Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz unveiled a sweeping new company strategy on Tuesday called Epic Experience, a multi-year plan aimed at reshaping nearly every part of the guest journey at its resorts. The announcement covers everything from mountain food and private lessons to gear rentals and the My Epic app, marking a shift in focus for the Broomfield, Colorado based company after years of prioritizing pass sales and resort acquisitions.
“For years, Vail Resorts focused on building the Epic Pass model and expanding its resort network. 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 seamless, personalized and memorable.” – Rob Katz
A New Focus On Guest Experience at Vail Resorts
Katz said the company built its business over the years around expanding the Epic Pass and buying up resorts, but that strategy was never meant to be the endpoint. He described Epic Experience as an effort to use the company’s scale and technology to make the entire mountain trip feel more seamless and personal, from planning a visit to actually skiing the runs. The company says it will keep investing in lift infrastructure and snowmaking even as it rolls out these new guest focused changes.
Private Lessons Get An Upgrade
This winter at Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek, all private lessons will be upgraded to a new tier called Epic Ascent. The program adds concierge services, premium gear rental and expanded customer support for guests taking private lessons. A dedicated concierge will help coordinate other parts of a guest’s trip such as dinner reservations and transportation.
Vail Resorts plans to expand Epic Ascent to more resorts during the 2027 and 2028 season. Meanwhile the company’s digital ski and ride school check in system, which currently operates at four resorts, will expand to 14 resorts. That system lets parents track their kids’ lessons in real time and see skill badges as children progress.
Rental Gear And App Improvements
Vail Resorts is continuing to fold features from its My Epic Gear rental program into standard rentals. Starting this season, guests booking high performance demo rentals at 12 resorts can pick their preferred ski or snowboard model and boot or binding type online before they arrive, without paying a membership fee.
By the 2027 and 2028 season, the company wants all rental customers to have that same level of choice, along with the option to skip in store fitting entirely for returning guests. On the app side, guests will soon be able to buy passes, lift tickets and Epic Friend Tickets directly through My Epic, along with new support for Apple Pay and Google Pay. The company also plans to add AI powered trip planning tools in future updates.
Vail’s Mountain Food Is Getting An Upgrade
The company says food is getting a significant overhaul across 15 of its destination resorts, with better ingredients and presentation for popular items like burgers, pizza, chili and mac and cheese. They specifically pointed to an upgraded burger featuring a butcher’s blend patty, pecan smoked bacon and a griddled brioche bun as an example of the changes coming to base area dining. They also claim prices for these upgraded items will not increase beyond normal inflation.
Staffing Investments Continue
The announcement also touched on staffing, noting the company’s earlier $175 million investment in wages and benefits has helped it stay fully staffed and improve employee retention. Vail Resorts credited its frontline teams with driving record guest satisfaction scores last season. More details on several of these initiatives, including Epic Ascent’s broader rollout, are expected in the coming months ahead of the 2026 and 2027 winter season.