Bad Experience at OI Meetup

[JohnD]

Actually happened to me at the 12/15 OI Meetup:

After parks close to day guests, Orlando Informer sets up cash bars at both parks during their Meetups. At the cash bars, they hand out beers in opened cans. Rather, they should pour all beverages into cups. Do not hand out open beer cans, for example.

The reason is this: I had the misfortune of having an opened can of beer spill on me just before starting the Descipable Me ride. How could this happen? An idiot guest decided to board a motion simulator ride with an opened can of beer in her left pocket. At this ride, there are four people per “pod”. I was in the leftmost seat in one pod. She sat immediately to my right. As soon as she sat down, I felt wet on my right side and noticed beer, of all things, spilling out of an opened can in her left pocket. I was restrained at this point and had to endure the ride with zero enjoyment. I’ll spare you the details but made my way to a companion restroom to clean myself up to get the beer (and it’s smell) off my clothes ASAP.

Who could ever conceive of having beer spilled on them in a motion simulator ride? No one. Yet it happened to me.

For that reason, I recommend all beverages (not just liquor) be poured into cups at the OI cash bars scattered around the parks.

I managed to enjoy myself the rest of the night and went back on Despicable Me just before closing so I could really enjoy it.

 

[Rob562]

Ummmm.... Aren't cups optional for all beer sold in cans and bottles at all times of the day in the parks? Why the emphasis on it being at an OI event?

-Rob

 

[JohnD]

Ummmm.... Aren't cups optional for all beer sold in cans and bottles at all times of the day in the parks? Why the emphasis on it being at an OI event?

-Rob

The emphasis is that at an OI meetup a “perk” is that they have cash bars scattered around the parks, not seen during regular hours. When you purchase beer, they hand you the opened can.

I want to be clear. This isn’t to blame OI but the decision of an idiot guest. I will say, though, if offered the opened can, how many people are going to request it be poured into a cup? Not many. They’ll drink from the can. Most people with a clue would consume their beer before boarding a motion simulator ride and not decide to put it in their pocket as this moron guest did.

But all it takes is one bad apple. So I suggest that at OI’s cash bars, they pour all beverages into cups upon purchase.

 

[lebeau]

Hopefully you're making that suggestion to OI. I know they are very responsive to feedback on their meet-ups.

As you seem to acknowledge, you can't account for guest behavior. This guest could have just as easily put a cup of beer in her pocket.

Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

[Jon81uk]

The moron could have tried to put the cup into their pocket.....

 

[JohnD]

Hopefully you're making that suggestion to OI. I know they are very responsive to feedback on their meet-ups.

As you seem to acknowledge, you can't account for guest behavior. This guest could have just as easily put a cup of beer in her pocket.

Sorry you had a bad experience.

The moron could have tried to put the cup into their pocket.....

True to both but I think she thought that because in a can, it wouldn’t spill. I’d like to think she had enough brain cells to figure out that if she had a cup not to put it in her pocket.

 

[JohnD]

Hopefully you're making that suggestion to OI. I know they are very responsive to feedback on their meet-ups.

As you seem to acknowledge, you can't account for guest behavior. This guest could have just as easily put a cup of beer in her pocket.

Sorry you had a bad experience.

I did contact them. Almost word for word in the original post. Thanks.

 

[lebeau]

I did contact them. Almost word for word in the original post. Thanks.

I'd be curious to hear what kind of response you get. I have found them to be pretty responsive in the past.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I seriously doubt that open beverages are permitted on attractions. A guest acted stupidly (and, I assume, against the rules) and unfortunately the OP was the victim of that guest's stupidity. If the can was obvious and should have been noticed by ride operators and the stupid guest denied access, an argument could be made that Universal bears some responsibility. Otherwise, it's just bad luck, and anybody stupid enough to think an open can won't spill would likely be just as stupid with a cup.

 

[righttrack]

They should have caught the open container boarding the ride. Never a good idea

 

[JohnD]

I seriously doubt that open beverages are permitted on attractions. A guest acted stupidly (and, I assume, against the rules) and unfortunately the OP was the victim of that guest's stupidity. If the can was obvious and should have been noticed by ride operators and the stupid guest denied access, an argument could be made that Universal bears some responsibility. Otherwise, it's just bad luck, and anybody stupid enough to think an open can won't spill would likely be just as stupid with a cup.

It wasn’t obvious. She was wearing a Harry Potter robe and the can was in the left pocket. As it bunched up when she sat down the can spilled on me. Sigh...

 

[Weather_Lady]

It wasn’t obvious. She was wearing a Harry Potter robe and the can was in the left pocket. As it bunched up when she sat down the can spilled on me. Sigh...

A Slytherin, clearly.

 

[JohnD]

I'd be curious to hear what kind of response you get. I have found them to be pretty responsive in the past.

Here’s the response:

Good Morning John!

Thank you so much for attending our OI Meetup!

I am so sorry about this negative experience! Thank you for bringing this experience to our attention, as this is not an experience we want our guests subjected to while attending our OI Meetup.

While you are kind enough to not hold OI responsible, we would still like to try to make things right. In additional to bringing this feedback to Universal Orlando in regards to future events, we would also like to offer you a $25 discount applicable towards a future OI Meetup. Please use the code XXXXXXXXXX, at your checkout.

We sincerely apologize again for this experience, John. We're very glad you were able to enjoy the rest of your evening after this occurred, but will make sure to speak to Universal Orlando concerning beverages being poured into cups.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us with this feedback; it is very much appreciated. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day!

 

[JohnD]

I provided the following feedback:

Thank you for your reply and offer. It is much appreciated. Another thing occurred to me that the same guest could be so clueless as try to put a filled cup in her pocket. Cast Members should also be observant, if possible, for guests attempting to carry prohibited items onto attractions

 

[JohnD]

I provided the following feedback:

Thank you for your reply and offer. It is much appreciated. Another thing occurred to me that the same guest could be so clueless as try to put a filled cup in her pocket. Cast Members should also be observant, if possible, for guests attempting to carry prohibited items onto attractions

I received a reply:

Our team completely agrees with you, John.

We will communicate these concerns with Universal, as we believe Team Members should always be watching for any prohibited items being brought into attractions.

We apologize again for this experience, and sincerely thank you for providing this feedback.

 

[I am Timmy]

In her robe? Those things are expensive! I was thinking as I was reading your original post, "I hope JohnD didn't have whatever he was wearing ruined..... like a robe". Sorry this happened to you, so glad OI is trying to make it right!

 

[JohnD]

In her robe? Those things are expensive! I was thinking as I was reading your original post, "I hope JohnD didn't have whatever he was wearing ruined..... like a robe". Sorry this happened to you, so glad OI is trying to make it right!

I was wearing quick dry travel clothes fortunately. I didn’t just let the beer dry and walk around smelling like it, however. I made my way to a companion restroom where I could apply hand soap and water to my clothes then use the super hand dryer to get the beer out.

 

[I am Timmy]

I was wearing quick dry travel clothes fortunately. I didn’t just let the beer dry and walk around smelling like it, however. I made my way to a companion restroom where I could apply hand soap and water to my clothes then use the super hand dryer to get the beer out.

You're lucky, i had jeans on that night and I would not have been able to wash off and dry out so quickly. And I would've been even colder!