Question Lessons for young kids in Thredbo

[borntosucceed]

Hi there;
We are going to Thredbo in August with the kids (5year old and 7year old). Will their first time in the snow and on skis. Was originally thinking of putting the 5 year old in Thredboland, but I was reading very mixed reviews. For my 7 year old I was planning beginners lessons. Anyone knows if I can book beginners lessons for the little one as well or has any recommendations on this?

Thanks

 

[Billy_Buttons]

Hi there;
We are going to Thredbo in August with the kids (5year old and 7year old). Will their first time in the snow and on skis. Was originally thinking of putting the 5 year old in Thredboland, but I was reading very mixed reviews. For my 7 year old I was planning beginners lessons. Anyone knows if I can book beginners lessons for the little one as well or has any recommendations on this?

Thanks

Looks like up to 6 yrs is limited to Thredboland. See link below:
https://www.thredbo.com.au/lessons-programs/children-teens/4-6-yrs/

 

[LMB]

Looks like up to 6 yrs is limited to Thredboland. See link below:
https://www.thredbo.com.au/lessons-programs/children-teens/4-6-yrs/

Yeah but half day (am or pm) or full day options. Lesson levels from 1-8, even offering Burton Riglet. What more could you want?!

Your choices are;
Put younger kid in Thredboland programme and older kid in age/skill appropriate group lesson. Explain its age group appropriate and each will meet friends in their group.

Or

Book a private lesson for both kids to be together. It will be exxy and much shorter, which won't leave you kid free as much of the time.

 

[Billy_Buttons]

Thredbo page has gone down hill. Just prior to the season they listed all specific prices. I looked today for a single day lift price....Nothing. All they have up is buy MyThredbo, Season Pass etc with absolutely no specific pricing.
They have totally lost the plot this year!

 

[Annabuzzy]

Thredboland is absolutely fine.

I think from 7 and up its called "Freeriders".

You can book a private of course but I think most kids enjoy interacting with other kids.

 

[borntosucceed]

Was reading two really bad reviews
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Show...Kosciuszko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attr...ko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html#REVIEWS

So looking for any good stories about Thredboland. Might end up booking private lessons for the kids.

 

[Snow Addict]

Maybe this won't happen out of school holidays, but how do you feel about groups of 9, 10, 11 or even 12?

If your kids are the chilled type who can cope with mostly anything then I think Thredboland could be fine. If they aren't like that I would not put them in there. Book a private or two instead - especially for first timers.

Freeriders is a different matter. They are much more focused on skiing than child-minding. Your older child could go there after an initial lesson or two.

 

[Billy_Buttons]

Was reading two really bad reviews
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Show...Kosciuszko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attr...ko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html#REVIEWS

So looking for any good stories about Thredboland. Might end up booking private lessons for the kids.

Wow, looks like Thredders needs to pull up their socks for the modern market. Ban staff from using personal phones on the job for starters!

 

[parkmonkey]

 

[Annabuzzy]

Was reading two really bad reviews
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Show...Kosciuszko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attr...ko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html#REVIEWS

So looking for any good stories about Thredboland. Might end up booking private lessons for the kids.

My daughter has done Thredbolsnd the last 3 years. I've never seen any bad instructing. My little one loves skiing and a lot of that is due to the great experience she had there.

I can't guarantee you there won't be an average instructor or tow - in the tens working there, there are bound to be a handful of not great ones. But I haven't seen it.

Incidentally she did do one private last year with a very good instructor, but preferred Thredboland.

 

[skinavy]

Up there right now. D1 was in Freeriders (level 5 as an 8yo) and had a great instructor (Damian from Jindy) he pushed them hard but not too hard and provided great feedback to me each afternoon on how progressing. Similarly D2 (6yo) was in Thredboland and her instructor (Brit called Dylan) was great and she had a ball. Great feedback at the end of each day and she was challenged to improve. Her skiing improved to the point she skied supertrail top to bottom today, even with all the crap snow and wet weather, with mostly parallel skis and well formed turns.

Frankly I'd ignore Tripadvisor reviews as there is no moderation of them and nothing to stop someone with an axe to grind giving a poor review.

 

[Billy_Buttons]

My daughter has done Thredbolsnd the last 3 years. I've never seen any bad instructing. My little one loves skiing and a lot of that is due to the great experience she had there.

I can't guarantee you there won't be an average instructor or tow - in the tens working there, there are bound to be a handful of not great ones. But I haven't seen it.

Incidentally she did do one private last year with a very good instructor, but preferred Thredboland.

You have to factor in rogue reviews. Modern times, bring modern problems.

 

[Billy_Buttons]

Up there right now. D1 was in Freeriders (level 5 as an 8yo) and had a great instructor (Damian from Jindy) he pushed them hard but not too hard and provided great feedback to me each afternoon on how progressing. Similarly D2 (6yo) was in Thredboland and her instructor (Brit called Dylan) was great and she had a ball. Great feedback at the end of each day and she was challenged to improve. Her skiing improved to the point she skied supertrail top to bottom today, even with all the crap snow and wet weather, with mostly parallel skis and well formed turns.

Frankly I'd ignore Tripadvisor reviews as there is no moderation of them and nothing to stop someone with an axe to grind giving a poor review.

Snap

 

[Scott No Mates]

Although I didn't use Thredboland, I too would go down that path. My kids learnt at FC Snowclub & Junior Workshop. Snowclub works on a similar ratio of staff to kids as a preschool ie lots of instructors to very few kids, it is very hands on. JW was good as they got a little older but we soon swapped to Privates when they needed specific guidance. They still know all of their old instructors, some of whom now are senior instructors at FC Race Club.

 

[cin]

My daughter did her first thredbo land 2 yrs ago when she was 3 (or just short of, being born late Sept)
That year she did fine for the first 2 days but by day 3 it was just all too much and had a meltdown halfway through the day.
The missus was heavily pregnant at the time so was watching from the sidelines the whole time. Totally hidden however, that is important because if they know you are around they will stop trying to blend in with the other kids and all hell breaks loose.
Last year she was with a mate same age and the the other dad and I chucked them in at 9am and went skiing with @telecrag for the day before pickup at 3pm IIRC
They were fine and loved it
Especially when @telecrag convinced us tobjoin him on the magic carpet at pickup time
I haven't read those review links yet but can't help to think there is always two sides to every story

 

[cin]

BTW, last year I noticed you can no longer do half day thredboland for the morning session, only the arvo.

 

[cin]

One other thing to consider, the kids don't so much want to learn how to ski at that age as they do just experience something fun, and hanging with other kids playing in snow means ALOT more to them than skiing does to us.
My daughter loves the skidoo Choo Choo train and unless you get them in thredboland they ain't ridin it!

 

[borntosucceed]

Thanks for all the replies thus, much appreciated

 

[skinavy]

One thing about Freeriders is they group the kids by ability and will move them up or down levels as they review them. But this also means you can get a wide range of ages. My 8yo daughter was the youngest in level 5 with other kids up to 13yo. Didn't bother her as technically she was as good as any others, she just lost out in strength and stamina to keep up towards the end of the day. Thredboland the kids all seem to be closer in age on their groups.

 

[Scott No Mates]

Thredboland the kids all seem to be closer in age on their groups.

Ours got grouped with one other local kid - not too many 5 year olds wanted to ski St Elmo's or The Summit but otherwise, yes the kids are generally grouped based on their ability and they only handle 3-6 year olds.

 

[gareth_oau]

Was reading two really bad reviews
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Show...Kosciuszko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attr...ko_National_Park_New_South_Wales.html#REVIEWS

So looking for any good stories about Thredboland. Might end up booking private lessons for the kids.

I tend not to take a lot of notice of online rants from strangers, because you have no real idea of their expectations - some people just like to whinge.

And also if you consider the vast majority are very happy with he service, but wont say anything, then half a dozen "bad" comments should not sway your position

 

[LaNeige]

I've been lucky enough to ski a bunch of place with my kids where they've had lessons. Thredbo has consistently had the best instructors in their esteemed view. You'll be fine and the kids will love it!

 

[kaegee]

Daughter 11 has been in Thredbo SS for 8 yrs now. In top Freeriders group and loves it . They get more out of her than she would do with us. At 3 I did spend a day with her on FFlat getting her going . Paid off.

 

[Crystal]

I've had my kids in at Thredbo a couple of times in the past...nothing but fun and was sensational. We also came across one of his instructors the following season in Canada. He remembered our son and did some run with him on his own just to have a play. Nothing but good things to say about the place.

 

[LMB]

I tend not to take a lot of notice of online rants from strangers, because you have no real idea of their expectations - some people just like to whinge.

And also if you consider the vast majority are very happy with he service, but wont say anything, then half a dozen "bad" comments should not sway your position

Agree.
Also everyone can have a bad day, but be a great instructor normally. I had a poor experience with my nervous young ones with a guy in Niseko, it made me join the kids in a private lesson to make sure it was a good one next trip (which happened to be Thredbo). It was great. Turns out fast forward 10 years and I'm now friends with the instructor that rattled my boys - he's an excellent instructor. He's taught a few other people close to me and had no drama...maybe my kids were reflecting their feelings of inadequacy and fear onto him...I don't judge so quickly anymore!

 

[borntosucceed]

Great lots of positive feedback just what I needed.

 

[Telezacski]

We started our daughter in thredbo land at 3 now 10 (and does free riders) and she loves it, we ski 1 week a year and they have her up to level 7+ which I think is a positive reflection on their instruction given we only ski 1 week plus the odd day here and there.

She has always had fun, great instructors and fantastic feedback.

To be honest I've never seen seriously hung over staff (maybe the odd lifty). I did have to laugh at the review, I have a place in Thredbo so keep en eye on events and the so called rave (dance party) shutdown at 10, they are very strict on this.

 

[telecrag]

The worst of those reviews was from a visit in September. A good time for first visit as the accom is cheap, but....seasonal staff are being laid off, so there are farewell parties going on, its a real wind down, and given the nature of the employment, service standards do drop at the tail end of the season. As a regular I actually quite like it, as it gets more laid back. But a hopped up on city rage visitor might perceive it as per the review. Sometimes I think people from Sydney need a pre holiday, to let some stress go and get in a more relaxed state of mind, before they try and have a holiday.

Not saying the resort cant improve, plenty of room for that. IMO as the new guard are starting to take over management, we will see that happen. I am a big fan of Stuart Diver in management.

 

[Scott No Mates]

Agree.
Also everyone can have a bad day, but be a great instructor normally. I had a poor experience with my nervous young ones with a guy in Niseko,...Turns out fast forward 10 years and I'm now friends with the instructor that rattled my boys - he's an excellent instructor. He's taught a few other people close to me and had no drama...maybe my kids were reflecting their feelings of inadequacy and fear onto him...I don't judge so quickly anymore!

Our kids didn't like one instructor in Snowclub years ago. Took them out in tough conditions, didn't put up with their whinging (tough Austrian dude). We chat to him each year, he has now been appointed to coaching instructors in Fis for 2017.

 

[DPS Driver]

Thredboland is fine. All my kids have been through it.

In fact, I've found them to be great. When my eldest was 5 & I was a single dad, they were so good. One day he wet himself because he couldn't get his one piece suit off quickly enough, they sorted it had the wet stuff in a bag and didn't call me. When I said it's no bother for me to come and get him, they said, it's all good we want you to enjoy your day as well. Very thoughtful.

 

[Tallskier]

We have put our kids (3,5 and 7) in thredboland a couple of times over the years, but opted for private lessons for them this year due to the kids not really enjoying thredboland (no fault of thredboland)
Last year we actually had our kids in the weekend of the bad review. I completely agree with the review posted for that day. It was after the snow globe party which was loud and made it hard to sleep until well after midnight due to doof doof through the village. I think Thredbo have learnt from this and have all loud parties finishing by 10 this year (I called to confirm prior to this years booking). The result the next day was hungover instructors that did not even bring our kids out onto the snow until nearly 11am. This However is not typical of our experience with thredboland.
Generally we find it has a great balance of on/off snow activities to teach the kids without the exhaustion of a full day on the snow.
Our kids don't like childcare type activities which meant lots of tears when we left them however they went really well with their private teacher Emma. Our girls in particular loved her and their ability improved dramatically over the 4 days they were booked in, however if we were to do it again I would book 2 days, then have one day break before another 2 days to let them recharge.
i would book your kids in to thredboland and see how they go. If for whatever reason they don't like it, you can always go to private lessons.
Sorry for the long winded response, and good luck with your trip.