Some little things at the MK

[Goofyernmost]

Of course we typically don't pay $100 to get into the store...

Of course, you didn't pay $100.00 to get into the store. The chances are you didn't even pay that much to get into the park. Assuming you did, that was to get in there. You pay nothing to get in the store that is there to sell you something. Heck, you don't pay Starbucks a cent unless you buy something. Using that logic, they should give us all free meals because, hey, we paid $100.00 to get in here. At the very least they should give us those bottles of cold water, it's just water, it doesn't cost anything or almost nothing. It would be good for public relations.

If they were really smart they would be passing out water every 50 feet. Then charge to use the bathrooms.

 

[Nubs70]

Hot or cold, rain or shine, box or just a cup, there is a cost associated with providing a service. Nothing is free.

So WDW should roll the cost of providing free into the price of admission. If a cup of water costs $0.25 and the average customer gets 2 cups/day, raise admission by $1. This way the accountants can claim they are making money from free water.

 

[Hakunamatata]

So WDW should roll the cost of providing free into the price of admission. If a cup of water costs $0.25 and the average customer gets 2 cups/day, raise admission by $1. This way the accountants can claim they are making money from free water.

There are negative tax implications doing it that way.

 

[Kman101]

It's water folks. WATER. I can't believe any of you are arguing for Disney not willing to give out a cup. They make so much money that they can afford a cup. It's not some local coffee business that probably CAN'T afford to do that. Let's not act like WDW isn't being cheap on purpose and can't afford a cup that is probably pennies to them. Seriously.

 

[Hakunamatata]

It's water folks. WATER. I can't believe any of you are arguing for Disney not willing to give out a cup. They make so much money that they can afford a cup. It's not some local coffee business that probably CAN'T afford to do that. Let's not act like WDW isn't being cheap on purpose and can't afford a cup that is probably pennies to them. Seriously.

Well I guess Perrier should just start giving water away for free too?

 

[Figment2005]

Not sure if you've been through CM or TM training, but it's encouraged to be empowered to give free sodas / water, I never had cups counted, so not sure where you're getting that from.

As a matter of fact I have worked at Epcot in ODF. Not once were we encouraged to just give stuff away, but we were encouraged to resolve guest situations to the best of our ability. Yes, this did mean GSR'ing some items, but giving too much away would not be looked upon kindly.

 

[Figment2005]

It's water folks. WATER. I can't believe any of you are arguing for Disney not willing to give out a cup. They make so much money that they can afford a cup. It's not some local coffee business that probably CAN'T afford to do that. Let's not act like WDW isn't being cheap on purpose and can't afford a cup that is probably pennies to them. Seriously.

Disney has no problem giving out a cup of ice water, not sure where you're coming from on that. It just seems some guests don't like the little cup and want a larger one, and they calling Disney evil because of it.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Disney has no problem giving out a cup of ice water, not sure where you're coming from on that. It just seems some guests don't like the little cup and want a larger one, and they calling Disney evil because of it.

Exactly. Asking for a complimentary cup for water then complaining it's not a big gulp is indicative of the entitlement society today.

 

[brifraz]

Much as some in this discussion might disagree, Disney does provide free water. I get it about 5 times a day while I am there. From a fountain. With the water bottle that I bring with me. And when I forget or lose my bottle, I get the small cup that they give away free. I can't imagine complaining or being upset with something I get for free because it isn't the free thing I was hoping for. It was free.

 

[mgf]

This is a company built on high-end service. A decent cup of water is MINIMUM-end service and should be expected of any outdoor entertainment business. It is a staple of comfort and safety. Heck, Holiday World gives free, unlimited *soda* to every guest. Their doors are still open.

Should Disney start limiting park maps? Hotel soaps? Towels? Pillows?

Or should you all just stop intentionally missing the point?

 

[NearTheEars]

I hate to add to the great water debate again ...... But they have not stopped giving out free water. When that happens, and it likely won't, I'll stand in the GR line to complain.

Even on a hot day, the small cup is just enough. And if you are on the move a lot, you can't take a big cup or any non bottle on/inside an attraction anyway.

As I said before, I always order multiple cups anyway.

 

[Rodan75]

People mob starbucks in general.

Someone looking for a cup of water is not going to stand in those 20 minute long lines - they manipulate the machine that keeps track of a guest's wait to make those lines appear shorter. But no one in their right mind is going to stand in that line for water only.

I can't believe some of you people are defending a company for being stingy about water.

You can make the same argument about a photo. Snapping a digital pic is free, the locations are public places but the photographers time is worth something right? So is the digital memory of the camera. Slippery slope gets slippery.

 

[Rodan75]

I do like how every one is assuming the worst because of one guest and one cast member.

 

[Nubs70]

There are negative tax implications doing it that way.

Enough to negate the $0.50 margin per customer?

 

[PhotoDave219]

You can make the same argument about a photo. Snapping a digital pic is free, the locations are public places but the photographers time is worth something right? So is the digital memory of the camera. Slippery slope gets slippery.

Read the thread, someone else said the same thing 6 hours ago.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I do like how every one is assuming the worst because of one guest and one cast member.

No, I'm assuming the worst on the past 10 years of experiences.

 

[PhotoDave219]

This is a company built on high-end service. A decent cup of water is MINIMUM-end service and should be expected of any outdoor entertainment business. It is a staple of comfort and safety. Heck, Holiday World gives free, unlimited *soda* to every guest. Their doors are still open.

Should Disney start limiting park maps? Hotel soaps? Towels? Pillows?

Or should you all just stop intentionally missing the point?

They're intentionally missing the point.

 

[NearTheEars]

They're intentionally missing the point.

i think a lot of people are still missing that they have not stopped giving out free water.

 

[PhotoDave219]

i think a lot of people are still missing that they have not stopped giving out free water.

No, they are not. However… My criticism is that if Disney is going to argue about the size of cop they're going to give a guest to enjoy water, that's just incredulous.

The mere idea that we are even having to have this conversation is mind blowing for a company that used to pride itself on being the gold standard for guest service in themed entertainment and's family entertainment.

The only thing this entire conversation has done is to reinforce that that at the Walt Disney World resort it is no longer about the guests, it's about the numbers.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Wow has the water debate been sparked!

Let me clarify a couple things:

1. Disney has a responsibility to offer adequate amounts of free water for guest safety and the common good. They don't need people falling down in the park due to heat exhaustion. There simply aren't enough drinking fountains on Main Street, and the drinking fountains that are available had long lines the day I was there and from what I heard people saying, were not even cold.

2. Starbucks DOES subscribe to the traditional franchise model. That wasn't good enough for Disney. Disney insisted on having custom interiors, custom logos, custom co-branded cups, custom costumes, custom training, etc. The locations inside the parks are 100% Disney owned and operated locations that pay Starbucks royalties and licensing fees. Don't blame Starbucks, blame Disney.

3. I was buying other drinks. I've confirmed from multiple people that it is Starbucks policy to give out any size water to anyone who wants a water, whether they pay for any other item or not. Water is viewed by Starbucks as a basic necessity that the company is more than happy to pay for the cups to give out.

4. Disney does not "count" cups or anything like that.

5. The service at this Disney operated Starbucks was abysmal anyway, there is no reason at all for a latte to take 20 minutes.

6. I went to Casey's Corner a couple days later and asked for a large ice water... they gave me a large ice water.

7. Universal has a consistent policy of giving out water cups anywhere. They do restrict them with only one size, but I'm fine with that for a couple reasons:

A. It's consistent everywhere.

B. There are many more places to self-refill your water all over the parks with free ice water.

C. There are more cold drinking fountains as well.

D. Universal has more shade on the parade route. Not as many people fainting.


So, how do you fix the problem at Disney?

1. Start giving away free cups of ice of any size that a guest asks for, but also change the default free cup of ice size depending on weather. On the colder days, automatically give a small child cup of ice, on warm days do a regular cup, and on hot days do a large cup.

2. Instead of wasting that valuable cast member time that someone mentioned, just have water faucets scattered about in the park and have more drinking fountains. Many locations have water built in to the condiment stations, some locations are near drinking fountains already, and some will need it installed. But if that time it takes for a cast member to fill up a cup of water is so valuable, then those extra faucets must be worth it.