Vivaldi Park Ski World

Vivaldi Park ski slopes

Although Daemyung Resort Vivaldi Park is located in Gangwon-do province, it’s only just across the provincial boundary and the direct shuttle buses take 90 minutes from Seoul so it’s very convenient to visit – Vivaldi Park is also the largest hill you can hit using free shuttle buses from Seoul, as there’s a free shuttle bus service specifically for foreign visitors (the shuttle leaves from Myeongdong, so if you’re staying there it’s actually easier to go to Vivaldi than one of the closer resorts. See below for details)

The halfpipe at Vivaldi Park Resort

The halfpipe’s been removed unfortunately

Vivaldi Park is the flagship resort of the Daemyung leisure resort group, and is pretty much the textbook example of the typical ski resort business model in Korea; a huge hotel, condo & mall development nestled in the mountains, with a golf course, a water park (Ocean World, apparently modelled on Ancient Egypt for some reason), and the ski area all attached. The whole thing is officially called Daemyung Resort Vivaldi Park, but it’s generally referred to simply as Vivaldi Park.

Vivaldi Park: the hill

Mountain stats
Highest lifted point: 565m
Lowest skiable point: 295m
Vertical drop: 270m
Lifts: 9
Runs: 12
Longest run: 1.6km (‘Classic’ > ‘Jazz’)
Terrain park: no (piste map still shows a halfpipe, but was removed in 2018)

Homepage and piste map

Vivaldi Park piste map

Size-wise, the ski area is middling by Korean standards; significantly smaller than the main Gangwon-do resorts further east in Pyeongchang / Taebaek, but larger than the local Seoul hills, it offers a good balance between ease of access and standard of resort. The base facilities are excellent, and the lift system very impressive for such a modest scale resort – it has what must be the most gratuitous gondola this author has yet seen! (surely more valuable for the uplift capacity it provides than anything to do with terrain access)

Vivaldi Park ski slopes

In addition to the gondola which takes you from base to top in excessive comfort, the main chairlift does exactly the same route (but without needing to unstrap & enter the building), and a few other chairs go partway up. In other words, there’s one base area and one top station, and you have half a dozen routes down.

It’s pretty easygoing terrain with mostly gentle gradients, so Vivaldi Park is a good hill for beginners and low intermediates; it has little to offer for upper intermediates and more advanced riders, apart from the notable exception of one of Korea’s few halfpipes. Update: the halfpipe was taken out in 2018, the closest halfpipe to Seoul is now the one at Welli Hilli Park. There’s also no terrain park at Vivaldi; if you’re after some decent kickers & rails near Seoul head to Jisan Forest Resort, or for more serious park riding head out to Phoenix Park or Welli Hilli.

Vivaldi Park Snowyland

Snowy Land

Vivaldi Park is good for:

Access. It’s the most convenient Gangwon-do hill (along with Elysian) and the only Gangwon-do hill with a free tourist shuttle bus. Update: Oak Valley has a free shuttle now too, and has a (modest) terrain park so is a better option for freestyle riders.

Learners & low intermediates.

Non-skiers, who can visit Snowy Land (accessed via its own dedicated gondola) for sledding and various other activities.

Open until 5am(!)

Vivaldi Park is not so good for:

Freestyle; there’s no park or pipe.

Crowds – this place is busy. Weekends and holidays should be avoided.

Busy lines at Vivaldi Park

Line for the ticket windows on a Thursday afternoon

Busy lift lines at Vivaldi Park

Enormous lift lines even on weekdays (this particular chair is the worst as it’s a beginner run)

Vivaldi Park lift tickets

Although it doesn’t quite have the fully flexible ticketing on offer at Konjiam and Elysian Gangchon, Vivaldi Park has a more flexible system than most Korean ski resorts, with a wide range of time slots available as listed here, with prices ranging from 55,000 won (for 5 hours starting at midnight) to 88,000 for 8.5 hours.

If you also need rental equipment & wear, it works out cheapest to book a 1-day package including everything, see here (or here for the 2D1N version).

They have the standard 90-minute snow grooming break, at 5pm, but apart from that they’re open from 8:30am to a pretty amazing 5am i.e. 19 hours a day!

For Snowy Land tickets see here.

Vivaldi Park: accommodation

Vivaldi Park has a huge resort development at the base with several condo towers surrounded by the ski slopes, golf course, and water park. You can search and book their rooms on their homepage or here, also check here. If you also need to rent equipment & wear, it usually works out best to book a package including everything, see here.

Many visitors prefer to stay in Seoul and take a day trip using the free tourist shuttle bus to Vivaldi Park from Myeongdong (see below for access details); for the best rates, search Hotels Combined for deals in Seoul

Airbnb is also a great choice for Seoul – hosts usually have it set up so you can arrive & check in by yourself without having to wait around or meet anyone, and the housing standards are decent with underfloor heating and excellent internet connections as standard. If you haven’t used Airbnb before, you can get a 35-dollar discount off your first rental by signing up through Snow Guide Korea; simply click on this link and register

How to get to Vivaldi Park

If you want to ski and need to rent all the wear & equipment, it works out cheapest to book a package including all that plus transportation, see here (1-day) and here (2D1N). They can also arrange direct private airport transfers.

To get there independently from downtown Seoul simply take the free tourist shuttle bus; you just need to make a reservation on their website (at least 2 days in advance). There are 3 buses per day, departing from Hongdae at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30; the first two stop at Myeongdong (8:00 and 9:00, plus a pickup from CALT (Coex Mall) in Gangnam at 8:30 only) and the third stops at Seoul Station (10:00) and Konkuk University Station (10:30), taking 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending where you board. The buses return to the same destinations at 6pm; for full details & to make reservations see here.

Although poorly photographed here, there’s some nice scenery on the shuttle bus ride (best views if you sit on the right):

Scenery on the way to Vivaldi Park

Frozen river scenery on the way to Vivaldi Park

Shuttle bus passengers are offered some good discount packages, they give you the info on the bus:

Discounts available at Vivaldi Park to shuttle bus passengers

Vivaldi also has local (paid) shuttle buses from Yangpyeong Station on the Gangneung KTX and Seoul Metro’s Gyeongui-Jungang Line, the nearby city of Chuncheon, and the local town Hongcheon:

Vivaldi Park to Hongcheon bus schedule

Hongcheon (홍천) bus schedule

Vivaldi Park to Yangpyeong bus schedule

Yangpyeong (양평) bus schedule

Vivaldi Park to Chuncheon bus schedule

Chuncheon (춘천) bus schedule

These last few shuttle bus options are unlikely to be of use to most visitors, but should you happen to be based in those areas it means you don’t have to go all the way into Seoul only to come all the way back out in almost the same direction!

Vivaldi Park has typically large and well-catered base facilities:

Vivaldi Park cafeteria

As well as this very random statue at the top of the gondola (as of 2019 it’s not there anymore, no idea where it went):

Statue at the top gondola station of Vivaldi Park ski resort

Any questions about Vivaldi Park? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

For more Gangwon-do resorts, see here; for full reviews of every Korean ski resort, see here

Also check out the best Korean ski resorts according to various criteria, and this size comparison of Korea’s ski resorts using satellite imagery.


471 comments on “Vivaldi Park Ski World
  1. hidayah says:

    Hi! For the express bus from Vivaldi to Dongseoul bus terminal at 2pm, how do I get the tickets and would the staff there be able to converse in simple english? As I cannot speak korean

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, there’s a little office at the bus stop area where you can buy tickets (if they’re closed for some reason you’ll be able to pay the driver directly). And yes don’t worry about communicating, the staff understand enough English for you to buy the right ticket.

      Have a great trip!

      • Dasma dalle says:

        Hai i need to visit Seoul and vivaldi sky. But we plan to go there early of march 2019,still have snow or not?

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Dasma, yes they’ll still be open and there’ll still be snow on the ski runs (some of the pictures on this page were taken in March)

          • salmashafa says:

            what if i go there on 26 march. is vivaldi stilll open?

            • Simon Norton says:

              That’s very unlikely I’m afraid.

              Update: they’ve confirmed their closing date is March 3rd. Sorry!

              • Vince says:

                Where can I ski / play with snow on 16/17 March 2019?

                • Simon Norton says:

                  Hi Vince, you can go to High1, it looks like they’ll be open until the 24th

                  • Vince says:

                    Many thanks, do you know if YongPyong will still be open 16-17 March 2019? At least to take gondola and build snowman may be some sled?

                    • Simon Norton says:

                      Hi Vince, yes they’re open until the 24th, you can check the schedule here (I didn’t include Yongpyong in my previous message as I’ve only just seen the announcement for their closing date)

              • Nadnad says:

                Hi,

                We’re planning to go to Snowy Land on late November 2019, will there be any snow or will it open that time?

                • Simon Norton says:

                  Hi, the ski resort usually opens in mid to late November, but unfortunately Snowy Land doesn’t open until December.

                  • yan says:

                    Hi, will the snowy land open on 1 to 5 dec 2019? how much is the entrance fee now?

                    • Simon Norton says:

                      Hi Yan, I’m afraid that will probably be too early for Snow Land, however if the temperatures turn cold early enough it may be possible. We won’t know until November though. The entrance fee is 40000 KRW, but you can get it cheaper here

                    • Yan says:

                      Thanks a lot for your reply simon.

                      There will be 2 kids age 8 and 12 years old, their main purpose are play with the snow, as we are from Malaysia, there are no snow here.

                      Since Snow Land might not be open on 1 to 5 dec 2019, the best place to see snow is Vivaldi park or Elysian?

                    • Simon Norton says:

                      Even if Snowy Land isn’t open yet, Vivaldi is still better than Elysian for you. 2 reasons for this are that it’s bigger and opens earlier, so in the early season you’ll see more snow at Vivaldi than at Elysian. And secondly, if Snowy Land is closed you can still ride the main gondola to the top of the mountain to see the views. Elysian doesn’t have a gondola (you have to use the chairlift) and the view isn’t as good

                  • Sue M Silvester says:

                    Hi Simon, thank you for all the awesome advice! Your blog is a Godsend! May I know, how likely would Snowyland be open by 10 Dec 2019? I really wanna bring my kids snow sledding =) For the free shuttle, would they send an email confirmation after we submit our booking? Thanks so much!

                    • Simon Norton says:

                      Hi Sue,

                      I don’t think Snowy Land will be open by December 10th I’m afraid, the weather’s crazy warm this autumn so everything will open late.

                      Honestly, I can’t remember if they send a confirmation email, but I’ve used the bus multiple times and it’s very easy. Just follow the instructions on the booking screen

      • eileen says:

        Hi will there be snow at vivaldi park at the end of november? 20 nov to 25 nov 2019?

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Eileen,

          It can’t be guaranteed, but there should be. If you look here you can see last year’s opening dates, Vivaldi Park was Nov 24th. They like to open on a Saturday, so I guess this year they’ll aim for the 23rd. But it all depends on the weather in October & November

      • Zoe Sam says:

        Hi Simon,
        Let me gets it right, so If we do not intend to do activity in Vivaldi just enjoy snow and view so the best is pay for 1 time lift pass KRW15,000 right? That is all and do we need to pay another to go down? Thank you.

      • Vicky says:

        When the ski world will be open?

  2. Will says:

    Is there any other accommodations with easy access to the slopes?

    You only mentioned the park’s condos, and as you indicated, it’s on the pricier side.

    I would really like to enjoy the resort for at least 2 days, rather than the day trip from Seoul.
    Thanks a bunch.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Will, there are a bunch of places nearby in Hongcheon, but none of them are quite easy slope access – you’d need to take a taxi (or there may perhaps be a local bus). At the actual resort, it really is just a purpose-built mega resort standing there with nothing else in the immediate vicinity. You can search here for places in Hongcheon. Another option you might want to consider is High1, it’s further away but the town of Gohan has a good range of accommodation close to the resort (there are regular shuttle buses from town up to the slopes)

  3. Fatima says:

    Hi, i am from Malaysia. I am planning to visit korea on February. Is there still snow? Is vivaldi park still open for skii?

  4. Vanessa says:

    Hi Simon, thanks for all the information you have put up. How may I check if Vivaldi or other resorts will be open around 18-23 March? Am hoping for some Spring skiing. Also, is it possible to organise an English ski lesson for my 5 year old ahead of arriving?

    Thanks alot!
    Vanessa

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Vanessa, hard to say in Vivaldi’s case, that tends to be around the time they close. Same for Welli Hilli Park; they won’t announce their closing dates until closer to the time, as it depends on weather conditions between now & then. At this stage the only 2 resorts I can 100% confidently say will be open in late March are Yongpyong and High1. As for booking a lesson in advance, you’d need to contact the resorts directly to enquire (or book a package trip with lessons included). Please be aware that 5 years old is too young for lessons at many ski resorts – again, you’ll need to enquire to each resort directly for a definite answer on that. (if they say no, you can go snow sledding instead)

  5. Azhar says:

    Hi! Im from malaysia, planning to go to Snowy land vivaldi on 2 feb, may i know how much is the price? Do we need to rent the equipment? And for kids age 2 years old, do we need to pay for the ticket? Hope to hear from u soon. Tq

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Azhar,

      See the ‘lift tickets’ section on this page for information about prices.

      Yes, you’ll need to rent any equipment you don’t have.

      What are you planning to do there? Can you already ski, or do you want to take skiing lessons? Because I’m afraid 2 years old is too young for lessons.

  6. Sara says:

    Hi. I’m planning to visit the vivaldi ski park next week. Do you recommend me to get the tickets on the spot or shall I better go with travel groups? Thanks 🙂

  7. Mei says:

    Hi,
    What’s the difference between the cable car and the sky lift? Is sky lift pass unlimited? Why cable car ticket is more expensive than sky lift if it takes you the same route?

  8. Hatsumi says:

    Do you know how much fee for gondola ride only?

  9. Vanessa says:

    Hi, I was wondering if you knew if I could rent equipment/clothes on the spot, I don’t know where to reserve equipment, thank you!

  10. Aini says:

    Hello,
    I am visiting Vivaldi Park on 28/2/2018. May i know how much is the entrance fees for ski park in winter? I don’t want to ski just want to play with the snow.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Aini, there aren’t any entrance fees. If you just want to walk around on the snow, take some pics etc, you can do that without a ticket

      • nifa says:

        is it free if we only take some pics?

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Nifa,

          That’s right, there’s no ticket required if you don’t use the lifts.

          However you might want to get a gondola ticket for 15 dollars – this means you can go to the top of the mountain and see the view (and get better pics)

  11. Syed says:

    Hi..im planning to visit a ski resort for a day trip. Going with my kids age 9,6 and 4. Would vivaldi be good for us? Is there any ski sled for rental and convenient places for children to play in vivaldi? For entrance is it better to book online with the packages or just walk in to the resort and select the packages. In terms of prices would it be a huge difference by booking online compared to self walk-in.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Syed,

      Yes, Vivaldi Park is a good fit for a family day trip. You can rent sleds there, and there’s an underground shopping mall with various cafes & shops etc. It’s fine to just walk in to the resort and pay for sledding tickets & rentals at the ticket window, and you can go there on the free shuttle bus as described above (just remember to book in advance as per the instructions on the shuttle bus site); this will be cheaper than booking an all-in-one package online. Obviously the packages are convenient though, and the hotel pickup might be a benefit depending where you’re staying (if you self-book the free shuttle bus, it leaves from Euljiro 1-ga Station, which is walking distance from Myeongdong)

      Let me know if you have any more questions

  12. eliana says:

    hi, im planning to go there tomorrow(already in seoul) .

    is there any activities we can do there other than skiing and snowboarding?

    since we cant ski hehhe

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Eliana,

      To be honest there isn’t that much to do… but if you can’t ski, maybe you could try sledding instead. You can also buy a sightseeing ticket to go up the gondola and see the views from the top. If you do those two things, it should keep you entertained for a few hours. Apart from that, there’s also an underground mall (it’s kind of under the parking area in front of the main building) where you can hang out in cafes, shops etc

      Hope you have a great day!

  13. Monica says:

    Hi! Planning to go to Vivaldi on Feb 10 to watch the Riding Concert at 8PM. What time is the last shuttle bus from Vivaldi going to Obin Station or Hongcheon Bus Terminal so I can go back to Seoul? Just wanted to make sure I still have a ride going back to Seoul. Or are there taxis in Vivaldi that can take me to the nearest subway/MRT station? Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Monica, according to last season’s schedule the last shuttle to Hongcheon is at 10pm (I’m afraid I have no quick way to check if the schedule has changed since then). However, I have no idea until what time buses run from Hongcheon to Seoul, and also Hongcheon is going the wrong direction from Vivaldi Park to Seoul… in other words, I think the best option is probably to take a taxi to Yongmun Station and ride the train from there. The taxi would be about 50000 won (it’s 25km), and take about 30 minutes. On Saturdays the last trains from Yongmun back to Seoul are at 23:01 for Yongsan, and 23:21 for Cheongnyangni. You’ll need to book the taxi in advance to pick you up, as there aren’t usually taxis just waiting around there.

      Let me know if you have any more questions

      • Monica says:

        Hi! My plan is to take a bus from Hongcheon Intercity Bus Terminal to Dong-Seoul Express Bus Terminal. Then ride the subway from Gangbyeon Station to Myeongdong. Is it a wrong direction? Thanks!

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Monica, sorry I just meant to say that Hongcheon is further away from Seoul than Vivaldi Park is, so the route via Yongmun is more direct.

          But the route you’ve described should work (and means you can take the free shuttle, instead of paying for a taxi to Yongmun), as long as you make sure to check 2 things – first, does the concert finish in time to catch the 10pm shuttle? and, more importantly, what time is the last bus from Hongcheon to Dong Seoul?

          Oh, one more thing – the last train from Gangbyeon to Myeongdong on Saturday is 23:29, and if you go at 10pm Vivaldi Park > Hongcheon > Dong Seoul, you’re not going to make that last subway train so you’ll have to take a taxi to Myeongdong (should be around 15000 won)

  14. megat says:

    Hi, should l buy the tickets online from Koreatraveleasy/klook/trazy etc etc for a 1 day ski trip or buy during touch down in / reaching Seoul. Which your package u recommend?
    Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi,

      It’s not really necessary to book any package – if you’re happy to follow the DIY transportation instructions above (i.e. use the free shuttle from Myeongdong) then you can just go there yourself and buy the lift tickets, rental, lesson etc when you arrive. Of course if you prefer the convenience of a package you can do that too, but I never have so I can’t recommend a particular company

  15. cyl says:

    Hi, do I need to pay entrance fee to enter the ski park for people who not skiing? Since I am beginner, I plan not to take the lift but just try to experience skiing. Is the any area for me to enjoy ski without taking lift?

    • cyl says:

      Do the lift ticket includes rental for clothes and equipments? Do you know how much are the rental for clothes and equipments if I don’t purchase the lift ticket? Thanks

      • Simon Norton says:

        Hi,

        The lift ticket & rental prices are separate. You can check them here

        There’s no entry fee, so if you don’t buy a lift ticket it’s still possible to walk onto the snow.

        However, I have to advise you this – if you rent skiing equipment but don’t get a lift ticket or take a lesson, you’ll just be wasting your money. It would be better to go sledding instead.

        If you want to try skiing, I strongly advise you to take a lesson. Again, if you don’t want to do that then sledding would be a better option.

  16. Jessica says:

    Hi my hubby and I will be travelling to Seoul for the 1st time, arriving on 8 March. I’d tried to contact Vivaldi Park earlier but it’s been 2 weeks and there’s no reply from them. Would like to find out if the ski season is still open ie. Can we still ski there? We are beginners and hope to take ski/snowboard lessons there. Pls advise. Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jessica, yeah I’ve also found they’re not the best at replying!

      But no problem about March 8th – I was there on March 20th last season, and they closed shortly after that.

    • Stephanie says:

      Hi Jessica! I’m Stephanie from Indonesia. Did you make it to Vivaldi Park on March 8? I’m planning to get my children there on March 4, 2019. Is vivaldi park still open? Thanks for your information ?

      • Simon Norton says:

        Hi Stephanie, Vivaldi Park usually closes in mid to late March, you should be fine for the 4th

      • Jessica Lee says:

        Hi Stephanie, yes we made it for snowboard lessons on 8 Mar 2018 but the snow was slushy and muddy. Not exactly good for skiing/snowboarding especially if you’re a beginner as the fall can be quite painful. Otherwise, the park is not too crowded. My instructor (forgot him name though),was really sweet and nice!

  17. David K says:

    What level of equipment rentals are available? Is it beginner only or do they have more advanced ski equipment?
    Thank you.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi David,

      Yeah it’s just basic beginner equipment (but to be honest that’s all you’ll need at Vivaldi, unless maybe if you have your eye on the pipe)

      • Izzat Shah says:

        Are there any equipment rental shops on the way to Vivaldi Park?

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Izzat, in the nearest small town to every Korean ski resort you can find a few rental shops. I’ve never been to any near Vivaldi though, so I’m not sure about their prices or equipment quality compared to the rentals at the resort itself.

  18. Lincoln says:

    Hi Simon,

    I am planning to go to Vivaldi on 15 March 2018 and would like to try sledding activity.

    Any chance 😉

    Cheers mate.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Lincoln,

      Yes they should still be open then, but double-check closer to the time (as closing dates haven’t been decided yet)

  19. Beth Abella says:

    Hi Simon, we are staying in a hotel in Myeongdong. I plan to bring my daughter and sister with me to Vivaldi Park this Friday, Feb 16,2018 as it’s a major holiday and the malls are closed. May I know when are the bus schedules from Myeongdong to Vivaldi Park and back to Myeongdong. Thank you and God bless! 😉

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Beth, there are 2 free shuttles from Myeongdong at 8:00am from Lotte Hotel (Euljiro 1-ga Station) and 10:30 from Shinsegae department store. See here for the details and to make a reservation – advance reservation is required so do that ASAP

  20. Lei says:

    Hi, can I know how much is the ski rental?

  21. Karen Smith says:

    Hi

    Looking for a ski buddy or family for Feb 25. I am a low intermediate, and lack the confidence to ski alone. I am Australian, 55, female, and a teacher…been working in Seoul for three months and have one week to go. At some point, I am happy to look after the kids, if you feel comfortable, while you enjoy a more challenging run together. I won’t have wifi unless there is free wifi at VP so feel free to contact me beforehand…Karen Smith

    • Karen Smith says:

      Oh should have said I have already booked the shuttle for Vivaldi Park (just fear I might chicken out when I get there and spend the whole day watching until the shuttle returns.)

      • Simon Norton says:

        Hi Karen,

        Apologies, I didn’t get around to your comments until after the date in question, but I hope you still went to Vivaldi and did some skiing! Did you go, and how was it?

  22. Net says:

    Hi,
    We are a family of two adults and one 12years old kid. Want to stay for 3days 2nights on 1st week of Dec 2018. 1st time free & easy to Seoul.

    Been trying hard to email vivaldi resort to check whether the free tourist shuttle bus start operating on 1st week of Dec 2018 and also whether sledding available during that time but they never reply.

    We need to book flight early so hope to arrange the correct date. Are you able to advice us?

    Thank you for your kind advices.

    Cheers,
    Net

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Net,

      Try contacting their Facebook page, I get better responses from them there than by email.

      I can’t say for sure for next winter, but I do know they opened on November 24th this winter and their usual opening period is late November.

  23. Rohayatie says:

    Hi!! I’m going on 2nd March …Vivaldi ski open by then?
    Tq

  24. Ggg says:

    Hi im planning to visit on 8th march hoping to see some snow..whats the easiest way to get there from seoul (insadong). Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, book the free tourist shuttle from Myeongdong (see transportation section above for details)

  25. Nurul says:

    Hi,if im coming on 6th march..vivaldi park still open? Is it okay to enjoy? How about the Weather?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Nurul,

      They haven’t set their closing date yet, but I’m 99% sure you can ski there on the 6th. They might have a good spring skiing discount, remember to ask when you buy your ticket!

    • Stephanie says:

      Hi Nurul! I’m Stephanie from Indonesia. Did you make it to vivaldi park on 6th March? I’m planning to take my kid there on 4th March 2019 for snow sled. Is vivaldi still open by then? Thank youu ?

  26. angahieta says:

    Can i know wheter 1st november vilvaldi open or not?

  27. Haz M says:

    Hi,

    My family and I (8 person) are planning to visit Seoul in mid Dec 2018. We will be bringing a 5-6 month old baby together. Can we bring the baby to Vivaldi Ski World? Is there any suitable activities for parents with a baby that age in the Ski World?

    Thanks in advance for your advice.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hello Haz, sure you can take a baby, but there aren’t really any baby activities there. Just some cafes & restaurants where you can relax and watch the slopes

  28. Linda says:

    Hi.. is the park still open today, 25 March 2018? Tqvm

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Linda, they’re already closed. All resorts are closed now except High1, which closes today. No more riding until November 🙁

  29. Mieza says:

    hi there, thanks for being patient in answering our enquiries 🙂

    i am specifically interested in the vivaldi snowy park/snowy land for kids.i will be going there from 8-13 december, will it be open to the public during this time? if not, do you recommend anywhere else that has this kind of parks for kids with snow of course hehe that is the main purpose for the children

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Mieza, yes they should be open by December 8th. It depends on the weather at the time, but they usually open in late November

  30. adharina says:

    Hi Simon,
    What is the entrance fee for adult and children?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, I’m not sure which entrance fee you mean? There’s no entrance fee just to go to the resort, but if you want to visit the water park or go skiing then you have to buy tickets – you can check the prices on their website using the links above. Cheers

  31. William says:

    Hello.. I would like to ask. Does 2nd week of DEC able start skiing?

  32. Kayla Mariano says:

    Hi! Is the ski resort available in May?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kayla, there’s no snow here in May I’m afraid. You can still visit the resort to enjoy the mountains, but skiing is usually only November to March

  33. Mama says:

    Planning to be in seoul 4 may is there anywhere i can see snow or skiing

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Mama, unfortunately not, the ski resorts in Korea mostly close in March, sometimes the biggest ones are open into April but never May.

  34. Yan says:

    Hi am planning a trip for late dec 2018, was wondering if it is possible to take a taxi from myeongdong to vivaldi and back? Is it expensive? As i am travelling with a elderly and a kid hence taking a taxi might be a better option. Kindly advise. Thanks.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hello Yan, yes it’s definitely possible, but quite expensive. A taxi should take about 90 minutes each way, and the estimated fare is 100 to 110 dollars each way.

  35. rylie says:

    my family and I are planning to go to korea mid december. is myeongdong a great and accessible place to stay. we plan to go to name island, everland and vivaldi. can you help me with my itinerary. thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hey Rylie,

      Yes Myeongdong would be good, you can take the shuttle bus direct to Vivaldi from there, and it has good subway connections to the other places you want to visit (though it might be best to take a bus to Everland, I’m not really sure about that)

  36. Kim says:

    Hi simon! My family of 9 are planning our trip in seoul korea this nov 19-25. Are ski resorts already open by that time. My brother havent seen snow his whole life so we want him to touch snow?. We have have tried skiing in japan but it was useless because we didnt enrol in lesson. This time we want to go sleding. How much is the rate for sleding and do we need to rent our outfit? Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kim,

      That’s around the time the first resorts are likely to open, but it’s impossible to predict this far in advance. It depends how quickly the temperature falls in november, but last season the first 3 resorts opened on November 17th/18th, which were Yongpyong, High1 and Phoenix Park. As you’re coming at the very start of the season, you should plan to go to one of those 3 (Yongpyong is probably the best bet). Vivaldi Park (and Welli Hilli and a few others) opened on November 24th/25th last season, so if that happens again obviously that’d be too late for you.

      The sledding rates are generally around 15,000 to 22,000 won (depending if you get half-day or full-day, and cheaper for kids), and you can rent wear for around 20,000 to 25,000 won.

      Let me know if you have any more questions!

  37. Fariha Hadaina says:

    Hi, thanks for the infos! me and my family are planning to visit there on 1/12 or 3/12 this year. I heard weekdays is the best time but will it be too crowded during weekends? and also the rental price above is to rent what actually as we want to rent the sled boards only. What do we have to pay for us to play sleds only? thank you 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Fariha, yes I recommend going on a weekday instead of weekend if possible. The prices aren’t out yet for next season, but the sledding price should be around 15000 won to 22000 won per person (depending on adult/child and how many hours). This includes the sled rental and use of the sledding course & lift, but doesn’t include any snow wear (it’s fine to wear your own clothes, as long as they’re warm enough).

      • Ida says:

        Hi Simon,
        Do we need to wear ski clothing to join sledding?what do u mean by warm clothes are enough: i thought we must wear water proof/resistant attire ? Pls explain. And, are gloves and goggle a must?
        If we bring from home, what kind of gloves and goggle? Can we opt to normal sunglass ?sorry for asking in details. And tq for yr answer.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi again Ida, you don’t need goggles for sledding. You don’t need ski gloves either, but you’ll want some normal warm gloves or else you’ll have seriously cold fingers! Please see my longer reply to your other comment here

  38. Chanoknan says:

    1. I want to know about this place. If I go and just want to play snow and take some pics but don’t want to skiing so I have to pay some fees of entrance for go in this place for take some pics or not ?

    2. I want to know how much fee for gondola ride only? and what about for the fees for children (5 years old, 2 years old)

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, no there are no fees just to go and walk around and take pictures. It’s 15000 won per person to go up the gondola (according to last season’s prices)

  39. Miranad says:

    Which do you prefer vivaldi park or bears town?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Vivaldi Park, because it has a halfpipe and also it’s much easier to get to from central Seoul (if you don’t have a car)

  40. Yogi says:

    Hi,

    Is our 1st time travelling to Korea for Ski. 2 of my kids will wanna do skiing for sure, but they are beginner.. While my youngest will only be there to play with snow. We will wanna explore Ocean World too.

    We are planning for either a 5D/4N or 4D/3N at the ski resort.

    Which would you advise is more suitable?
    Will 5D/4N be too long a stay?

    Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Yogi,

      The first few days learning to ski are quite tiring, so 4D3N is probably enough – your kids might have had enough by then!

  41. Yenne says:

    hi, may i know last week of NOV 2018 already can ski in vivaldi?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Yenne, the opening date changes every year, but it’s usually the last weekend in November or the weekend before that. So, hopefully you’ll be able to go skiing!

  42. Fili says:

    Hi Simon,

    On Dec 29,2018 we plan to visit Nami Island & The Garden of morning calm for the lighting festival and spent the night in the nearby area. We plan to visit Vivaldi on the next morning. Could you please advise which area would be better to stay Chungpyeong or Chuncheon or Gapyeong? And how to reach Vivaldi from there.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Fili,

      There’s a bus from Chuncheon to Vivaldi Park, so it would make sense to stay in Chuncheon.

      Alternatively you might want to consider Elysian Gangcheon ski resort instead of Vivaldi Park, as it’s very close to Gapyeong & Nami. You could then stay in Gapyeong, or at Elysian Gangcheon itself. See here

  43. Ann says:

    Hi Simon ,
    My family and I will be on seoul from 19 – 29 nov. We plan to go to ski resort on 20th nov . Which ski resort do you recommend either Alpensia or Vivaldi as I have 2 kids age 8&6 yrs with me. Is it ok if we go for a 3d2n to the ski resort? We don’t really ski , maybe the kids would just want to experience snow sled. Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Ann,

      Nov 20th is still very early in the season, and I’m not sure if Vivaldi will be open by then. The only hills I’d be fairly confident you could go sledding at then are High1 and Yongpyong. Alpensia would be a maybe, however Alpensia’s very close to Yongpyong so you could visit Yongpyong for a day to go sledding if not yet available at Alpensia; therefore if you’re choosing between Alpensia & Vivaldi then definitely Alpensia.

      Of course it might make more sense to just stay at Yongpyong, however Alpensia’s a much more modern resort and beats Yongpyong in terms of accommodation, facilities, and things to do aside from skiing/sledding.

      Btw if you can change your plan and visit the ski resorts one week later (i.e. during the second week of your trip), Vivaldi & Alpensia will probably be open by then (generally speaking, those 2 open on the last or 2nd-last weekend in November)

      Let me know if you have any more questions

  44. Joseph says:

    Hi Simon, we are going to Korea 1st week of December, is it usually snowing by then even in Seoul? or Just in mountain areas? Thanks! Have a great day

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Joseph, it doesn’t actually snow very much in Seoul. In the first week of December, you might see snow there but it’s not so likely. If you want to be sure, yeah you’d need to visit one of the ski resorts

  45. Irene says:

    Hi Simon,

    Snowy land is a separate area in Vivadli Park where separate entrance ticket is needed is it right.
    May I ask what does the entrance fees to Snowy land include? Does it include rental of sled?
    If I am taking ski lesson in late morning to noon and wish to take the gondola, have some fun skiing and snow playing, i guess will it more advisable to go Snowy land the next day?

    Thanks for advice!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Irene,

      ‘Snowy Land’ is the name for the sledding area, so yes the entrance fee includes sled usage. If you have a ski lesson in the morning it’s feasible to also go sledding in the afternoon (the gondola doesn’t take much time), or yeah if you’re too tired from skiing just go sledding the next day.

      Cheers

  46. Diana says:

    Hi Simon. On 18 Dec 2018, I plan to take the free shuttle to Vivaldi Ski Resort from Hongik Uni Station.

    We plan to sled at Snowyland and take the gondola. Can you advise me on the fees for these 2 activities please? Thank you!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Diana,

      The prices aren’t out yet for next season, but basically you can expect it to be around 15000 KRW for the gondola (10000 for kids). The sledding is usually around the same price, but it could be slightly higher now since they’re rebranding it as part of ‘Snowy Land’ which has various other additional activities.

      Let me know if you have any further questions. Cheers!

  47. Karen L says:

    May I know which is the most accessible hotel to Snowy Land? Is a 3 days 2 nights stay enough for my family to enjoy most of the facilities in Snowy Land? We intend to visit beginning of February 2019.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Karen, yes 2 nights is plenty of time. The best hotel would be the main Daemyung Resort hotel (the one linked to in the ‘accommodation’ section above), from there you just have to walk across the parking area to reach the ski slopes.

  48. Irene says:

    Would like to go in 6 Dec 18, is the ski resort open and will there have snow?

  49. Colleen says:

    Hi , may I know if the Park hotel within Vivaldi is a better accommodation choice?

    Also we are planning to go petite France and Nami Island whilst staying at Vivaldi. Any idea if it would be feasible to get a taxi to these places and back? How much would that costs?

    Thanks.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Colleen,

      If you want a hotel experience then yes that’s the best choice as the others are condo rentals.

      There’s actually a free shuttle bus between Vivaldi Park and Nami Island, details here. Using that gives you 4 hours at Nami Island, and it’s around 25 minutes by taxi from Nami to Petite France which should cost about 30 dollars.

      Hope that helps and let me know if you have any more questions.

  50. shah says:

    hi ,late november. if 22 november it open.

    thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Shah, they usually open in late November. It’s possible they’ll be open by the 22nd, but that’s a Thursday and they usually start the season on a weekend – it’s still too early to know for sure, but I would guess the most likely opening date this year is Saturday November 24th. It won’t be announced until November though, so check again then.

  51. Atiqah says:

    Hi im going to korea this mid september . is the ski park open in september cause i really wanna try skii!

  52. Jaz Vill says:

    Hello,

    Thank you for this post! 🙂 I would like to ask follow-up question, the free shuttle through online booking leaves too early in Seoul. We are planning to visit Vivaldi Park in the afternoon and leave around night time. Is there a train station nearby Vivaldi Park? Also, the latest shuttle bus from Vivaldi Park at 21:30-22:00, do we book it on site? Online booking only have 17:00-18:00 from Vivaldi to Seoul. Appreciate your response.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jaz,

      When are you planning to go? The transport options are better during ski season.

      Ok so if you’re going during the ski season, the best way for you to go to the resort in the afternoon is probably the highway bus from Dong Seoul bus terminal. By train the nearest station is Yongmun, which is around 30 minutes (and 30 dollars) by taxi from Vivaldi. Yongmun’s the last subway stop on the Gyeongui-Jungang line, about 90 minutes out from central Seoul.

      The late shuttle back from Vivaldi should be bookable online, however I don’t think they’ve updated the booking page yet for the winter schedule – looking at it now it seems to be fixed to the summer schedule. I expect this to be updated in due course, but probably not until the last minute before the ski season opens! So again, it really depends when you’re planning to go.

  53. Billie says:

    Hi,
    I will be arriving on 24th November 2018. Will Vivaldi Park be open by then?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Billie,

      It’s too soon to say, but they usually open around that time. The 24th is a Saturday, and I would guess that might be their opening weekend. But the opening date won’t be announced until November, so check again then.

  54. Agnes says:

    Hi Simon,

    If we want to go on 26th-28th Nov to Vivaldi, how do we book the accommodation directly from the main website? And we would like to ook Park Hotel, is Park Hotel within walking distance to the skiing area?

    Thanks in advance

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Agnes,

      Yes it’s a short walk, the hotel’s just across the parking area from the ski slopes. There’s a reservation tab on their homepage menu, suggest you also check the Agoda link (in the accommodation section on this page) to see which has the best price.

  55. Jasmine says:

    HI Simon,

    I booked a night stay at Daemyung, VIVALDI PARK. I have a few questions;

    1. Must I book a private transport or can I take any public transport from Seoul airport to Vivaldi park? I will reach Seoul 1230pm on 10 dec. I have 4 adults and 2 kids. So what will you suggest?

    2. I have brought ski jackets and pants, what else will I need if I don’t want to rent or will you suggest to rent the goggles instead? Can I just wear normal boots or shoes to ski?

    3. what else should I prepare for this ski trip?

    Thank you.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jasmin,

      There’s a public bus from East Seoul bus terminal to Vivaldi Park, but unfortunately I don’t think it’ll be running yet by December 10th (if you look at the transportation section on this page you can see the schedule from a previous season, when it started on December 17th). And you’re also landing too late to be able to take the free bus from Seoul. Have you already booked accommodation at Vivaldi for that night? If not, it might be best to stay in Seoul 1 night then take the free shuttle to Vivaldi. If you need to go straight to Vivaldi from the airport, a private transfer looks like the only sensible route, for a reliable option see here (the alternative would be a long (2.5 hours+) subway ride across the entire subway system followed by a 30km taxi, but that sounds hard with kids & luggage!)

      You can’t wear normal footwear, ski boots are very specific and an important part of the equipment. They’re included in the ski rental fee. I don’t think they rent goggles (or gloves) so you may want to pick some up before arriving.

      Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions.

  56. Jasmine says:

    Dear Simon,

    Thank you very much for your reply and the great info.

    So another questions, as I already brought ski jackets and pants, can I just rent the ski equipment? What will the rental include and the cost?

    Thank you very again.

  57. Rachel says:

    Hi Simon,

    I’m happy that you have a website that we can ask questions. Thank you.

    I’m planning to ski in Vivaldi on 25-26 Nov if it opens. I have some questions
    1) when does it start to snow at vivaldi?
    2) Will there be sufficient snow or should I wait for a few more days before visiting?
    3) Will it be v crowded on Sunday or should I go on a weekday?
    4) I can’t select the date that I want to book on their website, any idea when is the earliest date I can start booking or should I get from third party?
    5) Is the sled or snowy land open? Is there any skating rink?
    6) How do I engage a ski coach, through hotel or third party?
    7) is the traffic v bad from airport to Vivaldi or from Vivaldi to airport? I’m planning to start or end off with ski to minimise travelling.
    8) what is the best way to come from airport or depart to airport?
    9) is there accommodation for 2adults and 2children with beds?
    10) can I leave our luggage there if we are leaving later? 3pm? Any extra charges?

    Thank you very much.

    How do I book now? I tried to email them but they have not replied.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Rachel,

      1&2. They start making snow in November, as soon as it’s cold enough. There isn’t much natural snowfall, and it generally all comes in December to February. If they’re open, it means there’ll be sufficient snow.

      3. Yes, Sundays are crowded. Better to go on weekdays.

      4. You mean for accommodation? I recommend using Agoda, link here

      5. I expect Snowyland to open in mid-December.

      6. You can just book lessons directly from Vivaldi Park ski school, you can do this when you buy your lift ticket.

      7&8. Best way depends on your flight times. If you land early enough you can take the subway to Myeongdong then the free shuttle from there (details above), but otherwise you’re probably best off booking a private transfer as the public bus probably won’t be running yet.

      9. Yes, you can book the hotel or one of the condos.

      10. I’m pretty sure they can arrange to hold your luggage, but I’m afraid I have no idea if there’d be any charge for that.

      They’re not good at replying to emails. Either contact them by telephone, or just make the booking through Agoda.

      • Rachel says:

        Thank you so much for your kind and prompt revert. Really appreciate this website. Any idea if there is a skating rink at Vivaldi? Thanks in advance.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Cheers Rachel. To the best of my knowledge they don’t have a skating rink or any plans to install one. There are many skating rinks in Seoul though e.g. Lotteworld

          • Rachel says:

            Hi Simon,

            Thanks your your reply. I can’t book through Agoda for end Nov stay. Does it mean that the rooms are full or they are not released? I saw only the park hotel is available in third party website. Is it connected to the underground facilities? Where can I find more info? Thanks in advance.

            • Simon Norton says:

              Hi Rachel, it looks like they might be fully booked I’m afraid. You may need to try a different resort, or perhaps stay in Myeongdong and take a daytrip to Vivaldi.

  58. Tan Bee Leng says:

    Hi Simon,
    We are planning to visit Vivaldi on 10 Dec 2018. However we are not sure if Snowyland would be open by then. Therefore would like to find out from you if there are other places in the ski resort where the kids can sledge?
    Thank you very much for your assistance!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, if Snowyland isn’t open yet you won’t be able to rent sledges. Hopefully it opens in time for your visit!

  59. Min Chen says:

    Hi Simon,

    We are planning to book for 2 nights stay in early February.
    2 adults and 2 children.
    However, I could not book through Agoda as it mentioned already fully booked. Same as logging into the official website.
    Please advise.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, I’m guessing you mean during the Lunar New Year? (called Seollal in Korea)

      It’ll be very hard to get a booking during Seollal, it’s super busy. You might have to stay in Seoul and do a day-trip to Vivaldi. Keep checking though, because someone is bound to cancel a reservation at some point.

      Good luck!

  60. PU says:

    Hi Simon,

    I am planning to visit Vivaldi Park on Jan 20, 2019. Your free shuttle bus has been booked for my group. But I am wondering whether they will remember my booking or not, because it is next 4 months from now. How can I make sure about my shuttle bus confirmation?

    I would like to know special package for snow sled. I’ve heard that special price will be offered in the free shuttle bus. Could you tell me know the price for snow sled package?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, did they send you the booking confirmation email? That should be all you need, just keep it on your phone to show the staff when boarding.

      They do usually offer some discounts to passengers (these are made available to you inside the bus), but I’m afraid I don’t have any information about their plans for this season.

  61. Imee says:

    Hi Simon

    Thank you for answering the questions below. We intend to visit South Korea for the first time from 3-10 Dec 2018. My questions are :
    1) What are the accommodation options available if we were to stay in Vivaldi Resort ?
    2) We are a party of 3 adults, 2 kids (10 and 12 yo) and 3 elderly. Not so much of skiers though we will try esp the kids. Are there anything for the elderly to do while the rest try our hands at skiing or sledding ?

    Thank you

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Imee,

      For accommodation see the accommodation section above – basically there’s the resort itself, or some smaller pensions in the surrounding area. Sounds like staying at the resort would be better for your group.

      There isn’t a great deal to do for non-skiers, but they can get gondola tickets to visit the top of the mountain and see the views. The resort has various things like a shopping centre, sauna, restaurants & cafes, etc. Nothing super-exciting, but good for just relaxing.

  62. Syaf says:

    Hi there! I am planning to go to Vivaldi this december. Based on the fee information, the prices differ every timing. On the website it says 60,000 won 8.30am to 1pm. so does that mean that is the only period we can ski? what if we wanna extend and play till afternoon, do we have to pay more? thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Syaf,

      Yes if you get the ‘morning’ pass you can only ski until 1pm. You can’t extend a pass, so if you want to ski all day, get the ‘day’ pass (8.30 to 17.00 for 76000 won).

      • Shaheera says:

        Hi, i notice the ski lift rental for 1 day is about 76000 won. Does this include clothing and equipment rental?How does this differ than the one time pass of 15000 won? And what is the difference between the gondola and ski lift?

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Shaheera,

          The gondola is an enclosed lift, you sit inside it & the door closes; it’s more comfortable, and usually faster. Chairlifts on the other hand are open. Basically chairlifts are usually used only by skiers & boarders, whereas anyone can easily ride in the gondola.

          The one-time ticket is for a round trip on the gondola – the purpose of this is for non-skiers to go to the top and see the view. The ski lift pass is for full use of all the chairlifts & gondola for a fixed time for skiing/boarding. This lift pass doesn’t include any rentals so you have to rent the equipment too if you need it, and you can also rent ski wear separately.

  63. Philip says:

    Hi, we r having our holiday in seoul from 3 nov to 10 nov. We are bringing our 2yr old kid to enjoy her first snow experience. Understand is not snowing yet during this period, but will there be any artificial snow?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Philip, I’m afraid you’re going to be too early to really experience snow. If you visit one of the higher resorts like Alpensia or Yongpyong there may be some artificial snow building up on the ski runs already, but you won’t be able to walk on it or play with it. It’s quite a long way to travel just to maybe see a bit of snow on the mountain… but if you really want to, that would be the best chance.

  64. Stella says:

    Hi,
    Please advise on the slope opening dates for the various ski resorts.
    Namely, Daemyung Vivaldi Ski Resort, Elysian Ski Resort and Yongpyong Ski Resort.
    I am unable to find the slope opening dates for 2018 on the websites.
    I intend to go skiing from 24 to 26/11/2018.
    And please advise which ski resorts in Seoul offer snow sledding?
    Thank you.
    Regards
    Stella

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hello Stella,

      I’m sorry, they haven’t announced their opening dates yet, it depends on the weather over the next 6 or 7 weeks. But you can be very confident Yongpyong would be open by November 24th, and fairly confident for Vivaldi. Elysian maybe. When the dates are announced I’ll post the information.

      The resorts all offer sledding, however they don’t usually start it until December so you probably won’t be able to try it I’m afraid.

  65. Angeline says:

    Hi, may I know accommodation for Vivaldi which can accommodate 4 adult and 2 kids.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Angeline, their policy states kids under 8 can stay free when using existing bedding, and I think you can request extra beds as required. For further details please ask the resort directly

  66. RJ says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thanks for such an informative site.

    I have emailed Vivaldi on my queries but from what I gathered here, they are not very responsive in replying so I am posing my questions here and hopefully you could help with them…

    My family is in the midst of planning a 3D2n stay at Vivaldi ski resort and would like to check on the following :

    1) does snowyland for snow sled open much later than the ski slopes (We thinking of staying on 1st wk of dec so not too sure if snowyland is opened)

    2) our flight is arriving at Incheon airport at 7.35am…. which is the best way for us to travel to Vivaldi ski resort?
    – I noted there is the free shuttle bus leaving Mydeondong Shinsegae at 10.30am and Dongdaemum at 11am …. will we be able to make it on time to take tis bus if we land at 7.35am at Incheon. What is the best way to travel from Incheon to Shinsegae or Dongdaemun n how Long will it take?

    3) On our departure day, we are thinking of going Jeju or Busan. Is there any direct bus to travel to Gimpo Airport (to Jeju) or Busan Or still have to travel back to seoul to go to these places?

    6) lastly, we have 4 pax …which accommodation types at Vivaldi should we book? The hotel or the maple or cherry wing?

    Looking forward to your reply. Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi RJ,

      Cheers, glad to be of help.

      1. Yes Snowyland opens later, I don’t expect it’ll be open when you visit.

      2. I’d advise taking the free shuttle from Dongdaemun at 11. You can go from the airport to Myeongdong or Dongdaemun by limousine bus or subway, but the Dongdaemun pickup spot is just outside a subway exit so it’s easiest to take the subway there from the airport. Take the AREX line from the airport to Seoul Station, then Line 4 from there to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, shuttle bus goes from exit 3. It takes about 90 minutes from the airport to there, so as long as you’re on the AREX by 9.15 you’ll be fine.

      3. You could book a private transfer direct to Gimpo for around 200 dollars. Otherwise, you’d need to take the bus back to Seoul then ride the subway to Gimpo. For Busan you should take the bus to Myeongdong, then transfer to the KTX bullet train at Seoul Station.

      4. To be honest, I’d just book whatever is available – you’re aiming to go at a busy time and it may be difficult to get a room.

      Let me know if you have any more questions

      • RJ says:

        Hi Simon,

        Many thanks for your reply!

        For pt 2, it definitely looks like taking the shuttle bus at Dongdaemum is more convenient. But I am also exploring the possibility of depositing 2 of my big luggages at one of the hotels at Mydeongdong that is near to Shinsegae. Do u know if they are referring to Shinsegae (opposite Woori Bank) at 77, Toegye-ro or 63 Sogong-ro? Will taking the airport bus No.6015 or subway be easier and faster to arrive at Mydeongdong from Incheon airport?

        2) I tried reserving the shuttle bus on their website but it seems that there isn’t the option of 10.30 or 11am at Mydeongdong or dongdaemum respectively during the mth of Dec… Only avail on one day 25 nov… not too sure if it’s Bec it’s too early to do booking now… I have since written to the bus shuttle company and have not heard from them yet.

        I appreciate your reply. Thank you!

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi again RJ, those two Shinsegae buildings are right next to each other, it’s the same department store. The main road there is Toegye-ro, with the Woori Bank on the other side. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to walk to Shinsegae, depending which hotel you’re walking from.

          Also, the best way to Myeongdong really depends which hotel, as the bus stops right in front of some of them, while others are directly next to Myeongdong Station or Euljiro 1-ga Station. There isn’t a massive difference, but either way it’s quite a tight schedule to clear immigration, get to Myeongdong, drop your bags off, and get to Shinsegae in time for the shuttle bus at 10:30. It’s possible, but if immigration’s busy or any delays anywhere then it won’t work out.

          Yeah I’m afraid they haven’t updated the shuttle page yet for the coming season – these things tend to be done very last-minute, they’re probably waiting until they know the season opening date. Then they’ll update it and you should be able to book. I expect the opening date decision & website updates to happen at the start of November, I’ll post the information here once that happens.

  67. Estee says:

    Hi Simon,

    Chanced upon ur very informative site when I am doing my research on snowyland.

    I’m traveling to seoul in 2nd week of dec with my elderly parents. I’m thinking to bring them to snowy land just to experience it. But I have a question that leaves unanswered till date. I understand there are shuttle buses from Myeongdong to Vivaldi but the next shuttle bus from Vivaldi back to myeongdong is at 6pm. I do not think my parents can withstand that many hours at snowy land. I am thinking probably we would only stay there for 3-4 hours.

    I am trying to find out if there are other options/transport out of Vivaldi back to Myeongdong.

    What are your recommendations?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Estee,

      Yes there are also public buses from Vivaldi Park to Dong Seoul (East Seoul) bus station, we don’t know the schedule yet for this season but there are usually buses at 4.30 and 6.30pm (see the transportation section above for details). So you could take the free shuttle at 10.30 and the public bus back at 4.30, which would give you around 4 hours at the resort. Dong Seoul bus station’s next to Gangbyeon on subway Line 2, about 30 minutes from Myeongdong.

      When you get off the shuttle bus you’ll see the bus office where you can buy tickets for the public bus.

      I should warn you though that Snowyland might not open until mid-December, so you could be too early for that. You’d still be able to ride the gondola to the top of the mountain to see the views, and there’s an underground shopping centre, cafes & restaurants, etc

      • Estee Ang says:

        Thank you so so much for the info. Klook have already started reservation for snowy land, it states that it will be opened on the 10th Dec, yay! I’ll be there on the 17th.

        Thank you so much once again.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Thanks Estee, that’s interesting to hear – though I do wonder if Klook are just guessing, so make sure to check again in a few weeks!

  68. Shu says:

    Hi Simon,

    I am planning to have a ski tour with my big family with 8 adults and 4 kids – youngest is 2.5 years old on 11th – 12th Dec.

    I am contemplating whether on twi ski resort, Vivaldi & YongPyong.

    I am interested when I got to know that Vivaldi has free shuttle and snowyland for kids. But when I check Vivaldi’s page, it doesn’t mention anything about snowyland fee. I only got to know about it through travel package. Do you perhaps know if snowyland is accessible all day including night? And what is the fee?

    Also, what would you recommend, Vivaldi or Yongpyong, in terms of cost, accessibility and activities.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Shu,

      Snowyland is also open at night, but without the sledding or rafting activities – for this reason it’s cheaper at night. We don’t know the prices yet for the coming season, but last year I believe it was 40000 won in the day and 22000 at night.

      Comparing Yongpyong and Vivaldi, Yongpyong is better for skiing, Vivaldi is better for non-skiing activities (i.e. Snowyland) and is more convenient. Cost-wise they’re about the same, except you can get to Vivaldi for free on the shuttle bus but you need to pay to reach Yongpyong.

      So with all that in mind, my recommendation is that if you can already ski and want to experience the best skiing, you should go to Yongpyong. But if you can’t already ski and want to learn, then there’s no difference from a skiing perspective (beginner areas are basically the same) so Vivaldi would probably be a better all-round choice.

      Hope this helps & let me know if you have any more questions

  69. Teresa says:

    Hi Simon, will snowyland be opened by 10 Dec 18?

    Would like to learn to ski. Is it easy to book english speaking ski instructor on the spot? Can the child learn together in a group?

    Thanks.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Teresa,

      I’m expecting Vivaldi to open on November 24th, but this isn’t confirmed yet and depends on the weather over the next few weeks. The Snowyland sledding area usually opens a few weeks later, I’ve heard rumours that it’s planned to open on December 10th but again this isn’t confirmed yet.

      Yes, you can book lessons easily on the spot and they have English speaking instructors (some local, some from overseas), and children are placed into groups for lessons with other children.

  70. Ang says:

    how much the gondola return ticket it charge?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Ang, fees for this season haven’t been confirmed yet, but a single ticket (round trip) for the gondola is usually 15000 won (15 dollars)

  71. Fana says:

    Hai,

    may I know hong long the journey from Dong Seoul (East Seoul) to Gangbyeon on subway Line 2?

    thanks

  72. Jolene Tam says:

    Hi Simon, I’m Jolene from Malaysia. Thanks a lot for the informative site. I’ll be in Seoul from 21-25 Nov. Would like to ask a couple of questions:
    1. When will be the best date to visit Vivaldi?
    2. Is the free shuttle bus still available? Where can I obtain the timetable?
    3. I don’t know how to ski, would like to try out sledding. How much is the rental of sled?
    4. Do I need to purchase lift pass for sledding?
    5. I saw slides in the pic. Is it in Snowyland? Is it free?
    6. For sledding, does it mean I need to enter Snowyland? How much is the admission fee?
    Thanks a lot for your help 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jolene,

      1. It looks like Vivaldi Park is going to open on the 25th, so that’s probably your only chance. If that’s no good for you, Elysian should hopefully be opening on the 24th so maybe go there instead (these opening dates aren’t confirmed yet though)

      2. See here for the Vivaldi shuttle

      3-6. The sledding at Vivaldi is part of Snowyland, but Snowyland doesn’t open until December (I’m afraid you probably won’t be able to do sledding at any of the resorts in November)

      Sorry I don’t have better news for you!

      • Jolene Tam Li Ching says:

        Awwww… that’s sad. Anyways, thanks a lot for ur reply! Appreciate it very much!

        • Wan says:

          Hi.. Is this confirm? The date? Coz im going tommorow 21nov..is there any ski park open on the date?

          • Simon Norton says:

            Hi Wan,

            Sorry, you’re going to be able to ski tomorrow as they don’t have any snow yet. It’s been too warm recently for snow-making 🙁

      • Ann says:

        Hi Simon.I’ll be coming on last week of January 2019, requesting information also for 3-6 question raised by Jolene Tam. Thank you.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Ann,

          Sledding is part of Snowy Land. When you get a Snowy Land ticket, the price includes using the lift to go up to Snowy Land, and sled usage when you get there. It’s about 40 dollars for the ticket

  73. Marlin says:

    Hai. I’ll be going to Seoul with my big family in March 2019. My children wish to see some snows. Is there any chance we could still see some snows in Vivaldi park?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Yes, if you go in early March the ski season will still be open, they’ll probably close around mid-March.

  74. Ann says:

    Hi Simon, I’ll be going to Seoul with my family in mid-end Nov next month and understand the Vivaldi park snowyland only open in mid Dec. Is there any other attractive activities for children beside ski?

    Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Ann,

      That’s right, but you can go up the gondola (15 dollars round-trip) to see the views from the top, and you can go to the indoor section of Ocean World (swimming pools, onsen etc). Also in the hotel you can find sauna, arcade room etc (see here)

  75. Andy says:

    Hi, I am going to Hanchigol-gil 별앤샵, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon, Gangwon-do 250-856, South Korea. May I know whether the express bus from Dong Seoul Bus terminal goes there and where do I take the express bus from Dong Seoul? or can I take a cab from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Andy,

      I’m afraid I’m not an expert on bus routes around there, but from what I can tell it looks like the closest highway bus terminals are Hongcheon or Chuncheon. From either of those it would then be around 30 minutes by taxi (30 dollars) or 45-60 minutes by local bus. I think the easiest route might be to take the ITX train (1 hour) from central Seoul (Yongsan Station) to Namchuncheon (South Chuncheon) Station, then local bus or taxi from there.

  76. Cherry says:

    Hi Simon, its so nice of you to share all these information. Thank you very much! I would like to seek your opinion on which ski resort should I go to. I am thinking between YongPyong Ski Resort and Vivaldi Park.

    I’ve booked my accommodation at YongPyong Ski Resort. But recently.. notice that there is Vivaldi Park.. who provides free shuttle bus and hot spring at Ocean World. Which made me think twice if Vivaldi Park is the one that I would prefer.

    Does the water theme park at YongPyong Ski Resort has hot spring too?

    Not sure if I should change to Vivaldi Park just for the free shuttle bus and hot spring experience.

    I can only enjoy one way for the free shuttle bus though cos i will be staying a night at the ski resort and returning to seoul the next morning. notice that the free shuttle bus back to seoul is only for night time, no day time.

    Any advice on which ski resort would be more suitable for me? I do not know how to ski. Would just like to try those beginner slopes and try other interesting facilities.

    Appreciate your help! Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Cherry,

      Did you book the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong? They definitely have a sauna there, but the Vivaldi Ocean World setup does look better (I haven’t personally used either!)

      If you’re interested in sledding, Vivaldi’s better for that too, they have a ‘Snowy Land’ area including sledding plus various other activities. Yongpyong does have sledding too, but it’s nothing as fancy.

      Yongpyong’s in a nicer location and is prettier (lots of concrete at Vivaldi), but it does sound like Vivaldi might be a bit better for what you’re looking for. It might be hard to get accommodation at Vivaldi though, depending what your dates are – advise checking the links above to see if they even have anything available before making any decisions.

      Hope this helps & let me know if you have any more questions. Cheers!

      Edit: ah, I just saw your second message including your dates. I’m afraid December 4th is too early for Snowy Land at Vivaldi (or sledding at Yongpyong), so don’t worry about that aspect. For ski lessons, the experience will be pretty the same at both resorts.

      • Cherry says:

        Hi Simon, thank you for the advice. Yes I booked the Dragon Valley Hotel in YongPyong. And you were right! It might be difficult for us to book an accommodation at Vivaldi resort. I tried to book the accommodation and realize they have limited rooms left and prices were doubled of the one I booked in YongPyong. So I decided to go with YongPyong instead.

        Now I’m looking at the prices for lift pass and ski equipment. From the website it’s states lift pass are 76k won and ski equipment at 33k won. It’s rather expensive! Noted from the YongPyong resort post that they have gift cards discounts. Do you happen to know if it is still available for this season? Will I be able to purchase it from my resort?

        And do you happen to know if Dragon Valley Hotel provides free shuttle bus services? YongPyong sites states that shuttle bus services are only for Yongpyong Resort guests. Not sure if this is true and available.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Cherry,

          Yeah that’s not surprising to hear about Vivaldi, but don’t worry you’ll still have a great time at Yongpyong. Don’t worry about the shuttle bus – Dragon Valley is part of the resort, so you do qualify as a resort guest. In any case, the info on the site at present is still for the summer shuttle bus – they haven’t announced for winter yet, but hopefully the winter shuttle will be available to everyone anyway.

          The gift card’s available at the ticket offices, you get the card first and then use it to get the discount on your tickets etc. As far as I’m aware they’re still doing this system for the coming season.

  77. Imelda says:

    Hello

    I would like to know if there are snow tubing facility at Daemyung Resort for non-skiers, if there is how much is the rental charges per hour ?

    Are ski goggles required in Daemyung Resort and if so, how much is the rental cost ? I heard that some resort kinda ‘hard sell’ the ski goggles ?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Imelda,

      The snow sledding at Daemyung is part of Vivaldi Snowy Land, the entrance ticket is around 40 dollars which includes the sledding. You don’t need goggles to do it.

  78. Ling says:

    Hi, I am going to Vivaldi on 2 to 4 Dec. Is it cheaper to book ski package with ski lessons, ski pass and ski equipment or I get them seperately when I am there? It is for my 2 kids who will be first time skiing.

  79. Rachel says:

    I’m travellng to Vivaldi resort on 25 Nov. Can I get a ski instructor and ski gear/equipment at Vivaldi resort itself? How many ski companies are there at the resort? Where can I get more information about Vivaldi ski companies? I’m looking at a hassle-free ski trip where there is someone to translate and guide us. Thanks again for this wonderful website.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Rachel,

      It’s typical at ski resorts around the world that there’s one official ski school operating at each resort. This is also true in Korea, so if you take a lesson at Vivaldi it’s direct from the Vivaldi ski school. The rentals at the resort are also direct from the company that owns the resort – you can also find independent rental shops in the towns near the resorts, but if you’re not driving your own car it’s hard to visit them and not worth the effort.

      If you want to just have everything taken care of for you, it’s probably easiest to book the package tour here – that also works out cheaper if you need to rent all the equipment & wear.

      Hope this helps & let me know if you have any more questions.

  80. Romeo Danang says:

    Hi Simon,

    My family and I want to go to Vivaldi Park on December 18, 2018 to go to Snowyland and also riding the Gondola. I want to ask you:
    1. Is there any combo package for snowyland and gondola? How much does it cost?
    2. How many days before the date we will go to Vivaldi Park must we reserve online for the shuttle bus?
    3. If we just play at snowyland do we need to rent the shoes? Because if we just use sneakers it will be wet in snow.

    Thank you for your answer.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Romeo, the Snowyland tickets are around 40 dollars, which includes riding the lift up to Snowyland. The ski gondola tickets are around 15 dollars for a round trip.

      You need to reserve the shuttle 2 days in advance.

      For footwear, yes if you don’t have anything appropriate you might want to rent some boots.

  81. Monique says:

    Hello! My family and I would like to visit Snowy Land. We will be coming from Jamsil. How do I get to Snowyland by bus or by train?

    Thanks.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Monique, you can take the free shuttle bus from Samseong Station which is 3 subway stops from Jamsil. Please see the transportation section above for the link to book the bus

  82. Rachel says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thanks for your reply. I have a group of 9 pax going to Vivaldi Resort on 25 Nov and I have checked the packages online, most of them are only starting in Dec. Is it advisable to get private coach at vivaldi resort counter? Do they have 2 days pass for ski lift and gear or I must buy on a daily basics?

    Are there any transport transfer available at Vivaldi Resort? I’m considering to go nami island and back seoul the next day?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Rachel, yes you’ll just need to buy the tickets on a daily basis. If you want to get an instructor for your group, yes you can do that at the ski school counter.

      There’s a direct shuttle from Vivaldi to Nami Island & back, see here

      • Rachel says:

        Hi,

        Is there any taxi or transfer available at Vivaldi Resort? I’m planning to go back to Seoul after Nami island.

        Btw, any official opening date for Vivaldi Ski Resort? Thanks.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Sorry for the slow reply Rachel, I’m waiting for Vivaldi to get back to me with their opening date – to be honest I don’t think they’ve decided yet, as the weather’s been a bit too warm recently.

          Are you wanting to go from Vivaldi to Nami, and then from Nami directly back to Seoul?

  83. Audrey Gan says:

    Hi, just to ask, I m going to Vivaldi on mid of Dec 18, will it be snow there ? How about if I no ski there but just walk inside seeing other people ski and I take some picture and play snow, do I need to rent the clothes and boots with paying or not ? If yes and how much ?

  84. Jerry Tan says:

    Hello,

    Just to ask, am planning to go to Vivaldi on 26th November, not sure if it is opened already?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jerry, sorry, still not sure. It’s been a warm November so far so they still don’t have any snow. My best guess now is that they’ll try to open for the 24th, but the temperature needs to drop over the next week

  85. Suann says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thank you for all the useful information here. I just want to make sure I’m getting things right. We will be going in Nov27, ride the free shuttle at 10:30 in Myeongdong, then enter Vivaldi (free), pay for the gondola ride (15000) and look around the place, then leave at 4:30 by bus to DongSeoul bus terminal. Did I miss something?

    Also, how much to rent boots only?

    Thank you very much in advance. 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Suann, yes it sounds like you’ve got everything right! Sorry though, I’m not sure about renting boots only. I’d guess it would be around 10 dollars.

    • luna says:

      hi i read about you planning to take 4.30pm shuttle bus from Vivaldi to Dongseoul. Did u take it? i mean is the shuttle buses to dongseoul still available? bcs i read somewhere that they halt vivaldi-dongseoul shuttle bus since May 2018, so i wanted to hear from those who’ve experienced it recently? thanks in advanced!~

      • Simon Norton says:

        That’s correct, the Dong Seoul highway bus was discontinued this season (I didn’t know that yet when I replied to Suann’s comment in November – hopefully she just jumped on the shuttle to Myeongdong instead)

  86. Crystal Lui says:

    Hi,

    1.is Snowy land open 1/12?
    2. What is the entrance fee to Snowy land?
    3. What is the rental of Sled equipment?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Crystal, no it won’t be open I’m afraid, it opens in mid-December. The price is about 40 dollars, which includes the sled usage

  87. Annie says:

    I am planning to go for SnowyLand on Dec 1 from Myeongdong taking the shuttle bus at 9am. But not intended to stay till 6pm as I am travelling with a big of 6 adults & 5 kids (age 3-10). Is there any other bus back to Myeongdong by around 3-4pm?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Annie,

      I’m afraid Snowyland won’t be open then – it opens in mid-December.

      There’s a bus at 4:30 to Dong Seoul bus terminal, but two points about this – first, it isn’t free, and second, Dong Seoul terminal’s about 30 minutes by subway from Myeongdong.

  88. Wendy says:

    Hi Simon
    http://www.daemyungresort.com/web/dm_english/html/01vivaldi_english_sub_02_01.html
    in the rental price stated here, does it include the ski, clothing etc?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Wendy, it includes the equipment (skis, poles & boots) but not the wear. It’s roughly 25 dollars extra to rent ski wear

  89. Dawn Ling says:

    What’s the mode of payment of the ski packages or ski rental stuff? Can pay by cash or just credit card? Also the prices on their website regarding the lift and ski rental.. Does the ski rental include snowboard? Are they the same price? If not, how much is snowboarding?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Dawn,

      Yes, you can pay by cash. When renting you can choose skis or snowboard, they have both available.

      • Dawn Ling says:

        Is the price for renting snowboard cheaper? Because I went to some ski packages tour and the price for snowboarding option is cheaper.

        • Simon Norton says:

          If you rent directly at the resort, the price is the same. The different pricing with the packages will be because they get the rentals from local independent rental shops instead of from the resort

  90. Geraldine Tan says:

    Hi,

    Please can you advise what is the temperature like around end of December. Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Geraldine, the answer is very cold! In Seoul it might be around 0 to -5 degrees Celsius during the day and maybe -10 at night, and Vivaldi Park will be slightly colder

  91. Dawn Ling says:

    Thanks for your patience in answering our questions. Is it necessary to wear goggles and helmet? I saw pictures and some don’t even wear any protective eyewear and only a wool hood.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Dawn, it’s not required but it is a good idea. Helmets are obviously good for safety, and goggles protect your eyes & skin from the sun. It’s also very hard to ski quickly without goggles due to the air pressure, but if you’re not skiing fast then sunglasses can be ok.

  92. Dawn Ling says:

    From their website prices, besides lift and rental prices, any other hidden costs or add on costs I need to consider?

    Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Not really, the costs are all listed up front.

      • Chua Ellice says:

        Hi Simon,

        May I know is there any place for us to store our luggage at Vivaldi park? The free shuttle bus is 6pm and I have to check out from Airbnb at 11am. Thank you.

        • Simon Norton says:

          They have lockers, but I’m not sure what you could do if they’re full. You might be able to leave them at reception in one of the condo buildings.

  93. Caroline says:

    Hi, your answers so far are superb. Hope you can also help me with the below:
    1) My youngest child is 5 year old, does Vilvadi allow him to take beginner ski class?
    2) How about Jisan Anow Park, do they allow 5 year old to take beginner ski lesson?
    3) There is no pricing on the website provided on package to Snowyland, sled rental, jacket rental etc. But i read through your answers from above, seem like it is cheaper to buy the 1 day tour from Klook / KK Day / Trazy.com than renting item by item, is that right?
    4) I was thinking of going for both the sledding (maybe skiing lesson if they allow 5 year old) and also another item. Since it is so cold, I think only the aqua zone (indoor) and Jjimjilbang are suitable. Do you have more info on the indoor activities and also the Jjimjilbang, and would you recommmend that?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Caroline,

      The minimum age for ski lessons at Vivaldi is 5 years, and I think that’s standard at all the resorts.

      The Snowy Land price is about 40 dollars, which includes use of the sleds – no need to pay additional rental. So if you only do sledding, it’ll be cheaper to travel by free shuttle bus and just pay for Snowy Land. However, if you want to do skiing then it definitely becomes cheaper to book a package – I recommend Trazy.

      As for the jimjilbang, I’m afraid I’m really not a hot spring/sauna guy so I have no idea how good it is! But yes, you can visit the indoor bit of the water park which is probably better than the indoor activities at most resorts.

      Hope this helps & let me know if you have any further questions

  94. Maureen says:

    Hi Simon,
    Since snowyland won’t open until mid december is there any other ski resort that you can recommend that opens early december? Im travelling with 6 kids and some of them are not allowed to ski yet, we are from the tropical country and love to play with snow is Elysian Gangchon a good choice? transportation wise you can easily come and go. Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Maureen,

      Vivaldi Park will be open in early December. Snowy Land is just one section of the resort, where the snow sledding is. All the other resorts have snow sledding too, but they also don’t start it until mid-December. So actually, you’ll find the same situation at any resort – they’ll be open for skiing, but you won’t be able to do sledding yet. If you just want to see snow, play around & take some pictures etc, Vivaldi and Elysian would both be fine.

  95. jimmy says:

    can people ski without a lift pass? by walking up the slope

  96. jimmy says:

    hi Simon, thank you for your informative site.

    I’m bringing my 2 year old who has never seen snow before…
    Which resorts would allow, without a lift pass, an adult to walk up and down the slopes with the toddler on really short skis?

  97. jimmy says:

    hi,

    Thank you for your informative site. I have some questions.

    1. Does this resort allow 2yr old toddlers to be on the beginner areas?

    2. Are there any other resorts you would recommend for first-time 2 year old toddlers? so that a parent would be able to walk up and down the slope (possible without a lift pass?) and teach?

    3. Also do resorts have gear for kids that small? boots for 15cm feet, and 60 or 70cm skis. Or are there rental shops in seoul where these can be found?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jimmy,

      Cheers mate.

      1. As far as I’m aware, there are no rules about that. The minimum age for ski lessons is 5, but that’s the only age restriction I know of. For a concrete answer it’d better to ask them directly – they’re reasonably responsive via their Facebook page.

      2. Vivaldi’s as good as any – one definite exception is Konjiam, which completely blocks the slopes off to those without lift tickets.

      3. Given the minimum age for lessons, I don’t imagine they have rental gear for kids under 5. Seoul has a ton of ski shops at Hakdong Station, but they’re retail rather than rental. There are independent rental shops in the towns near each ski resort, but they’re hard to visit if you don’t have your own wheels and again I’m afraid I’m not sure if they’d have gear for 2-year olds.

      Sorry I don’t have clearer answers for you, but hope this helps somewhat and give me a shout if you have any more questions.

  98. Lynette says:

    Hello Simon, thank you for your helpful information on this site! If you don’t mind, I would like to inquire about the transport to and from Vivaldi. I have tried to book the shuttle bus to Vivaldi at 10.30am slot from Myeongdong,Shinsegae to Vivaldi and the 6pm slot from Vivaldi back to Myeongdong. Unfortunately, despite having stated that there would be a 6pm ride back to Myeongdong, it only allowed one selection, which is the 9pm ride which would reach Myeongdong at 11pm. Is it correct to assume that 6pm ride is fully booked? Or would there be another reason why the 6pm ride is not available?

    Thank you in advance

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Lynette,

      Hmm that’s weird, no it isn’t sold out but it seems their booking system wants to force you to stay at the resort for 9 hours! If you select an early bus to the resort it wants you to select the 6pm return, but if you select the 10.30 bus it wants you to select the 9pm return. Try booking two separate 1-way journeys instead, if you set it to 1-way you can choose any travel time, so try doing that for both directions.

  99. hi would like to check my trip on 24th Nov – 28th November.
    Within this period are we still able to visit the vivaldi ski park.
    Yeah the kids wanted to play snow. maybe we can play sleeding too instead of ski. We’re family trip.

    Please advise

  100. Mayreen Importa says:

    Hi Simon! My Family is planning to go to Vivaldi park on Dec 8 2018. Its their 1st time to experience snow and not sure how long they will last 🙂 they might not be able to wait for the 6pm shuttle. in case they want to go back, is it easy to get a taxi there back to myeongdong? do you have an idea around how much is the fare? also, do you know the open hours of snowy land? i emailed vivaldi twice but got no reply. thanks so much! Godbless!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Mayreen,

      Sorry, Snowyland (sledding etc) won’t be open yet by December 8th. But the ski slopes will be open so you can try ski lessons, and if you don’t want to do that you can still go up the gondola to see the views. You could also visit the indoor section of Waterworld.

      A taxi back to Myeongdong would cost around 100 dollars, and you’d need to make a reservation (you can’t really just randomly grab a taxi from the resort). There’s also a public bus at 4.30 to Dong Seoul bus terminal, which is about 30 mins by subway from Myeongdong.

      • Mayreen Importa says:

        Thanks for your swift reply Simon. where is it better to go for a family with an 8 uo kid, vivaldi park, elysian or jisan ski resort? and if in vivaldi how do we reserve a taxi? tnx so much! Godbless!

        • Simon Norton says:

          Of the 3 I’d say Vivaldi’s best for a family day, as it has the best base area facilities.

          These days in Korea everyone usually books taxis using an app called KakaoTaxi, but you might not be able to register easily. But when you arrive there you can go to the customer service desk and ask them to arrange a return taxi for you.

          Considering the transportation though, if you want to go home early it might be good to go to Elysian as you can leave any time and take the train back to the city.

  101. Joe says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thanks for all your efforts on this site, it has all the information I need!

    My family is planning to do a 1 day ski on the 10th Dec 2018, and I am choosing from (1) Bears Town, (2) Elysian and (3) Vivaldi Park, which one would you recommend the most?

    Thanks!!
    Joe

    • Simon Norton says:

      Cheers Joe!

      I’d recommend Vivaldi – it’s the biggest of the 3, has the best base area facilities, and you can get there & back on their free shuttle bus from Myeongdong (though if you also need rentals, lessons, etc, it works out cheapest to book a package like this). Give me a shout if you have any more questions

  102. Amylia says:

    Hye simon,

    I already book free shuttle bus to vivaldi park. May i know how much to rent the sled for kids and adult?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Amylia, you don’t actually rent sleds at Vivaldi – instead, you get a ticket for Snowy Land which includes the sledding. It’s around 40 dollars

  103. Hi! Me and my family will be visiting vivaldi ski park this coming december however, since my parents are quite old and not into skiing, are there just normal pass for visitors so that maybe they can ride cable cars while me and my brothers do some skiing?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, yes you can buy gondola tickets for around 15 dollars, they can ride to the top & see the views and there’s a cafe up there. There’s also a sauna/spa area (‘jimjilbang’) they could visit

  104. Anhk says:

    Hi Simon
    How to I get to the Garden of Morning Calming from Vivaldi Park. Any tips on using which free shuttle bus to get to the garden. Trying to get there for the night light show.

  105. Nisa says:

    Hi simon, it is possible to travel to vivaldi (snowyland) via taxi?

  106. Lena says:

    Hi Simon, am looking forward to visit Snowyland on the 13th December 2018. Any ideas if the park is open by then? Do u know of any packages that we can get coz we will be going in a group of more than 10 pax and won’t be skiing. Just wanna go to Snowyland. Can we just get the tickets at the park itself? We need the shuttle bus too.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Lena,

      I’m afraid Snowy Land won’t be open yet when you visit. You can get gondola tickets to ride to the top of the mountain and see the view, there’s a cafe at the top. The gondola ticket is 15000 KRW, but your best option is to book the package here, if you choose the ‘gondola only’ option you get it for 12500 KRW (plus the free shuttle bus).

  107. Norli says:

    Hi Simon,

    My family and I will be visiting Vivaldi on 15th Dec 2018. Since Snowy Land will not be opened, what activities can we do up there after taking the gondola ride?

    Taking photos.. Playing snow balls.. We dont intend to ski.. What about snow sledge?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Norli,

      Sledding is part of Snowy Land I’m afraid. One other thing you could do is go to Ocean World, the main outdoor water park is closed in winter but you can still go to the indoor section with sauna etc

  108. Millia says:

    Hi Simon

    Is there any food/snacks operator in Snowy Land itself, without me going up to the mountain top?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Millia,

      Snowy Land is actually up the mountain, it’s the name of an activity area kind of like a mini winter theme park.

      But yes, at the base of the mountain there’s a large resort building with a food court, restaurants, fast food & cafes. There’s also an underground shopping centre beneath the car parking area with more food & drink places

  109. Dec says:

    Hi Simon,

    I’m bring the family to Snowy Land in mid December. With my limited experience with snow sports, do we need to rent ski boots and attire for the sledding activities? We don’t have waterproof winter outdoor wear. Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Dec, ski boots are a very specific piece of equipment which you only need to rent if you’re actually going skiing (they’re useless for all other purposes). But you do need to make sure you’re wearing appropriate winter clothing

  110. Liz says:

    Hi Simon.
    I am planning to take my family to vivaldi Park to do skiing and sledding in late December. My questions
    1) Since we hv never experienced snow, we hope to see lots of it when we visit(especially my 12 yo nephew). From past occurrences, Would there be much more snow in January/feb compared to December up on the mountain. And if so, is having more snow translated into having more fun in skiing and sledding?
    2)if we were to spend the whole day there (5-6 hrs)
    is it possible (enough time) to do both skiing(learning to ski for beginners) and go sledding. Please advice. Thanks in advance. Cheers.
    Liz

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Liz,

      1) Heavy snowfall is possible, but rare, any time from mid-December to late February. Generally speaking it doesn’t make much difference whether you go in late December or January, chances are you’d experience the same snow conditions either way. More snow is definitely desirable for advanced riders, but when you’re trying it for the first time it actually makes it harder, so don’t worry about the amount of snow, there will be enough for you.

      2) Yes, that’s plenty of time to do both. It’s probably easiest to book one of the packages here, which also takes care of your rentals etc

      Let me know if you have any more questions

  111. Millia says:

    Thank you so much, Simon.. Will be heading there in January with the kids. Looking forward to it!

  112. Phoon says:

    Hi, may i know is Vivaldi have walk way (escalator) to go uphill instead of ski lift? Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Phoon, if you don’t want to ski you can get a sightseeing ticket to ride the gondola to the top of the mountain, it’s about 15 dollars.

  113. Umair says:

    Hi

    I want to visit the Ski Resort for 1 day.
    Being a beginner i will only ski in beginer slope. Do I still need a lift Ticket?
    Will resort allow me to walk up the beginner slope and ski down… or lift ticket is mandatory. ?

    Please help

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Umair,

      Yes, you can do that. It’s a good idea to take a lesson though, and if you also need rentals it’s probably best to book a lesson package here, you can select the option to include equipment & wear rental plus a basic lesson without lift pass.

  114. Francis Lee says:

    Hi,

    Is it easy to get a cab to Vivaldi from Chuncheon ITX station?

    How much would it cost?

    Also, can I assume the return taxi is easy to get from Vivaldi to ChunCheon?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Francis, it’s a good 30km on normal roads (not highway) through the mountains, so it’d take about 45 minutes for around 30 dollars. You’d need to order a taxi, you can’t expect to randomly grab one at the resort. As noted above there’s also a bus between Chuncheon & Vivaldi for 3 dollars.

      Are you staying in Chuncheon? Or travelling from Seoul? If travelling from Seoul, ITX & taxi isn’t the best way to reach Vivaldi – take the free shuttle bus from Myeongdong.

  115. Rivoldiantoe Basran says:

    Hi Simon,
    We (3 person) are going to vivaldi, tomorrow (21December 2018). Can we just get in to the free bus? Or must we book earlier?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, yes you have to reserve by 5pm the day before, so you won’t be able to do that now if you haven’t already done so. You could still go and ask if they’ll let you on, but I don’t know what they’d say.

      Another option is the free bus to Oak Valley at 10:20 from exit 2 of Sports Complex Station. It waits directly outside the subway exit, and you don’t need a reservation. Super easy, I just used it today actually.

  116. Kathryn says:

    Hi Simon!
    Would you know which among the 3 resorts (Vivaldi, Elysian and Bears town) is the nearest coming from Myeongdong?
    Thank you.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kathryn, definitely Vivaldi Park. Just take the free shuttle direct from Myeongdong (make a reservation on their site by 5pm the previous day using the link above)

  117. Karen says:

    Hi,

    I’m planning to visit Vivaldi Park in early March next year. Will the park still be open in March?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Karen, they close in March. The exact date depends on temperatures & snow conditions, but closing day is usually mid-March. If you can come early in the month then it should be open

  118. kay says:

    how early can we do reservation for the free shuttle bus to vivaldi? we tried last night but the confirmation email is blank. thank you!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kay,

      Sorry I’m not sure why you’d get a blank email. I actually also reserved the free bus this week, and got the confirmation email as usual. I’d suggest calling them, 1833 5165

  119. Kristine says:

    Hi Simon,

    We plan to go to Vivaldi next month but I will not be skiing (hahaha, not into extreme sports) but I definitely want to sled. Is there a sled area in Vivaldi? Thank you.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kristine,

      Yes there is. It’s actually part of their new Snowy Land attraction, which involves riding a dedicated Snowy Land gondola up to a section of the mountain designated for non-skiers, with various things to see & do including sledding. Thanks to Snowy Land (and also the indoor section of Ocean World) Vivaldi’s the best ski resort for non-skiers

  120. hi.i’m syara from malaysia.i want to know does the snowy land package include the gondola ride too or we must buy the ticket for the gondola ride separately?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Syara, there’s a dedicated gondola for Snowy Land and it’s included in the Snowy Land ticket price

  121. Zie says:

    Hi…do vivaldi ski resort provide a prayer room and halal food? Thank you

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Zie,

      I don’t think they have a prayer room, but I can’t give a definite answer – I’d suggest calling them with this question. As for Halal food, I don’t think any of the food is specifically Halal but they have loads of cafes & restaurants so you can at least find vegetarian dishes which I’m pretty sure should be safe options for you.

    • luna says:

      I’ve read before that they do provide prayer room, halal food are available as well. Not sure if they still do now, i’ll be going there in a few weeks

  122. Rudolf says:

    Hi,

    I saw a comment above that Vivaldi park is still open at around 4th March. How about 8th-10th March 2019? I saw the free shuttle bus service is still operated until 10th March, but I don’t know whether the Vivaldi ski resort is still open or at least has snow at that time. We’re planning to go there on 9th March.

    Thank you

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Rudolf,

      Vivaldi usually closes in mid-March, and March 9th should usually be ok. Just have to warn you that snow levels are particularly low this year so unless we score a couple of healthy dumps in February we might be looking at fairly early closing dates this season. Your chances are still good for the 9th, but check again in early March (by which time they should know their closing date)

  123. Kate says:

    Hi! Will skiland still open on 12 March?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kate, hard to say I’m afraid. They usually close in mid-March, but without some heavy snow in February they might be closing a bit earlier than usual this year. If you check again in a month we might know the closing date by then.

  124. Zhianne says:

    Hello.good day!just wanna asked if snowyland in daemtung vivaldi ski resort is still open on march 10,2019?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Zhianne,

      They haven’t announced their closing date yet, but I guess it will be around that time. Please check again in a couple of weeks

  125. Farah says:

    Hi,

    Do you know how much is the entrance ticket for snowy land?

  126. chris says:

    i’m go to seoul in 25 march, it’s be able to play and take some pict with snow if i go there

  127. Joey says:

    Hi,
    We are going to Seoul on 11th March 2019.
    May I know if any ski park still open?
    Many thanks 🙂

  128. LHW says:

    Hi , Will the ski still be open on the 25/3/19 ?

  129. alp says:

    Hi, may i know, whether the park will open in september.

  130. Dol Nizam says:

    Hello there! Hi! what if i go there on this 15 Novmber . is vivaldi stilll open to play the snow?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, it’s possible they might be open by then if the weather is favourable, but it really depends. They always open as soon as they can, which is usually mid to late November. Last year they opened on November 24th (for reference you can see all the opening dates for last winter here)

  131. Vicky Yap says:

    I would like to book the resort at Daemyung Vivaldi Park Resort for OAK family roomfrom 24 – 26 December 2019 but I couldn’t get any rooms. Is the room really already fully booked

  132. Ros says:

    Hi may I know if the resort is already accepting bookings for Dec 2019? Tried their website but unable to select the dates.

  133. NR says:

    Hi Simon, does Vivaldi Park allow visitors to roam around in their cafes and enjoy the view of other people skiing? Without actually paying to ski and all? Or Vivaldi allows visitors who have paid only to walk around?

    Another question, do you know any mountains or observatory points which allow tourists in Seoul to see the view and snow in mountains? For instance like on Mount Moiwa, Sapporo, Japan?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, yes that’s fine just to visit Vivaldi Park and check out the shops, cafes etc without skiing, no problem whatsoever. The base area is totally open to the public, you’re free to just wander around as you please. You could consider visiting Snowy Land, it’s Vivaldi Park’s attraction for non-skiers, you take a cable car up the mountain and they have a bunch of activities including sledding (it’s the ‘Snow Sled Only’ package here)

      As for Seoul viewpoints, the obvious one is Namsan, which is the mountain right in the middle of the city with Seoul Tower on top of it. You can get good views from the top of the mountain (there’s a cable car, or you can hike up) and then the tower also has an observation deck you can go up to (see here). But it doesn’t usually snow in Seoul, so unless you’re lucky it won’t be a snowy view – still very nice though. If you want to hike up Namsan, I have a guide on my travel blog here; alternatively the cable car is near Myeongdong.

      • NR says:

        Hi, thank you for this. If I may ask, can we go take a cable car up the mountain without using the Snow Sled Only Package? Any idea/link on how to do so?

        Thanks again for your reply. Really helped, I really appreciate it.

        • Simon Norton says:

          The ‘Snow Sled Only’ package actually means Snowy Land, without doing skiing. Snowy Land is an attraction up the mountain with its own dedicated cable car; sledding is one of the activities available there, but it’s not the only one and you don’t have to do it. So, if you want to go up the mountain by cable car for sightseeing, the way to do this is by getting the ticket for Snowy Land. To get a ticket for Snowy Land, you can either just take the bus to Vivaldi Park and buy the Snowy Land ticket by yourself at the counter, or you can book the package in advance. It’s cheaper to book the package

  134. DARREN says:

    Hi simon

    I am planning to visit Vivalda park with my 2 kids, which I don’t want to ski but my kids wanna ski.

    So Can I check, if I bought gondola package only but my kids bought ski+ Clothes rental + lift pass only.

    That means me and my kids can take gondola to up the slope,
    1. Can I see them ski at the top of the slope? Or skiing is only allowed at bottom of the slope?

    2. gondola package can enter the ski area on top of the slope? What is there on top of the slope?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Darren,

      1. This totally depends on their level. Are they beginners? If they’re taking beginner lessons, they won’t be at the top of the mountain. The learning areas are near the bottom. If they’re already able to ski, then yes you can see them ski at the top.

      2. Yes, at the top there’s a wide flat space where you can walk around and see the views. There are also a couple of snack/cafe places where you can get food or have a coffee.

      Hope this helps, let me know if you have any further questions

  135. Crystal says:

    Hi Simon

    We are planning a trip to Vivaldi park to ski with 2 children 8 & 13, currently planning to book accommodation at Sky Vivaldi pension but it seems like it still takes about 1 hr to get to the Ski resort and after reading your blog it seems that its more convenient to travel from seoul direct bus to the resort instead. (Is this right?)

    Next we are 1st time traveller to Korea and to ski, may I know if it is possible (as in easy enough) to make any arrangements when we reach there that includes basic instruction on how to ski? Or I should pre arrange with travel guides to assist becos I have got mostly quite expensive quote to begin with.

    Thank you for your kind assistance and looking forward to your response

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Crystal, I just checked the location of Sky Vivaldi and it’s only around 10 minutes from the ski resort by car, a taxi should be under 10 USD and I think there’s a local bus too (but that’s probably not very frequent). So that would probably be ok to stay there, and yes it’s fine to arrange lessons when you arrive at the resort, they have English-speaking instructors available.

      And yes it’s also easy to visit Vivaldi Park as a day-trip from Seoul, see here for cheap 1-day packages including lessons.

      Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions

  136. Feeq says:

    Hi Simon

    I’ll be going to Vivaldi on 22nd Nov. I understand Snowyland is not open yet.and ski resort possible not open get.

    Can i still go up there? If i still go up what are the things i can do with the family? Have 2 toddlers with me. Is there any snow at all just for sightseeing

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Feeq,

      Yes you can still go there, but if the ski slopes aren’t open yet you won’t find much to do. You’ll definitely be able to see some snow, and there are some shops & restaurants. To be honest, I wouldn’t go if the skiing isn’t open yet – but if you really want to go just to see the snow, then yes you can do that.

      • Feew says:

        Hi Simon,

        I read the bottom comments you mentioned this year is a bit warm compared to previous years.

        Do you think if there’s still potential to see snow?
        Im aware the slope would definitely not open yet on the 24th.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Possibly. If you look here you can see the webcam at Yongpyong. The status at Vivaldi will be similar to whatever you see on that cam. There should be more snow by the 24th, but maybe not enough to open. Not sure at this point

  137. vivien says:

    Hi Simon,
    I’m planning to bring 3 kiddo for ski this dec 8-10. All rooms at yongpyong are full. Can u recommend alternative? only 3 kiddo age 4,8,10 are skiing . they have tried once last year so they r still in beginner stage . Am hoping that the ski resort will have some supermarket and restaurant nearby. will e resort near seoul be cold by 8dec? the kiddo hope to see some real snow. thank u.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Vivien, did you check Alpensia? It’s very close to Yongpyong, it’s a much smaller ski area but it’s good for beginners, and you can also still go to Yongpyong from there in 10 mins by taxi.

  138. Linda says:

    Hi simon,

    Im staying at vivaldi on the 5-7 dec 2019. Planning to go for day trip to nami on the 6th. Is there any transportation to go to there? I saw at the page that the resort have free shuttle to nami but just need their confirmation but they didnt reply until now

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Linda, the only transportation I can tell you about is the one you’ve already seen, the free shuttle from the resort (to do it by public transportation would take ages, and taxis would be pretty expensive). They’re not very good at replying I’m afraid, but I hope you hear back from them soon!

  139. Lia says:

    Hi,
    We are planning to go vivaldi for maybe one day trip or one night stay. But we will be coming from busan to seoul by ktx. By the time reach seoul will be noon time so I don’t think we can take a free shuttle bus from Myeongdong. Any advice that from busan we can directly go to vivaldi? Or take a tour is an better option?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Lia,

      There’s a train station around 50km from Vivaldi Park called Yangpyeong, with free shuttle buses to Vivaldi Park and KTX service from Seoul Station. Coming from Busan you’ll still need to change at Seoul Station, but the platforms are next to each other. It’s 45 minutes from Seoul Station to Yangpyeong by KTX, then 50 minutes from Yangpyeong to Vivaldi on the bus. If you look at the 4 pink bus schedules photographed on this page, the second one is the Yangpyeong bus; the middle column is Yangpyeong Station, right column is arrival time at Vivaldi.

      There’s a 12:01 KTX from Seoul Station, arriving Yangpyeong at 12:47 so you can take that then catch the 13:30 bus (the following train is at 14:01, but unfortunately this arrives slightly too late for the 14:40 bus so you have to catch the 13:30). So as long as you catch an early enough KTX from Busan to arrive at Seoul by 11:45ish you can do it.

      So the journey would be:

      KTX Busan to Seoul, arriving 11:45 or earlier (so depart around 9am)
      KTX Seoul to Yangpyeong, departing 12:01 arriving 12:47
      Shuttle bus Yangpyeong to Vivaldi, departing 13:30 arriving 14:20

      Just be careful about 2 things – first, the KTX schedule could possibly change by then. Tickets are available from 30 days in advance, so I’d advise you to check & book 30 days before your travel date, you can do that here. Second, that shuttle bus schedule is from last season – it might be different this season, or there might not even be a bus for that route any more. But we don’t know yet, and the resort probably hasn’t decided anything yet (they usually make these decisions at the last minute). If you arrive at Yangpyeong and find there is no shuttle bus, you can get there by taxi – this would take about 40 minutes and cost around 50 dollars (US). As long as you’re prepared to deal with that possibility if it happens, you should be able to do this journey.

      Let me know if you have any questions about any of that!

      • Lia says:

        Hi Simon,
        Thank You for your reply and advise. The link that you provide for booking the train only available 30 days in advance, am I rite? Because I try just now to check but all December date were in gray.Is it the link you provided is a better option to buy the train tickets for both ktx busan-seoul and seoul-yangpyeong? or I can buy from korail directly and found out Ninjarail also can do booking for KTX but heard mix review bad and good about them.
        And another thing I cant find Yangpyeong station from seoul but only can see Gapyeong station. Try to calculated the fare cos some agent quote pretty ex if we have to depart on noon time to Vivaldi.

        Your reply much appreciated.
        Lia

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Lia yes that’s right, you can buy tickets 30 days in advance, so I advise checking & booking 30 days before your planned date.

          Yes you can use Trip to buy both the Busan-Seoul and Seoul-Yangpyeong tickets. You could try using the Korail site, but personally I don’t like it and I always book my KTX tickets on Trip; they’re slightly more expensive (by maybe a dollar per ticket, for the booking fee), but I think it’s worth it because it’s just really easy to use. I’ve never tried Ninjarail so not sure what they’re like.

          You don’t see Yangpyeong on the drop down list of stations, but you can manually type it in as the arrival station. You should be able to find it that way.

  140. Roxanne Low says:

    Hello

    Nice to meet you.

    I am Roxanne, from Malaysia. We are going to Seoul on 1 Nov 2019 and planning to go Vivaldi to play ski on 7 Nov 2019 or 8 Nov 2019.
    May I know the Vivaldi ski park is open? Please help us check and let us know the update.

    Please advise if there is any transport can go directly to Vivaldi Ski Park from Myeongdong? How many hours from Myeongdong to Vivaldi ski park?

    How much is the entrance fee? Does it include goggles and helmet? How much is the ski lesson? This is our first ski experience. Please advise us and give more information.

    We would be grateful for your prompt reply.

    Thank you.

    Kind regards,
    Roxanne

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Roxanne,

      I’m sorry but you’re going to be too early. The earliest ski resorts open in mid to late November – if you look here you can see the opening dates from last season, when Vivaldi opened on the 24th.

      There is a free shuttle bus from Myeongdong (2 hours), but it isn’t scheduled to start until November 15th (so that’s probably the date they’ll open this year, if the conditions allow).

  141. Claudia says:

    Hi Simon,

    How long is the journey from Seoul to Vivaldi? If I take the free shuttle bus to Vivaldi, there will be 7 hours available for us to spend there before the bus depart back to Seoul. What are the activities we can do at Vivaldi without skiing class?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Claudia, it takes 2 hours. Without skiing the best thing to do is Snowy Land, it’s a tourist attraction on top of the mountain (it has a gondola to go up) with sledding and various other winter scene activities.

  142. Nor Suhaina says:

    Hi Simon
    thank God that I found your blog.

    i will go to korea on 27 to 31 December. our family consist of 2 adult and 2 kids with age 7 & 9 years old. I plan to go to nami island and vivaldi. between saturday, sunday & monday, what will be the best date i should go vivaldi and nami island?

    and i will stay neaby seoul station, so which bus stop i can go?

    thank you

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Nor,

      I’d probably go on the Monday, should be less crowded than Saturday & Sunday. There’s a shuttle bus from Seoul Station, but not until 10am. As you want to visit both Vivaldi & Nami in one day, you might want to catch an earlier shuttle from Myeongdong at 8am or 9am (they don’t actually go from Myeongdong Station on Line 4, but from outside the Myeongdong Lotte Hotel at Euljiro 1-ga Station on Line 2, see here for bus info).

      It depends how long you want to have at Vivaldi Park. I’d probably catch the 9am bus from Myeongdong, arriving at 10:30. You can visit Vivaldi Snowy Land, have lunch, then take the afternoon shuttle to Nami Island (usually at 2pm, but this season’s schedule isn’t confirmed yet – make a reservation at the shuttle office when you reach Vivaldi), then in the evening travel back to Seoul on the train from Gapyeong Station.

      Hope this helps

  143. Vinny says:

    Hi Simon

    If I take free shuttle bus from myeongdong to vivaldi, can I buy the ticket for both activity (snowy land and skiing experience) on the spot?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Vinny, yes that’s fine. The bus company usually has good discounts available which they offer to passengers during transit, so you might want to do that

  144. Claudia says:

    Hi Simon, I’m planning to bring my 3 musketeers to Vivaldi Snowyland first week of Dec 2029..
    1) is it open by dec 3 or 4?
    2) If not, can my kids experience playing with snow? If yes, whereabouts in vivaldi park?

    Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Claudia,

      Vivaldi usually opens in mid-november. Last year they opened on the 24th, which was a little late; this autumn the weather is even warmer, so I think they’ll open even later. It should hopefully be open by December, keep checking my post here for updates. However, I don’t think Snowy Land will be open until mid-December, so you probably won’t be able to try sledding. Your kids could try a ski lesson, or it is possible to just take the gondola up to the top station to see the views, walk around on the snow & take pics etc

  145. Nor Suhaina says:

    Hi Simon
    thank you so much for the advice. and thank you for the linkage for the bus information. it was really help me a lot.

    for transportation, i wonder if the shuttle bus is only 1 bus or many bus as i worry if unable to catch it due to fully book. if so, i need to book the bus now i gues. 🙂
    and
    sorry to ask again.. actually we plan to go to vivaldi and nami island at different day.. so if you could advice, During saturday & sunday, between nami and vivaldi which is more crowded.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Well, I’ve only ever seen 1 bus at a time. I don’t what happens if it gets fully booked, maybe they provide an extra bus, or maybe you just can’t book it. I’m not sure. It’s necessary to make advance reservation anyway, so yes you might as well book it as soon as you know which day you’re going.

      I don’t really recommend going to Vivaldi at the weekend, so it’s better to go there on Monday. But to be honest I don’t know how crowded Nami gets at the weekend, I’ve never been to Nami Island!

  146. Dewi Anggarani says:

    Hi Simon…

    I will go with my husband to Korea 28 No until 4 Dec and mostly we will stay in Seoul. But we would like to play Ski and sledding also make snowman, because it is really first timing for me to see and play with the snow, since I’m from Indonesia. Is Vivaldi up to for Skiing Lesson? how much it will cost me with my husband? Do you think there will be snow already there? And which day we should go there? or should I go to Yongpyong instead?
    Thank you so much for your consideration.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Dewi,

      Unfortunately this autumn is crazy warm, so the resorts haven’t been able to make much snow yet. They’re going to be opening late thus year, and I’m not sure if Vivaldi will open in time for you. Your best chance is probably Yongpyong, though again I’m not sure – it depends on the weather for the next few weeks, but it doesn’t look good I’m afraid.

  147. Michelle says:

    Bringing my teens to ski and snow sled, do you recommend Vivaldi Park or Bokwang Phoenix Park? Going Dec 12 to 15… is that too long, coz nothing much around the vicinity……
    Pls give advice. thanks.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Michelle,

      Can they already ski? If so, Phoenix Park is better. But if they’re complete beginners, I’d probably recommend Vivaldi Park. Both resorts have English-speaking instructors available though, so both are fine for learning. There isn’t much in the vicinity of either resort, but perhaps if you go to Vivaldi you could do a day trip to Nami Island, they have a free shuttle bus

  148. Rachel says:

    Hi Simon,

    I’m planning to go with my kids to just play snow, have lunch and back to Seoul without buying any lift ticket, no entrance fee required or ski equipment. Can you recommend which resort that is suitable for us? It will be just a day trip.

    Thanks.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Rachel,

      Vivaldi Park would be a good choice. You might want to consider getting tickets for their Snowy Land attraction

      • Rachel says:

        Thanks Simon.

        Since the shuttle back will be at 6pm, where do you recommend if we take KTX from Seoul to Pyeongchang for snow fun and of course no entrance fee, gondola fee and no equipment fee for us to just play snow, have lunch and back to Seoul.

  149. Michelle says:

    Hi Simon, we will arrive Incheon Airport around 1:30pm and want to go to Vivaldi park right away (3persons) Can you suggest any coach bus to go from Incheon? I have checked the private airport transfer which is quite costly. will it be cheaper or is it possible to grab a taxi from airport to go to Vivaldi park? Around how much will it be?

  150. Febriani Valentina says:

    Hi Simon,

    I have plan to go to Vivaldi in 30 Nov 2019 with my husband. We want to go to Garden of morning calm (we already booked 1 room near garden of morning calm for 29 Nov), Nami Island, then Vivaldi park. We already booked a room for 1 night in Vivaldi park. But now I’m confused about finding transportation from Nami Island. Do you have any advice? And Vivaldi will be open in 30 Nov?
    Thank you.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Febriani, yes they’re opening on the 22nd. There’s a free shuttle bus from Nami to Vivaldi, see here. Schedule may have changed for the new season though, so I suggest you investigate this at the Nami Island tourist info office when you arrive

  151. Gelly says:

    Hi Simon,

    We scheduled our Snowy Land Vivaldi tour on March 9, 2020 via Klook, when can we know if it is still open on that day?
    Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Gelly, we won’t know closing dates until late February. March 9th should hopefully be ok – they closed on March 18th last year

  152. Anis says:

    Hye simon. Im going to Vivaldi to actually experience the snow and probably play the sledding. Not planning to ski so 3-4hours shou;d be sufficient. Im planning to go there with shuttle bus but maybe take an earlier shuttle bus/train back to myeongdong around 2-3pm. Any suggestion what bus should i take and the route? thank you

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Anis, it’s easier just to wait for the shuttle to be honest. But another possible route would be to take the shuttle bus to Yangpyeong Station, then the KTX from there. If you look at the pink timetables pictured above, the middle pic is for Yangpyeong. You could catch the 14:50 from Vivaldi Park (비발디파크) to Yangpyeong Station (양평역), arriving at 15:30. Then you’d have to wait for the 16:40 train to Seoul, arriving 17:27

      (note, if you plan to do this I advise checking the bus timetable when you arrive at Vivaldi, as it might have changed for the new season)

  153. YEN YEN says:

    HI Simon,

    1. I planing go on mid Feb 2020, still snowing ?
    2. Plaining take skiing lesson but many packages to choose..

  154. Sherry says:

    Hi, wanted to ask what is the activity provided in Snowy Land?
    I can’t find what activities or facilities provided.
    And for the gondola, it will bring me to where?

  155. Rona says:

    Hi Simon. We are going to stay for a night at Vivaldi Park on 4th Dec. Is there any earlier shuttle bus going back to myeongdong other than the 6pm free shuttle bus? Probably around 10 or 11am?
    Is there any website that I could check on this? Many thanks 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Rona, there’s no earlier shuttle bus to Myeongdong, but you could take the shuttle bus to Yangpyeong train station (40 minutes) and then catch a KTX train back to Seoul from there.

  156. wan hamizah wan taib says:

    hi, how can i book online for entrance fees ticket without include transportation?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, you don’t need to book online, you can just buy your ticket there. The shuttle bus is free anyway, so you can just ride the bus and buy your ticket when you arrive. It does work out cheaper to book in advance though

  157. Dylan says:

    Hi i will be staying at Vivaldi park from 9-12 Dec. Planning to do a day trip to Mount Seorak. Is there any day tour i can book that departs from Vivaldi to mount seorak?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Dylan, it’s pretty far and I’m not aware of any such tour. You’d have to go all the way to Sokcho and to be honest I think the only way to do this in a day is by hiring a car

  158. johanis says:

    hi Simon, i am going to seoul with my kids on december 16 to 23 2019, she wants to playing snow and sled, which resort do you recomended for half day tour. thanks

  159. Leanne says:

    Hi Simon,im travelling with families (include 2 children age 3 &8). All of us wants to go skiing and snowyland on a day trip. So, do i need to purchase skiing ticket & snowyland ticket separately? or its all included in one ticket?

  160. johanis says:

    Thanks Simon,is snowy land pay single entry to play all the facilities ? And how much ?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Yes, it’s single entry, you go up the gondola and everything is up there at the top. You can check the prices in the link, if you just want to buy a ticket from the counter at Vivaldi for adults it’s 43000 won afternoon or 28000 evening, and 18000 for kids for either time (you can see the prices here, middle table). It works out cheaper to book a package

  161. SY says:

    Hi there!

    I am looking at going up to Snowyland on 15 Dec. Would you know if all activities are open by then?

    I understand it would cost KRW40,000 per pax for the gondola and admission fee. Is this the same for children (I have a 6- and 9-year-old)?

    My concern would be the number of activities that are opened on 15 Dec… currently, their website show none is open (could be not updated).

    Also, on the free shuttle, there are some good discounts offered… would you know what kind of offer it is for Snowyland?

    Appreciate your help!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi SY, all open on the 15th, you can check the schedule here.

      Kids tickets are cheaper, 18000 won or 23000 for full day (shown here). It works out cheaper to book a package here, they do offer discounts on the bus (see the photo above), I don’t know what they’ll be for this season but I think the pre-booked rate will probably be best.

  162. Alyaa says:

    Hi Simon, I heard there is a free shuttle from Vivaldi Park to Nami Island.
    1. May I know where can I get the bus ticket from Vivaldi?
    2. Does the shuttle bus stop near Nami ferry dock or do I still have to take the Gapyeong tour bus to go to the ferry?

    Thank you.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Alyaa, info here

      • Alya says:

        Hi, Simon. Thank you so much for the reply.

        I have visited the website and sadly I think they have removed the free shuttle bus to Nami Island.

        Is there any other alternative way through Public bus/subway to Nami island?

        Would like to confirm if the free shuttle from Vivaldi to Chuncheon Station is still available?

        Thank you 🙂

        • Simon Norton says:

          argh, they’ve changed the url again (that happens a lot!)… I can’t find the information now, so I’m not sure about the status of the Nami bus. I’ll try to find out what’s going on with it, but in the meantime you could try the package here. I don’t recommend trying it by public transport, would take ages. Could take a taxi, but obviously that’s more expensive

  163. Paula says:

    Hi. Good day!

    I read from the other posts that entrance is free if we will just go around sightseeing. But is this true for snowyland only? I read that entrance is different from ski resort. Thank you! 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Paula, you need to buy tickets for Snowy Land. It’s free to just walk around and look at things around the base area, but Snowy Land is accessed via its own gondola. Have a look here for more info

      • Paula says:

        Hello, Simon. Thanks for the quick reply. Let’s say I get snow sled tour with gondola and eventually wanted to ski while I’m there, should I need to buy a separate entrance ticket for ski? Thank you! 🙂

  164. Djames Lim says:

    Hi Simon,
    am checking in to Vivaldi Ski Resort (staying for 3 nights) on 24 Dec and taking their free shuttle bus from Meongdong in the morning, will we be able to sign up the package for ski lesson (beginner) for my wife and daughter 8 years old. I understand there is this W99,000 ALL-IN package and then you may add extra 2hrs private lesson. Where should we sign up such package since I will be there for 3 full days?
    My son and I can ski and snowboard, where can we buy online the package for ski lift, gear, and clothing? Many thanks and your site have been most helpful. God bless

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Djames, you can see the packages here, but those are for day trips. There are also the packages they sell on the bus (shown in the photo in the transportation section above), including the 99,000 package you mentioned. You can just buy that from the staff on the bus, and maybe you could ask them if they can also sell it to you for the following 2 days.

  165. Ashiqin Ahmad says:

    Hi. Plan to bring my 16 months old daughter to the snowy land. Will it be ok for her to play & enjoy the snow?

  166. Jay Lim says:

    Is the Ski resort open on January 1st?

  167. wilna says:

    Hye Mr Simon, before that i wanna wish you merry christmas!!! & happy new year in advance :p

    i do understand that theres a free shuttle for forgeiners, but my concern is, we dont want to stay whole day at Vivaldi Park and wanna out back to seoul before 2pm, i dont really understand how the local bus transportation work. what is the nearest place to get a subway back to seoul

    and also, i have read that theres a 30% disc for tourist and yes need to show the passport :). is this still valid?

    appreciated your kind help and reply

    • Simon Norton says:

      Thanks Wilna, Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you too 🙂

      It isn’t easy to get back from Vivaldi by public transport. If you want to do that it might be better to go to Elysian Gangchon instead, it has access via the Seoul Metro.

  168. Nurul Akmar Ahmad says:

    Hi i would like to ask, is taxi always available at the ski resort? Bcs i planned to just spend half day at this ski resort and proceed to nami island in the evening. As there is no other public transport may bring us to nami island other than taxi. So i would like to know the availability of taxi over there. Thank you

    • NURUL AKMAR AHMAD says:

      is the free shuttle from vivaldi park to nami island still running? because i click on the link you attached and found nothing then information regarding car rental.

      • Simon Norton says:

        Hi, sorry I’m not 100% sure, but it seems like the Nami Island shuttle may have been discontinued this season unfortunately. There’s no sensible route by public transport, but you could arrange a taxi. Don’t really on just finding a random taxi at the resort though – ask the front desk staff to book one for you.

  169. Bexy says:

    Hi Mr. Simon. 8 of us are renting a Van to vivaldi park ourselves. 3 of us going for skiing and renting full equipment and other 5 will stay at snowy land. may i know is it cheaper to buy those klook packages which includes transport from Seoul or is it cheaper to buy at the counter when we arrive Vivaldi Park? Does Vivaldi Park has a website for online purchase? i couldn’t find the rental prices. the the link you gave above only bring me to ‘https://www.visitdaemyung.com/’. Thank you for your time.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Bexy,

      Sorry about that – I absolutely hate using their website! They change it all the time but don’t redirect traffic to the new url 🙁

      I’ll have to update it again when I have time.

      Anyway, it’ll be cheaper to book the packages here, but if you don’t turn up for the bus in the morning I guess they’d cancel your reservation. So if you want to drive yourself, I’d advise emailing them to let them know and arrange a place to meet them at the resort.

  170. David Kris says:

    Hi Mr.Simon,

    I’m planning to go to Vivaldi in mid January.
    Do I have to use Ski Clothes to sled in snowyland?
    I mean, if I don’t have one, will I have to rent ski clothes from Vivaldi, or else I won’t be allowed to enter?
    What’s the price of ski clothes rent?

    Is the shuttle bus to Nami Island at 2pm still exist?

    Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi David,

      You don’t need special clothes for sledding, just make sure you have warm enough clothes with you.

      I’m afraid the shuttle bus to Nami seems to have been discontinued this season.

  171. Alexandre Lasmar says:

    Hi Simon. I’ve booked the free bus to Vivaldi on Jan/7th and I would like to know if all the lifts are open and how is the snow at the resort. Thanks.

  172. Douglas Tran says:

    Hi simon,
    I am planning on going to Vivaldi tomorrow
    But I couldn’t find the bus stop from Chuncheon station when I went there today? The ladies at the tourist centre said that the bus is probably at Namchuncheon?

    Is the paid bus still running? I haven’t been able to get much info.
    I am staying at the W Jiwoo resort in nami island. So I’m trying to find the best way there

    I know it’s late and a long shot but your help would be much appreciated.

  173. Walden says:

    Hi, what’s the best day to go to vivaldi park? Is Sunday ok?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Saturday & Sunday are the worst (busiest) days, along with national holidays. You can still have a good day, but be ready for long lines.

  174. annisa says:

    hi simon,

    I will go to snowyland with family 6adults, 3 children and 1 infant (13months old baby) end this feb.
    I want to ask about the infant/baby, is baby can enter to snowyland? maybe for playing sleed and etc it cannot ya..
    but only for play snow inside snowyland, is it possible?
    Thank you

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Annisa, their website says the minimum age for sledding is 36 months. Apart from that it doesn’t mention minimum age, so I think it’s okay to take a baby. However, I don’t work for the resort and
      I don’t know this for sure – it would be best to contact their customer service directly (try their Facebook page)

  175. TN says:

    Thanks for you excellent website. Family of three, child under 12, all definitely non-skiers and dad in particular is a non-athlete. Staying in Jung-gu. Want a fun and memorable and safe 1 day or half-day in the snow, taking pictures, throwing snowballs, and probably would like to sled and probably at least attempt to ski. Maybe some relatively quick ski safety/instruction? Don’t like crowds but can grin and bear it. Price is important but memories are more so. Your pick: Elysian or Vivaldi? Thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi TN,

      Vivaldi is much better for non-skiers, you can visit their Snowy Land attraction. Vivaldi also has a better base area in terms of shops & cafes etc, and better views when you go up. There isn’t so much to do at Elysian if you don’t ski.

  176. Kyn says:

    Hello! Do you think the park will be open on 15 march? Not sure when it closes. And how do i purchase the tickets?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kyn,

      Possibly, not sure yet. They usually close around that time. You can buy tickets at the ticket counter on the day, or you can use the links above to book packages online.

  177. Dries says:

    Hello, thanks for the useful information. Where could I find indications as to when Vivaldi will open this year (and which slopes are open)?

    Also, I tried to have a look at the website for the “tourist shuttle bus” from Seoul here: http://vivaldiskibus.com/d_bus/bus_view.html. But it seems like it is not yet possible to book it?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi, they’re scheduled to open on Nov 27

      Yeah it looks like the free tourist shuttle might not be operating this season, obviously the covid situation means they hardly have any foreign visitors at the moment. I’m stuck in England so it’s hard to confirm! It would normally be possible to book it by now though, so I’m guessing they’ve stopped it for the pandemic. You can still book the day tour with Trazy (the other link in the transport section above), and they have a good early season discount at the moment

  178. Rina says:

    Hi Simon. I am planning to go to the ski park on Feb 2023. We are a group of 5 adults.

    1. Can we bring our luggage on the free shuttle bus? We plan to stay there for 2 nights and bring 2 luggage.

    2. If we decide to not take the free shuttle bus, what are other options to go to the ski park other than taxi/private transport? I believe taking a taxi for 5 people from Seoul would cost a lot.

    3. Are there any convenience store nearby?

  179. Simon Norton says:

    Hi Rina,

    Sorry for the slow reply.

    1. yes you can take your luggage on the bus

    2. it would probably cost 100+ USD for a taxi from Seoul

    3. yes they have convenience stores at the resort, and there’s a kind of mini shopping plaza under the car park in front of the main resort building.

  180. Joseph says:

    Hi,

    I want to know if they any instructors to teach beginners for skiing?

  181. Tommy says:

    when if I go there on 18 March. is vivaldi stilll open?

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Hi I’m Simon, British snowboard addict & travel blogger presently based in NE Asia. I run this site to help international visitors plan their trips to Korean ski resorts; you might also be interested in my travel blog, especially the Korea sightseeing and Japan snowboarding content

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