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NS Investigates: Epic Pass "Ski with a Friend" ticket scam(?)

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Bear.D
Posts: 52 - Karma: 337
guess i'll update this with a little tldr - i hadn't looked into whether buying a SWAF pass for TOMORROW would save more than the mountain's online portal, and it turns out it does. touche. if you think this is all stupid, my B i guess? but if even one of you also values the knowledge that you will only save money with a SWAF ticket when you are purchasing within a last-minute window, maybe this particular rage episode wasn't all a total waste. shout-out to people who recognized this was all a secret exercise in crowdsourcing stoke to chuck a backflip

Original post: A little investigative ski bum journalism from a now slightly disillusioned first-time EPIC passholder. Hoping to draw some attention to what seems like a glaring oversight, if not a blatant scam, and maybe save my NS fam a few bucks in the process.

EPIC advertises that their products come with "discounted" tickets for friends and family, otherwise known as "ski with a friend" (SWAF) passes. There are "buddy passes" too, which are more heavily discounted, for people smart enough to buy their season pass early. For our purposes right now, I am only referring to SWAF since I am not that smart.

THESE SWAF PASSES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE DISCOUNTED AT ALL. THEY WILL COST YOU MORE, IF NOT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAN PURCHASING FROM THE MOUNTAINS THEMSELVES.

I have the (mis)fortune of skiing Stowe this Christmas/NYE holiday, so I figured I would start looking ahead for SWAF tickets for my relatives.

A 2-day pass from Stowe.com - $245. A supposedly "discounted' 2-day SWAF ticket to Stowe from epicpass.com - $250.

This is admittedly a very small difference, but these clearly are not "discounted" tickets as advertised, and there is no reason EPIC should be taking MORE money from passholders than they do from the public.

And it's not just Stowe, the difference was worse for Okemo.

A 2-day pass from Okemo.com - $192. A 2-day "discounted" SWAF pass to Okemo from epicpass.com - $205.

Breck tickets seemed to be the exact same price as SWAF, no discount but no gouging.

WTF epic? First year might be my last year.

/rant over, spread the word


**This thread was edited on Dec 5th 2019 at 9:44:38pm

**This thread was edited on Dec 6th 2019 at 11:53:00am
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Dec 5 2019 5:58PM
10 0
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jackj
Posts: 64 - Karma: 687
How much is a 1 day Stowe ticket
Dec 5 2019 6:10PM
4 1
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Bear.D
Posts: 52 - Karma: 337
125 after fees from Stowe. SWAF from epicpass.com is 126 after fees :)
jackjHow much is a 1 day Stowe ticket
Dec 5 2019 6:14PM
6 0
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theabortionator
Posts: 52150 - Karma: 168,511
I don't even get legitimately discounted tickets working fir vail anymore. I think i used to get $50 tickets. Now I get 50% off. Hilarious when they talk about how you'll get fired for selling them. Bitch, I can't even give away 50 off tickets unless ranfoms on facebook or the parking lot. Only really useful in summer for mtb.

If my friends visit and want to ride it's all about the smaller hills.

The ski industry used to suck a lot less 10-15 years ago
Dec 5 2019 6:28PM
19 1
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TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12562 - Karma: 117,096
Thank you for your journalism. Ive always wondered wtf the difference is between buddy and swaf tickets. Now i know.
Dec 5 2019 6:31PM
5 0
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TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12562 - Karma: 117,096
Lmao op aint LYIN!

Dec 5 2019 6:34PM
9 0
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Bear.D
Posts: 52 - Karma: 337
TRVP_ANGELThank you for your journalism. Ive always wondered wtf the difference is between buddy and swaf tickets. Now i know.



Dec 5 2019 6:37PM
12 0
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6441 - Karma: 70,047
Vail owns epic games
Dec 5 2019 8:04PM
2 0
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 4985 - Karma: 17,928
It's probably in the fine print somewhere but I believe the "discount" is when comparing to the maximum walk-up ticket window price. Either by purchasing online in advance or by using SWAF "discounts" you're getting a discount from the maximum possible rate.

I'm not trying to stand up for this asshattery at all, just pointing out how their ad copy might be technically true.
Dec 5 2019 11:58PM
10 0
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OregonDead
Posts: 6969 - Karma: 25,404
mystery3It's probably in the fine print somewhere but I believe the "discount" is when comparing to the maximum walk-up ticket window price. Either by purchasing online in advance or by using SWAF "discounts" you're getting a discount from the maximum possible rate.

I'm not trying to stand up for this asshattery at all, just pointing out how their ad copy might be technically true.


yes they probably have a lawyer so it is legit even tho they are 100% trying to mislead people into thinking they are getting a better perk
Dec 6 2019 2:17AM
1 0
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Bear.D
Posts: 52 - Karma: 337
mystery3It's probably in the fine print somewhere but I believe the "discount" is when comparing to the maximum walk-up ticket window price. Either by purchasing online in advance or by using SWAF "discounts" you're getting a discount from the maximum possible rate.

I'm not trying to stand up for this asshattery at all, just pointing out how their ad copy might be technically true.


Here’s where I agree and disagree. It is true, the SWAF discount is compared to the “window” ticket pricing, meaning maximum possible price if you walk up to the window to buy a ticket day-of. The prices I’ve been researching were all online, in-advance direct from the resorts.

HOWEVER, and this is where I think they are actually scamming people, these SWAF passes are advertised as a BENEFIT to season pass holders - when in reality it is a “benefit” available to ANYONE, epic purchaser or not. AND you get a more heavily discounted rate if you are NOT a pass holder.

This is EPIC giving LESS of an online discount to EPIC pass holders and their family and friends AT EPIC RESORTS than what is made available to the online general public who weren’t stupid enough to order, or worse “gift” their friends and family tickets thru epicpass.com

So “Joey no epic pass” gets online tickets for let’s say 5% off but the friends and family of “Jerry epic pass holder” get 4% off?! That’s fucked, not to mention probably illegal to advertise as a “benefit” to pass holders, in my amateur estimation.

And yes, I am aware epic probably has a lawyer but nearly every person who’s ever been convicted of a crime in US history had one, too.
Dec 6 2019 8:07AM
5 1
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crawley
Posts: 605 - Karma: 729
Can you but a SWAF pass for that price on the day of, even on a holiday?
Dec 6 2019 8:56AM
0 0
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cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,131
This thread is stupid.

Benefit is compared to window price.


The mountain also offers a discount for buying tickets way in advance, But who wants to to purchase a one day ski ticket 3 weeks in advance?


You can decide to go skiing the day of and get the same discount as if you purchased 3 weeks in advance with buddy discount, that’s a nice perk in my mind. The few times I’ve used the perk it’s always been when a friend decided to join me the night or day before, in which case they can save a few bucks, great.

It not like like I bought the pass for the buddy pass, it’s a perk nothing more. If you dropped 1 to 2 grand on a season pass so your friend can save 20 bucks, you are an idiot.

**This post was edited on Dec 6th 2019 at 10:48:18am
Dec 6 2019 10:47AM
4 5
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GrandThings
Posts: 3220 - Karma: 32,779
The referenced post has been removed.


How much did your soul cost?
Dec 6 2019 11:32AM
10 0
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Bear.D
Posts: 52 - Karma: 337
cool_nameThis thread is stupid.

Benefit is compared to window price.


The mountain also offers a discount for buying tickets way in advance, But who wants to to purchase a one day ski ticket 3 weeks in advance?


You can decide to go skiing the day of and get the same discount as if you purchased 3 weeks in advance with buddy discount, that’s a nice perk in my mind. The few times I’ve used the perk it’s always been when a friend decided to join me the night or day before, in which case they can save a few bucks, great.

It not like like I bought the pass for the buddy pass, it’s a perk nothing more. If you dropped 1 to 2 grand on a season pass so your friend can save 20 bucks, you are an idiot.

**This post was edited on Dec 6th 2019 at 10:48:18am


i suppose that's a fair counterpoint. i hadn't looked into whether buying a SWAF pass for TOMORROW would save more than the mountain's online portal, and it turns out it does. touche

if you think this was all stupid, my B i guess? but if even one of you also values the knowledge that you will only save money with a SWAF ticket when you are purchasing within a last-minute window, maybe this particular rage episode wasn't all a total waste.

to be fair, i clearly didn't buy my pass for the discounted friend tickets, but that's some fine-print bullshit if i've ever seen it. especially when the company doing it is making money hand over fist on what are now objectively astronomical lift-ticket prices.

tip your bartenders, i'll be here all week
Dec 6 2019 11:34AM
1 0
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theabortionator
Posts: 52150 - Karma: 168,511
The referenced post has been removed.


Idk when I worked for beaver creek in 2014 I had $50 or 60 ones. Unless that was 50% off idk
Dec 6 2019 12:08PM
2 0
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MaimHelp
Posts: 1735 - Karma: 13,778
Bump cause I want to go out west with my friends and I’m wondering if the buddy lift tickets will actually help at all
Dec 20 2020 8:37PM
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HypeBeast
Posts: 9875 - Karma: 73,798
MaimHelpBump cause I want to go out west with my friends and I’m wondering if the buddy lift tickets will actually help at all


Just do the math and compare with liftopia. Half off is still gonna be pricey at vail resorts and many ikon resorts
Dec 20 2020 9:53PM
0 0
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PeppermillReno
Posts: 4880 - Karma: -787
Rotten_TrumpkinsJust do the math and compare with liftopia. Half off is still gonna be pricey at vail resorts and many ikon resorts


Lol Liftopia this year.

Resorts are selling out 7 days in advance. Reservation systems are crashing within minutes.

Vibes to anyone who didn't plan accordinly for a non Vail/Ikon pass where they let you show up whenever the fuck you want.

No restrictions for me at my 4 hills. 300 bucks no blackout dates either. All under 2 hour drives.

FUCK DRIVING ALL THE WAY TO VERMONT AND FUCK VAIL RESORTS.
Dec 20 2020 10:19PM
1 0
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rubberpantaloons
Posts: 506 - Karma: 3,096
PeppermillRenoLol Liftopia this year.

Resorts are selling out 7 days in advance. Reservation systems are crashing within minutes.

Vibes to anyone who didn't plan accordinly for a non Vail/Ikon pass where they let you show up whenever the fuck you want.

No restrictions for me at my 4 hills. 300 bucks no blackout dates either. All under 2 hour drives.

FUCK DRIVING ALL THE WAY TO VERMONT AND FUCK VAIL RESORTS.


felt this, season has barely changed since i can just drive 20 mins to the mountain whenever the fuck i feel like. gotta wear masks and shit obviously but a small price to pay for no reservations lmao
Dec 20 2020 11:04PM
2 0
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Twinjibber77
Posts: 6239 - Karma: 2,355
I can't stop reading people go ham on Vail in comments sections on other sites (FB primarily). At first I wondered why Vail keeps doing this to themselves, but then I remembered that they're still making a shit ton of money so they DGAF that you're straight up not having a good time.

Related but unrelated: One of my buddies was gonna snag me an employee discount at a non-Vail mountain and we both assumed it would be somewhere between $45-65 as it had been for many seasons. PLOT TWIST: That shit was $90, the policy had changed within the last few weeks and NO ONE TOLD THE EMPLOYEES! I honestly didn't care because that's at least $30 cheaper than full price, but imagine what he was made to feel like when we planned this and I could have been short on money. Employees get a day off and want to enjoy it with a friend then get PP smacked by it.... very sad.
Dec 21 2020 1:39PM
0 0
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Trefin
Posts: 113 - Karma: 257
Twinjibber77I can't stop reading people go ham on Vail in comments sections on other sites (FB primarily). At first I wondered why Vail keeps doing this to themselves, but then I remembered that they're still making a shit ton of money so they DGAF that you're straight up not having a good time.

Related but unrelated: One of my buddies was gonna snag me an employee discount at a non-Vail mountain and we both assumed it would be somewhere between $45-65 as it had been for many seasons. PLOT TWIST: That shit was $90.


This

I was hooked up with employee voucher for half off so i could ski with family visiting PC. I expected it to be like 60-70. shit was $110 at HALF OFF.

I will never go to any vail owned resort again unless I'm paid to.
Dec 21 2020 5:46PM
1 0
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.Roockley.
Posts: 3867 - Karma: 4,093
This 7 day insurance they offered with nothing after could be pretty interesting if hills close again
Dec 21 2020 8:56PM
0 0
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