Vail Resorts Announces Summer Operations

What on-mountain restaurants are open? 

Limited, grab 'n go dining outlets will be open on mountain to provide pre-packaged snacks and beverages. Please visit the resort website for more information on which locations are open. All locations will have cashless transactions.  

Why are you only offering grab-and-go for on-mountain dining? 

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, we have had to reimagine the resort experience and our operations for this summer, including mountain dining. At this time, we are limiting our on-mountain dining options to grab go to limit touch points for employees and guests and will continue to assess our ability to expand operations over the course of the summer.  

What on-mountain activities are open? 

To ensure we provide the safest experience, we will open with limited summer activities, focused first and foremost on getting you on the mountain. We will continue to assess expanding our operations once we are open and as soon as it is safe to do so. Please visit the resort website for more information on available activities.
 
Will your retail stores offer bike rentals this summer? 

Each resort has its own plan for bike rentals.  Please visit the resort website for more information.

Where can I purchase tickets for lift rides and summer activities? Do I need to make a reservation? 

You do not need to make a reservation for scenic lift rides and summer activities. Tickets will be available to purchase onsite at the ticket office. All transactions will be cashless.  

Can I use my 20-21 Epic Pass for summer access?  

Summer benefits for the 2020-21 Epic Pass include free lift access for scenic rides (varies by pass type and region), as well as select lodging, food and beverage, and activity discounts. Full details here.

When will lodging reopen?  

Vail Resorts owned and operated hotels are accepting reservations beginning June 19, 2020. We are offering free cancellations and full refunds for reservations made between now and Dec. 17, 2020. More information on our current booking and cancellation policies is available here. 

What safety precautions are lodging properties taking?  Are any special cleaning procedures being taken? 

The safety of our employees and our guests has always been a top priority. To ensure our properties are prepared to address the realities of COVID-19, we have rolled out enhanced safety protocols at all of our owned and operated lodging properties designed to provide both guests and employees with a safe and enjoyable experience. Our new safety guidelines include limited touchpoints at check in, property-wide enhanced cleaning measures, shared space guidelines in elevators and physical distancing policies. While our protocols may vary by property, our teams will continue to follow CDC and WHO guidance, aligning our robust plan to ever-evolving industry best practices. 

How are you dealing with common areas? 

Our new safety guidelines include limited touchpoints at check in, property-wide enhanced cleaning measures, shared space guidelines in elevators and physical distancing policies. While our protocols may vary by property, our teams will continue to follow CDC and WHO guidance, aligning our robust plan to ever-evolving industry best practices. As a part of property-wide expanded safety guidelines, certain amenities/common areas may not be available at this time. Please contact the property directly for the most up-to-date information. 
 
Will the pool/spa/gym be open?  

As a part of property-wide expanded safety guidelines, certain amenities may not be available at this time. Please contact the property directly for the most up-to-date information. 
 
Can I valet my car?  

As a part of property-wide expanded safety guidelines, certain amenities may not be available at this time. Please contact the property directly for the most up-to-date information. 
 
Will hotel restaurants be open for business?  

As a part of property-wide expanded safety guidelines, certain dining areas may not be available at this time. Please contact the property directly for the most up-to-date information on grab-and-go and in-room dining options. 

How are you keeping guests safe this summer? 

We have developed new processes and procedures for the safety of our guests and employees, taking into account local government guidelines, industry best practices and our unique knowledge and insight about our operations. You can find more information on some of our safety procedures and guest expectations above. 

What are you doing to protect your staff? 

We have developed a robust return to work and training process for all resort employees to ensure safety. All our employees are required to wear a face covering and follow the company’s safety protocols and procedures at all times, including regular hand washing and the use of PPG. Employees will undergo daily health screenings and are required to stay home if sick. We’ll continue to review and update our policies to adhere to the most up-to-date practices to keep employees and guests safe. 

Do I need to wear a face covering? 

Guests are required to wear face coverings in certain areas, including in lines, when loading and unloading chairlifts, when loading and riding in gondolas and bubble chairs, in indoor resort facilities, on activities such as an alpine slide or mountain coaster, and whenever it is not possible to maintain a six-foot distance from unknown parties. We require this because face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings, according to the CDC. Guests are encouraged to bring their own face coverings, but resorts will have them available upon request, subject to availability. When physical distancing is possible, such as hiking on trails, guests may remove their face coverings.  

Do I need to bring my own face covering?  

Yes, guests are strongly encouraged to bring their own face covering. We will have some available upon request, subject to availability. Guests without a face covering will not be allowed to load chairlifts or gondolas, inside resort facilities, on activities such as an alpine slide or mountain coaster or other areas where physical distancing is not possible.  

How will you be enforcing face coverings for guests? 

Guests who are not able to follow the safety protocols that are put in place to protect our guests, employees and communities will not be able to participate in our on-mountain experience and asked to leave if necessary. It will take the compassion, care and personal responsibility of everyone to help us ensure a safe mountain experience for all. 

What is your child age requirement for face coverings? 

In line with local and CDC guidelines, we are asking that children older than 2 years of age wear face coverings in lift lines, loading and unloading lifts, when riding a gondola and bubble chairs, in indoor spaces, and wherever physical distancing of six feet cannot be achieved. 

What are the rules on who can load together on gondolas and lifts? 

To minimize safety risks, guests will only be able to ride gondolas and lifts with travelers in their parties. 

Are you capping the number of people who can visit the resort? 

We will be closely monitoring capacity at our resorts, but we will not be capping our daily visitors. Thanks to our expansive outdoor setting, we are confident we can accommodate all visitors this summer, but are asking for guests' cooperation complying with physical distancing protocols in base areas, lift lines and indoor spaces.   

What equipment are you providing guests: sanitizer, masks, etc.?  

Hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the resort. Frequent handwashing is encouraged. While we ask guests to bring their own face coverings, we will have masks available upon request, subject to availability. 

What changes have been made to cleaning procedures?  

High-touch surfaces will be frequently cleaned and disinfected with EPA-approved products that kill the COVID-19 virus. In addition, enhanced cleaning and disinfecting will take place daily in our gondola cabins, frequently throughout the day in our public restrooms and after each use on our alpine slide and mountain coaster carts. 

Will all transactions be cashless?  

Yes, all mountain transactions (e.g. lift tickets, dining facilities) will be cashless as well as transactions at the Company’s lodging, retail and rental locations. 

What happens if inclement weather forces a lift evacuation or other quick response which hampers physical distancing requirements? 

While we do our best to anticipate weather events to minimize impacts to our guests, it is very important to have face coverings for each member of your party easily accessible. If response to weather, or an environmental threat, forces a rapid response from mountain operations, we will prioritize guests’ immediate safety over standard health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please do your part to help us operate safely and keep your face covering on hand at all times. 

Are you doing contact tracing? 

We will continue to work with local health officials to minimize the impact and spread of COVID-19 in our resort communities. While we don’t have a comprehensive contact system, we will work with local officials and endeavor to notify any guest or employee who we have knowledge came in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.