This Ski and Snowboard Group Trip Planning Guide will make your planning easy.

When  you’re planning a trip, some of the smallest details can feel like big hurdles. We’ve been working with groups since 1995 as they travel to the mountains and get ready for their bus ski trips to many Western US resorts including: Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Tahoe, Powder Mountain, and other Utah destinations.

It’s not a small task, but it’s 100% achievable, especially if you’ve already got your winter driving needs covered with our charter buses and professional drivers…then the rest is simply checking off the below boxes.

The key to a successful trip is planning!

Get organized early. Make a master calendar, which includes:

• Payment dates
• Due Dates for student deposits and final payments
• LIFT TICKET ORDERS
• Rental information
• Additional travel needs besides your bus (es) (plan for borrowed vehicles, etc)
• Dates when your information must be faxed or sent to resorts for lift tickets, and room lists
• All Critical dates* Typically when payments are due, etc, but remember to review your contract documents.

Create a Winter Trip Operations File– Keep all trip info in the same place.

TRIP PRICING: Make sure that your “per person” price is correct. It is important to set a price that is high enough to cover all of your costs, but low enough that it is attractive to the participants (and their friends).

 How to set a price-

We have invoiced the portion of your trip you requested. REMEMBER, LIFT TICKETS AND SOME MEALS, ETC MAY NOT BE INCLUDED, DEPENDING ON YOUR CONTRACT.   Now you need to add buffer budget for staff, scholarships, miscellaneous food, additional transportation, programming, etc.  LEAVE A BUFFER!

STUDENT DEPOSITS / PAYMENTS: SET YOUR PAYMENT DATES EARLY, as participants are less likely to cancel their reservation if they are committed via the almighty dollar. Humans historically like to wait until the deadline to commit to events and trips. By asking your group to give initial payments you’ll save yourself countless headaches and money down the road.

Make a budget and stick with it! Increased costs make trips go “in the hole”. (ex. T- shirts, key-note speakers, rental vehicle costs, driver’s gratuity

PLANNING FOR BUS (ES) ON YOUR TRIP

You will  need to send the following info:

• A detailed itinerary of when you will need the bus (departure time, and other during trip specifics – transfers to mountain, conference space, )

****A note on how to have a great experience with Bus drivers****

• Introduce
• Review your trip with
• The bottom line: driver will work with you, and you are their buffer between your travelers and the driver.  Sometimes drivers need a little extra love, and sometimes travelers need a little grace from the driver. Hey, we’re all human. Communication will help all of this.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I TIP A BUS DRIVER?

Collect a tip for the driver: $50-$80/day is a good guideline.

HOTELS/LODING: KEEP FRONT DESK INFORMED

1. Place the dates for deposit / cancellation dates on your
2. Payment dates also equal decision dates: we’ll need to know your
3. Failure to meet those dates and will result in potential losses
4. ROOM LISTS ARE TYPICALLY REQUIRED PRIOR TO CHECK-IN.

When you operate according to schedule and keep us as your bus provider, and other contractors, hotels, resorts, meeting spaces and meal providers informed we are much more able to work with you, should you experience changes;  a drop or increase in numbers, intermittent whether a delayed departure or late arrival.

LIFT TICKETS:

Most SKI RESORTS: Require your lift ticket order TWO (2) weeks prior to your trip. Email or fax your order form on time. Check with the resort you’ll be traveling to for details.

SKI/SNOWBOARD RENTALS: Some of the people in your group are going to need rentals. You have two options:

1. Rent at home before you leave: we recommend this.
2. Rent at the mountain: Call your ski resort regarding rental arrangements, they can send you rates and order sheets.

We look forward to serving you with transportation, and are happy to lend a hand in your winter trip planning. We want your trip to be an amazing experience as we work together.

Please feel free to contact us as we plan.

It’s going to be an epic winter. And it just got easier.