Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz announced a new era for the company defined by delivering the best and most differentiated guest experience in skiing and riding.
Anchored to the belief that future growth will come by offering an exceptional experience that drives loyalty and visitation, the Epic Experience vision spans a multi-year roadmap that comes with a series of immediate investments in food, lessons, gear, guest engagement and talent.
Most notably, new next season, Vail Resorts will raise the bar on mountain food with a significant investment to elevate its most popular dishes and introduce Epic Ascent at US based resorts to enhance private lessons with concierge services.
“For years, Vail Resorts focused on building the Epic Pass model and expanding its resort network,” said Katz. “That strategy helped establish the company’s position today, but the Pass and acquisitions were not the end goal. The next chapter of growth for Vail Resorts is about delivering a guest experience that undeniably leads the ski industry and is best in class in the travel sector. Epic Experience is about using the strength of our integrated model and leveraging our scale and technology to make every part of the mountain journey more Oh well Oh seamless, personalized and memorable.”
Vail Resorts will focus on various pillars outlined below to drive future growth.
Reimagining Rentals
Ahead of the 2027/28 winter season, Vail Resorts US based rental outlets will offer expanded and upgraded gear and service options, which will include the ability for anyone to choose a specific gear model – online or in app. Returning guests will have the ability to get their skis or snowboards fully teched, tuned and ready for pickup or delivery, without going through an in-store fitting process. Other future offerings include slopeside valet and digital enhancements for easier browsing and booking.
Elevating Lessons into Personalised Mountain Experiences
Vail Resorts is redesigning its private lesson experiences to be more personalised and seamless for every guest to Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek, the company will upgrade all private lessons to Epic Ascent, an elevated private lesson experience offering concierge services, white-glove gear rental and enhanced customer support. Private-lesson guests will get high-touch customer support and a dedicated concierge to coordinate every detail of their overall trip, like dining reservations, transportation coordination and white-glove gear rental. Epic Ascent will expand across more Vail Resorts mountain destinations in the 2027/28 season.
Raising the Bar on Mountain Food
Skiing and snowboarding are about the full on-mountain experience, and food is a critical part of a memorable day on the slopes. As Vail Resorts embarks on a journey to elevate dining on the mountains, the company is making its most popular menu items better across 15 destination resorts across USA and Whistler Blackcomb Canada. Ski-day classics like chili, burgers, pizza, fries, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and mac and cheese – which make up the majority of resort food sales – are all getting elevated with a significant investment in higher-quality ingredients and refined presentation. For instance, guests across 15 destination resorts can enjoy a butcher’s blend burger with melted New School American Cheese and pecan-smoked bacon on a griddled brioche bun, served with crispy waffle fries and a signature comeback sauce.
