of fall in the air. Weather dependent, our plan is to open Bald Mountain as tradition holds on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th and follow with Dollar Mountain on December 12th. The entire resort leadership team has been working to create a winter operating plan that ensures a safe and enjoyable experience, and I thought it would be appropriate to share some of our key thoughts and assumptions regarding the upcoming winter season.

A shared responsibility for health and safety
Of greatest importance is the health of our team members, guests and community. Maintaining focus on this critical priority will require the best efforts of our resort team, our pass holders and guests, as we cannot succeed independently. We assume that the current health mitigation strategies related to COVID-19 will continue to be in place through the winter, which includes the requirement of facial coverings in public spaces and indoors, and maintaining physical distance in all public spaces by both team members and guests.

Mountain access and capacity
We are fortunate to be somewhat off the beaten path, and to have significant slope and lift capacities contributing to a relatively uncrowded resort. We have also been busy this summer completing a 380 acre expansion of skiable terrain on Bald Mountain and replacing the old Cold Springs lift with a state of the art express quad lift. With those things in mind, we do not plan to implement a reservation system or visitation limits for Sun Valley Season Pass holders or Epic Pass holders on Bald Mountain or Dollar Mountain this 20/21 winter season. If necessary, we will manage peak day access for both Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain through day-ticket restrictions. Lift tickets will go on sale in early October, and this year we encourage all guests to pre-purchase their lift tickets online.

On-mountain lodges and dining
We plan to operate all of our on-mountain lodges and dining facilities this winter, with a few added safety measures. To accommodate for physical distancing and in accordance with State and County ordinances, indoor seating has been reduced in all lodges and we will add to our outdoor dining options. We have simplified menus, instituted reservation systems in some venues, and will offer grab and go options to assure appropriate distancing is maintained in our lodges. Finally, the availability and cleanliness of restrooms has traditionally been a strength at Sun Valley, and will certainly be upheld and an asset this winter.

[Vitamin I]

I think Ikon is kidding themselves that reservations won’t end up being put into place later by December.

IKON is building a new software system to make reservations at Jackson, Big Sky, etc. After that system is built, surely it will be very easy for IKON to turn any resort ON or OFF to require reservations on-the-fly, whenever any resort ends up having overcrowding or way too few skiers...like turn any resort ON or OFF with 16 hours notice or whatever.

.

[Benny Profane]

IKON is building a new software system to make reservations at Jackson, Big Sky, etc. After that system is built, surely it will be very easy for IKON to turn any resort ON or OFF to require reservations on-the-fly, whenever any resort ends up having overcrowding or way too few skiers...like turn any resort ON or OFF with 16 hours notice or whatever.

.

How does Ikon have control over Jackson's or Big Sky's decisions to control crowds?

[yeahman]

How does Ikon have control over Jackson's or Big Sky's decisions to control crowds?

The resorts will probably have the capability to turn off Ikon reservations from their end when deemed necessary.

[The SnowShow]

IKON is building a new software system to make reservations at Jackson, Big Sky, etc. After that system is built, surely it will be very easy for IKON to turn any resort ON or OFF to require reservations on-the-fly, whenever any resort ends up having overcrowding or way too few skiers...like turn any resort ON or OFF with 16 hours notice or whatever.

.

Interesting. So when cases skyrocket in Nov/Dec, a flick of the switch and suddenly IKON resorts will have reservations.

[doebedoe]

Interesting. So when cases skyrocket in Nov/Dec, a flick of the switch and suddenly IKON resorts will have reservations.

Ikon/Alterra runs on Skidata.com 's platform. They aren't brewing something from scratch, they'll be adapting existing products that already has demand-based pricing, reservation-like ("Reserve X/Y/Z dates for $X) ticketing, all that connect directly to installed RFID platforms.

Basing this on analytic/IT listings with Alterra all mention the platform, and having skied at resorts in Europe that are running it.

[The SnowShow]

Well, numbers in Summit County are spiking. Up to 113 cases per 100,000 with a 1.43 infection rate. It’s September 18th. Come November, all of this reservation horseshit may not matter.

[9922]

Well, numbers in Summit County are spiking. Up to 113 cases per 100,000 with a 1.43 infection rate. It’s September 18th. Come November, all of this reservation horseshit may not matter.

the other Summit County (UT) is at 936 cases, appx 2,300 per 100k. you have little to worry yet.

[The SnowShow]

^^ sure but CO as a whole is trending back up from being manageable for most of the summer. CU Boulder is fueling it but bad numbers this week across the state.

[Vitamin I]

Ikon/Alterra runs on Skidata.com 's platform. They aren't brewing something from scratch, they'll be adapting existing products that already has demand-based pricing, reservation-like ("Reserve X/Y/Z dates for $X) ticketing, all that connect directly to installed RFID platforms.

Basing this on analytic/IT listings with Alterra all mention the platform, and having skied at resorts in Europe that are running it.

I am not an IKON insider, I'm just trying to read between the lines of published communications.

It's merely semantics whether we call it "adapting existing products" vs. "a new system which interfaces with existing systems". My point is: I believe the IKON reservation software system will be configurable by an Admin, to easily edit on-the-fly the number of reservable spots for IKON Passholders at each resort independently...including the ability to edit that number to become ZERO reservable spots for IKON passholders at any specific resort.

How does Ikon have control over Jackson's or Big Sky's decisions to control crowds?

IKON doesn't dictate to Jackson/BigSky. I think Jackson/BigSky issue commands to IKON/Alterra. The system could work something like:
"Hello IKON/Alterra, this is Jackson on the phone. Today at Jackson, we had some crazy overcrowding that we did not expect, and now the Governor threatened closure if we screw up a 2nd time. So, you know how we previously agreed that your IKON system currently has Jackson set to 1000 reservable spots per day for IKON Passholders? Well, at 5pm tonight, please change that number in your system to become ZERO for every Saturday, and set it down to 200 for every Sunday-Friday. And maybe 2 weeks from now, we might gain more confidence to ask you to start increasing those number limits again...we'll see how it goes."

Anyway...this is supposed to be a Vail thread.

.

[Benny Profane]

Ikon/Alterra runs on Skidata.com 's platform. They aren't brewing something from scratch, they'll be adapting existing products that already has demand-based pricing, reservation-like ("Reserve X/Y/Z dates for $X) ticketing, all that connect directly to installed RFID platforms.

Basing this on analytic/IT listings with Alterra all mention the platform, and having skied at resorts in Europe that are running it.

You work in marketing with a speciality in IT speak, I'm guessing.

[Hott Butt Mud]

Alterra = RTP One (aka Active) for the most part, not really Skidata. Skidata is just the gates that scan the RFID. The backend database infrastructure system is RTP One. Ikon Pass is a conglomerate of all of the resorts (Alterra owned and partners). Ikon Pass partner resorts all have their own systems for the backend infrastructure and all have an Ikon Pass appliance at the resort which integrates the Ikon Pass with the resorts system. Each time someone visits an Ikon Pass partner resort, their customer information is shared with the resort from Alterra.

[old goat]

Alterra = RTP One (aka Active) for the most part, not really Skidata. Skidata is just the gates that scan the RFID. The backend database infrastructure system is RTP One. Ikon Pass is a conglomerate of all of the resorts (Alterra owned and partners). Ikon Pass partner resorts all have their own systems for the backend infrastructure and all have an Ikon Pass appliance at the resort which integrates the Ikon Pass with the resorts system. Each time someone visits an Ikon Pass partner resort, their customer information is shared with the resort from Alterra.

skiing has gotten very complicated.

[Ottime]

Going to go out on a limb here and say no.

Rationale: use it or lose it position as to use credit through Labor Day later extended to 9/17.

Think you need to buy pass and then not use it in order to receive credit toward next year. Essentially - making them an interest free loan so to speak.

The credit would not roll over in that case. What you paid for 20/21 rolls over to 21/22, and you would then need to pay the difference between that and next season’s pass price.

So if you paid $500 for a $670 Kirkwood Pass, and then decide to roll over until 21/22, you’d have a $500 credit toward their $685 KW pass. You would need to pay that $185, essentially paying full price.

We did not buy a pass this year because we could not get ahold of Vail to discuss questions we had. First time in over 20 years w/o a KW pass. It will feel weird not to ski there.

[doebedoe]

You work in marketing with a speciality in IT speak, I'm guessing.

Nope. Good try though.