No Water from Freestyle Machines

[anihilnation]

I don't really think that is the case. They would essentially be charging for the filtering. Just like they charge for the filtering and flavoring when you buy a Coke product from the machine. Either way they're still using the same water. I think the issue is the way Coke has the machines set up water is separate from the drink selections and so there isn't a way to charge for it or in other words block it if you don't have a chip.

Regular bottled coke is different because they have to buy the water, at fountains and freestyles, they just provide flavors and carbonation, and yes, the filtration I imagine, but the water does not taste that great, better than just tap water, but definitely not the kind of water you could charge for.

 

[MrRoamer]

First off sorry for rant and some politics. This kind of hits a sore point or maybe I'm just cranky... who knows. Am I going to start a boycott, of course not. Am I going to stop going to the parks of course not. Is this something that will bug me and make praise them less, absolutely.

A few things that bug me with this water thing. First off yes at worst it is only a minor inconvenience, and my family has been using the free water from the Freestyle machines because it is more convenient. Will we go to the counters for water, yup we'll still do that too because we did that before and well I need to buy a beer somewhere.

1) That said, there are bottling plants that are in Florida (Nestle/Zephyrhills), and us locals help pay for the water for those plants. So our water being garbage isn't exactly true (no offense @Teebin).
2) As a local I'm a little offended, it is our state that pays the toll for these parks, infrastructure, environment, wildlife, etc. Yes it does make up a lot of the money we make but at the same time it takes a toll. We have a light issue with sink holes and water being taken out of the ground has an impact on the water parks. This becomes even more of a problem when say a large park builds a giant salt water pool that happens to leak salt water into our aquifer. Salt water intrusion is a major problem in Florida and Sea World's Discovery Cove was leaking who knows how much into it.
3) These huge parks get major tax breaks from our government (see point 2 about us making money from it). Disney is probably the worst culprit since they are basically a private county and can make their own rules. We just helped pay for Universal's pedestrian bridge, we are paying for the Ultimate I-4 project, heck we still have to pay for toll roads that should have been paid off years ago but since we have to change a confusing name like B-Line to Beach Line and put in faster ways to pay your tolls those are still around so tourists have a better experience. Basically Disney huge tax write-offs and benefits, Universal big tax write-offs and benefits, SeaWorld (I honestly don't know but feel they do the most for our state so I'm more forgiving), and don't even get me started on Holy Land(Tax Exempt because its a church!!!!!)
4) Universal specific: They increased AP prices, took away grandfathered prices, and removed the Premiere Pass free water benefit (I'm preferred so didn't impact me).

Taking water away from the Coke Freestyle machines just seems like a low blow. If it was Coke then they should be strong-arming Coke or making it known they have nothing to do with it.

Side thought
Am I the only one confused on how Dasani used to be in the machines? Is bottled water all about the bottling process and how many filters you use and how many electrolytes you put in? I always thought it was the source. Do they ship kegs of Dasani in for this or do they just take my garbage water, put it through the super Brita, and then stick two zeros on the end?

 

[s8film40]

Regular bottled coke is different because they have to buy the water, at fountains and freestyles, they just provide flavors and carbonation, and yes, the filtration I imagine, but the water does not taste that great, better than just tap water, but definitely not the kind of water you could charge for.

Every grocery store in my area has a machine that sells filtered municipal water. I do get what your saying though I don't think it's something that would sell, but I do think they could do it.

 

[Teebin]

That said, there are bottling plants that are in Florida (Nestle/Zephyrhills), and us locals help pay for the water for those plants. So our water being garbage isn't exactly true (no offense @Teebin).

Sorry, it is swill. I even had filters on my shower heads just to get rid of the smell. But I also moved to Florida from a land with the greatest water on earth. So, call me a judgemental SOB.

 

[Brian G.]

Sorry, it is swill. I even had filters on my shower heads just to get rid of the smell. But I also moved to Florida from a land with the greatest water on earth. So, call me a judgemental SOB.

Gotta say, out of all the filtered/bottled waters... I'm not a big fan of the taste of Zephyrhills.

 

[NJBrandon]

Yeah, Zephryhills and Nestle are probably the most disgusting bottled waters I've ever had.

 

[MrRoamer]

Sorry, it is swill. I even had filters on my shower heads just to get rid of the smell. But I also moved to Florida from a land with the greatest water on earth. So, call me a judgemental SOB.

It's ok Zephyrhills is just bottled raver sweat anyway. Just making the point that some people consider it quality h20 and it gets shipped wherever.

 

[Teebin]

It's ok Zephyrhills is just bottled raver sweat anyway. Just making the point that some people consider it quality h20 and it gets shipped wherever.

I'd rather drink raver sweat than Florida's water. At least it's filtered and lightly salted.

 

[IzzyB]

Sorry, it is swill. I even had filters on my shower heads just to get rid of the smell. But I also moved to Florida from a land with the greatest water on earth. So, call me a judgemental SOB.

I agree it is crap. We have a whole house water filter and our drinking water is filtered again thru the fridge. My husband's family doesn't have the whole house and they complain all the time about how often they have the clean the shower pan and things like that. I don't have any of the issues they have.

Oh and I hate hate hate Zephyrhill's water. I refuse to drink it. I hate Nestlé the second. Won't buy either of those.

 

[UNIrd]

Surprised at the Zephyrhills and Nestle hate. The only waters I truly refuse to drink are Dasani and Aquafina.

 

[Garagely]

Surprised at the Zephyrhills and Nestle hate. The only waters I truly refuse to drink are Dasani and Aquafina.

Ugh, YES the Dasanni and Aquafina have that super strong chemical aftertaste. I won't buy either of those.

 

[ThreePack Shagur]

Asked arounds and heard a few reasons for this that have all added up:

- Freestyle Machines use a huge proprietary inline filter about the size of a Heineken mini keg. They're designed for heavy use and are supposed to last 6-8 months before replacement. Universal's were needing replaced after 2 weeks. At $250 per filter, per machine, it adds up quick. This is an expense that Universal themselves have to pay for. For comparison the filters at the QS fountains are only $50 and usually last the entire 6 months.

- Software was updated to remove the water button from the main screen, and yes, this is at the owner's discretion. Intentions were to have it behind the activation wall, but water isn't an available option there and would require a software update from Coke themselves (which is apparently in the works)

...and you're number 1 reason? Complaints from guests that purchased the Freestyle cups complaining about waits behind groups of non-freestyle guests and ice running out in the afternoons. We're not talking a small amount of complaints, it's more like hundreds per week. Many with accompanied refunds.

The easiest solution with greatest money saving advantage was to limit the water at the Freestyle machines. Like others have mentioned, water is still available through other means. A convenience available to guests that was only available for 2 years is gone, and it's back to how it used to be.

...also you can rinse your cups in these amazing things called "sinks", they're free to use at every restroom. You don't need filtered freestyle water to do this.

 

[JoeCamel]

Asked arounds and heard a few reasons for this that have all added up:

- Freestyle Machines use a huge proprietary inline filter about the size of a Heineken mini keg. They're designed for heavy use and are supposed to last 6-8 months before replacement. Universal's were needing replaced after 2 weeks. At $250 per filter, per machine, it adds up quick. This is an expense that Universal themselves have to pay for. For comparison the filters at the QS fountains are only $50 and usually last the entire 6 months.

- Software was updated to remove the water button from the main screen, and yes, this is at the owner's discretion. Intentions were to have it behind the activation wall, but water isn't an available option there and would require a software update from Coke themselves (which is apparently in the works)

...and you're number 1 reason? Complaints from guests that purchased the Freestyle cups complaining about waits behind groups of non-freestyle guests and ice running out in the afternoons. We're not talking a small amount of complaints, it's more like hundreds per week. Many with accompanied refunds.

The easiest solution with greatest money saving advantage was to limit the water at the Freestyle machines. Like others have mentioned, water is still available through other means. A convenience available to guests that was only available for 2 years is gone, and it's back to how it used to be.

...also you can rinse your cups in these amazing things called "sinks", they're free to use at every restroom. You don't need filtered freestyle water to do this.

For me it is not the fact they did this, I understand why. I thought it was cost/filters but that they just flipped the switch and no one would give a straight story why. They could have turned this into a PR plus but instead allowed it to be a nightmare with thousands of complaints generated.

Not something I want "My Universal" to be doing.......

 

[s8film40]

Asked arounds and heard a few reasons for this that have all added up:

- Freestyle Machines use a huge proprietary inline filter about the size of a Heineken mini keg. They're designed for heavy use and are supposed to last 6-8 months before replacement. Universal's were needing replaced after 2 weeks. At $250 per filter, per machine, it adds up quick. This is an expense that Universal themselves have to pay for. For comparison the filters at the QS fountains are only $50 and usually last the entire 6 months.

- Software was updated to remove the water button from the main screen, and yes, this is at the owner's discretion. Intentions were to have it behind the activation wall, but water isn't an available option there and would require a software update from Coke themselves (which is apparently in the works)

I don't buy these excuses at all. I don't doubt that someone there at Universal believes this I just think it's a little exaggerated.

...and you're number 1 reason? Complaints from guests that purchased the Freestyle cups complaining about waits behind groups of non-freestyle guests and ice running out in the afternoons. We're not talking a small amount of complaints, it's more like hundreds per week. Many with accompanied refunds.

I've used Freestyle quite a bit mostly as a paying customer because as I said earlier I use the fountains for water primarily. I've stood in lines and watched what people are doing. People getting water make up easily less than 10% of the people using the machines. Also those getting water are much faster than deciding what flavor you want and trying to figure out how to place the cup on the sensor. Removing the water option will have an extremely marginal change to the wait time for these machines. Also ice is still available for free.

...also you can rinse your cups in these amazing things called "sinks", they're free to use at every restroom. You don't need filtered freestyle water to do this.

The whole purpose in paying for these refillable mugs is that the machines are conveniently located throughout the park and you can make a quick stop at one. If you first have to find a bathroom and use that to rinse your mug then find a Freestyle machine it kind of defeats the convenience factor.

 

[ThreePack Shagur]

As far as GS is concerned, the only complaints that are of concern are those that will cost them money, i.e. those from guests that have paid for access to the Freestyle machine. Complaints from those that were getting water for free from the machines just isn't a concern, that's why the GS responses mention the other methods of getting water for free.

I don't want to come off as being nasty, but Universal is in the moneymaking business and free water from a Coke machine, that other guests pay a fee to access, is not something they're required to provide. In the end the machine's primary purpose is to serve Coke products to paying guests, not function as a water fountain alternative.

Also those water fountains with the bottle fillers are pretty great. I hope they do put those in guest areas. They'll still make money selling bottles from those that have a stigma about drinking from water fountains.

 

[anihilnation]

Asked arounds and heard a few reasons for this that have all added up:

- Freestyle Machines use a huge proprietary inline filter about the size of a Heineken mini keg. They're designed for heavy use and are supposed to last 6-8 months before replacement. Universal's were needing replaced after 2 weeks. At $250 per filter, per machine, it adds up quick. This is an expense that Universal themselves have to pay for. For comparison the filters at the QS fountains are only $50 and usually last the entire 6 months.

- Software was updated to remove the water button from the main screen, and yes, this is at the owner's discretion. Intentions were to have it behind the activation wall, but water isn't an available option there and would require a software update from Coke themselves (which is apparently in the works)

...and you're number 1 reason? Complaints from guests that purchased the Freestyle cups complaining about waits behind groups of non-freestyle guests and ice running out in the afternoons. We're not talking a small amount of complaints, it's more like hundreds per week. Many with accompanied refunds.

The easiest solution with greatest money saving advantage was to limit the water at the Freestyle machines. Like others have mentioned, water is still available through other means. A convenience available to guests that was only available for 2 years is gone, and it's back to how it used to be.

...also you can rinse your cups in these amazing things called "sinks", they're free to use at every restroom. You don't need filtered freestyle water to do this.

I don't really buy the whole expensive filter thing, for the simple reason that the water does not taste that great and does not appear different than that from the regular soda fountains.

 

[anihilnation]

As far as GS is concerned, the only complaints that are of concern are those that will cost them money, i.e. those from guests that have paid for access to the Freestyle machine. Complaints from those that were getting water for free from the machines just isn't a concern, that's why the GS responses mention the other methods of getting water for free.

I don't want to come off as being nasty, but Universal is in the moneymaking business and free water from a Coke machine, that other guests pay a fee to access, is not something they're required to provide. In the end the machine's primary purpose is to serve Coke products to paying guests, not function as a water fountain alternative.

Also those water fountains with the bottle fillers are pretty great. I hope they do put those in guest areas. They'll still make money selling bottles from those that have a stigma about drinking from water fountains.

I wonder if a lot of people just used the freestyle free water because they did not know they could get free water at the regular stands. In any case, in the parks I usually have a coke anyway (ironically I only drink coke when I go out to the parks, never at home).

 

[s8film40]

As far as GS is concerned, the only complaints that are of concern are those that will cost them money, i.e. those from guests that have paid for access to the Freestyle machine. Complaints from those that were getting water for free from the machines just isn't a concern, that's why the GS responses mention the other methods of getting water for free.

I don't want to come off as being nasty, but Universal is in the moneymaking business and free water from a Coke machine, that other guests pay a fee to access, is not something they're required to provide. In the end the machine's primary purpose is to serve Coke products to paying guests, not function as a water fountain alternative.

Also those water fountains with the bottle fillers are pretty great. I hope they do put those in guest areas. They'll still make money selling bottles from those that have a stigma about drinking from water fountains.

Well maybe I should take all my Freestyle bottles in and ask for a refund as I probably won't use them again because of this.

 

[ThreePack Shagur]

I don't really buy the whole expensive filter thing, for the simple reason that the water does not taste that great and does not appear different than that from the regular soda fountains.

This is the one for restaurants, the heavy duty ones the parks use are 3x this size and twice the cost. Believe it.

3M 56289-02 HF65-CL Chloramine Reduction Filter - FreshWaterSystems.com

 

[s8film40]

I wonder if a lot of people just used the freestyle free water because they did not know they could get free water at the regular stands. In any case, in the parks I usually have a coke anyway (ironically I only drink coke when I go out to the parks, never at home).

Yeah not to mention this does nothing to alleviate this supposed complaint (which I don't for a second believe any reasonable number of people are making). Guests will just go and complain about having to wait in line at the QS locations and stands behind those getting water.