Every year in the mountains we experience those days when the sun never peeks through the clouds and the freezing temperatures never quite rise above zero degrees. For the holders of season passes, they tend to avoid these rather bone chilling days. Single day pass holders or weekly pass holders are not granted this luxury, as vacationers must reserve these tickets far enough in advance to guarantee the lowest lift ticket pricing. Not only are you required to purchase early, but the exact dates of use must be indicated as well upon the purchase of these tickets. Refunds in general have always been hard to come by, regardless of the weather conditions on the mountain.
Have no worry, this year the problem has been solved! Liftopia, an online wholesale lift ticket provider, is offering a deal that has similarities to pass insurance. Rather than paying the fluctuating standard rates, ticket holders may upgrade to the “Value Plus” ticket for an additional $8. The benefit from upgrading allows consumers one opportunity to alter the original dates scheduled and use them at a different time during the winter season. It is important for consumers to understand that additional costs may accumulate as Vail Resorts fluctuates ticket prices depending on the time of the season. For example, early season passes will be much less expensive than those during peak vacation periods such as Christmas or spring break. For those more indecisive individuals, Liftopia will now have what they call the “Flexible” ticket. Very similar to the prior offer, the “Flexible” ticket may be changed an unlimited number of times to meet the satisfaction of the purchaser with an additional payment.
This will not only benefit the consumers in the ski industry, but may actually boost overall lift ticket sales, especially in the early season. Kyle Stock from Business Week mentions that “last year, the average Liftopia customer bought a ticket just nine days before using it”. The opportunity to purchase early season tickets with changeability makes it more likely that higher volumes of ticket sales will be made with the obligation to use those tickets during the season!
If you enjoyed this article, feel free to contact Dennis Clauer at (970) 389-5165 for more local Summit County information and professional real estate guidance!
