Ikon Pass Extends Dates with Offering Double Renewal Discounts and Adventure Assurance

[skix]

I’m a lot more optimistic. I think I will ski next season.

I expect to ski also but nowhere near 50+ days as in previous seasons. For a little over a thousand I can renew the passes for myself and daughters. However, we live over a thousand miles from the mountain so dropping a thousand dollars now with this uncertainty is just not going to happen. If we lived near the slopes I'd have a different attitude.

 

[locknload]

What I read was the deferral can start on September 10 up until December 10. Sadly, they will only credit the value of the pass. I wish they would give you a 21/22 pass not just credit today’s pass.

Agree.

 

[RollingLeaf]

Hey @raytseng I've seen some discussion of accounting, in a handful of your posts, regarding the Ikon Pass. Maybe you can answer this question: If I purchase the new, full Ikon pass, but defer usage until 21/22, does that money go to the various associated resorts, or do you think it stays in an account to the following year? It's relevant for me, in that it would help towards my buying the pass, if I'm able to pump some money into the economies of the ski towns. I'd view it as something of a donation to places like Mammoth Lakes or Big Sky, for instance, if that were the case.

 

[KingGrump]

Hey @raytseng I've seen some discussion of accounting, in a handful of your posts, regarding the Ikon Pass. Maybe you can answer this question: If I purchase the new, full Ikon pass, but defer usage until 21/22, does that money go to the various associated resorts, or do you think it stays in an account to the following year? It's relevant for me, in that it would help towards my buying the pass, if I'm able to pump some money into the economies of the ski towns. I'd view it as something of a donation to places like Mammoth Lakes or Big Sky, for instance, if that were the case.

Much depends on whether the resort is owned by Alterra or a partner resort. If it is a partner resort, it will depend on their contract terms with Alterra.

 

[raytseng]

Nobody except the resorts and Alterra execs know. I have no secret view or any extra knowledge into it.
The contracts with the partners are all hidden and not public. Even Public companies like VR don't have the contract details public.
So it's all speculation. With global event like this, I would also assume all the contracts are up for a mutual modification anyway to discuss how the deferred money or other changes gets split up. Perhaps some of these negotiations is why there is this delay in additional pass change announcements?


Even in a regular year, they could've structured it both ways, and either way would make sense.
Everybody could share the pie preset regardless of pass skierdays that actually go. Or they could have it a resort gets paid based on skierday; or a blend. There could be different contracts with different partners. The # of partnerships are relatively small so I'd imagine each is customized and negotiated and fought over.
My guess is for the most part, the major selling point of the network is to smooth out the weather and seasonal ups/downs due to Geo; so I'd assume in the majority of these contracts the resorts gets about the same cut of pass-revenue no matter how many passholders show up(but the numbers may leverage a better future contract).
A resort could also get near nothing from the pass sale money, but be expected to make all the money on all the other things the skier spends on during a visit.

These are big corporations, you don't need to give them your money as charity, and I don't believe the pass money really trickle down to the local economy. Just like pro sports team, the big TV money gets split evenly to the teams no matter; the local concessions and local tix sales go to the team (which is still a big business). For the actual local economy, it's just the scraps of the parking, hotels, bars, and staff paychecks. If you want to pump some money in , then I'd suggest to directly buy some stuff from a business in that area, or donate to a local charity; no need for mental gymnastics that your pass money is going to trickle down to help someone.

 

[TheArchitect]

I really can't decide what I'll do and the 3 week extension isn't enough. The Ikon is a no-brainer for me with a trip out west but if the Aspen Gathering doesn't happen then I'm highly unlikely to fly to ski next season. Even if it does happen I'm still not sure I want to fly, or could afford it if the airlines crank up the pricing to compensate for fewer sold seats.

If I'm only skiing in the east then I'm unlikely to buy a pass. You can defer up to Dec 10 but it seems reasonable to think that another shutdown could happen in January after the holiday travel. Then that pass money is gone.

 

[udailey]

For me I felt like I had almost no choice but to renew my copper pass. We only get a few weeks in per year so we will have limited destinations. We have two kids under fifteen who ski free with our pass purchase. We use the few days at monarch and are considering the same for Taos. We get each $100 off our pass for the short season so four people ski for 998. It's just too good to pass up. Plus, and most importantly, I can get a full refund, cash, at any time for any reason up until December 10. That's awesome. That's the kind of policy that would have had me buying an epic or ikon pass. Both those passes have weird wording on the refund policy that make me nervous. Copper just says "hey, if you feel uncomfortable it's okay. We won't try to hold onto your money."
Plus, I want to take the girls on the new terrain that opened up on the back mountain! That's some double black heaven!

 

[Steve]

I ski in the East and fly out West once a year. My two week condo is at Vail, although I often rent it out and go elsewhere.

Flying next year seems like a bad idea. Timeshare however might be safe as it doesn't have central HVAC. So driving to Colorado is an option, but unlikely.

I will ski locally at Wachusett as much as possible and will buy a Senior Pass there. If I was to buy another pass the Epic Pass makes more sense as it's unlimited at most areas I'd ski at. Ikon with only 5 days makes less sense. I could see skiing Mount Snow, Crotched, Okemo on the Epic pass, and if things change enough that I'm comfortable flying, I could use it at Vail. Also the decision for Epic doesn't have to be made until September, while Ikon is by June, the last I looked.

 

[In2h2o]

Between Ikon and Epic...I think Vail is reading and reacting to the times much better. I have to say, if asked prior, I would have bet it would have been the other way around.

So my only season pass option at my home mountain (and second residence) is the IKON.

From what I've been reading it seems Vail wants to know where you intend to use your pass and how. If there is a lottery system or some other priority given based on being a "season " passholder they seem better prepared. I will probably purchase the Ikon but I still have doubts..... I went to clean out my seasonal locker today but was told I needed to arrange with security but could do so today bc well, they didn't know if or when they would be open in the next year ????

I have xc and bc set ups so Ill be sking next season at some point somewhere but don't want to tie up $$$ if its going to be a no go.

 

[Slim]

I am Not getting the renewal discount on the adult passes in my cart. It is on the kids passes in my cart.
I emailed Ikon

 

[RollingLeaf]

This is an interesting update, if you haven't seen it already.

https://www.ikonpass.com/en/adventure-assurance

 

[pete]

This is an interesting update, if you haven't seen it already.

https://www.ikonpass.com/en/adventure-assurance

just got this email too ... very interesting. I suspect sales are not quite there and the higher ups need cash flow to keep things in check ....

I want to bite but I pretty much know skiing out west (i'm midwest with no IKON locations really get value out of $2500 for family passes) is a no go this next season given circumstances .. which include uncertainty of economy on the whole

 

[David Chaus]

I think this is good news, I have more confidence in purchasing a pass knowing the deadline to defer an unused pass can basically last all season (April 11, 2020).

If for example, I want the Ikon pass for an event like the Gathering, I can plan to attend and still defer the pass for 21/22 at anytime if and when I make the decision to pull the plug, or the event is cancelled.

 

[Slim]

I’m not getting the renewal discount on the adult passes in my cart. It is on the kids passes in my cart.
I emailed Ikon

aha, my mistake. You have to go to checkout and assign pass holder to get adult renewal discount.

 

[raytseng]

aha, my mistake. You have to go to checkout and assign pass holder to get adult renewal discount.

yea easiest way i think is to login first rather than shop. if you go to your profile there will be a yellow notification saying Renew, with a button/link. Click that link will autoload your cart with your passes you had last year with your discounts. you can edit the cart after that

 

[Ski&ride]

I suspect sales are not quite there and the higher ups need cash flow to keep things in check ....

There’s no question sales are down. How much we don't know.

But I think the “expanded” deferral looks eerily similar to the refund condition of Vail‘s Epic pass. I would go so far to say i’s designed to compete head-to-head with Epic Pass. (Or perhaps, IKON pass prospects are demanding similar assurance in the back channel).

So, I’m hopeful Vail will also match the “cancel any time during the season” offer soon.

 

[Ski&ride]

One different between Vail and Alterra is in refund vs deferral.

When we are talking about taking advantage of the renewal credit, you lose that credit if you choose to defer. Only the “new money” you put in gets forwarded to the next seasons pass.

 

[raytseng]

One different between Vail and Alterra is in refund vs deferral.

When we are talking about taking advantage of the renewal credit, you lose that credit if you choose to defer. Only the “new money” you put in gets forwarded to the next seasons pass.

Nobody knows what the 2021-22 pass plans are going to be like, if they will give any discount (0,100,200) to 19-20 passholders who didnt buy as well as 20-21 that bought but deferred. So nothing promised, but also nothing ruled out.

But on some sense if the discount is for "loyalty". And arent those that skied even with all the risks more loyal than those that deferred which are more loyal than those that didn't buy at all?

 

[cosmoliu]

This does sweeten the deal, but I'm still on the fence.

 

[Ski&ride]

So nothing promised, but also nothing ruled out

I wouldn’t buy on something not yet promised, even if it isn't specifically ruled out.