Start Dates for 2020-21 Reservation Systems

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Hopefully this winter will be the only time this topic will be needed. As October comes to a close, folks who plan to ski somewhere in 2020-21 are starting to pay attention to when they can make reservations for lift access or parking. Assuming they want to ski at resorts for which reservations are required.

As of Oct. 30, the key dates for reservations seem to be Nov. 6 and Nov. 9, 2020.

Nov. 6: Epic Reservations open, applies to all Vail Resorts locations in N. America
Nov. 9: Ikon Reservations open, applies to most Partner resorts - no reservations required for Alterra resorts
Nov. 9: Parking Reservations open for Powdr resorts - Killington, Snowbird, etc.

There are actually far more ski areas/resorts that are not planning on using a reservation system than the destination resorts that tend to be in the headlines more. However, there will also be far fewer day tickets available and discounted tickets will be scarce. Some day tickets are already available online.

 

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Latest from the Epic reservations webpage.

 

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More about the Epic Reservation system. Very clear that VR learned from the issues that cropped up in late June 2020 when the Australian ski season started.

 

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The Ikon Reservations webpage was last updated on Oct. 28, but I can't tell what changed. Might have just been an update to opening dates, which are also on that webpage.

The only resort that still showing Pending for using Ikon reservations is Alta. Alta plans to use parking as a limitation but based on the traditional first-come, first-served, with somewhat enhanced notification systems.

Essentially all Alterra resorts are not planning on using any type of reservation system, while most Partners are using some reservation system. The Powdr resorts are using parking reservations instead of limiting lift access: Killington/Pico, Copper, Eldora, Snowbird, Mt. Bachelor.

https://www.ikonpass.com/en/reservations

 

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Nov. 9: Parking Reservations open for Powdr resorts - Killington, Snowbird, etc.

Sorry, posted too quickly. Killington parking reservations open on Nov. 5. They are starting day ticket sales on Nov. 6. Probably the same for other Powdr resorts.

Powdr parking reservations seemed based on the VR model. Can pick up to 7 days in advance on a rolling basis, or unlimited "week of" days. Online cancellations will mean that checking closer to a date might turn up an opening.