Epcot After Hours Tasting - New event

The Mom

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
No, you are a lying liar who lies. EPCOT has ALWAYS closed at 9 p.m. with much of the park done at 7. Why would you spread lies like that??!??!?!? (should I put a Phil Kippel angry face in?)

This entire thing is one of many things (the APer hard ticket DAK event coming) that WDW/TDO/Georgie K are doing to increase revenue immediately and cover for NGE/MM+'s disastrous debut.

I find the fact they want to charge a $35 cover charge per person insulting beyond belief. And so ballsy and typical of Disney today. ... I think I'll drink at UNI's numerous Happy Hours instead.

But again, this was added to make the bottom line look better than it is looking ...
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Was that you I saw in WS right after opening? Or heading into SSE at 10PM? I would work my way through the back-up at SSE, etc and head straight to WS. Then work my way back to FW after lunch. Lunch at my choice of FS restaurants - if one was full, I'd just try someplace else. I would make an ADR if I really wanted to eat someplace, or was meet Even ran into a character or two strolling around WS. Then I would tour FW, and head back to WS for a bite to eat before Illuminations.
disney4life2008 said:
So I pay $35 and I can get unlimited drinks and appetizers?
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No, you get one flight, and one appetizer.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
I was at Epcot over the weekend. On entering, I was asked for basic info then asked if I would take part in a survey that would be emailed to me later. I said, "Why not?". I received the survey recently. It was pretty long but suffice it to say, I said that what Epcot had mostly going for it was WS. FW was in need of "tender loving care." I cited Imagination and Energy as the two that needed it the most. I also cited the early park closure (9pm most nights).

So, this is a step in the right direction. But they could just as well leave the restaurants open without making it a ticketed event. Just pay for food and drinks as desired. So what happens after the $35 for the one flight and appetizer? Is that it?
 
disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
sshindel said:
Nope, the way I read it is "small plates and a drink flight, with extra drinks available for purchase".
A few tapas and probably the equivalent of 2 full sized drinks.
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$35 for this? I am confused. I have been known to stay at Epcot until the last person leaves and drink and eat until they CS places close. This is a waste of money
 
M

maxairmike

Well-Known Member
WDWFigment said:
It should be noted that, at present, any day guest can stay in Epcot until ~11pm and not do any rides. I can't think of the last time I left that park after Illuminations before 11pm.

So don't buy into this if staying late is your rationale. Just stay late for free.
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I wonder how long that "perk" will stick around, though? I can see them doing what they do for MK parties. The only problem is that some of the WS table service places don't clear out until about 10, so those diners get the late "experience" by default.
 
Foolish Mortal

Foolish Mortal

Well-Known Member
disney4life2008 said:
It sounds like a rip off to me. But in typical fashion - I expect people to fall into the trap and report this is the most amazing experience ever and buy into. The desert party is nice and worth it but this is just sickening to me.
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Too be honest, I'm not really interested in doing it, more curios as to what's served to justify $35. Couple beers back at the hotel is good enough for me at end of night.
 
disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
Foolish Mortal said:
Too be honest, I'm not really interested in doing it, more curios as to what's served to justify $35. Couple beers back at the hotel is good enough for me at end of night.
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Someone else mentioned one drink and one appetizer (so it may be a free bar drink equivalent) and small plate food (tapas, cheese and crackers, maybe some time of desert). I would be interested in the menu as well.
 
WDWFigment

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
maxairmike said:
I wonder how long that "perk" will stick around, though? I can see them doing what they do for MK parties. The only problem is that some of the WS table service places don't clear out until about 10, so those diners get the late "experience" by default.
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The table service patrons are why this can be done now, and I'd hazard a guess that they're why this test is being run. "We have to keep Security Cast Members until 11:30 pm anyway, how can we further monetize?"

If this were to get as big as one of the hard ticket parties, I'd agree that staying late for free might go away. I just don't see that happening.
 
MarkTwain

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
WDWFigment said:
The table service patrons are why this can be done now, and I'd hazard a guess that they're why this test is being run. "We have to keep Security Cast Members until 11:30 pm anyway, how can we further monetize?"

If this were to get as big as one of the hard ticket parties, I'd agree that staying late for free might go away. I just don't see that happening.
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That was my thinking too. I was going to question when you said you stayed that late whether that included bars, or just TSRs booked at ~8:50 (we do this all the time as well).

I will say I won't be too angry at Disney for this one. Regardless of whatever Epcot's hours were 20-30 years ago, that's not what they've been for years and this move can be seen only as an extension of the existing offerings. No guest that opts not to do this is losing anything they can have otherwise, unlike, say, the monetization of free fireworks viewing areas for desert parties and new restaurants, or the development of once-public beachfront on the 7SL. So in my book that makes it significantly better than many of Disney's other "additions" and for that reason I'm all for it.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
The Mom said:
Was that you I saw in WS right after opening? Or heading into SSE at 10PM? I would work my way through the back-up at SSE, etc and head straight to WS. Then work my way back to FW after lunch. Lunch at my choice of FS restaurants - if one was full, I'd just try someplace else. I would make an ADR if I really wanted to eat someplace, or was meet Even ran into a character or two strolling around WS. Then I would tour FW, and head back to WS for a bite to eat before Illuminations.
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That sounds very much like the way I toured back when EPCOT was open until 11 p.m. or midnight. There would also usually (depending on season) be a trip back to the resort for 2-3 hours for a swim. Generally, one meal would be QS and the other would be FS and made day of on the World Keys or a day ahead on the special Florida residents telephone line (remember when the entire state from O-Town down was all in the 305 area code? Now, it's just Miami-Dade.) ... And there was never a sense of boredom because there was so much live entertainment and the pavilions had so many things to see and do, not simply a two minute thrillish ride.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
WDWFigment said:
It should be noted that, at present, any day guest can stay in Epcot until ~11pm and not do any rides. I can't think of the last time I left that park after Illuminations before 11pm.

So don't buy into this if staying late is your rationale. Just stay late for free.
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You are strange, Tom. Flat out. Odd. Weird. Maybe a bit loopy. :p

You like being at a park before it opens and still there when it has long since closed.

That said, you are correct. EPCOT is open until 11 tonight for EMH and Disney isn't kicking out anyone until after 11. ... Whether you are a resort guest or not, you can stay and shop and dine or simply sit and people watch.
 
WDWFigment

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
You are strange, Tom. Flat out. Odd. Weird. Maybe a bit loopy. :p

You like being at a park before it opens and still there when it has long since closed.

That said, you are correct. EPCOT is open until 11 tonight for EMH and Disney isn't kicking out anyone until after 11. ... Whether you are a resort guest or not, you can stay and shop and dine or simply sit and people watch.
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In fairness, I do this everywhere we go, not just the parks. (And being in Epcot from ~8a-11p is nothing...try 3:45a-2a in Tokyo DisneySea with jetlag!) I figure I can only physically do this type of thing for so many years, so why not make the most of it? If that makes me strange, eh...there are worse things than being strange!

Just so we're clear, I assume you know I don't just mean EMH nights. On any given 9 pm closing night, day guests can stay in Epcot until around 11 pm.
 
W

willtravel

Well-Known Member
WDWFigment said:
In fairness, I do this everywhere we go, not just the parks. (And being in Epcot from ~8a-11p is nothing...try 3:45a-2a in Tokyo DisneySea with jetlag!) I figure I can only physically do this type of thing for so many years, so why not make the most of it? If that makes me strange, eh...there are worse things than being strange!

Just so we're clear, I assume you know I don't just mean EMH nights. On any given 9 pm closing night, day guests can stay in Epcot until around 11 pm.
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So you are saying after the fireworks you can stay in park? Not eating at a table service either.
 

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