Large fountain drink cups removed from Magic Kingdom?

[MissM]

Multiple websites are reporting it's no longer possible to buy a "large" sized soft drink anywhere in the Magic Kingdom.

A site that shall not be named has an article and others have picked up the story.

Right now, no one is exactly sure why this decision has been made — especially during the busiest time of the year at Disney World when buying a large drink sounds like the *best* option so multiple family members can split it, and then you’ve got a large drink and don’t need to wait in line *again* to get a second beverage. As waxes, maybe Disney is trying to get everyone to buy a fancy souvenir cup instead (which tend to run on the larger side as it is).

Or maybe, removing the large cup is in hopes of making ordering easier, so now no one has to figure out what size they want to drink ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. IDK. It’s SUCH a weird thing to do away with, considering that maybe some guests WANT to drink a large drink. But not anymore.

And just so you know, the three other parks — EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom — all have self-serve beverage machines so they don’t really need to sell large cups, because you can get all the refills you want. This change doesn’t affect them; just Magic Kingdom.
Source: http://hellogiggles.com/disney-magic-kingdom-large-drinks/
​

So yeah...thoughts?

 

[Bolt]

Multiple websites are reporting it's no longer possible to buy a "large" sized soft drink anywhere in the Magic Kingdom.

A site that shall not be named has an article and others have picked up the story.

Right now, no one is exactly sure why this decision has been made — especially during the busiest time of the year at Disney World when buying a large drink sounds like the *best* option so multiple family members can split it, and then you’ve got a large drink and don’t need to wait in line *again* to get a second beverage. As ************** waxes, maybe Disney is trying to get everyone to buy a fancy souvenir cup instead (which tend to run on the larger side as it is).

Or maybe, removing the large cup is in hopes of making ordering easier, so now no one has to figure out what size they want to drink ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. IDK. It’s SUCH a weird thing to do away with, considering that maybe some guests WANT to drink a large drink. But not anymore.

And just so you know, the three other parks — EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom — all have self-serve beverage machines so they don’t really need to sell large cups, because you can get all the refills you want. This change doesn’t affect them; just Magic Kingdom.
Source: http://hellogiggles.com/disney-magic-kingdom-large-drinks/
​

So yeah...thoughts?

Always trying to make more money off of us by removing the more expansive, larger item. What gives!

 

[Rteetz]

What gives!

You should know the answer to that unfortunately.

 

[MonorailCoral]

So yeah...thoughts?

Like New York City's Sugary Drinks Portion Cap Rule, they're continuing with Walt's progressive vision of knowing what's best for the greater mankind. Expect it to be extended to the other three parks shortly.

/sarcasm...kind of.

 

[bhg469]

It just doesn't make sense to take away a large cup. They're not losing money on any beverage they sell and I'm sure there is well over 100% profit margin on soft drinks.

 

[tissandtully]

This is due to cost per cup on the large size cups and to make things simpler for the holiday rush.

 

[mm121]

sounds like another CASH GRAB!!

as now people have to buy 2 drinks instead of sharing

 

[tigger1968]

So the WDW website is already reflecting the change to menus. Given that WDW buys a huge amount of soda and cups from it's vendors, I have no doubt they have negotiated very favorable pricing for those items. Given the price point they charge for a regular soda ($3.29, while a large is, or was lol, $3.69) I would hazard a guess that they have less than 25 cents in cost in each soda they sell. So there is huge money earned from each sale. I could see them saying this is just to streamline operations during a busy time of year, but really it sounds like a cash grab. With there only being a 40 cent difference between a large and regular I can see someone deciding to eliminate the better value large and make more money with the regular size. I suppose time will tell. If large cups reappear after the holiday season that will be a good indicator of what the line of thinking was.

 

[marni1971]

If large cups reappear after the holiday season that will be a good indicator of what the line of thinking was.

This.

Not that it should happen anyway.

 

[Kman101]

I guess I'm not really bothered by this? It's not like when you buy the speciality mugs you can ask for different sizes. I do think we have the right to have options but if only one cup size exists, like the mugs, is that really so bad?

 

[Knothead]

They gotta make room for the wine glasses, shot glasses, and beer growlers. Something had to go.

 

[xdan0920]

Hmm, this is a strange one.

I don't drink soda (it's essentially poison) so this has zero impact on me personally. Yet, I still find it odd. I guess you could look at it as WDW squeezing the living heck out of their margins. Couldn't blame anyone for taking that view point. I do not see how this increases operating efficiency though, except fractionally. So, it can't really be that. Could it be that WDW is trying to de-fat it's guests? Maybe. That would be laudable.

I know which way I am leaning.

 

[Jon81uk]

Yet when we were there in October the drinks carts in the hub only offered large cups.
I guess the issue with only offering large is more people would just share, but when in the Florida heat I will always take a large size drink to myself!

 

[GhostHost1000]

It wasn't too long ago the large drinks cost $3.29 sigh

Not sure why they are doing this...but I could probably guess based on their trends

 

[raven]

Medium drinks may become the new large, with keeping the large price to go with it. I see another Disney cash grab.

 

[Bandini]

I wonder when Disney is going to arm their CM's with metal detectors so that they can pick up any loose change and lost jewelry around the parks. I have to wonder if the change people throw in fountains really is donated to charities or if it is put into the coffers.

If this was a health initiative, then they wouldn't be selling alcohol in the parks. I also wonder how long the self-serve soda machines will last in the other parks.

 

[drizgirl]

It just doesn't make sense to take away a large cup. They're not losing money on any beverage they sell and I'm sure there is well over 100% profit margin on soft drinks.

That's cute. You think there's a point at which there is "enough" profit at Disney.

It seems to me this is about making it hard to share a drink. Just like the menu change at Liberty Tree Tavern made it harder to share a meal.

 

[drizgirl]

I wonder when Disney is going to arm their CM's with metal detectors so that they can pick up any loose change and lost jewelry around the parks. I have to wonder if the change people throw in fountains really is donated to charities or if it is put into the coffers.

If this was a health initiative, then they wouldn't be selling alcohol in the parks. I also wonder how long the self-serve soda machines will last in the other parks.

It will last as long as the accountants say it's cheaper to have the machines than it is to pay CM's minimum wage to pour the drinks.

 

[OliveMcFly]

sounds like another CASH GRAB!!

as now people have to buy 2 drinks instead of sharing

Didn't think about this but we've done it in the past. You may be right.

 

[drizgirl]

Disney probably has interns scouring online sites for any suggestion of ways to save money in the parks. "Buy a large drink and share" was probably there.