NZ season pass deal for Aussies

[Vet]

New Zealand's largest ski destination, the North Island's Mt Ruapehu, is luring Australian skiers and snowboarders across the ditch with an irresistible deal - the launch of the new Mt Ruapehu Australian Ski Season Pass.
From Friday 8 April to Friday May 6, snow junkies can purchase an entire season of entertainment at Mt Ruapehu for just AU$295 for adults and AU$175 for youth (under 18 years of age).
This special Aussie-only deal is cheaper than a three-day lift pass at most Aussie Ski Areas, making it excellent value for vacationers seeking an affordable yet exceptional skiing experience.
The Mt Ruapehu snow team is well underway preparing for a stellar snow season and is expecting a positive response to the first Australian Season Pass offer. Mt Ruapehu has already had a couple of good snow dumps and weather experts are talking about 2011 being similar to the record snow year of 2008.

[sam]

Dear Resort Management Boards, there's no rapacious resort entry fees or oversnow costs either.

[Bear]

Nice.

Might be an option.

[The Frog]

I take it there is no on snow accommodation? How far away is the closest town?

[Paul Oberin]

I do agree that the Resort management boards need to look at keeping fees inline with the CPI or at least close to it, outrageous fee hikes are sending Aussie skiers overseas at an alarming rate.

[Vet]

I take it there is no on snow accommodation? How far away is the closest town?

There's ski in/out lodging for club members with rights to old fashioned communal NZ clubs, and a 3 star and 4 star motel and hotel are a 500-odd yard free shuttle ride away from the lifts.

My costing for 2 adults and a teen last season was $300-$400 pp return to Wellington or Auckland, $A33 pp per night for the motel room and, to live 'like a Roman with Romans in Rome' $NZ50 a night for a NZ club's dorm bunks in their ski in/out lodge with free communal meals and joining in their club races. Car hire was the deal killer, as was driving 4 to 5 hours to/from the airport and overnighting in Auckland. Another deal killer, for me, was staying miles away at some 'nearby' town if the almost-on-snow motel was fully booked.

[Vet]

I do agree that the Resort management boards need to look at keeping fees inline with the CPI or at least close to it, outrageous fee hikes are sending Aussie skiers overseas at an alarming rate.

I keep hearing that the future, and the money, is in snowplayers and beginners, 'because' the advanced/experts have plateaued. Really? Just look at huge numbers at new events held on mointains o/s and look at the New York Stock Exchange report on Vail Resort's growth across numerous metrics after it abandoned that 'milk em for what they've got' thinking.

Annoyingly I was at an ARCC forum where the gurus had no idea about Jstar sale fares, cheap o/s passes etc. Instead they asked the gathering 'what do you like about our snow'. Sheese! I've seen smarter questions asked by A Current Affairs reporters.

[sam]

In the first of these lectures, Canadians say the occasional visitor is DECLINING and the future is NOT in occasional visitor .

The future, they say, is encouraging young families, on tight budgets, to become 'whole of life' regular visitors.

NZ, I think, is on the right track with great pricing for families.



http://www.snowpro.com/en/resources/interski-2011

[Paul Oberin]

The entry fee for people going by bus to Falls Creek this year has just gone up by 15%, another Victorian govt body with no idea or just don't care about tourism.
I am never one to whinge about a CPI price rise, but 15% is irresponsible, my prediction is 15% less people will go to Falls creek by bus this coming winter, I have seen a direct relationship between price and the numbers going by bus, the question is do they find another way of traveling or just give up, as part of my business is running buses to Falls Creek during winter, and I keep records.
Can we afford to keep these sorts of price rises into the future and really see the numbers drop, at what point have the resorts become overpriced for a family or even a person on the average wage, this year with a pending carbon tax and rising fuel prices is not the year to increase entry by more than 5 times the CPI.
Does the Victorian govt care, I doubt it very much.

[Vet]

If the rmbs operate on 'user pays', maybe the FCAA or tour operators and local town chambers of commerce should ask Prof Paul Mees and the Auditor-General to look into the price rise.

[sam]

at what point have the resorts become overpriced for a family or even a person on the average wage

Is that the family with 2.5 kids and 10 bureaucrats to support?

[powderhog]

Seriously looking at this rather than Perisher now. I have cousins that have a big house at Lake Taupo where I can stay for free.

[sam]

For a family, this deal could save heaps, even after paying airfare.

Powderhog, how long is the drive from the town to the slope, and are there free shuttles?

I recall a hotel operator in Turoa Town posted about his airport shuttle from Wellington, but would anyone know what the hotel was called?

[powderhog]

From Lake Taupo it is around a 35-40 minute drive. No different to Jindabyne on a busy morning.

[sam]

Booked!!! The total cost averages $1100 per family member for a week for car, airfares, hotel and lifts.

[sam]

I do agree that the Resort management boards need to look at keeping fees inline with the CPI or at least close to it, outrageous fee hikes are sending Aussie skiers overseas at an alarming rate.

On the other ski forum there's complaints about busses shaving 90 minutes a day off the trip while charging more. People say they won't go anymore, at least not by bus.

Is the Victorian Snowsports Association, Falls Creek Alpine Association, Tourism MPs, local politicians etc doing anything about outrageous 15% hikes in rmb charges? The VSA say they see Ministers. Local pollies must know their voters' jobs depend on more tourists coming to town. Someone must be doing something.

Have you thought about starting an UnofficialFallsCreek page on Facebook where people can post deals, praise and complaints?

[Vet]

Facebook 'helped' a US resort to instantly re-evaluate policies, especially when a major city newspaper started reporting the story. Sure beats wasting a postage stamp on letter which might be binned.

[Vet]

Reupeho is looking good.

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207121_10150584284770417_42322565416_19461858_5497 158_s.jpg

[powderhog]

Booked from 4-21 August!

[sam]

1 bdrm

Aug 05-Aug 12 (7)
$USD88*/night ($615.99*)

in Taupo NZ LOL.

[Paul Oberin]

On the other ski forum there's complaints about busses shaving 90 minutes a day off the trip while charging more. People say they won't go anymore, at least not by bus.

Our buses arrive 20 minutes before the lifts open and leave as the lifts are closing for the day, I think people are happy with our travel times, we could leave later but then all the cars leaving would get stuck behind the bus and make cars passing a dangerous situation.

[sam]

That sounds sensible. I had a look once at flying into Albury and catching your bus but it was easier to fly to Christchurch for $400 return on Friday, stay in a centrel hotel at $50/night, catch a shuttle to Hutt, and fly home at 6.30am NZ time.

[tim93]

oops, just saw this thread after posting in the apres forum..

Ruapehu is my local hill, Taupo is probably closer to 45mins - 1hr away from Whakapapa side, add another 45 mins to get to Turoa Skifield, there is no 'Turoa Town', however, on the Turoa side of the mountain there is a small town at the base of the mountain called 'Ohakune', this is probably the best place to stay if you are wanting to check out a few pubs and restaurants, it is also the better side of the mountain as far as wide open terrain goes, Whakapapa can get a bit bottle necked in places, especially if the west ridge is closed...

happy to answer any questions regarding accomodation etc, i usually stay at a few different backpackers down there depending on which side of the mountain im thinking of hitting, i live in Hamilton and it takes us about 2.5-3hrs to get to the carpark from home.

[Vet]

Our platinum pass is now available to the general public!

Imagine having your car valet parked every time you go skiing. Imagine going to the front of the queue on a busy Saturday afternoon. Well imagine no more, The Mt Ruapehu Platinum Pass is here for you at the price of $NZ1,000

Platinum Pass Benefits:

* Up to Two People on each Platinum Pass (is that like averaging at $A350 each??? for a season pass too)
* Valet Car Parking
* Four Hosted/Instructed Afternoons Skiing with Queue Privileges
* Guided Back Country Trip for the 2 Principles either between Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas OR to the Crater Basin OR to Tukino

Purchase your Platinum Pass today to reap all the benefits this coming 2011 Winter Season.

Strictly limited to 300 Platinum Passes only.

[powderhog]

Just got $1 lift tickets on the 100% Pure NZ Facebook page. Awesome!

[sam]

I will not ask how many 75 cent tix you scored :)

[powderhog]

It will be interesting to see how they control these, as there is no number system on the vouchers. There is nothing to stop you printing 10 copies. I can only assume they will enter your name into their computer system.