It is a really good thing that my parents put me in ski school. I don't know if I would still be skiing today if they hadn't. Some people seem to think that when they are on a family ski vacation they need to spend every minute with each other despite the fact that everyone may be at a different level of skiing. Everyone wants to do something different and go at a different speed. In the end no one gets to ski what they want.
My first piece of advice for a family vaca own age and an instructor that will show them all the cool places on the hill such as the kids trails or castles. If the parents want to save on lessons, almost every mountain offers different levels of mountain tours that are free almost every morning. It is a great way to learn the mountain and ski with people at your level. This is not to say that I discourage skiing with each other, but I know I'm much happier when I ski with someone at my level. That way I'm happier when I see my family at the end of the day and we can share our tales in the hot tub.
It is hard to save money on hotels, but if you start looking early enough and spend some time looking around, you can usually find one near the hill at a reasonable price.
If you have to fly into an airport, there is usually some sort of shared transportation from the airport up to the hill. In Colorado, when you land at Denver International Airport you can take Colorado Mountain Express to any resort in the state. It is direct door-to-door service and will save you driving on sometimes dangerous mountain roads and the money of renting a car, which you probably won't use the entire time you are at the resort.
For lift tickets and rentals it is hard to save money, but the more days you buy and if you buy before the season starts (before November) tickets are usually cheaper. You can also purchase tickets for many resorts in a nearby city at a discounted rate. You can buy Whistler Fast Track lift passes for a $10 savings at 7-11 in Squamish. In Denver you can buy a similar type pass for many of the resorts at the grocery store. This idea works if you are going to be spending time in that nearby city.
They key way to save money is on food. Eating lunch on the mountain is never less than $10/person. If your hotel has a continental breakfast feel free to take an extra bagel for lunch or pack some instant noodles. It won't look as nice at the $9.50 cheeseburger, but your wallet will thank you. Dinners can also be pricey, that is why ordering pizza or enjoying 20 cent wings during a late apres is often a way to cut down on the cost of dinner.
Almost every mountain I've ever skied boasts an array of great family programs and they are telling the truth. They truly go out of their way to make sure all age groups will have fun. All you have to do is ask.
Remember it is your vacation, you might as well have fun.
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