2025 Explorer ST Experience is live

[Nascarbilly]

Has anyone signed up for the Park City, Utah Experience? I filled in the on-line portion over 3 weeks ago with no response. So this past Friday I called and they expect to open up the calendar to book dates sometime in mid-February.

This is a follow up to my Feb 2, 2025 post concerning the Ford Performance ST SUV Experience in Utah. I received my email today!! The 2025 Utah "Driving Experiences" will be in June and July for now (not sure about any other dates for August or September). This is huge for those of us on the "West Coast" as travel to the Charlotte area location pretty much kills an entire day.

The host hotel will be the Black Rock Mountain Resort in Heber, UT. This is a really neat location; here is more info for those ST owners thinking about making the trip:

https://www.blackrockmountainresort.com/. WE signed up for the June 9-10 school.

 

[OPENEYE]

Has anyone signed up for the Park City, Utah Experience? I filled in the on-line portion over 3 weeks ago with no response. So this past Friday I called and they expect to open up the calendar to book dates sometime in mid-February.

Just booker Park City for July

 

[Nascarbilly]

Just booker Park City for July

OPENEYE: First things first, Welcome Aboard!!

Very curious, why Utah when Charlotte and surrounding Ashville looks like a "Home Game" for you!?! I understand BOTH locations are beautiful in the Summer and North Carolina could not be more humid than Atlanta anyway. I expect it to be 90 plus degrees "dry" warm during the day and hopefully cooler at night.

What mods have you done or plan to do to your ST? Yesterday I had my H-Pipe installed; it was pretty much what MRT said except from about 25-30 to 80mph, it screams!!! I put the K & N Racing filter on the next day after I bought the ST.

 

[MOBandit]

Signed up for Park City, UT for 7/30-7/31!

 

[Nascarbilly]

MOBandit:
1) Welcome Aboard!!
2) "Black Shoe" or "Airedale"?
I was VP 17 Air Crew, Territorial Waters, Republic of Vietnam 1972. One of very, very few enlisted Air Crew to ever fly a P-3 Orion (I took over inflight, NO landings or take off)

 

[MOBandit]

MOBandit:
1) Welcome Aboard!! View attachment 28321
2) "Black Shoe" or "Airedale"?
I was VP 17 Air Crew, Territorial Waters, Republic of Vietnam 1972. One of very, very few enlisted Air Crew to ever fly a P-3 Orion (I took over inflight, NO landings or take off)

Black shoe...submarine and surface...nuclear...electronics technician, retired as a Command Master Chief after 22 years. Thanks for your service! I also managed a few things that very few enlisted Sailors got to do in the nuclear world of the Navy.

 

[Nascarbilly]

Black shoe...submarine and surface...nuclear...electronics technician, retired as a Command Master Chief after 22 years. Thanks for your service! I also managed a few things that very few enlisted Sailors got to do in the nuclear world of the Navy.

Congrats on a "Job Well Done" for your selection as Command Master Chief!!!!!!!
Personal Story: I enlisted in 1970 to be an Electronics Tech in the Nuclear Submarine Navy; during first month of boot camp, they asked for volunteers for the Aviation Fields so I raised my arm with no thought. From Bootcamp, went to Basic Aviation Electronics and then Advanced Aviation Electronics schools in TN. A month before graduation, they came in and asked for people to volunteer to fly as Air Crew. Up went my arm. This led me to NAS Moffett Field, California where I met my future wife some 54 years ago.

As for owning an ST vs a Shelby GTE, The ST's are not quite as fast (speed or in cornering). However, I can easily get in/out of my ST; I had to "flop-in" and try to crawl out of the Shelby. My wife referres to the ST's as "Grown Up Mustangs"

 

[enphor]

Wife and I are booked for Asheville May 28th-29th.

 

[fairway19]

Just signed up for Park City on July 7th / 8th really looking forward to the experience

 

[Nascarbilly]

Just signed up for Park City on July 7th / 8th really looking forward to the experience

Excellent, Excellent!!
When you get to the Park City Facilities, keep in mind what one of the Staff Members in Mid-March, 2025 told me. He said then there was well over 200 inches of snow that had accumulated there. That is why the driving source season is so short compared to Asheville, NC.

 

[FLnative]

I went to the Asheville experience on April 14th. It was a lot of fun. Was disappointed that Ford doesn't give out the black ST badges any more. I didn't plan on putting them on but keep them from the experience.

 

[Eljaber]

I went to the Asheville experience on April 14th. It was a lot of fun. Was disappointed that Ford doesn't give out the black ST badges any more. I didn't plan on putting them on but keep them from the experience.

Really!? Damn, that sucks. Now I am regretting not pulling the black ST badges when I traded in my 2020 ST.. What do they give you now?

 

[LocoEngineer]

Really!? Damn, that sucks. Now I am regretting not pulling the black ST badges when I traded in my 2020 ST.. What do they give you now?

An experience.

 

[SoySauceSoakedSaltine]

Really!? Damn, that sucks. Now I am regretting not pulling the black ST badges when I traded in my 2020 ST.. What do they give you now?

Hahaha yea @LocoEngineer nailed it. But they also give you a bag and a ST tumbler.

 

[Eljaber]

Hahaha yea @LocoEngineer nailed it. But they also give you a bag and a ST tumbler.

Yes, Captain Obvious over there lol.... Of course, the experience is great and fun. Just sucks that not only has the Explorer ST been losing features over the years, but now the black ST badges are no longer given at the event. It was like a badge of honor for attending, and you could tell who attended the event when you saw an ST out in public. We attended in 2023 and got the black ST badges, backpack, power bank with ST label, and a Ford Performance lanyard.

 

[Blue Beast]

Yes, Captain Obvious over there lol.... Of course, the experience is great and fun. Just sucks that not only has the Explorer ST been losing features over the years, but now the black ST badges are no longer given at the event. It was like a badge of honor for attending, and you could tell who attended the event when you saw an ST out in public. We attended in 2023 and got the black ST badges, backpack, power bank with ST label, and a Ford Performance lanyard.

I went in 2020 and got the same items. I had a great time. I would encourage anyone with a new ST to attend one of them.

 

[SoySauceSoakedSaltine]

Yes, Captain Obvious over there lol.... Of course, the experience is great and fun. Just sucks that not only has the Explorer ST been losing features over the years, but now the black ST badges are no longer given at the event. It was like a badge of honor for attending, and you could tell who attended the event when you saw an ST out in public. We attended in 2023 and got the black ST badges, backpack, power bank with ST label, and a Ford Performance lanyard.

Yea an Experience is basically all you get considering the free loot now is lack luster. I was there in Aug of 22 and received the same. Hell if they would just give us a badge and nothing else I'd be a happy camper. They also added a escape box where you have maneuver your way out of a box with 7pt or less turns. Kinda lame tbo.

 

[FLnative]

Really!? Damn, that sucks. Now I am regretting not pulling the black ST badges when I traded in my 2020 ST.. What do they give you now?

Hahaha yea @LocoEngineer nailed it. But they also give you a bag and a ST tumbler.

Don't forget the Ford Performance lip balm and pen! In the survey I mentioned be disappointed about the black badges and suggested they do T-shirts too.

 

[SoySauceSoakedSaltine]

Don't forget the Ford Performance lip balm and pen! In the survey I mentioned be disappointed about the black badges and suggested they do T-shirts too.

Waita min...were you there from the 10th-11th? There was a dude here that suggested that when we were there lol

 

[Mustang5L5]

IS the experience only limited to original owners and within a certain time frame?

I'd love to do it, but I bought my vehicle used. However, the in-service date is Dec '23 which puts me at 16 months. I have an email out to ask. Worth a shot, but I am expecting a no. Bummer. I'd almost pay to go. Looks like a fun time.