SAM Magazine--May 2, 2012--Vail Resorts, Inc., released lift ticket sales, ski school and other ancillary results from the 2011/12 season, as compared to the same approximate time period last year. The measurements are from the beginning of the ski season through April 22, 2012, and are compared to the beginning of the ski season in 2010 through April 24, 2011. (The data excludes Kirkwood, Calif., which was acquired on April 12, 2012.)

First, season-to-date total lift ticket revenue at Vail's six mountain resorts, including an allocated portion of season pass revenue, was down 0.3% this season compared to last, which is not bad considering the fact that total skier visits were off 12.6% this year over last. Broken out, Vail's Colorado resorts saw an 8.9% drop over last year, while the California resorts suffered a 24.2% drop in visits.

Season-to-date ancillary revenue from ski school was up 0.3%, while dining revenue was down 4% and retail/rental revenue dropped 0.3% over the same period last year.

However, total season-to-date ancillary revenue per skier visit from ski school, dining and retail/rental increased 13.4%. In other words, those that came, spent more.

The results are from Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; and Heavenly and Northstar in California.