An ongoing piece in the "battle of the bottles" from Pepsi?

You can now purchase single-day "Ride & Refresh" tickets to Cedar Point that provide all-day unlimited Pepsi drinks on top of admission. The new ticket option costs $2.00 more than the online single-day gate price, and $6.00 more than the Weekday Saver ticket. Ride and Refresh tickets are valid until September 3rd.

Is this an option we might one day see as an available add-on to any ticket option? A season pass? Or what if Pepsi hits the road (not to be confused with Coca-Cola's Swelter Stopper, which hit the road in a different way)?

http://www.cedarpoint.com/tickets/#

(Filed under "best deals" once you launch the ticket sales client).

^Wow, for $2 more that is quite the deal. Considering you had to pay $5 in the park for unlimited souvenir cup refills. Only con is that a passholder is unable to take advantage of that.

Gee, I wonder if a cola contract is near ceasing.

Purely from an observer's point of view, I'd so far give Pepsi the upper hand. Seems to me that they've really gotten involved and partnered with the park. Coca-Cola, on the other hand, made a few days' stop at Kings Island (with a traveling truck that was already on tour) and redesigned the Oasis. Doesn't seem like the same mutually beneficial partnership Cedar Point and Pepsi have really begun.

I think ONE company should get the contract for the entire chain.

Well, right, I'm sure that will happen. And if what has happened is an indicator of what might happen, spreading Pepsi across the chain seems like it would be the smarter choice. Of course, without threat of a contract ending, Pepsi might not be willing to dig too deep in its pockets anymore, should they be selected next year.

But then I consider: SeaWorld Parks just went exclusively Coca-Cola last year; the Disney Parks are Coca-Cola; the Universal Parks are Coca-Cola; just this summer, Six Flags extended its contract with Coca-Cola for ten more years. Perhaps Pepsi realizes that it's quickly being boxed out of these summer destinations, in which case they have every reason to rally for themselves... If Cedar Fair goes Coca-Cola, that'll be a big loss.

After the contract is signed, will Pepsi continue with great offers, or lay back while they reap in the rewards? On the contrary, would Coca-Cola offer better deals if it were THEY who were to get the contract? I'm not sure. Has Pepsi and Coca-Cola done anything in the past for the respective parks (eg: has Pepsi done anything for Knott's in the past year, and has Coca-Cola done anything for Kings Dominion in previous years?)?

To me, it sounds like the lucky company is just pulling these stunts just so they can win the contract.

Purely from an observer's point of view, I'd so far give Pepsi the upper hand. Seems to me that they've really gotten involved and partnered with the park. Coca-Cola, on the other hand, made a few days' stop at Kings Island (with a traveling truck that was already on tour) and redesigned the Oasis. Doesn't seem like the same mutually beneficial partnership Cedar Point and Pepsi have really begun.

Don't forget the Freestyle machines.

jcgoble3, who's discovered that he loves Orange Mello Yello (but would still prefer Pepsi products)

Burger King, at least, has Coca-Cola Freestyle machines in a few of their restaurants that I've encountered. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a plan to roll them out on a wider scale.

They can be found in many Atlanta locations, including most Hardee's/Red Burritoes. Then again, this IS Atlanta.

At Islands of Adventure they too had free style machines, and for 85 cents you could refill your souvenir cup....