The whole FP+ discussion got me mussing about old posts. There was a discussion about WDW doing a RFID chip for the all you can drink cups at the resorts. Did it fail, work, what? Just wondering as it reminds me of the FP+ discussions.
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Whatever became of the resort soda machine issue?
- Thread starter ddrongowski
- Start date
nepalostparks
Well-Known Member
They tested it, then took it out. It was at one of the All Star Resorts if I remember correctly. Since then, no further developments.
From the discussions at the time, the inference was that it was too much hassle for guests to use. But we never heard anything from Disney. In all likelihood, it wasn't worth the cost and the guest issues for the amount of money it would save.
From the discussions at the time, the inference was that it was too much hassle for guests to use. But we never heard anything from Disney. In all likelihood, it wasn't worth the cost and the guest issues for the amount of money it would save.
Minthorne
Well-Known Member
It will be tied to your magic band and you will have to drink directly from the nozzle. Your magic band will activate the dispenser every 5 minute for 2 oz of soda. If you use a fastpass+ you can schedule a second extra 8oz but that uses one of you fast pass+ allotments that day.
Yes, I'm kidding.
Yes, I'm kidding.
Will it just shoot it into my mouth or does one have to suck it out? Is it required to do that 60 + 10 days in advance?
Minthorne
Well-Known Member
It will shoot out but be careful, you'll shoot your eye out kid. If you want busier times you better log on at 6:00AM on the 60 day out mark. Apparently it's going to be impossible getting between 6am-10am any day at all the all star food courts. Eventually all you be able to get is a water fountain fastpass at downtown Disney if you are too late...
This was pretty much it. Guests did not understand how to use it and in many cases were breaking the machines. In the end they turned out to be akin to spending $100K to insure a $10k car.
Disnee4Me
Well-Known Member
Love to see all the great senses of humor here. There is an amusement park in Connecticut (Lake Compounce, Bristol) where with admission into the park, you get free soft drinks (dispensing machines placed throughout the park). They have small plastic cups near the dispensers. For me the biggest problem with that is all the bees that swarm around the dispensers. It would be cool though to get free drinks though.
fam
Member
They had that rfid tag for drinks on the royal carribean ship we were on...I think it was like 70 bucks extra a person for the cup to be able to order\use the soda machines. It was such a hassle on the ship...doing it at the resort would have been a nightmare...no wonder they took it out. As cheap as the pop is (if costs havent changed since last time I checked), im guessing a mug size (with ice) the cost of soda is probably about 4-7 cents. With the expensive machines and the very slow nature of them to work, and the expensive cups..it wouldnt be worth it considering how busy the pop\coffee stations are at the value resorts anyway....an accountant probably finally got around to doing the math... cost of RFID tag for the cup alone probably negates the actual cost of sugary goodness.
So if they couldn't handle such a simple thing is FP+ MM+ going to be easier?
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
It was a fail just like FP+ will become.
MY_NAME_STITCH
Well-Known Member
That's way too funny. My boss is wondering why l'm laughing. Do you know if they take ADRs for longer dispensing SESSIONS?
Their pizza by the water park is pretty good as well. That is, as long as they don't drop it on the floor.
ShookieJones
We need time for things to happen.
I'm from Plainville, and we used to take our kids there on a regular basis, and the free soda is the one thing my son always comments about LC..He says..."that's the best idea in the world" LOL..
They can always tuck the cost and a quite a bit of profit right into the ticket prices without making it outrageous and people LOVE it.
Probably wouldn't work at WDW though...even if it is "the best idea in the world"
Probably. Ironically, adding just a single extra step to a familiar procedure can be a problem.
We have all used soda machines. You walk up, press the lever and soda shoots out. Well what happens when no soda comes out? We push harder. When that does not work, most of us look for another problem. Sadly, quite a few people never take that second step and continue to push on the lever until it breaks. This is one of the things I heard happened quite a bit during the testing. It was also somewhat of a complicated system. One time use cups could only be used so many times and at specific time intervals. (something on the order of having to wait a minute or two between fill ups) IMHO, this was the biggest mistake. The designers forgot their number one rule. KISS. (keep it simple stupid)
Since FP+ is new. We have no preconceived notions on how it works making us more inclined to read the instructions, so to speak. The little interaction I have had with the new system has been mind numbingly easy. It guides you through step by step. Will people screw it up? Of course they will, after all, the warning on a hair dryer that tells you not to use it in the shower is there for a reason, but I think that most people out there will be able to use it just fine.
The real key will be on the back end. Will the system be able to handle the information entered correctly and what is in place when someone screws up? The only thing that has me scared is Disney is rather infamous for not adequately testing software, getting it on the cheep and various other things that are not conducive to a well working computer system. I hope my concerns are proved unwarranted.
MOXOMUMD
Well-Known Member
For Deluxe resorts you get ice for soda.
For Moderate resorts you get cold soda.
For Value resorts you get flat soda.
I only thought of this because our recent stay at Pop had two banks of soda fountains running warm flat soda but they didn't close them down. Guests were filling their cups and then dumping them out. Moving to another flavor then dumping it out. The ice had formed a mini mountain on the drain tray that the CM's kept using a bucket to remove. Now how much of a ruckus would those guests have raised if the RFID chips would have cut them off and they never really got any actual drinkable soda?
Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
You do have to wonder if your magic band will magically trigger the soda fountain if the band is programmed for length of stay beverages. Oy.
bgraham34
Well-Known Member
It certainly is a possibility. This will change lots of things over the years I am sure.
A friend of mine used it and said it was a major pain in the . Also complained about the small size of the mug. I never personally used it and can't say one way or the other. I did warn her not to get those dumb mugs, but I can only lead the horse to the water.
I would never buy one either, but they are now given away with the all levels of the DDP.