Passholders' paradise

A calm spot in Epcot offers comfy furniture, free beverages and a play area for the kids. Just bring your annual or seasonal pass.

By MICHAEL SNYDER
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 19, 2002

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- Imagine a place in a theme park where there are no lines, no throngs of camera-toting, stroller-pushing tourists overdone by Orlando's unforgiving summer heat.

That kind of oasis exists in Epcot's Annual/Seasonal Passholders Lounge, which many folks are not aware exists. The retreat is nestled atop the Land pavilion at Walt Disney World Resort.

[Times files]

When you trek to Orlando to see Mickey Mouse, take advantage of the lounge, which may become a fixture at the park. Originally, it was scheduled as a temporary feature.

"I like the great atmosphere," said Jan Broucinek of Pinellas Park, who relaxed there recently. "It gives me a place to unwind and talk to friends in a very Disneylike atmosphere."

The lounge is located above the Garden Grill Restaurant and overlooks the Living with the Land boat ride. Furniture consists of overstuffed sofas and big chairs; there are free beverages, cable TV and newspapers. The lounge includes a separate play area for children, where they can watch Disney classics such as A Bug's Life or The Lion King, play games or color a picture of a favorite character.

For the adults, a concierge staff assists with reservations for priority seatings at the theme park restaurants and can take care of renewing the frequent-visitor passes that are the requirement for using the lounge.

The concierges can even send a fax for you.

If you're thinking this sounds like the major airlines' airport clubs, you are right. But those lounges often cost hundreds of dollars annually. Here, all you need is a valid annual or seasonal pass, and you can bring along a couple of friends.

The lounge, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., is located in what was part of the corporate lounge originally operated by Nestle, sponsor of the Land pavilion. Epcot vice president Brad Rex said he thought the space was being underutilized.

Since it was opened to passholders early this year, "It has exceeded our expectations," said Cindy Evans, guest services manager. "We thought we'd have 75 to 100 a day, and we're getting 200 to 250 during the week and 300 to 350 on weekends."

Originally, the lounge was only scheduled to be open through late April, but passholders inundated Disney with calls, letters and e-mails pressing for the lounge to become a fixture. Although Rex says it is still in "a trial phase," passholders' use of the lounge has been extended through Labor Day (Sept. 2), at least.

It is part of Disney's strategy to help increase attendance by enhancing its offerings to some of its more devoted customers. In addition to the lounge, Rex instituted a special viewing area across from the Doge's Palace in the Italy pavilion for the nightly IllumiNations fireworks, fountain and multimedia show. He added a 10 percent lunch discount for passholders during the week at the restaurants that line the park's World Showcase as well as at Future World's Garden Grill and Coral Reef restaurants.

"We were surprised," Rex said. "We all thought the IllumiNations viewing would be the big draw, but they love the lounge."

There was a VIP lounge temporarily available for passholders last summer at the Animal Kingdom park, and a similar lounge opened again this month at the Pizzafari fast food locale. There, passholders receive a 20 percent discount on food and nonalcoholic drinks. This lounge is scheduled to be open through Sept. 30.

-- Freelance writer Michael Snyder lives in South Florida.

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