$2.75 Pepsi in the Vending Machines?

I noticed while working today that the Pepsi prices in the machines at Geauga Lake went up to $2.75. Is that the case at the Point too? If so, I wonder if the demand is there to justify the increase.

-Sam (who will see for himself tomorrow anyway)

I will NEVER pay more than a buck in line.

Guess I'll be thisty.

MrScott

Yeah it changed at the Point too! :( I agree MrScott, I never buy anything from those machines. I always just get my free water before I go into a line.

I don't buy soda from the machines, they are a rip off completely. I buy a water bottle and then fill it up when I get thirsty. It works out really well. If I don't drink it all before I get on the ride, I dump it, ride the ride and get filled up after the ride.

I thought they figured out a year or two ago that $2.50 was the threshold people were willing to go? I won't pay more than $2.50.

I noticed on opening day at CP that a bottle of water was 2.75 at the food stands and 2.50 in the machines. I was cornfused.

I think its actually gone down from last year. It was like $3.00 last year at both Cedar Point and at the time Six Flags WOA. I think because they added the candy bar machines they lowered it by a quarter.

fat chris said:

I always just get my free water before I go into a line.

The last time I was at Cedar Point, I wanted to take my free water in line with me for Raptor, you know, to drink it. As I was entering the queue, I was informed by the ride op that I wasn't allowed to have a drink in the queue. This baffled me, as I passed a few vending machines that were there to dispense refreshments, and I passed about a dozen trash cans before reaching the stairs. What was the deal with that???

That's really strange that they wouldn't let you take a drink in the queue. I was there last Tuesday and I took a cup of water into the Raptor line without a problem. The ride op at entrance saw it and didn't say a thing.

I wonder how Holiday World is able to provide free, unlimited soft drinks while other parks are charging such ridiculous amounts. I know it's a smaller park than CP, but that means their admission revenue is smaller too. They're smart though, because whenever I'm there, I think that's such wonderful customer service, I always feel compelled to spend more at the gift shops.

Holiday World's drinks are not "free." You might recall an increase in gate price the year they started offering "free" soda. Why do you suppose that is?

I paid for a bottled water, only out of extreme thrist in line for Raptor.

Most expensive bottle of water i've ever paid for.

And in order to get a free soft drink at Holiday World, you have to endure swarms of bees held at bay by a hurricane-machine to a self-serve island. And it ain't bottled.

You can't really blame CP for taking advantage of a good opportunity to get an extra buck. People get desperate for a drink, especially on a hot day, and they can't get out of line. I'd do the same thing! But they could probably make even more money if they lowered the price to, say, $2.00, a price that a whole lot more people are willing to pay. And they'd come off as "heroes", too.

I love stating the obvious.

Prices on everything are expensive at the amusement park for the same reason it is at a baseball or football game. They don't make enough money on the admissions to cover all their costs.

Now, that having been said, I almost never buy anything at the park. At least once a year I get a Hand Dipped Peanut Butter Cup Ice in a Waffel Cone. MMMMM It's worth the god aweful ammount they charge for it. The pop however is not. I can go to 100 different places every day and get a pop. And it'll cost about $1 for a 2 liter. I get my free water like a lot of other people. Funny thing is, the water fountain always seems to be the shortest line.

How do you think they could afford rides like Dragster and MF? By being affordable? I think not.

Welcome to a free market society. What people are willing to pay is what drives the market. If enough people are willing to pay $2.75, then $2.75 will be the price.

Jeff is right. Whenever somebody offers something for "free", you should always look for where the cost is "offset". How often do you ignore price increases elsewhere while you bask in the glory of getting something free?

I've never bought pop from the machines since it went higher than $2 a bottle, even if I am very thirsty in line. There's no way I can justify paying that much for pop, especially when there is free ice water to be had at the food stands.

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Eric H said:
If enough people are willing to pay $2.75, then $2.75 will be the price.

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But that's just it... I got the distinct impression that the last time they hiked it to that price people didn't buy it.

I wasn't thrilled with $2.50, but I'd still buy one from time to time. At $2, I bought them frequently.

I was there June 5th then on June 11th I went it was 2.75 WTF

People are going to buy the sodas despite the price. Cedar point obviously is not seein a decrease in sales revenue otherwise they would probably lower the price again. As I see it the sodas here are cheap compared to other theme parks. Some six flags parks charge upwards of $3. The fact that they offer free water is a plus too. Cedar point is very kind with their drink services, i wish other parks were like that too.