Industry News
The cost of lift tickets in North America continues to go up and Whistler Blackcomb is no exception to that. It was recently announced that the walk-up window price on a peak holiday at Whistler will be $299 (plus tax). This is a 50% increase from last season when the price was just below $200. The resort stated the increased prices are a result of inflation, resort investments, and increasing demand. The $299 is in Canadian dollars and the cost would come down to $218 in U.S. Dollars for U.S. visitors.
Does this put a day of skiing at Whistler out of reach for many? Some people think Vail Resorts, which owns Whistler Blackcomb, is trying to price out middle-class families. Comments on social media made reference to them just wanting rich tourists on packaged deals visiting the resort as well as its loyal passholders.
I remember when I was in college, we would stop at the 7-Eleven in Squamish on our drive to Whistler to get discounted lift tickets for around $70. That was 20 years ago, and those days are long gone.
Dane Gergovich, Whistler Blackcomb communications manager, explained the price change:
“A lot of factors go into the resort’s lift ticket pricing, (which) includes inflation, capital investments in the guest experience, visitation demand, and the cost of lift tickets typically increases every year across the industry.”
You can currently purchase day tickets online now with two options. There are discounts for purchasing online in advance as well as multiple-day discounts, so buyers can customize what will work best for them. The $299 option can be purchased for a specific date and is refundable. There is also an option to pay $139 for a non-refundable ticket but allows you complete flexibility on when you plan to use it.
To prioritize the guest experience, Vail Resorts is limiting lift ticket sales throughout the 2023/24 season. Guests are strongly encouraged to secure their lift access in advance. If a day is sold out online, guests will not be able to buy a walk-up window ticket.
In an email exchange, Gergovich also had this to say:
“We offer many options for guests who want to ski and ride at Whistler Blackcomb (and our other resorts) – from lift tickets available to purchase online in advance for a discount, to our Epic Passes/Pass products which provide the best value. We incentivize a pass product purchase because of the stability passes have created for our industry. We also get revenue locked in before the season starts, which gives us the confidence we need to continuously invest back into our resorts through important investments in the guest experience, such as the upgraded Creekside Gondola and Big Red Express, which both opened last season, and the Fitzsimmons Express upgrade, set to open this season (2023/24), followed by an upgrade to the Jersey Cream chairlift set for winter 2024/25.”
Buying a pass product, whether that be an epic pass or any of the other pass options available, is the best way to guarantee your access to the mountain and secure the best value. According to Whistler, 75% of guests access the mountain with a pass product. Skiers and snowboarders who plan to visit Whistler Blackcomb this winter will have to weigh their pass options carefully. Buying day tickets online in advance will save some money, but will it be enough to make it a better option than a season pass product? Whistler Blackcomb is aiming to open by November 23, so you have about a month to figure it out.
simply gross. turning skiing into a purely elitist sport. really sad. $300+ to spend half the day waiting in lines? pffff no thanks.