Vail Resorts Unveils ‘Epic Experience’ With Better Food, Concierge Ski Lessons, App Features and Rental Services

On July 14, Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz announced the launch of its new Epic Experience, aimed at improving the guest experience at many of its resorts across the country. The new multi-year initiative brings significant investment into dining, ski lessons, trip planning, and rental upgrades to facilitate future growth and build loyalty.

“For years, Vail Resorts focused on building the Epic Pass model and expanding its resort network,” said Katz in the company’s press release. “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.”

The most notable changes, which will be new next season, include investments into resort dining to improve ingredients of popular dishes and the introduction of Epic Ascent to enhance private lessons with concierge services.

“Exceptional experience is not one moment – it is the standard we want guests to feel across their entire journey,” Katz said. “From the food, lessons and gear that shape a day on the mountain to how we communicate with and support our guests, we are focused on removing friction, elevating the experience and creating more moments that inspire guests to return.”

• Related: Vail Resorts Q3: Fewer Skiers, Falling Revenue & Weakening Pass Sales Drive Lowered Guidance

New Investment in Mountain Food Without a Price Increase

With dining being an important part of the skiing experience, Vail Resorts has decided to make changes in how it prepares its food. Resort food 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 receiving a significant investment, with higher-quality ingredients and refined presentation. These upgrades will occur at 15 destination resorts. For example, guests across 15 destination resorts can purchase 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.

This winter, resorts like Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Whistler Blackcomb will continue to focus on the development of signature dishes unique to each resort.

Vail Resorts also emphasizes that the upgraded menu items will not come with additional price increases beyond normal inflation. The dining improvements are a part of its broader effort to elevate the on-mountain experience without charging premium prices for the improved food.

Alongside the food improvements, the company also plans to introduce new technology and operational changes to reduce wait times and increase seating capacity. 

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The Brand New Epic Ascent and Other Lesson Improvements

This winter at Beaver Creek and Vail Mountain, Vail Resorts is launching its new Epic Ascent experience, designed to personalize private lessons alongside offering concierge services with dining and travel-planning assistance, white-glove gear rental, and enhanced customer support. Epic Ascent will expand across more Vail Resorts mountain destinations in the 2027/28 season, with more information on Epic Ascent coming soon.

Lesson improvements will also be made to the My Epic, expanding the app’s ski and ride school from four to 14 resorts. Other improvements include a digital check-in, photos, skills tracking and real-time updates for parents of kids taking lessons.

Other Improvements: My Epic Gear, My Epic App

The Epic Experience will also bring improvements to My Epic Gear. Beginning this season, guests who book high-performance Demo rentals at the company’s rental outlets across 12 participating resorts will receive the curated My Epic Gear experience without the membership fee. That includes the ability to select their preferred ski or snowboard model, and BOA ski boots or Step On bindings, online, ahead of their arrival.

Starting this fall, guests will be able to purchase passes and lift tickets, as well as share Epic Friend Tickets with friends and family, directly in the My Epic app. The app will also integrate Apple Pay and Google Pay, along with the ability to purchase lessons and rentals directly in the app.

Future app enhancements will include modern A.I. for trip-planning, personalized recommendations and itineraries – from parking and lessons to lunch, après, and other features.

What Do These Changes Mean?

The new Epic Experience initiative marks a notable effort and investment in Vail Resorts’ long-term growth as the world’s largest and only fully integrated ski resort company. With heavy investments across many aspects of the guest experience, the company hopes to build greater guest loyalty and boost repeat visitation.

Many of the changes address common pains for skiers and snowboarders at Vail-owned resorts, such as cafeteria wait times, lesson-planning and logistics. Whether the initiative actually delivers an enhanced guest experience is yet to be seen, but Vail Resorts is making it clear that it is focused on ensuring its guests make memories on the slopes.