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

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
If they hadnt closed Canada then I wouldn’t be super bothered, but here we are
Canada is an afterthought and when I went in the little gift shop I saw high priced maple syrup made in Canada. I still prefer good ol' Aunt Jemima maple syrup made in the USA, maple syrup over vanilla ice cream or maple syrup stirred in hot milk!
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
This is one of the more ridiculous discussions I’ve seen.

Nobody owes you a lounge.

Nobody owes you a private lounge that is hidden so as not to offend non-members.

They must have presumed adults would be able to understand like…adults.

This thread was an announcement about a perk which has devolved into…super petty, “If I can’t go, then no one should go!”

First of all, these lounges are no big deal. You get some a/c and some free water or soda. You hang for a few to get out of the sun or rain and that’s it.

They didn’t buy Frozen and rope it off. They didn’t even buy Rose & Crown and rope it off. They’re using a dead space to make some sponsor money.

Previous sponsors got a lounge. I would not want to pay for club 33 and have to share the elevators with Florida Blue member freeloaders - especially now.

The question wasn’t, “How can we desecrate this closed restaurant and potentially torment less reasonable people?” It was likely, “Where do we have the space big enough to put a (hopefully more socially distanced than usual) lounge? Oh! This isn’t being used.”

No one is denied anything they paid for. The restaurant was not going to be open; and if it were, reservations are not guaranteed.

“Aw, shucks, I wish I could go” is appropriate. “THEY SHOULD NOT USE THIS RESTAURANT AS A LOUNGE UNLESS EVERYONE CAN EQUALLY USE IT AS A LOUNGE” is contradictory, and not a good look for anyone of age. It’s basically, “NO FAIR!”

With that, I’m out of this thread for my own sanity. My advice: Pick your battles, folks. Get upset when something is actually important.
 

castlecake2.0

Well-Known Member
This is one of the more ridiculous discussions I’ve seen.

Nobody owes you a lounge.

Nobody owes you a private lounge that is hidden so as not to offend non-members.

They must have presumed adults would be able to understand like…adults.

This thread was an announcement about a perk which has devolved into…super petty, “If I can’t go, then no one should go!”

First of all, these lounges are no big deal. You get some a/c and some free water or soda. You hang for a few to get out of the sun or rain and that’s it.

They didn’t buy Frozen and rope it off. They didn’t even buy Rose & Crown and rope it off. They’re using a dead space to make some sponsor money.

Previous sponsors got a lounge. I would not want to pay for club 33 and have to share the elevators with Florida Blue member freeloaders - especially now.

The question wasn’t, “How can we desecrate this closed restaurant and potentially torment less reasonable people?” It was likely, “Where do we have the space big enough to put a (hopefully more socially distanced than usual) lounge? Oh! This isn’t being used.”

No one is denied anything they paid for. The restaurant was not going to be open; and if it were, reservations are not guaranteed.

“Aw, shucks, I wish I could go” is appropriate. “THEY SHOULD NOT USE THIS RESTAURANT AS A LOUNGE UNLESS EVERYONE CAN EQUALLY USE IT AS A LOUNGE” is contradictory, and not a good look for anyone of age. It’s basically, “NO FAIR!”

With that, I’m out of this thread for my own sanity. My advice: Pick your battles, folks. Get upset when something is actually important.
I totally agree, the only reason it bothers me is because of the domino effect it’s created. They could have used an already existing lounge for this, and then used akershus as a food and wine space instead of closing an attraction in Canada. But looking at it, when they were planning food and wine akershus was probably still a relaxation station so that could have factored into it. I get the last year and a half has been a mess and I still believe at the park operations level they’re trying their best to balance everything. Thank you for talking me down lol.
 

dreday3

Well-Known Member
This is one of the more ridiculous discussions I’ve seen.

Nobody owes you a lounge.

Nobody owes you a private lounge that is hidden so as not to offend non-members.

They must have presumed adults would be able to understand like…adults.

This thread was an announcement about a perk which has devolved into…super petty, “If I can’t go, then no one should go!”

First of all, these lounges are no big deal. You get some a/c and some free water or soda. You hang for a few to get out of the sun or rain and that’s it.

They didn’t buy Frozen and rope it off. They didn’t even buy Rose & Crown and rope it off. They’re using a dead space to make some sponsor money.

Previous sponsors got a lounge. I would not want to pay for club 33 and have to share the elevators with Florida Blue member freeloaders - especially now.

The question wasn’t, “How can we desecrate this closed restaurant and potentially torment less reasonable people?” It was likely, “Where do we have the space big enough to put a (hopefully more socially distanced than usual) lounge? Oh! This isn’t being used.”

No one is denied anything they paid for. The restaurant was not going to be open; and if it were, reservations are not guaranteed.

“Aw, shucks, I wish I could go” is appropriate. “THEY SHOULD NOT USE THIS RESTAURANT AS A LOUNGE UNLESS EVERYONE CAN EQUALLY USE IT AS A LOUNGE” is contradictory, and not a good look for anyone of age. It’s basically, “NO FAIR!”

With that, I’m out of this thread for my own sanity. My advice: Pick your battles, folks. Get upset when something is actually important.

Gosh, I'm not actually that upset. I don't even want to go! 😂
It just seems out of place there when they are usually somewhere no one really notices. That's all.
 
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speck76

Well-Known Member
This misses the point entirely. Those lounges were tucked away. The VAST majority of g
guests had no idea they existed. They weren't put in a primary location right in front of everyone - like a sectioned off area of the park. So, it enhanced the experience of those guests without making others feel like they were being left out.

While I agree it isn't the biggest deal, it's a dangerous game to play in hospitality. The crowd you attract with VIP and exclusivity in this manner is different than the prior. It's the hidden speakeasy back bar in the great lounge vs. the blatant VIP section with "bottle service".
Understand also they may not need the table space of this restaurant to be used as a restaurant at this time. Each individual food outlet needs the demand to exist..... With Space 220 about to open and the Crepe place now in France, along with Epcot remaining in perpetual festival booth mode the park may actually be saturated with dining outlets. They are not going to keep outlets open that are not busy or profitable.
 

TikibirdLand

Well-Known Member
Does Aunt J even have any maple syrup as an ingredient? It's basically flavored sugar syrup.
Nope:
INGREDIENTS: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.

But, it's that Sodium Hexametaphosphate that gives it the extra kick needed at breakfast!
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Nope:
INGREDIENTS: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.

But, it's that Sodium Hexametaphosphate that gives it the extra kick needed at breakfast!
Corn syrup, Maple syrup, same thing 😉
 

HauntedMansionFLA

Well-Known Member
Starting Monday, October 4, Guest will be required to make a reservation to enter the lounge. You can find the reservation link starting tomorrow at floridablue.com/Magic
 

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