2018/19 Whistler-Blackcomb season passes announced

Vail Resorts has announced season passes for Whistler-Blackcomb for the 2018/19 season.

The company recently announced that the Epic Pass will now allow pass holders to access 61 mountain resorts in 8 countries. The newly added resorts include Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia (owned by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies), Nakiska in Alberta, Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham in Quebec. Colorado’s Telluride resort and Hakuba Valley in Japan have also been added to the pass.

Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates at the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, and 50 percent off lift tickets after the seven days have been redeemed.

Prices for the 2018/19 season passes are as follows: Whistler-Blackcomb Unlimited CAD$1,289 (adult), CAD$869 (senior), CAD$769 (teen). An Epic Pass is priced at USD$899 (adult) and USD$469 (child). The Epic Pass works out to approximately CAD$1,160 and CAD$605 for an adult and child respectively. A 10 day restricted Edge Card will cost CAD$729 while a 5 Edge Card with restrictions will cost CAD$419.

Active and retired members of the Canadian, Australian and U.S. military will now be able to purchase the new Military Pass, priced at USD$99 (approximately CAD$127) as well as their dependents. For all other veterans and their dependents a pass can be purchased at USD$499 (USD$269 for children of veterans). For every pass sold Vail will donate USD$1 to Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military.

The Seniors Pass, Super Seniors, Sea to Sky Student and Spirit Pass are all available this year with further information coming in the summer/fall. Marc Riddell Senior Manager of Communications at Whistler-Blackcomb says they want guests to be able to access resorts; “We want our pass holders to be able to access as much skiing and riding as possible, and that’s why we entered into an agreement with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, and Hakuba Valley in Japan as well… if you want to tour around, you have a lot of options now if you purchase an Epic Pass.”

Children 6 and under will remain free at Whistler-Blackcomb. Canadian and Washington children from kindergarten to grade 5 will now recieve 5 free days of skiing with one free lesson and one free rental. Riddell says this is a program already offered at Vail’s Utah and Colorado resorts, with the goal of getting kids interested in what is offered on mountain. An adult pass purchase is not nessecery to be eligible for the pass.

Guest Services will be open a few weeks before the 2018/19 season in order to get passes into the hands of the public. A mail out option will also be available. Riddell says the difference between last year and this year is that a large number of their customer base now has the Epic Pass, which can be renewed for the new season; “we suspect that we’re going to have a different experience than when we changed our whole customer base over to the new pass product for the 2017/18 season”.

The Parent Pass has not returned to the resort, however those who previously have had the pass are being grandfathered in. A special option for 2017/18 pass holders means guests can purchase two 2018/19 adult Unlimited Whistler-Blackcomb season passes for $1,499. The eligibility requirement remains the same as it was under the Parent Pass. The approximately 1,400 members of the public who held the special option last season should contact Guest Services to make arrangements for the 2018/19 season. Those who are new to the region, or locals who did not hold a Parent Pass before it was discontinued are not eligible for the special option.

Whistler-Blackcomb Unlimited, Epic Passes and Edge Cards can be purchased today. Incentives for early purchase of passes include $49+GST down on the price of a seasons pass, a new Turn in Your Ticket Program where guests can put the cost of a day lift ticket toward the price of an eligible season pass and 12 discounted tickets for family and friends. Pass holders will also receive the summer free if purchased by April 15th.