What do you think about souvenir cups?

I personally don't like them. Aside from being made from really cheap plastic, I don't get them because more and more rides are prohibiting you from carrying them in line. And when you need to rent lockers to store them on rides, the cups never pay for themselves. And on top of that, I hate carrying them around with me all day. I usually just go to Coke Freestlye and get 1 drink per day while I'm at the park.

I can not agree with you more on your disdain for items that do not fit in my cargo pockets. Not to mention souvenir type cups are hard to wash.

Now if the park offered an add on to the season pass, say $10 for a regular pass, $12 for all parks, that gave $.75 small and $.99 disposable cups of soft drinks all season long, plus all you can drink the first day, then they might start to see more of my money.

Tony, if you are reading this, please tell your bosses I really want to spend more money, but being green is a bit too inconvenient. While you are at it, please tell them some of us would appreciate discounts for premium meals with dining plan. (For example, using one of the two daily meals on the season dining plan plus $5 grants access to the buffet. Another example, using one of the two daily meals on the season dining plan plus $3 give a lager/fancier menu item at a normal food stand.

Since the park is pushing sales of the souvenir cups, I think a season long drink plan is highly unlikely.

Last season we used a small stroller for our daughter so it makes the cups somewhat tolerable. However when it was just my son and I at CP it only took one time trying to carry those cups around without the stroller... they ended up back in the truck rather quickly. I do not drink much pop anymore so I might not even get the cups this year. Drinking water is just fine with us.

What I don't like:

They tip-over in the coaster "bins" too easily, if not my own than those of other people.

The straws cause a syphon effect that starts to drain the cups if you aren't careful.

They can't be washed in a dish washer....most of the time...without them melting.....not that I'd know from experience last season.

What I'd like is a cup that really sealed so it could tip over without spilling.

Aside from that, we abuse the heck out of the cups.

Thabto said:

Since the park is pushing sales of the souvenir cups, I think a season long drink plan is highly unlikely.

The park pushes sales of daily tickets, yet for some reason, they also offer season-long passes.

The park is not pushing sales of the souvenir cups, they are pushing sales. Your statement implies that there is not a price point where CP will make a profit on a season-long plan compared to sales of souvenir cups. There is such a point.

Not a fan. Various parks have given them out at enthusiast events as a "perk" -- mine usually ends up in the car soon after I get it. The benefit -- free soda! -- is far outweighed by the drawbacks -- hassle to carry around, can't be taken on rides. And I don't really need to drink gallons of Coke Zero.

Scottyf said:

The park pushes sales of daily tickets, yet for some reason, they also offer season-long passes.

The park is not pushing sales of the souvenir cups, they are pushing sales. Your statement implies that there is not a price point where CP will make a profit on a season-long plan compared to sales of souvenir cups. There is such a point.

The way I see it, the cup is mostly aimed at season passholders because it can be used all season. They promote it pretty heavily. When I went to renew my pass, it asked if I wanted a cup. And on the dining plan page where it says drinks aren't included in the meals, it suggests you buy a souvenir cup. I'm just thinking the park wouldn't want to hurt cup sales, but that's just my opinion. I'm sure such a plan would be still be profitable. I would bite because it wouldn't require me to carry a bulky cup with me all day and it would be less money to carry with me to the park. Another factor to consider would be the park would lose money on locker rentals, which falls into the profitability category.

I can see both sides of opinions here, but I personally like the cups and have never had a problem with them. Since I always wear cargo shorts with really deep pockets to the park, as long as the cup wasn't too full I would put it in a pocket to get past the person at the entrance of a ride, then drink whats left by the time I got to the station. By that point, I would put the cup in my pocket and attach the handle to a belt loop and ride the ride. Or for GateKeeper I'd put it in the bin.

Like NWLB said about melting, I may or may not have left my 2013 cup in my car over a weekend...

I'd disagree that the souvenir cup is mostly aimed at season pass holders. I'd say it's aimed at anyone who's willing to part with ten to fifteen bucks for free refills the day they buy it and cheap refills through the rest of the season -- if they ever return during the season.

There are many people, I'm sure, who are happy to pay fifteen bucks for all the soda pop they can drink -- or think they'll drink -- over one visit to the park.

Adult beverage plans get a refillable mini keg right? ;)

Be better if it was a flask, no problem carrying that around!

Last year was the first time in all the years of having the season passes that we bought one. My girls and I liked it. While it is a hassle at times we tried to plan it to be empty for things like magnum because I also was able to store it in my deep pockets.

One thing that dissapointed me this year though was it was being heavily advertised before xmas on the CP site. I normally buy something for both my girls from CP around Xmas and I thought they would get a kick out of the new cup ( because there is no way they would be expecting it). What they don't tell you though is they don't get printed or sent out untill sometime in 2015. This was after calling up to CP and getting sent around to I believe 4 departments that kept sending me to a different department. Talked with sales, marketing, food service and at least one other till someone finally said they wouldn't be out till next year. Wish I would have known this and I would have just held out till the spring. Did make my girls chuckle though when I took last years and printed out a rougaroo picture and taped it to the cup to let them know it was coming.

Cooler in car trunk full of ice and bottled water works the best. Much more refreshing as well as keeping you hydrated.

We bought them last year and will not repeat this year. To difficult to store while riding the coasters.

I didn't buy any during the season, and I don't drink pop, so I just bought a few on closing day for $1 just to have.

I got one closing day last season because it was a cheap treat and I had 2 boys to help me guzzle all that pop. I won't bother getting one again unless it's another 99cent deal. I just bring Gatorade into the park in my pockets and keep the bottle to refill with water until lunch at the car when we bring in Gatorade in our pockets again.

I got mine for $1 on closing day and was able to get a couple refills. That was neat, since I didn't think the deal includedd refills. Then again, they didn't have many options left, either. Pink's at the end of the night was out of almost everything. Other than those kinds of deals, the cups don't make sense to me. There are places on-point to get soda for much more reasonable prices than in the park. If I need one that desperately, I'll do that instead.

Besides, I learned early on in my trips to CP that soda only leaves your throat sticky and dry. Water it is, generally from a food stand in a 2 shot-size cup.

I'm down with a flask, that way if I want my Old Fashioned a bit stronger...oh hey look at that, it refilled all by itself :P

Ugh... I 'effing hate those cups.

You can't take them on most the big coasters... So you have to buy a locker. At $2 per rental you're not saving anything with the free drink refills.

I really would like to buy a season drink pass. Fountain pop is crazy cheap. I know this because I used to work for an independent movie theater. CP could easily sell a season drink pass at a profit.