The staff is about the friendliest in the business...

The staff is about the friendliest in the business. I think they really makenan effort to be pleasant and accommodating. The snow wasn't good when I was here, so the skiing was a bit limited. As such, this is more of a review on the amenities.
South shore is about an hour or so away, and you climb two mountain passes in the process, so plan on leaving early. The roads can be icy, especially on the descent from the reservoir to the turn off to Kirkwood. Getting here from the Bay Area takes about the same amount of time that it takes me to get to to the North Shore, even though it is some 50-70 miles closer. Chalk that up to narrow, twisting roads to Kirkwood. Parking is a healthy hike along the road to the resort, so watch for ice patches and cars (with stairs you have to climb to get to the main deck/patio/courtyard of the resort - boo!). There is a shuttle that will take you to and from the parking lot to the main walkway to the resort (with fewer stairs). On one occasion, the shuttle drove right up to our car, which was really nice! Alternatively, you can pay for premium parking, but you also have to get there early enough to take advantage of it as it fills quickly.
There is one grab and go cafeteria on the far side of the resort, and a couple of sit-down restaurants right off the lifts. Picnic tables abound outside on the patio, and there is one fire pit that is usually well-attended. Inside seating is severely limited in the cafeteria, so getting a table is out of the weather can be a matter of timing. So far as I could tell, there was no other inside seating available unless you went to the restaurant.
There weren't any real lines at the lifts, but they aren't the fastest available, so most of your waiting is in the chair.
One word of warning: there is not much more than the resort at Kirkwood. Don't expect a grocery store; I didn't even see a gas station (though maybe I just missed that). So bring what you need, because everything else is at least an hour away.