 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi!
First ever ski trip in less than 3 weeks, with a friend (and I am SUPER PUMPED!!!), however we are in a bit of a pickle.
We had booked an all inclusive snowboarding package (accomodation, ski pass, leesons and hire) early January.
Unfortunately, the company that we booked the trip with (wasteland ski) has cancelled our lessons, due to lack of numbers for this package.
So now we are left with the snowboards, but no skills to use it or an instructor to teach us :/
Is it possible to dive in without the lessons, hoping to pick up naturally OR should we try and arrange lessons?
Also can anyone recommend cheap instructors or schools?
(complete newbie here, so sorry if I come across as unprepared)
Any advice is appreciated!
Thanks
K
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to snowheads, @kenji2591. What a bummer - I hope that company has given you a refund which would enable you to pay for alternative lessons!
Some people undoubtedly do dive in without lessons - and if you have high pain thresholds and are already experienced at something like skateboarding, you might be OK.
But lessons will see you progress faster and less painfully. Somebody will probably come up with specific suggestions. ESF are likely to be cheapest but might not be best.
Meantime, and especially if you want to teach yourselves, this book is excellent. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Go-Snowboard-Neil-McNab/dp/1405315741/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456336167&sr=8-1&keywords=mcnab+snowboard&tag=amz07b-21
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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?
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Thanks @pam w, I'm checking the ESF site now!!
Would you think it's possible to get lessons for £50? (the amount of our refund)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For a 5 day beginners course you'd pay more than £50. The ESF are as cheap as you're likely to get - I think you should hold out for an amount which would enable you to get alternative lessons.
Depends on the small print you signed up for, obviously.
I've not heard of wasteland ski. It would be useful for other forum users to get a report on how you find your holiday with them (and what you paid, perhaps!).
Good luck.
Val Thorens is a very good resort. 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'd go for Prosneige ski svhool in Val T.
The refund they are offering you won't get you very far at all, so I'd try replying to them declining the refund in favour of them sending you off to a school in resort and joing one if their groups.
Just be clear that you booked a package including lessons with them - and that you understand they may have had issues creating a full group, so you are happy to help them out by not objecting to being sent off to join another ski school group in resort 
Do you NEED lessons - well, it's not compulsory, but given you are complete beginners, lessons would massively reduce the amount of falls and pain, and get you travelling much more enjoyably over a huge amount more of the area by the end of the week than without - though you'd be able to do something by the end the week without them, just not as much...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wasteland (assuming the same one) are an outfit that was set up in the 90's primarily aimed at the student travel market. Taking thousands of students on all inclusive 'bargain' style trips each year on the format of 6 to a self catering apartment style! They used to be the biggest in their sector in the early 00's.
As far as the £50 is concerned - that won't go very far at all.
If I were you I would look closely at the contract as you may be better of getting a full refund if you can and rebooking with the UCPA as that is a similar sort of package (minus travel which you could organise easily enough) and the lessons would go ahead as there are so many takers to UCPA programs (UCPA is like the French Youth Hostel Association!).
Good luck!
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| Steve Angus wrote: |
| Wasteland (assuming the same one) are an outfit that was set up in the 90's primarily aimed at the student travel market. Taking thousands of students on all inclusive 'bargain' style trips each year on the format of 6 to a self catering apartment style! They used to be the biggest in their sector in the early 00's. |
Just had a look on their website and looks like the same lot.
I'd be tempted to have a bit of a moan over only getting £50 back (unless it was clear that it was £50 at the time of order). It certainly won't get you far with lessons
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Thanks@pam w, @fixx, @Steve Angus, @SnoodyMcFlude, all for your advice!!
Our deal for the snowboarding package was £150 for 10hrs of lesson and snowboard hire.
They offered us either the full refund of £150, or £50 with the snowboard hire(which we chose).
My friend has emailed the company regarding this, to which they pretty much replied with 'take it or leave it'
We will meet up in the weekend and start booking the lessons ourselves.
Is the £100 for snowboard hire (7days) worth it?
Thanks again everyone!!
K
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
Is the £100 for snowboard hire (7days) worth it?
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Nope, they're taking the wee wee - basic level (all you'll need for your first week) snowboard and boots 7 day package is coming up at 76EUR on alpinresorts, with the snowhead discount code (just clicky the link for details). Book through them, get the money back from wasteland, and put the extra difference towards your lessons.
If you are getting some money back each, and are feeling pretty confident, you could maybe book 2x2hr private lessons shared between the 2 of you, instead of a week of group lessons - first day and 3rd day maybe. It'll work out a little cheaper, and will be more tailored to you so you might get more out of it. But group lessons will look after you all week... Your call!
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Echo what @fixx said, you should be able to get boots and board for quite a bit less than £100....unless that's £100 for more than one person.
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