What you need to know about skiing at a Vail Resorts this season

[marzNC]

Found where to see the Week Of start dates for Epic reservations. They are under Resort Opening Dates. Looks like the ski "week" may be Fri to Fri, with the reservation window open starting on Wed. For instance for the first few days that Keystone is open, can do a Week Of reservation starting on Wed, Nov. 4, for Nov. 6-13. Breck opens on Nov. 13. The Week Of window starts on Wed, Nov. 11.

So far, only the Rockies has Week Of start dates listed for every location. Some regions are all TBD.

https://www.epicpass.com/info/winter-experience.aspx

 

[marzNC]

For those who bought an Epic pass, I'd be interested to know if you get a reminder email this week about the Epic Reservation system opening up on Nov. 6. I presume there will be plenty of news resorts initiated by VR.

The system will actually be functional on Nov. 4 because that's when Week Of reservations for Keystone can be made for Nov. 6-13.

 

[santacruz skier]

No reminder but haven't been receiving any emails from VR and they cannot figure out why. I did notice the balance of my season pass hit my credit card today though. Initially paid $49 plus $1 donation down. Also got credit of $117 from last season towards my pass.

 

[kiki]

Yes got an email

 

[bsskier]

We have not received any communication about reservations from EPIC. The last email was from 10/12 reminding DH to upload his pass picture.

 

[kiki]

Todays email states:

Are you ready to reserve wide open spaces and fresh mountain air? We are here to help you do just that with some important information about our reservation system which opens Nov. 6 and is exclusive to pass holders through Dec. 7.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN MAKING A RESERVATION
Excitement for the season is high and we anticipate our reservation system will be very busy during the first few days. There is no need to rush – we designed this exclusive month-long booking window to accommodate our pass holders' requests.

If you are eager to jump right in, please expect wait times. To help us manage the busiest days, we have implemented an online waiting room which you will be automatically entered into when you visit Whistlerblackcomb.com or EpicPass.com. On Nov. 6, you can join the waiting room as early as 7 a.m. MST and pass holders will be able to make reservations starting at 8 a.m. MST. You can join at any time and you will be placed at the end of the queue.

To make your wait easier, you can enter your email address to be notified when it is your turn to make a reservation. Once you receive that email, you will have 20 minutes to click the link and access the reservation system. Thank you in advance for your patience!

Learn how to make a reservation
Once you are through the waiting room, it will be time to reserve your days. Watch this video to get a sneak peek at what the reservation system will look like.

HERE ARE THE STEPS TO MAKE A RESERVATION
1) Sign into 'My Account' on Whistlerblackcomb.com

2) Select Whistler Blackcomb as your resort

3) Pick the days you want, based on what your pass type allows

4) Choose the pass holders in your account that are going with you

5) Enter your contact details and press "complete reservation"

You will receive an email confirmation letting you know your pass has been activated for those days! NOTE: To ensure we accommodate those who are looking to make a reservation, you will not be able to cancel or change your reservations until Nov. 17.

As a reminder, when the reservation system opens, pass holders will have access to reserve up to 7 Priority Reservation Days for the Core Season. You can also book as many week-of reservations for the Early Season as your pass type and availability allows. We ask that you only book the days you can actually ski and ride. Whistler Blackcomb opens on Nov. 26 and you will be able to start making week-of reservations for the Early Season on Nov. 25. Other questions? Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions

 

[kiki]

Video link here

 

[gingerjess]

Video link here

Yep, got the same email as @kiki earlier today.

 

[marzNC]

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN MAKING A RESERVATION
Excitement for the season is high and we anticipate our reservation system will be very busy during the first few days. There is no need to rush – we designed this exclusive month-long booking window to accommodate our pass holders' requests.

If you are eager to jump right in, please expect wait times. To help us manage the busiest days, we have implemented an online waiting room which you will be automatically entered into when you visit Whistlerblackcomb.com or EpicPass.com. On Nov. 6, you can join the waiting room as early as 7 a.m. MST and pass holders will be able to make reservations starting at 8 a.m. MST. You can join at any time and you will be placed at the end of the queue.

To make your wait easier, you can enter your email address to be notified when it is your turn to make a reservation. Once you receive that email, you will have 20 minutes to click the link and access the reservation system. Thank you in advance for your patience!

What VR did in Australia was use queuing software that was developing for concert tickets. There were stubborn folks who waited something like 12 hours for a chance to make a reservation or buy a ticket. Clearly by giving a full month for Epic holders to make limited reservations was a reaction to that fiasco. For the Australian season, VR had perhaps 8 weeks to come up with an operational plan and create new software for the three resorts. Far fewer skiers but still overwhelming demand since there aren't many full-blown ski resorts in the entire country of 25 million.

Interesting that W-B has it's own website access point. Of course this season, not likely to be anyone crossing the US/Canada border.

 

[newboots]

I got it too. Now to figure it out from my end!

 

[WhyKnot]

I also hope there is a multiple no show penalty - so people don’t just reserve in case they want to go and no show- leaving others unable to ski.

I hear you about this but this also concerns me as making reservations can be a guessing game for me. I do not always plan and I ski when I can - weather and work being factors. So I will just guess about days and there's a chance I could use them or not - all with best intentions.

I am not sure what you meant about afternoon passes - I am curious. I normally head out in afternoon and sometimes spontaneously and have been wondering how they (Epic in my case) will handle afternoons in that many people leave by then and for those who could not make a reservation that day (if we are blocked) good chance it's emptied out by 2:30 or so.

 

[marzNC]

Although it's been in the plan all along, it only dawned on me this week that there won't be any day tickets sold for early season skiing at the VR resorts that open before Dec. 8.

In 2019, the original deadline to buy an Epic Pass was in late Nov. It was extended by a week to Dec. 2. If it snows a lot in the next week or two, I wonder if a few people who live near a VR resort that is open in Nov will decide to buy Epic when they realize that's the only way to ski there.

NEW ENGLAND
Wildcat: November 13
Mount Snow: November 14
Hunter: November 20
Stowe: November 20
Okemo: November 21
Mount Sunapee: November 25
Attitash: December 4
Crotched: December 5

MID-ATLANTIC
Big Boulder: December 4

ROCKIES
Keystone: November 6
Breckenridge: November 13
Vail: November 20
Park City: November 20
Beaver Creek: November 25
Crested Butte: November 25

WEST
Heavenly: November 20
Northstar: November 20
Kirkwood: December 4
Stevens Pass: December 4

MIDWEST
Afton Alps: December 4
Wilmot Mountain: December 5
Mt Brighton: December 5

CANADA
Whistler Blackcomb: November 26

The opening dates in the for the other resorts in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest are after Dec. 7.

 

[marzNC]

I hear you about this but this also concerns me as making reservations can be a guessing game for me. I do not always plan and I ski when I can - weather and work being factors. So I will just guess about days and there's a chance I could use them or not - all with best intentions.

It's fair to say that nothing about this ski season is remotely normal. Except perhaps that during early season it's only the "ski nuts" who are interested in going to ski on a WROD before there is enough coverage for off-piste terrain to open. Mostly they are season passholders and locals, so I doubt many ski resorts actually make any money then.

For those of us who have to drive more than a few hours to ski, planning ahead is normal. My trips out west are often set up more than six months in advance, at least for lodging. It's the only way to get the least expensive but still nice condos or slopeside lodging. That's probably true for many people who buy an Epic pass who live east of the Mississippi, which has been an increasing percentage of sales in recent years after VR acquisitions began in the midwest and northeast in 2012.

Week Of reservations during non-holiday periods for Epic or Powdr parking are likely to be relatively straightforward to get except for Saturdays. Remains to be seen if Fridays, Sundays, or Mondays also fill up. In particular in Jan-Mar.

During the Australian season, regulars didn't have much problem getting reservations or even day tickets for trips that involved a weekend once all the trails and lifts were open at Perisher. Early season was a bit of a mess. But VR clearly learned from the experience, as did the entire ski industry in N. America. The use of the concept of limiting advanced reservations far out in the season to 7 days is the most obvious example.

 

[gingerjess]

Note for fellow Divas: I booked my first round of reservations this morning, and was just glancing through my account when I noticed that my Epic Coverage preferences had changed. I had previously selected the "core season" coverage at Northstar, but after making my reservations, it changed to match my reservations. I would log into the Epic Pass portal and check your profile to make sure something similar didn't happen for you and that your Epic Coverage preferences are properly set.

 

[santacruz skier]

Note for fellow Divas: I booked my first round of reservations this morning, and was just glancing through my account when I noticed that my Epic Coverage preferences had changed. I had previously selected the "core season" coverage at Northstar, but after making my reservations, it changed to match my reservations. I would log into the Epic Pass portal and check your profile to make sure something similar didn't happen for you and that your Epic Coverage preferences are properly set.

I mentioned in the other thread that I initially had Northstar and booked my days, then completed my reservation . Went back into portal and selected Heavenly for my Heavenly days. When I tried to switch after selecting Northstar days I lost my days so now understand you need to select, complete reservation, and then go back in and select your other resort.

Mods: should these two threads be combined?

 

[gingerjess]

I mentioned in the other thread that I initially had Northstar and booked my days, then completed my reservation . Went back into portal and selected Heavenly for my Heavenly days. When I tried to switch after selecting Northstar days I lost my days so now understand you need to select, complete reservation, and then go back in and select your other resort.

Mods: should these two threads be combined?

I think that's a separate issue with the reservation process; my issue was solely with what happened to my existing Epic Coverage (core season, Northstar) selection after I made my reservations (switched to Single Week, covering my reservation dates/locations).

 

[bsskier]

Hehe. Thank goodness it's Friday .

Number of users in line ahead of you: 120816
Your estimated wait time is: more than an hour
Serving: ~50k guests per hour

 

[marzNC]

Mods: should these two threads be combined?

As a former Mod of other forums (not all related to skiing) I see no need. This thread is more general. The other one will fade away after this week I think.

 

[santacruz skier]

The other one will fade away after this week I think.

Probably so but divas are posting the same content in two threads now.... I was going back and forth. That's why I asked the question.
Anyhow the process was painless....

 

[marzNC]

Note for fellow Divas: I booked my first round of reservations this morning, and was just glancing through my account when I noticed that my Epic Coverage preferences had changed. I had previously selected the "core season" coverage at Northstar, but after making my reservations, it changed to match my reservations. I would log into the Epic Pass portal and check your profile to make sure something similar didn't happen for you and that your Epic Coverage preferences are properly set.

So did you make reservations at more than one VR resort?

Still, the software shouldn't change your preferences without clear notification. Can put up a query with a link to where it can be changed , but that should be it.