Jay Peak Partners with Disney

Harvey mentioned this last night, so I read the article and this thread.  I like the idea of Disney characters at a ski mountain. I understand where Harv is coming from - Gore is really the anti-disney.

To some extent Harv is BS'ing on this. If I said something like this:

"Harv if we can go to Jay Peak and see Buzz Lightyear, then you don't have to go to Disney World."

He'd change his tune in one second.

I like the idea of Jay, but I need SOMETHING to keep a 6 year old motivated for 8(?) hours in the car.  The waterslides and Disney characters could do it.

Rivercoil I also like what I have heard about Smugglers. (What did they smuggle?)  I will look at your posts too.

Zelda wrote

 I need SOMETHING to keep a 6 year old motivated for 8(?) hours in the car.  The waterslides and Disney characters could do it.

Precisely.

Zelda wrote

Rivercoil I also like what I have heard about Smugglers. (What did they smuggle?)  I will look at your posts too.

Smuggler's Notch is named after a route for smuggling goods from Canada into the USA long ago, it was also used during prohibition error from what I understand. The notch was used as a smuggling route. You'll notice many of Smuggs trails have a smuggling theme (e.g. bootlegger). The mountain was named after its main peak, Madonna. I like Smuggs better, personally.

I understand the Disney character thing from a business perspective. It is marketing, branding, and sales genius, actually. What other resort can kids learn to ski next to statues of characters they watch on their tablets? None. Jay has a unique family marketing piece, in addition to its waterpark. It is a really good business move and makes the mountain that much more family friendly.

The point against it is that it is just yet another in a long line of "enhancements" to the resort. Jay used to be an "old school resort". It was a resort, it has slopeside condos, it has stuff to do year round (not much before, but it was a resort). They just keep adding and building and the atmosphere is certainly changing. Even Stateside is getting the work over now so there is no longer any avoiding it. The skiing remains the same but the improvements aren't happening on the hill (okay, a lift for the beginners and park kids). The problem is Jay can't spend its EB5 money on on-hill improvements because the money has to create full time jobs. At least we get a Bonnie upgrade next year. But back to the point... I think many of us are nervous that we don't know how steep or how slippery this slope is. I don't think anyone is saying this is a bad business decision, far from it. And it is very cool for young kids and families. And yes, goodness knows I will hardly see them since I don't hang out in parks, let alone kiddie parks. But it is just this feeling of "what next?"

Whatev, I guess. I'm still going tomorrow to snuff out some left over pow.

riverc0il wrote

The point against it is that it is just yet another in a long line of "enhancements" to the resort... But it is just this feeling of "what next?"

Whatev, I guess.

Right on, brother. Well said. I think that "whatever" will be the prevailing attitude in my circle of Jay Peak skiers.

Funny though, nobody posts about some of the really cool things that are happening at Jay Peak these days. Like that Steve Earle played there last night. Steve Earle!!! The guy is a legend (and ironically a famous anti-establishment kind of singer-songwriter). And the Wailers were there last month. Ya mon!

riverc0il wrote

Zelda wrote

Rivercoil I also like what I have heard about Smugglers. (What did they smuggle?)  I will look at your posts too.

Smuggler's Notch is named after a route for smuggling goods from Canada into the USA long ago, it was also used during prohibition error from what I understand. The notch was used as a smuggling route. You'll notice many of Smuggs trails have a smuggling theme (e.g. bootlegger). The mountain was named after its main peak, Madonna. I like Smuggs better, personally.

 

That is correct----locals claim there is still burried treasure in dem dare hills---i lived there for fours years but never found any----i think they lie

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Funny though, nobody posts about some of the really cool things that are happening at Jay Peak these days. Like that Steve Earle played there last night. Steve Earle!!! The guy is a legend (and ironically a famous anti-establishment kind of singer-songwriter). And the Wailers were there last month. Ya mon!

I've noticed the string of sold out shows from quality musicians. Very nice.

For good things, credit is due for the learning center and Taxi. I still don't understand why Taxi is built so far up the hill. But other than that, they kill two birds with one lift with beginner terrain stateside (right next to the learning center and new carpet) and a lift for the park kids.

But on the flip side, Stateside is a huge facelift. I was there today and looking around (including the facelift given to the new "Provisions" building). I think in a half dozen years, Jay may leave no building untouched and few buildings left standing in their original footprint. What other resort has razed every single building on site within six years and added so much? Just so much so soon.

Where do they get the water for the waterpark from?

http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/96609/jay-peak-resort-fined-but-penalty-questioned/

water park water needs to be potable so it must come from where ever there drinking water comes from

mattchuck2 wrote

What should Whiteface's Theme be? I say Muppets. We already have people on this board who have been auditioning for Statler and Waldorf for years:

O, that is so larry off the charts!  AND TRUE!

skimore wrote

Where do they get the water for the waterpark from?

I'm not sure of the water source but I do recall reading a blurb somewhere about how much of the waterpark water would be "recycled" then used elsewhere, possibly snowmaking or the ice arena. I've been searching for the reference but can't find it. Will post if I can dig it up.

You know, I was about to make a comment about how much this makes me want to puke, then I remembered how at Maple Ridge in Rotterdam, NY, where I learned to ski at age 5, they made a snow fort with the cats for the youngest lesson groups to gather in and our groups were identified by signs with hand-painted versions of the Disney incarnations of Winnie the Pooh characters. I was in Eeyore's group. This was probably illegal. I have no real problem with skiing being connected to other parts of kids' lives that are probably already integral. Is Disney's power over our youngest generation at any given time a cultural vice? In my opinion, yes. Do I want that corporation making money off of skiing? No. Is the ski industry already 97% corrupt and a monster compared to what I wish it was? You bet. In the grand scheme of things this makes very little difference toward anything, although I suppose I'd chalk it up as just another small loss for people who would like to see Jay apply explosives to its new base area crap (safely, of course).

^^^^^ Awesome comment, Miker, definitely a contender for Post of the Year! You hit various nails on the head on many different levels.