News Florida Blue lounge opens in EPCOT'S Norway Pavilion as part of the Food and Wine Festival

[CastAStone]

The actual corporate lounges in the Seas Pavilion, Land Pavilion, SSE, and Mission Space were of course unavailable due to their active 8 figure sponsorships.

 

[castlecake2.0]

But like with the chase partnership they obviously felt they needed a venue for the sponsorship deal. With AA now club 33 and WOL now unusable, I don’t think it’s out of line to utilize a closed restaurant space.

They could have used the lounge Norway actually has? Or mission space? Seas? Land? Also covering the Royal Norwegian shield which is a symbol of their monarchy with blue cross logo is insanely tacky. Imagine putting a corporate logo over the American coat of arms at American Adventure.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Sorry if it is a dumb question, but what credentials are you supposed to have to have the pass in the first place? Employee? Or just a person insured by Florida Blue?

EDIT: NVM. My reading comprehension skills lacked while reading the article. I blame photos interrupting the copy over and over.

Doesn’t seem you need anything other than the guest pass.

 

[JohnD]

Sorry if it is a dumb question, but what credentials are you supposed to have to have the pass in the first place? Employee? Or just a person insured by Florida Blue?

EDIT: NVM. My reading comprehension skills lacked while reading the article. I blame photos interrupting the copy over and over.

I don't really know. I guess, in my case, I could show my health insurance card. But if all you need is the pass, anyone can go to the website and print it out.

 

[wdwmagic]

I don't really know. I guess, in my case, I could show my health insurance card. But if all you need is the pass, anyone can go to the website and print it out.

Currently that is the case.

Beginning in October, they will be requiring membership proof and making a reservation.

 

[JohnD]

Currently that is the case.

Beginning in October, they will be requiring membership proof and making a reservation.

Well, if I'm not mistaken, Restaurant Marrakesh has also opened up as a lounge but to all guests.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It’s not like they closed the restaurant to do this. The restaurant was already closed and would not be opening regardless of this lounge. They chose to use this space because it was going to be unused for the duration of the festival.

Hey, look - a reasonable person with good sense! Thank you!

The negativity for the sake of negativity is off the charts here, even for this group. Throw in a little entitlement and petty jealousy, and it’s pretty embarrassing.

Right -- my issue is that they turned it into something only open to specific guests instead of letting it be a location for all guests to eat and/or relax while the restaurant is closed.

Get. Over. It.

A business paid to sponsor a space. That’s not new.

And as a Florida Blue member, I can tell you the insurance is so bad with so few doctors in network, I don’t mind if they buy me some a/c in a closed restaurant where I have no interest in ever dining. Too bad I just got home from there two days ago.

You should feel bad for everyone in that lounge because they have crummy health insurance.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I don't really know. I guess, in my case, I could show my health insurance card. But if all you need is the pass, anyone can go to the website and print it out.

Not likely if you can’t sign in as a member.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

And as a Florida Blue member, I can tell you the insurance is so bad with so few doctors in network, I don’t mind if they buy me some a/c in a closed restaurant where I have no interest in ever dining. Too bad I just got home from there two days ago.

You should feel bad for everyone in that lounge because they have crummy health insurance.

Florida Blue doesn't set Medicare benefits, it's a federal program. They also don't have any control over whether doctors choose to contract with Medicare or not.

Not likely if you can’t sign in as a member.

Somebody posted the link earlier, you don't have to log in to access it, it's just a pdf.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Florida Blue doesn't set Medicare benefits, it's a federal program. They also don't have any control over whether doctors choose to contract with Medicare or not.



Somebody posted the link earlier, you don't have to log in to access it, it's just a pdf.

Nothing to do with Medicare.

They should obviously require log in, that would solve the problem there.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Nothing to do with Medicare.

They should obviously require log in, that would solve the problem there.

The lounge is for Florida Blue Medicare, so it has everything to do with Medicare. I assumed that's the insurance you had, since you said that you are a member.

And I agree, it seems odd that they don't generate a unique link from the member's portal, instead of using a standard link for everybody.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Currently that is the case.

Beginning in October, they will be requiring membership proof and making a reservation.

Did you take those pictures?? Nice job!! What type of camera?? @wdwmagic

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The lounge is for Florida Blue Medicare, so it has everything to do with Medicare. I assumed that's the insurance you had, since you said that you are a member.

And I agree, it seems odd that they don't generate a unique link from the member's portal, instead of using a standard link for everybody.

I have Florida Blue. It’s not Medicare. I believe the subgroup is called “My Blue.”

 

[Casper Gutman]

Hey, look - a reasonable person with good sense! Thank you!

The negativity for the sake of negativity is off the charts here, even for this group. Throw in a little entitlement and petty jealousy, and it’s pretty embarrassing.



Get. Over. It.

A business paid to sponsor a space. That’s not new.

And as a Florida Blue member, I can tell you the insurance is so bad with so few doctors in network, I don’t mind if they buy me some a/c in a closed restaurant where I have no interest in ever dining. Too bad I just got home from there two days ago.

You should feel bad for everyone in that lounge because they have crummy health insurance.

It’s not entitlement when you spend hundreds of dollars a day to enter the park. Using that term is absurd.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I have Florida Blue. It’s not Medicare. I believe the subgroup is called “My Blue.”

If you look at the pictures of the lounge, all of the branding is for Florida Blue Medicare. I work for BCBS (granted, not directly with Florida Blue), so I'm familiar with the plan structures. I just assumed you had Medicare based on the branding used for the lounge combined with your statement, my apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

[drew81]

Gives you some insight on when Disney thinks face character dining will return to normal.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It’s not entitlement when you spend hundreds of dollars a day to enter the park. Using that term is absurd.

I beg your pardon. Disney never promised you a rose garden or a lounge.

A company bought the lounge for their customers, as has been done for years.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

This is definitely corporate pandering to corporate without reference to guest experience. There are other Epcot locations that could have been used without taking up a prime guest-facing spot. The upstairs area of American Adventure comes to mind immediately. Plus, every pavilion in FW had a corporate space built in - some of which aren't currently used. I agree having these spaces sit empty isn't a good use. It's that this could have easily been a F&W festival location open to all. (It's literally a restaurant.) Then do the American Adventure as open to all (rotunda) with a special lounge upstairs for members - the whole thing being "sponsored" for and by Blue. It's the consistent look of special access/limited access/faux exclusivity/etc. at the expense of what used to be included and open - all while prices are going up - that is leaving a particularly bad taste.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

If you look at the pictures of the lounge, all of the branding is for Florida Blue Medicare. I work for BCBS (granted, not directly with Florida Blue), so I'm familiar with the plan structures. I just assumed you had Medicare based on the branding used for the lounge combined with your statement, my apologies for the misunderstanding.

…and my apologies if it’s only for Medicare!

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I don't love the practice of having features in a theme park that are only available to some guests. However, it's a closed restaurant so I wouldn't really be losing anything. It's a minor annoyance at best.

It does, however, emphasize that there is unused space available and that shuttering the Canada film to use it as a food location, is completely unnecessary, and a net loss for the customer.