^As my friend said who works in dippin dots at KI when he saw the dippin dots vending machine at GWL "I have been replaced!"

It's a complete lack of concentration on service by having the vending machines. I would like to see CF move away from that. The vending machines were completly a Paramount addition to the park. It's one of the things that needs to go by the wayside.

It's a complete lack of concentration on service by having the vending machines. I would like to see CF move away from that. The vending machines were completly a Paramount addition to the park. It's one of the things that needs to go by the wayside.

Considering the amount of vending machines around CP (the Raptor and Magnum queues come to mind immediately), I don't think that's a revenue source Cedar Fair is shying away from...

Holiday World has Pepsi as a sponsor, and all beverages (except milk and milk products) are free with admission, all day long.

Holiday World has Pepsi as a sponsor, and all beverages (except milk and milk products) are free with admission, all day long.

In my opinion you pay a lot for what you get at holiday world, besides the 2 or 3 roller coasters they really don't have much if you don't care for water parks.

I noticed that their season pass costs more than I paid for the max pass, yikes!!!

You'd rather wait in line at a cart or food stand than just walk up to a machine?

IMO, they need *more* machines...

You'd rather wait in line at a cart or food stand than just walk up to a machine?

IMO, they need *more* machines...

Lines move very well if there is proper staffing.

You're speaking with someone that spent years as a food service supervisor.

I know of what I speak.

I prefer fountain soda, thank you. Quite frankly, I'd rather drink warm tap water than any carbonated beverage out of a plastic bottle with no ice, and as often as not, the vending machine product is warm when delivered. Not only that, but if there is any problem with my fountain soda, I can go back to the seller and they will nicely replace it for me. Try THAT with a vending machine!

Why do I suspect some of this is generational? I'd rather have service from a person than a faceless, uncaring machine any day. And, come to think of it, I've seldom had a restaurant worker take my money and give me nothing at all!

I prefer fountain soda, thank you. Quite frankly, I'd rather drink warm tap water than any carbonated beverage out of a plastic bottle with no ice, and as often as not, the vending machine product is warm when delivered. Not only that, but if there is any problem with my fountain soda, I can go back to the seller and they will nicely replace it for me. Try THAT with a vending machine!

Why do I suspect some of this is generational? I'd rather have service from a person than a faceless, uncaring machine any day. And, come to think of it, I've seldom had a restaurant worker take my money and give me nothing at all!

I think you and I understand that, though.

It's all part of the experience.

I think It'd be AWESOME to bring back the "sodajerks"... serving malt beverages along with sodas' and shakes. Heehee... -Hauntguy

As long as I get my Coke at the park no one will be harmed

as i would like to see Coke sticking around, i highly dobut that we will, unless CF adopts Coke at all of their parks....

I think It'd be AWESOME to bring back the "sodajerks"... serving malt beverages along with sodas' and shakes. Heehee... -Hauntguy

Ahhh, the original Ice Cream Shoppe on International Street was quite a location.

I remember when you could buy a fountain Coke through out the park but now they have replaced it with bottles for the most part. Coke products have been herre since Kings Island opened and I hope they do not replace it with Pepsi.

Mike

I like Pepsi way better than Coke. For the one reason that Mountain Dew rules. The vending machines I have no opinion on since I have never used the machines since Id rather go to the stand and get more for my money.

^

All Soft Drinks are free at Holiday World and it is self serve. Also over in the Water Park SunScreen is free. So you can use as much as you like. Very Cool feature about a great park.

That just goes to show you that Holiday World isn't trying to squeeze every single dollar out of you that they can but they are trying to get to the guest and give them the best overall time that they can.

Simple fact is that the return on soft drinks is incredible. By charging a regular type price on beverages, a business can offset other expenses.

Sure, but three dollars for a 20 oz. plastic bottle is hardly a "regular type price." It is more like a rip-off....things like this (and Six Flags' $15 parking) may well generate money ONCE, then run off much repeat business virtually forever.

Yes it certainly is. And there is still a good profit even serving the beverage at a lower price.

I know a lot of you are youngsters and money is either easily had or given - in other words, you're wealthy. Those of us with families who are just trying to get by (quite a bit of the country, I'm told) almost have to float a loan for a day at an amusement park. Hell, it's a fortune to take the family to a current movie at a theatre! Any day I'd pay $3 for a bottle of pop - I'll drink water. And the parking prices suck big time, too! One day - and it won't be too far in the future - the parks will price themselves out of business. Mark my words...some parks have already seen a drop in attendance and some have closed. Even the great Universal Studios is doing rather poorly, as mentioned in other topics. I love coasters and such, but believe me; if it's a matter of paying my bills, keeping my house and car, and educating my children, the parks drop to the bottom of my "must do" list, as do buying a new car, going out to eat, getting new clothes, taking vacations, remodeling the kitchen (with the leaking ceiling), even giving to church!

So, even though I started this thread, I guess it really doesn't matter what they sell in the way soft drinks. If I do, indeed, go to the park this year, good old H2O will have to quench my thirst for the day. It's all I can really afford.

And it is available FREE at the stands...(just be sure they know you don't mean the pricey bottled stuff...).

Assuming, of course, that this isn't one of the policies that Cedar Fair has changed or will change.

Well, at Coney, if you are a guest, a cup of ice water will set you back fifty cents. Yes, they charge for ice water. But you get it in a large cup, as opposed to the small cups of ice water that Kings Island gives you.

I'd happily pay 50 cents for a large cup of ice water...can I at least assume that refills are free?

I thought there was a legality behind the ice water. Wouldn't it put a black eye on the park if someone had a heat stroke there and the news reported that they either couldn't or wouldn't pay the 'outstanding inflated prices' that the park offers?

As far as Coney goes, I think the charge is for the physical cup itself, not the ice and water.

I thought there was a legality behind the ice water. Wouldn't it put a black eye on the park if someone had a heat stroke there and the news reported that they either couldn't or wouldn't pay the 'outstanding inflated prices' that the park offers?

As far as Coney goes, I think the charge is for the physical cup itself, not the ice and water.

That's actually why Kings Island does serve water at the stands. Not for legality but because of the heat stroke issue. When I started in food service there was a time water was not given at the stands. Then there was the Service Excellence focus and the concern about heat stroke and water was given out.

They need to sell bottle water a lot cheaper. Its easier to carry around than a cup and you don't have to keep waiting in line to asking for 500 ice waters in the midget cup.

They need to sell bottle water a lot cheaper. Its easier to carry around than a cup and you don't have to keep waiting in line to asking for 500 ice waters in the midget cup.

It takes just as long to wait in line for bottle water as it does for FREE cup of ice water. Also there are drinking fountains located through out the park. Cups are far less expensive than bottled water in the first place. If one cup will not cure the thirst, just ask for another FREE refill of ice water.

Mike

And most of the fountains at Kings Island are refrigerated...which is far more than I can say for most Six Flags or Cedar Fair parks. In addition, there are plenty of them. At one particular park, I honestly believe they REMOVED water fountains in an attempt to increase drink sales!

LOL

I have souvenier cups each year for the parks I frequent most. You get the cup and then refill at the water fountains or the stands, all day. It works.