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new to snowheads and a bit of confusion with soldeu/el tarter lift pass

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi guys

Im off to andorra with my girlfriend skiing for the first time and im a little confused with the access to the slopes that igluski have given me.
It is a neilson holiday and we got a beginners ski pack which consists of skis, boots, 5x3 hour lessons and a local pass.
Now I was under theimpression that soldeu/el tarter were there own joint resort and that I would have access to both areas. However after looking ob nelisons website it says that it will only cover one of those areas and not both, yet wherever else I read people say they're a joint area?
Ive been to grandvalira before but boarded instead and would like to have more than just one small specific area, I know soldeu/el tarter would be big enough to learn to ski but just one or the other I find would be a little too small dont you think?
If anyone has experienced this before id appreciate a response as it's starting to worry me a touch, is there a supplement I can pay to upgrade the area or will I have to bite the bullet and purchase a full pass for the days we'd like to expand?

Thanks in advance
Luke
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've been to Soldeu for my first ever ski trip (2years ago) and booked through Neilson on similar package to the one you've bought - as far as I know, the pass you've bought will be for the whole of grandvalira (which will cover Soldeu, El Tarter, Pas and Grau Roig). There is no Soldeu only pass.

There is a beginners pass, but I'm sure that Neilson would be clear that this covers only one or 2 lifts. Even as a complete beginner this would only last a day a most (By day 3, your instructor will be taking you over to El Tarter).

Maybe double check with Neilson for your own sanity sake but I'm pretty sure you'll have booked a grandvalira pass.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Sorry.. forgot to say - Welcome to Snowheads!!! snowHead

How very rude of me!! Wink
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HI,

I'm in a very similar postion, we have beginners same resort and with Neilsen. I booked through Iglu and have to say I got the impression that the beginners pack had the full area pass however prompted by your post it I have looked at Neilsens website and it clearly say that the pass only covers Soldeu or El tarter dependant on which you are staying at. I have since called Neilsen and they have confirmed that an upgrade is available in resort.

This explains why the beginner pack is £50 cheaper even though you get 2 lessons more than with the improvers pack. Confusingley I think Iglu do not differntiate between the lift pass you get with improver or beginner pass on their website (the full pass is given for the improver pack according to the Neilsen website).
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
There is no multi-day beginners pass. That is available for 1 day only, and only covers the local sector, available in the Canillo, El Tarter, Grau Roig and Pas de la Casa sectors. There isn't any pass at all that only covers Soldeu.

http://www.grandvalira.com/en/ski-passes

Even if you are a complete beginner, if you are booked on a week's holiday (6 days skiing) , they should have booked you either 1 day beginners pass and 5 day multi day area pass, or a 6 day multi day area pass. You will be moving beyond the local area pretty quickly.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
The Nielsen website just says local to soldeu not that it is a soldeu area pass. I hope your correct and therefore we won't need to upgrade.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
How much was the upgrade jake manc? And when are you off on your travels?!
Merry Christmas to all.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
The lady on the phone didn't know, I will be there Sunday 12th jan . V excited now, merry xmas
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
A conversation I had and kept with a nelson representative about this exact subject.


[Nicole]Hi,$Thank$you$for$contac1ng$Neilson$Ac1ve$Holidays.
[Mark]
[Nicole] We only sell the Area lift pass for this resort so that will be included in this
[Mark] So, the beginner package would have come with the full area then?
[Nicole] No the beginner package does come with the Local lift pass as there are two extra lifts up top that it would not apply to which apply's to the area lift pass
[Nicole] We sell the Lift pass for the area and for the improver but the beginner pack does hav local restricted pass
[Mark] Ok, not really understanding this. But, does that mean the 'improver package' comes with a full Grandvalira lift pass?
[Nicole] Yes
[Mark] Ok then, thank you for your help.

After a somewhat evasive phone call I resorted to this as there are 4 of us and 2 taking lessons. Keeping the copy for the resort, just in case things don't pan out as they should.
Roll on Jan 5th.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
We had this confusion with the Grandvalira pass through Direct Ski. They said it was for single resort only and was negotiated as a cheap deal for beginners with Grandvalira. When we got there it was a standard Grandvalira pass that covered all their ski areas. This was a good few years ago but it sounds like the same issue.
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I just spoke to neilson about this and the lady said that its a restricted pass as said above. She couldn't say how much an upgrade was as its not something they offer, but assured me the reps in resort are very good and it can be done.
Im starting to worry as we're off on the 5th and I'm very confident my girlfriend and I will pick it up and be wanting to explore more of the mountain.
I hope someone who has experienced this in the past few months could fully confirm this!

Thornyhill - I hope you're correct on this one, I've just got a feeling that as times have come on in the last few years, Iit will no longer be the case and this infamous "restricted pass" is just what it claims to be, despite the resort giving no information on such a thing!

If no one replies to this with a definitive answer, I'll update when I arrive home
Thanks everyone
Luke
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
tizwoz wrote:

Thornyhill - I hope you're correct on this one, I've just got a feeling that as times have come on in the last few years, Iit will no longer be the case and this infamous "restricted pass" is just what it claims to be, despite the resort giving no information on such a thing!



It seems a bit unlikely. It would be significant effort on the part of the ski area, for very little gain, unless they were going to actively market "local segment only" passes.

They would have to program the lift barriers to recognise the difference between a segment pass and an area pass, and only allow the correct segment pass to work, and they would also have to put up signs indicating the edges of each segment area (As they do, for instance in the Dolomites, but there they do actively market the local passes as well as the whole area passes).

I find it hard to believe they would do this just for some special deals with TOs for restricted passes.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hi Guys, I have organised a trip to El Tarter for 6 people, I have spoken to the head instructor at the the ski school via email, she assures me that the 'beginner package' pass covers Soldeu, El tarter and Canillo. More than ample for beginners. I will be providing a copy of the email for the two guys on 'beginner' pacakages.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
Im starting to worry as we're off on the 5th

Quote:
I'll update when I arrive home


Did you get sorted thentizwoz?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hey guys, it does indeed cover those areas and there is more than enough terrain for beginners there so no need to worry!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi just to confirm the beginners pass covers el tarter soldeu and canillo. Our beginners however upgraded for 50 euros for the whole area and due to the gentle nature of the area were able to get as far as pas de la casa. On another note we had a great time in the grandvalaria the resort surpassing expectations. Good food! Great snow and fun terrain with some powder thrown in for good measure and the locals even smile sometimes.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
jakemanc, interesting. I've never heard of this pass; it sounds like a secret thing only available through TOs. Out of interest, I'll ask about it in the ticket office next week. Does it cover all the lifts in those sectors, and if not, does it still allow you to ski between the sectors as opposed to changing sector by road?
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