tissandtully
Well-Known Member
Yeah, we tried going a week or so ago and then it just started raining like crazy and all the booths were closed, which is all we wanted to do, so we just left.
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News Passholder Benefits Shifting
- Thread starter Magic Feather
- Start date
ryguy
Well-Known Member
So you can get fast passes for both test track and Soarin on the same day? Because on my app you can only pick one or the other. And most people want fast passes for both rides.
jakeman
Well-Known Member
Based on your original post it seemed like you were saying there were a totality of two rides at Epcot. It wasn't clear that you were referring to the tiered system or the limitation thereof. It is probably a misunderstanding.
spectromagic04
Well-Known Member
You can get both in one day just use up your three fast passes and then you can book Soarin.
mikejs78
Premium Member
I did this last month. I rope dropped FEA, had 9:15 FP for Spaceship Earth, 10:15 for LwtL, and 11:15 for Soarin'. As soon as I checked in to Soarin', I went into MDE, immediately got a FP for Test track for after lunch.
winstongator
Well-Known Member
My only must-do is I must enjoy myself. Around 50 days in the park the 3 years I was a pass holder. Few days did I get in all my favorites at any of the parks (minus DHS, where it's easier to hit ToT, RnRC & ST). I can't think of a day I didn't enjoy immensely. With the new rides, it will be even harder to do everything every park day, but that's a good thing!
10 years ago we were entering the worst summer for the US economy in over 50 years. Go back 20 years. Lots has happened around the world, in the US, in FL more specifically (epicenter of housing bubble?), and at WDW. So much has happened, it's hard to determine what is the real cause for different changes. Except when they changed pass holder pricing from 2015 to 2016. Pretty sure that had a big impact on the slight attendance drop that year.
Epcot's attendance is more than it was in 2010. As is HS. Both are not up as much as MK or AK, which are both up close to 25% over that period. I'd more say Epcot and HS have not had the explosive growth MK & AK have had. DHS will get that with TSL & SWGE. Epcot, not so sure. However, all the added attendance over the next 4+ years will naturally lift Epcot's attendance. Many of those going to WDW for SWGE will make a day at Epcot.
I liked the holiday magnet, and made a special trip for it. I see the Flower & Garden ones on a lot more cars than I'd expect. Passholders complained for perks, got magnets.
With the merch and dining discounts I received as an AP holder, it basically paid for more than half my Platinum Plus renewal.
Don’t worry they’ll put out a commemorative cupcake to solve the problem.
SuperStretccch
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I'm a Weekday Select holder and have also had APs for Universal and SeaWorld. Honestly, out of the big three in Orlando, SeaWorld seems to genuinely treat their passholders the best (though it's probably because of their smaller stature and dwindling attendance). They do previews for every new ride they open, no exceptions, you get a discount on all food and merchandise, and they have a new benefit every month, some of which are actually good benefits that make sense. They also had their own passholder lounge (it's currently closed for Infinity Falls construction, but I'm hoping it reopens). When Mako opened, I was able to get a free Quick Queue pass just for being a passholder.
On the other hand, Disney's treatment of AP holders on the lower level seems to be getting worse and worse. The "passholder entrance" they rolled out a few years ago is the biggest joke I've ever seen. It's supposed to make us feel special, but most of the time, it takes just as long, if not longer to get there than the normal tapstiles. There's no benefit to it at all. And now we get this slap in the face, trying to make us want to pay for a Gold pass to get into TSL. They didn't limit it for Pandora, so why for this?
Universal's Power Pass (the lowest level AP) is still the worst, though. All you get are discounts for ticketed events and parking. Nothing for dining/merch, and they haven't done any AP previews that I know of for a while. Not even for Diagon Alley. Also, they decided they were going to auto-renew my pass, which I didn't want, and I had to call some number that wasn't even listed on their website to get it canceled. Yeesh. I like some of the rides at Universal, but their practices are very shady.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Maybe they shouldn't have relied on festivals for the last two decades to prop up the park ...
Kman101
Well-Known Member
I definitely appreciate those. I actually had a CM ask me (in the Figment store). I was stunned. They have a few benefits of course. But they do very little for passholders.
mikejs78
Premium Member
Unlike many here, I like the festivals. I still don't think there's anything wrong with having festivals per se. They can be fun, I loved F&G this year, and didn't really find it to be a "drunk fest" as some say all the festivals are. F&W may have become that, haven't been to that one since we had kids, although used to go annually pre-2010.
The beef I have is that they used the festivals to prop up the park while abandoning attraction spaces (WoL, Innoventions) and not adding anything new to the park over the last decade. Had they done that - had the festivals *and* invested in the rest of the park, I would have been completely fine with that.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
I don't hate the festivals either. I particularly enjoyed Festival of the Arts (of course some improvements would be nice but it's a good start). I love Flower and Garden (to be fair, they could beautify the park all year long and do away with this one, but I'd rather they didn't). Food and Wine, meh. I could take or leave it but I know it's like a religious experience for some. I like the different food booths, personally. I wish they were more built into their pavilions though.
I have the same beef as you. We're on the same page
lolEDIT: I don't find F&W to be a drunk fest either. Of course there's always the chance of running into someone being stupid. Or throwing up (may not even be because of alcohol!). It's not some large frat party that people make it out to be.
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Kman101
Well-Known Member
I don't hate the offer of magnets. I just lol that it's truly a 'benefit'. It's something that could be mailed. Like Universal does. But I don't mind having special magnets or other things given away to passholders (how about something a little bit nicer than a magnet? What about giving out attraction posters again? Pins? Mugs? A lot they could do). But I don't think it should be a "main perk" of being a passholder.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Agreed that silver should've been included. They clearly are hoping passholders upgrade. TSL is nowhere near enough for me to upgrade. I'd love a preview to not have to experience these two new rides with a ridiculous line, or struggle to get a FP for it just to give them a spin. But it is what it is, I guess.
Why didn't they pull this stunt with Pandora? They let all passholders gain access (albeit the signup was messy and quickly filled). I mean, maybe I can understand if it were BEFORE the opening of TSL. But in September? lol
trainplane3
Well-Known Member
Agreed. It's nothing huge, but for those of us that have an AP and are out of state, why can't they be mailed? It'd be one of those "oh, that's a nice little free thing" that just comes in the mail randomly. Even though I know I would never use it, it'd be nice for those AP'ers that are outside Florida.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Exactly. It'd be a nice little thing to get in the mail. Little things add up and make a difference.
Like, it's nice they offer us a discount on "Passholder Exclusive" merchandise, but I mean, you can't give us the pin you're peddling? A shirt? A mug? lol. I'd take an ink pen! How about a free customized magic band that's not just a generic color?
They used to mail them out every year, the park pickup thing just started in the last few years. I have a refrigerator covered with them and have never gotten one from the park.
In 2015/2016 they gave away some nice wine and tumbler glasses for F&W, last year they switched to lousy buttons.