Dollywood QR Code Drink Cups

Can't believe this flew under everyone's radar.

https://www.youtube.com/sho...Ihh_KrdgN8

https://www.tiktok.com/@the...4923859213

I dunno. Dollywood sort of has that "do no wrong" Holiday World kind of reputation. This is pretty corporate and ugly.

Can we start hating Dolly yet?

Seems like a good idea. What could go wrong?

Sea World Orlando has these, Universal has a one time scan on most fountains, it’s not like it’s rare. I bet it comes to SF soon too.

Kennywood has done this for years. This way you don't have to wait in line if you just want a refill.

I don't get what's weird about it.

In this case I am not understanding how the drinks are sold. I am used to buying a cup, either small or large, and then you fill it up. This seems like they are selling drinks by the ounce, which would allow me to buy 40 oz of drink and then use those ounces at any drink stand?

If they are selling drinks by the ounce then I do not see how this is corporate greed. You get what you bought. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

See? I'm so far out of the loop. I had no idea.

Everyone is doing product limits and ****?

Like, the idea that the cup limits you to 16oz of drink at a sit-down refill station is f'n nuts to me. And then the weird time limit thing on top of that.

I get that it's just a hard "no refills' rule. But the presentation...

I suppose it does make sense for the souvenir cups.

And I suppose limiting the 'regular' cup sells souvenir cups, but man. The machine saying, "Dude, you're cut off" is an ugly look. Such a up-front reminder of your hard 16oz sugar water limit...in a sit-down...with a self-serve machine.

Big side eye.

Is this like smugly walking past stand-by with FOL access for a ride? Like my souvenir cup looks down on Joe Sixpack and his hilarious, "No more, pal!" message as I smugly completely fill my drink every 10 minutes (but still with the weird time limit on the machine).

I dunno.

I'd assume that the time limit to fill your drink is so that when you walk away, someone else can't piggyback it and get their own.

That makes sense.

Why wouldn't it just pour until you stop or the limit is reached? Then your 'turn' is over.

(But Gonch, my kid mixes drinks or is stupid and can't consistently hold down a lever or what if you slip?)

Exactly.

It's a lot of silliness and systems put in place to just avoid paying someone to stand behind the counter and fill drink cups all day.

Is park feedback on this positive? Do you know? If you did could you say? It probably is. People are the worst.

Again, I haven't stepped foot in a park since the pandemic year, but this only seems like an improvement to someone with unlimited refills who otherwise would be standing in long lines for refills. Because in every other scenario (including no/short wait served refills), this seems like a worse option...

...for the guest.

For the park? Guests serve themselves and we can limit their take. Win/win.

Is this popping up other places?

Holy crap! Do I just exist outside of the world where corporate restaurants use scannable codes to limit your intake and enforce efficient serving turns? Is this gonna show up at McDonald's now? Am I AI? Are you guys?

I might just be getting old.

I don’t know about any of this, except these two things.
1) Dollywood has always been one of the most expensive parks ever.
2) Feel however you like about Herschend, but there will never, ever, EVER be a time to start hating Dolly. Ever.

I agree, RCMAC. If aliens come to earth, and said asked to meet with the greatest example of what a human being is, the only choice for who that would be is Dolly Parton.

There are strong rumors that she isn't doing well. Her lifeforce is the only thing holding back the apocalypse. When she moves on, it will be the last straw. Humanity will be doomed. Hopefully we've all learned from her enough to carry on without her.

Ah, wait- the cups with the barcode. Oh yeah...

It's crap. Corporate types think it's a good idea, that it'll solve some kind of problem, like freeloaders at the drink station, or people getting a sip and topping off their cup before leaving. But most of us already know how extremely cheap soda pop syrup is. It's extremely profitable, especially with what theme parks charge. It looks stingy. And like I always point out, especially in the service industry, appearance is just as important as substance.

Forgive me for having some Dolly fatigue since moving to Nashville.

I feel like she's the new Betty White (adorable old white bitch that's hard to hate and keeps hanging on)...and I just adored Betty long before it became fashionable. But near the end...

I can see Dolly's new hotel out the window as I type this. It opens in June. There's a museum on the 3rd floor.

Man, if Six Flags implemented this system the company would have an instant financial turnaround.

Good lord is this ever a solution in search of a problem.

Disney World has the codes on the paper cups at their resorts but it is a much more generous policy. You are allowed 3 refills and there may be a 2 hour time limit.

The thing I don’t like about having a limit that amount of oz the cup has is that those machines can sometimes have problems. The drink is flat or the syrup is gone and you just get carbonated water. Normally you would just go to another drink station or get something else. Now you have to go back to get a new cup and hope the next drink won’t have any problems too.

YoshiFan:

The thing I don’t like […] is that those machines can sometimes have problems.

This is my issue with a lot of technology, for example with cars. There is so much unnecessary tech on vehicles that if something goes wrong, it’s not only difficult for a generally tech savvy guy like me to fix, but it’s often far more expensive than simpler mechanical failures. I sold an otherwise perfectly operational VW Jetta for a pittance because the anti-theft device failed and completely bricked the car. I was lucky to get $2k for it despite the estimated repair cost of $2600.

And don’t get me started on nanny crap like lane assist.

Oh, God. Lane assist is the worst. I use the whole road. I hate it. Luckily my car doesn't have it, but my wife's does.

The one I do like is the blind spot indicators in the side mirrors.

My only experience with this system was at a Great Wolf Lodge, and yeah, it seems like an unnecessary inconvenience in order for them to make sure you don't get a single drop more than you paid for, on a product that everyone knows costs them basically nothing.

The biggest issue I saw was GWL had a really aggressive time limit once you scanned the QR code (I think it was 30 seconds, but may have been even less.) So what I saw happen multiple times was something like:

1. Mom scans QR code

2. Kid does something to interrupt or otherwise require Mom's attention.

3. Your time is now either expired or down to a point where you can only partially fill your cup before you're shut off.

It just affirms the idea that the people deciding to implement these systems either have no idea how their operations actually work, or they just don't care because "line on the chart goes up."

kpjb:

The one I do like is the blind spot indicators in the side mirrors.

Yeah, that doesn't bother me, although if people adjust the mirrors correctly (most people don't) it's not necessary.

At least lane assist can be disabled and left that way or at least that is the case on Toyotas. What I can't stand is the engine idle shutoff. My wife's Highlander burns through batteries and I'm convinced that's why.

I haven't figured a way to disable lane assist (or auto engine shutoff at idle) beyond current driving cycle on my wife's Honda. Next time the vehicle is started, those systems are re-enabled. You can effectively disable the engine shutoff by letting up on the brake a little (not enough for vehicle to start moving forward) when you stop. If you fully press the brake pedal, the engine shuts off.

I like adaptive cruise control on new vehicles. My car doesn't have that (or even a backup camera), so none of the new automatic "features" are an issue in my daily driving.