Free Skiing for Australians Eyeballing Utah?
Not content with snapping up Utah’s Canyons and Park City Mountain, Vail Resorts recently announced it will acquire New South Wales’ Perisher, its first international mountain resort.
The Southern Hemisphere’s largest ski resort will set Vail Resorts back a cool AUD$176.6 million and includes Perisher Valley, Smiggin Holes, Blue Cow and Guthega.
So what does Vail’s Perisher acquisition mean for Australian skiers. In a nutshell, things are about to get Epic.
Epic Ski Pass Savings for Perisher Skiers in Utah
If you and your family regularly ski or board Perisher, purchasing a season Freedom Pass could see you tackling Utah’s soon-to-be interconnected Canyons and Park City Mountain resorts – the largest ski resort in the United States – at no extra cost.
The standard adult Perisher Freedom Pass for the 2015 Australian ski season costs AUD$749. A Freedom Pass for children, students aged between five years up to school’s Year 12, and seniors aged 65 and older costs just AUD$429.
According to our trusty calculator, that means a family of two adults and three children can enjoy an Australian winter on the slopes for AUD$2,785, then use the same passes at the interconnected Park City Resort with only 11 blackout days throughout the US 2015-16 ski season.
Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts, said: “This acquisition is part of Vail Resorts’ continued strategy to drive season pass sales and build loyalty with guests from around the world.”
Pass Conditions
Perisher Freedom Pass with Epic Benefits: AU$749: Unlimited access to Perisher in Australia in winter 2015 – No Blackout Dates. Now includes Epic Benefits of unlimited access to Park City and Canyons in Utah; Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe, California; Afton Alps, Minnesota and Mt. Brighton, Michigan. Plus a total of 10 days at Vail and/or Beaver Creek, combined. All US Resort access subject to certain holiday restrictions.
Park City Canyons Blackout Dates: 27 November 2015 – 28 November 2015, 26 December 2015 – 31 December 2015, 16 January 2016, 13 February 2016 – 14 February 2016.
Please Note: The Freedom Pass with Epic Benefits is available to buy until May 31st, after which skiers will have to purchase Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass. For more information visit Perisher.com.au.
Promotions
And the Utah Ski Savings Don’t Stop There…
When booking a Utah winter holiday with Destination Utah, skiers and snowboarders can save between 30% and 40% on lodging throughout Utah’s 2015-16 ski season.
Properties available at 40% off include the ski-in/ski-out Sundial Lodge Canyons Resort, Grand Summit Hotel, Silverado Lodge, and Vintage on the Strand. Guests will also start their day right with free hot breakfast for two.
Park City Mountain Resort’s ski-in/ski-out Snowflower Condominiums is available at up to 30% off with Destination Utah’s earlybird promotion, dependant on the duration of guests’ stay.
Destination Utah offers further discounts to Australian skiers in Utah, including significant savings when customers combine lodging, transfers, lifts and even ski and snowboard rental. To learn more, enquire here.
Vail Resorts to Transform Park City and Canyons.
Vail Resorts recently won approval to build an Interconnect Gondola linking the mega Park City Resort – just one part of the company’s planned US$50 million investment in 2015 that will give skiers and snowboarders access to over 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, 17 peaks, 300 trails and 38 chair lifts.
Learn more about Vail’s proposed transformation of Park City Resort here.