meb123's Passport
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Send a ComplimentAbout Me & My Family
We are a family of 5. We love to travel and to see new things. We look for a educational experience in everything we do and my we do a lot. Our kids are so used to being on the go that they have tremendous stamina. We try to plan 2 large trips every year and supplement them with weekend get-aways, staycations and a day jaunt now and again. Our kids are always wondering what the next spot will be.
Our Family's Travel Personality
adventurous, energetic
We Just Got Back From
Marco Island and the Florida Everglades
Our Favorite Vacation Spot
Rhode Island beaches
A Place We'd Love To Visit
Africa
Favorite Vacation Memory
Watching the kids lug their car seats through the airport on their first plane ride.
Worst Travel Moment With My Kids:
My youngest got sick with the stomach bug at 4 am in the morning 1 hour before our plane ride to get to St' John USVI. We had to make it through 2 plane legs, 1 long taxi ride, a ferry ride and a 45 minute rental car ride to our villa with her being sick!!!
Websites I Like:
Kid-friendly WInter Fun at Killington Mountain Ski Resort
Have fun with your family on a Killington Vermont ski vacation!!
228 East Mountain Rd.
(Ramshead Learning Area) Killington, Vermont
Comment:
Part of the Killington learners program.
reviewed on: April 09 2010
"Ministars creates a new skier"
Creating a “New Skier” at the Ministars Skiing program at Killington Resort.My 5 year old daughter recently spent a Saturday in the Ministars program at the ski school at Killington Resort. This program is designed for the 4 to 6 year old child and is limited to a maximum of 5 children per class. The class is either ½ day from 9 to 12:30 or 12:30 to 3pm. You can also complete a full day program. The cost for the full day is $140.00. There are also programs and daycare for younger and older children. Lunch is included in the full day program. Killington offers a Stay and Ski package which has an a la carte menu of discounted services where you might be able to save money on your total vacation package. If you chose to use it, make sure you also compare it to regular prices because for the Ministars, the package did not offer significant savings.
Drop off Transition Was Very Well Managed:
My daughter really enjoyed the Ministars ski school program. We were somewhat concerned that she would have difficulty separating from us because she has recently been experiencing some attachment issues. I was afraid she was going to be one of those kids that cried for her Mom to the point of distraction. I was very impressed with the way the staff worked with her right from drop off. There was no line or waiting in this area. As everything moved so quickly she was not able to get nervous and the staff seemed to know what to do to get her accustomed to the new area. We had received and completed her forms in advance and brought her to the desk at 8:30AM. We were pleasantly surprised that we did not have to deal with getting her equipment fitted on her. The school took care of that for this age group. We kissed her goodbye and off she went into a bright, clean, large daycare type room. The school immediately started with activities to loosen the kids up. When we peeked in on her briefly (without her knowledge) I was so glad to see that she was doing just fine. We were relieved.
Ski School Facilities Are Age and Skill Level Appropriate:
After some indoor activities we were able to see her on the bunny slope in between our runs. All the MiniStars were wearing flashy green and yellow vests for easy identification and care. They were all riding the “Magic Carpet” lift by themselves and skiing with assistance. They began on a small snow hole and moved from there up to the larger hill. If you enroll your child for two days, the kids usually move to the second larger bunny slope on the second day. If your child is doing very well they move onto the green trails. The green trails are my speed so it is a hoot to see preschoolers on the trails.
Staff for Ministars Were Wonderful:
Her instructor Paige was wonderful. She was fun and attentive. As a matter of fact we saw her on Sunday and she remembered my daughter and told her she was proud of her as she was now skiing on the larger bunny slope, making turns and stopping all without adult help. The instructor said it is a great feeling to see a student progress and develop a love for skiing. Another instructor who did not teach my daughter saw her enthusiasm as she was gliding alone down the even larger bunny slope on Sunday and said “Hello new skier”. My daughter was thrilled and continues to repeat this story when she talks about our trip. I spent all of Sunday skiing with my daughter and come closing time her mind still wanted to ski, but her body was done. She is really looking forward to going again. She likes to go “fast” and wants “poles”.
I spoke with my daughter about her group and how the instructor handled the children. She said there was one child that cried for his mother for a very long time. I asked what they did and she said they finally took him inside. She seemed indifferent to this however. On Sunday I saw a similar situation unfold when I was skiing with her at Ramshead. An instructor with a group of three had one child that was frozen and pleading with the instructor to call his mother. Although his older sister was in the same group she could not calm him down. The instructor was pleasant and kind to the student, however, the student required so much attention and was so upset that the other children were not getting due attention. It might be helpful for parents to set expectations with the school in advance if they even have an inkling that their child might not be cooperative. It is only fair to the other skiers.
Worth the Pretty Penny
Overall, we were very happy with the MiniStars program. While my daughter was learning to ski, my husband and myself spent the day enjoying the mountain, something we could not have done if she was skiing with us. We spoke with a different instructor on a lift and he stated “friends and family should never teach someone to ski”. I completely agree. My daughter is on her way to being an independent skier. She wants to go back again and show her instructor how much better she has gotten.
Some other tidbits:
On Sunday my daughter, excited at her new skill forgot she had to go to the bathroom and had an accident. The ski school remembered us from the day earlier and when I asked to see if they had any additional clothes, they were able to produce a pair of ski pants. They do not run into this problem often as they have 2 bathroom breaks during the day. The mountain also hires an outside photographer that takes shots of the kids and the adults for that matter throughout the day. We were able to look at them on the website when we returned. You can purchase and download them right from the website and have a great memento of your ski vacation. Also don’t forget the complimentary Ben and Jerry’s ice cream served at Ramshead Lodge for ski school participants and their parents. It is served next to the sports shop. It really tastes great after a long day of skiing.
This review is based on a complimentary visit to the Killington Ski Resort. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not sate any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
228 East Mountain Rd.
(Ramshead Learning Area) Killington, Vermont
Comment:
The Killington learner program for older kids.
reviewed on: April 09 2010
"Superstars at Killington"
The SuperStar Ski School Program at Killington Ski Resort.We recently returned from our first ski resort vacation ever. We stayed at The Beast in the east…Killington, Vermont.
Our eight year old boy/girl twins took the Superstars program at the Ramshead Lodge at Killington on a snowy Saturday in late February. This program is designed for children ages 7 through 12. They had been skiing formally only one other time and that was last year at a local Connecticut mountain, nothing like the Vermont slopes.
Check in and Rental Process went very smoothly:
We needed to be at the ski school ready with our equipment by 8:30am. This was not an issue due to the proximity of our accommodations. The rental process was a breeze as the ski school sent all pertinent forms to us to complete in advance. When we arrived, we handed them our forms and they gave us our equipment. The rental gear was well maintained and the staff at the rental area were accommodating, fun and personable. This is helpful when you are unaware of all the intricacies of ski equipment. The only issue encountered was that helmets were not included in the rental package and cost an additional $13.00 a day. I felt that helmets should be included as part of the package if the ski school’s priorities really are safety, fun then learning as I was told.
Unexpected Extra Expenses Could be Avoided:
After our fitting we made it to the ski school meeting area feeling awkward with all of our gear. We were then informed that all children should have goggles. As it was snowing this made perfect sense and everyone WAS wearing them, but being novice skiers ourselves (at least for this type of skiing) we were unaware of the requirement. This meant I had to clunk back upstairs in my ski boots to purchase goggles for everyone. I wish I had been told of this requirement before arriving at Killington so we could have avoided paying a premium for the goggles on the mountain.
Not all Instructors Are Equally Good:
At the start of the lesson the children were divided into groups based on their experience. They rode a fun “Magic Carpet” to the top of a bunny slope learning area and were assessed for their ability level. At first my husband and I watched our kids nervously because it appeared no one was really watching them, however, we were happy with their eventual assessments. As it would happen the twins were separated. The fact that they ended up with two different instructors highlighted the difference between a good and an excellent instructor. My sons instructor Ursula was wonderful. She made a great connection with my son and he immediately asked if he could have lessons with her again. By day two he was skiing down the blue trails with tons of confidence (I hid my eyes). Granted he is naturally athletic, but he had made great strides for only being on skis twice. On the other hand, by the time day 2 rolled around my daughter had much less confidence. Her instructor was caring and pleasant, but seemed less enthusiastic. It almost appeared as thought she was trying to limit the number of children she would be assigned. That aside she did provide us with good feedback and my daughter did like her. Eventually she too worked up to the green trails.
Small Class Sizes Makes for Safer Skiing and Better Instruction
We liked to low instructor to student ratio of 1:5 The instructors I spoke to said the low ratios are a big improvement because in years past when they had over 10 students each it was hard to teach and watch the children. This made me feel much more confident about the safety of the program. Actually my daughter had only 2 other skiers in her group.
Communication with Parents Could Be A Little Better
I must say that I was a bit surprised to discover upon picking up my children that they had taken a bus to a different area of the mountain. Truth be told the only time my kids have ever been out of my sight is when they are at school, so I was a bit shaken to learn they had left the general area we dropped them off at. Again, as novices to skiing at a large resort, I now know this is what you do to get to other areas of a mammoth mountain. It would have set my mind more at ease if instructors had made this clear at drop off.
Pay A Little More for the Big Mountain Experience:
The price for ski school Superstars is $140.00 per day for a weekend rate. This rate is a little higher than the other area ski resorts of Stratton and Okemo by about $20.00. I imagine it is because the mountain is much larger in size with almost double the amount of trails and lifts. Pico is owned by the same management company.
Overall, I would definitely recommend the ski school at Killington. Even with the range in quality of instructors, even a first time skier would learn a lot. We cannot wait to go back. We are now a family of skiers!!!
Tips
You must make reservations for ski or board school in advance as the number of students is limited. Also, remember to bring goggles and helmets to avoid unexpected expenses. Note that the walk from the Grand resort to Ramshead is more arduous than it would first seem when laden with ski equipment and 3 kids. The rental desk said it would be easier than rerenting the equipment the next day, but I have to wonder about that after experiencing it first hand. Perhaps the resort should look into having equipment check closer to the lifts or provide some type of tote to put the equipment in for walking. We had to make several trips.
This review is based on a complimentary visit to Killington Ski Resort. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular view.
4763 Killington Road
Killington, Vermont
Comment:
The Beast of the East. Something for every level of skier.
reviewed on: April 09 2010
"Killington Ski Resort"
Skiing the Beast of the East…Killington Vermont.We recently returned from a late February ski weekend with our three children ages 8, 8, and 5. Aside from my husband, all of us are novice skiers, and the kids have only been on skis one other time at a local mountain here in Connecticut. My husband and I were nervous about the size and scope of Killington as well as the weather. It had been snowing in the Northeast for days and we had to combat this on our drive from Connecticut. The drive and the mountain turned out to be less imposing than we thought. We beat the snow and found 2 feet had fallen on Killington prior to our arrival. Although the mountain is large, we felt very at home at our two base lodges, Snowshed and Ramshead. We were so impressed with the size and amount of lifts in these 2 areas it was hard to fathom that there were more ski lodges and lifts in other areas of the mountain for a total of 191 trails and 28 lifts. There is truly something at Killington for every level of skier or snowboarder from novice to freestyle expert.
Killington is a scenic 30 mile jaunt off the highway. The scenery is pretty and grand. However viewing the mountain from the ski lift is better yet. We really enjoyed seeing the pristine snow covered trees and fresh snow. After acquiring our equipment we rode the lifts with many snowboarders and skiers and it seemed like the resort attracted a 50/50 mix of each.
The equipment rental process was quick and easy, especially if you arrive before 9:00am when the masses start to arrive. The staff was upbeat and helpful. The equipment selection was good and was either standard or advanced. The standard rental prices are $39.00 per day for adult and $26.00 per day for children. There is a 15% savings on 3 days or more. Once equipment was squared away and our kids were in their lessons, my husband and I headed out for the lifts. Although I heard others complaining about their wait times, I thought the lines moved relatively quickly. We never waited more than 5 minutes to get on the lifts. There were also express and gondola express lifts that were very quick to move you to the top of the trails. Although I have only been skiing three times before I had no problem navigating or dismounting the lifts, nor did my even more novice children. Overall, I thought the mountain was fairly crowd free except for the main ski area at the base of Snowshed. I overheard a man complaining about the number of learning children. However, that did not bother me as much as the overzealous adults. That being said, we had visited Stratton Mountain last year and found the skiing adults rude and intolerant to the children (not ours). Compared to that, this crowd seems much more child friendly, a sentiment echoed by another skier with whom my husband rode a lift.
As newbies to the area, we were pleasantly surprised by the number of employees and instructors on hand to help out at the bottom of the slopes. As we were walking in they were handing out maps and all employees seemed very ready to help in terms of trail recommendations and runs. I skied only the green runs as I am a tentative skier. There were plenty of green trails for me, but there did seem to be many more blue and black trails on the map. This was okay for me as I think it keeps the faster skiers away from the novice skiers and children who are nervous. Additionally, it seemed as though there were not a lot of ski patrol personnel in these beginner areas. Perhaps they stay on the more advanced trails. The trails were full of mother natures snow powder due to the earlier blizzard and were very well groomed.
Overall, Killington is slightly more expensive than its other Vermont counterparts; Okemo and Stratton. (Pico also owned by same management company as Killington and you can actually interchange your lift tickets). The additional expense is in every category; rentals, lift tickets, ski school and accommodations. You should remember that this is the Beast and I have a feeling the others do not compare. The food at the lodges at Killington is also quite expensive. Three pieces of pizza, 3 drinks, 2 oranges and a bowl of soup cost us $37.00. You might save some money by packing a lunch or going back to you room to prepare a quick meal.
We would definitely like to return with our kids and try out a few more of the trails at Killington.
This review is based on a complimentary visit to Killington Ski Resort. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
228 East Mountain Road
Killington, Vermont
Comment:
The certified day care facility for skiing parents.
Killington Rd
Killington, Vermont
Comment:
Apres ski easy dining.The resort has a shuttle if you do not want to make the drive.
reviewed on: April 19 2010
"On a train for dinner"
Casey's Caboose was recommended to us from the conceriege at the Killington Grand Resort. We were concerned about a kid friendly environs, and they were dead on telling us about this place. We ate there 2 nights because the kids enjoyed it so much the first night.The menu included regular kid fare ( tenders, hot dogs, etc), but also had slow cooked ribs, free range burgers and a fish dish. Additionally, there was specialized seating in this converted caboose. Our kids enjoyed a table low to the ground in a secluded area. There were also tables overlooking the train that was traveling through the bar.The only somewhat negative was how loud the apres ski crowd in the bar area could be. It did not bother us, however some might be annoyed.
Lastly, the owners of Casey's and a few other area restuarants have devised a shuttle system for those skiiers who may imbibe to much. It is comforting to know that people who should not be driving have an alternate means of transportation
228 East Mountain Road
Killington, Vermont
reviewed on: April 19 2010
"A room and a pool"
A Room and Pool Our family with a pair of 8 year old twins (boy and girl) and a 5 year old (girl) recently returned from a 2 night ski weekend at Killington Grand Resort and Spa. The ride to the hotel was especially beautiful due to the fresh 2 feet of snow that had fallen. The resort is about 30 miles from the highway up a mountain pass. You can also reach the resort via Rutland by train from NYC. The kids were tired and hungry when we arrived, but we were immediately greeted and made to feel at home. The lobby had 2 roaring fireplaces that made us feel like we had just spent a happy day on the slopes.
Rooms had fabulous views and were spacious
We quickly got through check in and were shown our room. The first thing we noted was the view. The sun was just setting so we were able to see the ski slopes out of every window and from the deck of our 2 bedroom, 2 bath suite with a kitchen. The room was decorated in a ski motif and looked recently updated. The kitchen was well equipped with all you need to prepare and serve meals. This is the type of room we have gotten used to when traveling with kids. We can eat every meal in if we chose so we don’t have to take whiny kids out to a restaurant and eat unhealthy foods. The room was clean and tidy for the most part, however there was a very large stain on the carpet in the kids bedroom and the dishes had not been put away. The kids room was a lock off to our room which included a bedroom, a Murphy bed and a pull out Queen as well as 2 televisions and a kitchen. The kids’ room itself had a bathroom and would have been considered a standard room, although it was constructed larger probably to accommodate ski gear. The 2 rooms together were very large and definitely enough space for a family of 5. The rooms were well heated-almost too well heated and for some reason we could not find the thermostat.
Our room also had a view of the pool. This was the piece de resistance for our kids. An outdoor pool, heated to 94 degrees Fahrenheit and 2 bubbling spas were beckoning the kids. We quickly got a recommendation from the front desk for a dinner plan so we could get back in time for a swim before bedtime.
Some staff were excellent, while others seemed a little aloof:
Upon driving up to the lobby we were first greeted by Chris from the valet. He was quick, courteous, friendly and knowledgeable. Housekeeping also did a good job. The kids were especially happy when their loveys were folded and neatly placed on their beds with their animals. They thought Chris from valet services did it… we let them think it so. The front desk staff however did not match the efforts of the excellent valet service or housekeeping staff. They seemed aloof and tired, but not necessarily rude. However, their restaurant pick was a hit.
Outdoor pool was the highlight
After dinner, we went back for a swim and found it to be an experience not to be missed. I really feel the hotel can do a better job advertising the pool experience. We thought it was unbelievable that we were swimming outdoors while it was snowing. My kids got a kick out of jumping in the snow then jumping back into the heated pool. Judging by the crowd in the pool, I would say it was a hit with all the kids. I spoke with anther mother who came with a friend and her children. The friend was at first hesitant to bring a swim suit for her children, and luckily eventually gave in. She certainly was happy she did. The staff was also very concerned with safety and stopped a younger crowd from bringing glass into the pool area in a friendly and courteous manner.
Room Rates Were Reasonable For What You Get.
Our room rate was about $700.00 a night. You might expect that for a room of this size with a kitchen. Overall, for a larger group or one intent on eating in for meals there might be a savings over a regular room with a rate of about $300.00 where you might have to get more than one room. This is also a bit more than surrounding ski areas although you cannot compare the rooms directly. You might be able to save money on your vacation by using the Stay and Ski application on Killington’s website to find package discounts.
Overall, we had a blast at the Killington Grand Resort and Spa. We did not even get to use the spa services. Additionally, there are other child friendly winter activities in the area including; snowmobile ride tours, sleigh rides and snow shoeing. The kids were asked which vacation they liked better: a weekend at Killington or a week in St. John USVI. To our surprise they said they would want to alternate…who would have guessed?
PROS CONS
Room view and layout front desk aloof
Helpful valet not enough valet employees during
Kitchen busy times
Pool/spa no high safety lock on hotel doors
In house restaurant small bathroom in double room
Adjoining room
Alcohol sanitizer in hall/lobby
Room safe
Down Comforters
This review is based on a complimentary visit to Killington Ski Resort. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
