More info.

https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-mountain-on-track-for-friday-opening-ski-reservations-go-live-wednesday/

Yeah considering you've been out here before, you will be sorely disappointed. Skip it! Not worth it!

Thanks for the replies.

I guess the reservation system opens today at 2pm your time. That answers my original question, so thanks for that Keith.

I'm gonna wait until Monday 11/23 and make the call then. They'll have been open for the weekend by then and I'll try to get a grip on the mountain operations then.

Couple other things:

Can you go to a bar and get drinks without ordering food?

Can you sit at the bar (Garf's, Yetis, Montauk, Pepe's, etc.) and drink?

Are restaurants only allowing 3 or 4 tables to be occupied at one time due to spacing requirements? (I would assume larger restaurants (eg Montauk, Chop House) are allowed more tables occupied as long as they're spaced out?

Will they be limiting the number of people on a chairlift or in a Gondi car?

I'm sure I can find most of this stuff online, but I'd rather hear answers from people who actually have boots on the ground in Vail.

Thanks for any info....

No drinking at a bar or without food. You can sit on a patio and drink.

Restaurants are at 25% capacity or 50 people whichever is less. Though summit county just closed all indoor dining. If things dont turn here quick that could happen. Schools just got sent home yesterday.

Lifts will only be loaded with like groups.

Doubles will go up as doubles. Singles will go up single etc..they say they might allow 2 singles to go on opposite sides of a 6 chair. I expect lines to be slow.

Ouch, but thanks Keith.

It's usually not crowded at all during Thanksgiving, at least from our experience over the years. Kinda why we love it out there those 5 days.

Gonna wait until the 23rd and make the call then.

Seems like Eagle County has been about 2 weeks behind Summit County in terms of Covid actions taken, so I guess we'll know more in a few days.

Here in the NYC area, things are def trending in the wrong direction and actions are being taken again, including curfews, limited hours for restaurants, etc.

At this point, I am just hoping the mountain can stay open for the whole season.

Thanks for the reply.

To further clarify, bars that serve no food remain closed, bars that happen to serve food are allowed to be open (or restaurants that have a bar). But, with capacity at only 25%, most places have opted to close off their entire bar portion of the restaurant. In many places, the common design of the bar does not allow for a safe minimum of 6' distance from the bartender, not to mention the obvious seating arrangements thanks to barstools. You will not be able to go most anywhere and just sit at a bar and drink, nor will you be allowed to walk up to the bar and order a drink. You must be seated at a table and a server will bring you a drink. (Sounds like how Utah used to be right about now). Some restaurants are currently using their bar space for people to safely wait on their to-go food, properly spaced, of course. Bars are almost completely out of the equation this season for most establishments that serve food.

Bars that only serve liquor/beer/wine but no food have either had to adapt by opening a kitchen on their premises to stay open thanks to a temporary variance mandated by the state, or just stay shut down, which a few have. Bonfire Brewing in Eagle was allowed to bring in a food truck to set up shop right next to the brewery, so this allows them to remain open. You will see that in many instances, That said, still no sitting at the bar.

Thanksgiving is looking to be extremely busy this year thanks to Covid, especially after what CO went through this summer. Everyone and their mother has/had the same idea: fresh air, being outdoors, skiing or escaping to the mountains. Little do many folks know that they are actually traveling to a hot spot right now. During the busiest time of the year, with a dismal start to the ski season anyway thanks to mother nature. Tourists are setting themselves up for a world of disappointment tbh.

Thanks Gotama, It's a bleak picture you are painting, but I will make the call on the 23rd whether to buy plane tickets or not. Already have a place to stay in Lionshead.

Just got the email I was waiting for:

https://www.vail.com/explore-the-resort/about-the-resort/winter-experience.aspx?VRI_v73=5442986&cmpid=EML_OPENDAYS_RESO_000_VL_SR_RENMY_000000_TG0001_20201118_V00_EX001_DEST_ANN_00000_000

In the waiting room:

Number of users in line ahead of you: 4079

Your estimated wait time is: 16 minutes

Serving: ~50k guests per hour

I was in the waiting room for 11 minutes and then I booked 5 days, 11/25-11/29.

I can cancel at any time to let other people grab the spots, but I plan on coming out pending weather issues.

The reservation system was really easy to use and very self explanatory.

I had to book the 5 days one day at a time, so instead of 15 seconds to book, it took about a minute.

By day 3, I was booking the days with my eyes closed.

Very easy to use system and incredibly user friendly. I liked the experience.

Kudos to Vail for getting a system like that up and running so smoothly (for now!!).

See y'all on the evening of the 24th (If I come out).

Happy Thanksgiving......