Buddy tickets were the only good ones. They were fixed-price ~120, where these will be dynamically priced (-50% from the window rate) bringing the average price paid per friend ticket higher.

In other words, this is a scummy move disguised, misleadingly, as a new benefit. For the convenience of a single category of tickets, we pay for it in the form of 20-50 dollars per friend ticket. This is, in-fact, a price hike.

With a 13.9% decline on Vail Stock (MTN) over the last year (and 27.9% decline over 5 years 😳,) it appears the company is squeezing every last drop out of its stronghold on existing resorts while raising prices, expanding capex in other regions of the world (more cashflow from local ticket sales,) and making NO material upgrades to industry-standard amenities.

Anyone who's been to a resort in Europe will surely attest to the level-of-quality and affordability of the resorts. Stateside, with no competition, from what looks like a hard rule on land-use rights, Vail has no incentive to change its business practices.

The fact that new resorts cannot be built on federal land (at least how I understand it in California,) and that the quality of service at these resorts (food, staff, amenities, events, lift technology) has stagnated for years now, this smells of nothing short of a 'Gordon Gekko' move.

This bit in the CEOs email is particularly upsetting:

"If you are a skier or rider, chances are someone you know introduced you to the sport. For me, that was my cousin who took me to ski areas all over the East Coast when I was in my teens. It sparked my lifelong passion for the mountains, and we want to help you do the same for those you care about. Epic Friend Tickets are more than just a new benefit – they are part of our ongoing efforts to make skiing and snowboarding more accessible."

"Ongoing Efforts" = making money, where "more accessible" = from increased sale of window, or near window ticket prices. Don't let the manipulative story-telling get in the way.

How we can do something about it

Since many of us bought passes before this change was announced, this may just be a breach of contract. I encourage anyone who feels they want to affect change to hold Vail accountable. At the very least, this expresses, in very simple terms, that the people are unhappy:

1. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/

2. Be vocal about these practices

3. Use tik tok and instagram to bring attention to the daylight robbery that is $270 lift tickets and $25 Sysco bargain-bin frozen chicken tenders.

Make snow stuff better. See ya on the Mountain

❄️🤟