It's very possible people aren't "exaggerating their ability to wait in line" to get the gold, but are being given it based on differing guidelines set by universal/the knowledge of how express lines have been working - people get AAPs in the first place because of, for many reasons, time spent in the queue itself being an issue. If I had the orange AAP and was expected to wait another 50 minutes in the express, I straight up wouldn't be able to do it and would have to leave the line. I've had to do it with Disney's
DAS before. (And also seriously that situation sucks and I'm sorry you ended up in it.)
To add, most people didn't know Universal even had more offerings than the orange AAP. I think it's much more likely, with the new requirements, Universal is more comfortable issuing gold and perhaps will reconfigure how to serve those guests as time goes on.
In terms of usage of AAPs and you seeing them more during park days vs HHN, I understand being skeptical, but I think there's a few explanations there. During an average park day, AAP users are spread across three parks, with a lot more attractions to use the AAP at. During HHN, anyone with an AAP attending is going to be in that same park, and most likely using it for houses, since that's the main feature of HHN. Plus, daytime park guests who would utilize an AAP could be staying at a hotel that provides the express pass, and may be opting to use that instead when it works for them. That express pass won't work during HHN.