maybe define what you mean by "early season". october? december?
in my experience i've found that by early december it's actually decent, at least in tirol where i usually go.
also, a good time to catch the european resorts is the tail end of january, when the snow picks up again, and you still get non-high season prices, quiet slopes, and before the school holidays that keep things very busy in february.
the glaciers are pretty reliable, kaunertal, hintertux, etc.