Mt Buller joins The Mountain Collective

Nice, just did the sums. Works out cheaper as we're booked in for Niseko at the end of the year with Buller days this winter too.

 

Well fool you Aspen and Alterra, this is too little too late, you need to bring in Buller as an Ikon pass partner if you want to be competitive with Vail in Australia

 

So the ‘ongoing’ 50% off component is reliant on you walking up to the ticket box, presenting pass, to receive 50% off that day’s full rate, every day?

Can you purchase your days online? Or at least buy multiple days with 1x ticket box visit?

 

Yep.

Mountain Collective nice, Ikon better.

Back in my weekend warrior days before kids an Ikon Pass with at least two of Thredbo, Hotham and Buller would have been my ideal aussie season pass. 14 or 21 days at resorts with the best of Australia's advanced terrain, throw in a bunch of sidecountry days for those inclined and and you have a pretty solid lineup of riding days each year.

Two or three days at each just does not cut it unless you are free and easy to travel and have a decent cluster of resorts within road tripping distance.

 

I like the description of the Mountain Collective pass as the "Storm chasers pass". It works well if you have the flexibility to head up the hill at short notice to take advantage of dumps, but don't have enough time to warrant a season pass.

 

Typical of Aussies. Get something good and some will still whinge that it's not good enough!

 

More like providing feedback that, although the deal is well positioned, for anyone willing to go the (potentially) extra distance to Falls/Hotham, the Epic pass works out better for extended days' usage.

The Mountain Collective pass has its place, but it's not the best option for everyone.

 

How does that work with my 2019 Thredbo pass ?

 

We purchased mountain Collective passes for USA last year.
Used around SLC and at Jackson.

Each resort had a different way to use the pass but all were excellent and proved to be great value for us.

 

Reading their website I don't think it does.

The website indicates child passes are only $US99 vs $US449 for the full price. That's a pretty handy discount for those with kids.

 

Seems a lot of money for two days skiing ...

 

?
You don’t buy a MC pass and ski for only 2 days!!

 

Okay, so not really relevant to locals skiing, only relevant for multi destination overseas travel ?

All these passes and conditions are getting a tad confusing.

 

Here's a comparison for boarders - https://snowboarding.transworld.net...ison-ikon-pass-epic-pass-mountain-collective/.
I like that they put NZ resorts in Australia

 

Yep.

 

I wish I was American .....

 

There's a special price for Aussies, accessed through the Thredbo site, where we pay $AUD449 instead of $US449, which sharpens the offer substantially (If you are planning on going to Buller on the weekend, it's cheaper than 3 walk-up daily tickets).

 

It suits a unusual demographic IMO
I give the MC two seasons at most before its toast.

 

At Niseko this year I was able to buy 5 days worth of lift access in the one information office visit. (For some strange reason they also wanted to see my passport as well as my Thredbo 365 Pass.) The year before in Telluride I had to visit a ticket office each day to get a day ticket. Hence it seems to vary area by area. Both were sold at a 50% discount. I understand Telluride has since left the Mountain Collective.

 

Yeah interesting. I think it would be a case of firing an email off to your intended destinations to clarify ahead of time, and having that on hand when you arrive. Nobody would expect to need their passport when collecting a ticket!

A couple of years ago I bought a Hotham/Falls SP, as it included a week at Steamboat which was on my itinerary for that year's trip. We had difficulty actually acquiring the Steamboat passes, as it was the first year they'd done it, knowledge of the reciprocal benefit on the USA side was low, and it ended up being a bit of a mess. Got there in the end, but it was painful.

Hopefully no such issues across the MC network.

 

Agreed, it's an odd proposition - but one that will suit some people, especially those considering the lazybird pricing of a season pass at Buller. You can get around 12 days at the most expensive daily ticket price (Saturday) before you spend more than the current $1,199 season pass price. Add on the potential of a day trip/weekend to Thredbo for those who live close enough and there is value to be had, but not for everyone.

Depending on what Vail do with pricing at Falls and Hotham next year, I may look at the Epic Aus pass in 2020.

 

I don't see what's in it for Buller?

Correct me if i'm wrong. The Thredbo pass was a season pass + MC pass = 365 pass.
So at least Thredbo got season pass sales from it.

 

As as Thredbo 365 pass holder, I can see a road trip to Buller is on the cards. I got a week late July and mid August lined up in Thredbo, avoiding the weekends I'll just zip down for a few days.

Only if the conditions are on...

 

Anyone notice the coin being dropped on "what if" and "maybe" style holiday planning?

It's almost like a Netflix + Stan + Prime + Sky subscription setup.

 

2019: Amazing partnership announced, much amaze, very deal.
2020: SP price hike?

Hope not.

 

Is it?
Its peasant deal compared to every other deal.

 

I'm sure there's some form of share-of-revenue going on for the MC pass sales. On top of that, there's the potential of attracting guests who wouldn't have otherwise considered Buller "Let's do a week in NZ and a week in Aus. We can go to Buller and Thredbo, do 3 days at each" (Buller gets patronage, possibly an extra day of lift pass sales, resort entry etc)

 

Point being, additional bolt ons/perks, could be a justification to hike price. Hope not.

 

Its just weird.

Thredbo is hammering the IKON pass now. Stepped right back from the MC add on to its 365 pass. IKON benefits far far outweigh MC.

Then a hugley discounted MC pass comes available to anyone . Buller signed up in desperation?

 

Yeah, my buller membership now looks a lot better. Was considering going to niseko over summer anyway, this just seals it.

 

I pray vail buy Buller
That would make for a humdinger of a season pass at bird rates

 

Same, was planning another Japan Trip, but now getting 1/2 price tickets to Lake Louise/Sunshine, might have to re-think a Banff trip.

 

I might be going to Utah at Xmas, MC means half price skiing at Snowbird, Alta and Jackson. Last time I was there I spent a bomb on lift tickets.

I agree with the comments about Ikon, that would be a much better option, but MC is certainly a value-add that's appreciated.

 

Not going to happen.

 

Is it a add on? or completely new purchase?
*as its available to everyone. Regardless of where they have a season pass...

 

Did i see mentioned that a season pass allows 1/2 price tickets to affiliates, but no free days????
I might be wrong though.

I have a buller pass so Im interested and this could change my 2020 travel plans.

 

That's my understanding.

 

Y so sure?

 

Which is interesting.
As it isn't the same for standard Thredbo season pass holders

 

Monopoly reasons. 3 of the major 5 already. 4 out of 5 won't be allowed.

 

I do like monopoly

 

Could think of nothing worse than Vail owning all 3 Vic resorts. For example, buller is screwing around a bit on certain aspects this year so I'm moving certain trips to Hotham. I'm sure once Vail gets comfortable there will be the same result in the opposite direction. I'm glad I have the option to move around though.

 

Thanks for the clarification Dave

 

I've had the opposite issue - Falls and Hotham aren't releasing their lift prices while Buller has made them available and given significant early bird discounts.

 

Yeah they have been good from a full price perspective, but all my trips are with tertiary groups and there is talk that tertiary pricing will change this year (tba)