Hot Chocolate Issues

[BB1]

Rarely if ever I come to the forums to just post an honest tilt thread but low and behold after last night I feel as if this needs to be addressed. If you get the upgraded drink plan with the hot chocolate/icee addition, you would assume that you would get free hot chocolate at every location where they serve it. Boy was I wrong, For context I tried to get hot chocolate 6 times last night, 4 times at the I street icee stand, french corner, the last visit being a success, 1 with Auntie Ann's and one at Sweet Spot. I went to Auntie Anns, saw the hot chocolate machine and thought hey maybe this is it. Nope, I waited probably 10 minutes to be denied, then proceeded to be told that I don't even have the hot chocolate add on. That prompted me to go to guest services; you know when the last time I went to guest services? I honestly don't know because I never have issues at the park. I was then told that Auntie Ann's was not on the list, which makes absolutely zero sense to me, and then was given a list of places where I could get hot chocolate. So It listed coney's drink station, the i street locations mentioned, the funnel cake stand and  Graeters. It also listed "sweet treats" which I assumed was sweet spot as I've never heard of that name being used before. Went there, saw the glorious hot chocolate machine infront of me, only to be denied by the worker after literally holding it because they are merchandise not food and bev. That absolutely just made things worse, I finally wound up back at the french corner, got my hot chocolate but this experience left one of the worst experiences I have ever had in my life.

Now look, I know this isn't a direct line to the park, but I know park officials watch this. Mike Koontz literally talks about being more family friendly with Orion, then puts out a million and one bars which were open. YET when I try to get hot chocolate when it actually gets colder out I get the run around from broken down machines, denial of service and yet I could get an alcoholic beverage just fine. They even made merch for the new bar when we don't have any decent merch for a few of our coasters. Like if you really want to be family friendly then give us access to the hot chocolate as we requested. Kings Island needs to be better than this, I had to try 6 times to get a hot chocolate last night and the fact that I've spent the money and was denied the service at several locations is absolutely ludicrous. It's one park, every location should satisfy this request if they can satisfy my icee and my regular drinks. Which I don't even think it's a tech issue, I honestly believe at this point the park is just that backwards right now because on one hand they're pumping out alcohol stands that never have a line while the main draws aren't getting the attention they deserve. I'm already communicating this to other friends of mine for the inevitable winterfest rush as believe me this will only become more of a problem. 

So for those who want hot chocolate on your visit, I implore you to go to guest services get a certified note on where you can use your pass perks and bring that with you; as at this point I just don't trust this system anymore which is really upsetting. Yes, I'm making a formal complaint today at the park as I'm honestly baffled as to why this is even an issue to begin with.

[johnjniehaus]

I agree that is ridiculous and I can answer the question for you right now on why does the park invest in bars and not invest in hot chocolate while saying they want to be more family friendly - Answer: alcohol can be marked up a ridiculous amount at theme parks and sports stadiums for the sake of just making more money. As for the hot chocolate, why would they care about that because they already have your money. Same issue as them never having ice in the drink machines. Why have ice and invest in a good product when you already have everyone's money? With alcohol, they have to make a good product because they have to actually sell it and make the money that day and people aren't going to pay a ridiculous upcharge on alcohol if the product sucks. As for being family friendly, what is more family friendly than Mom and Dad having a few drinks while their hooligans are off unsupervised line jumping and fighting with other teens? I personally don't drink alcohol, I have nothing against anyone who does and I have some good friends who usually go buy an alcoholic beverage at Kings Island when they visit however I agree that it's hypocritical to say we want to be more family friendly but then have a garbage product on things like hot chocolate and soft drinks that families want during their visit. If not every location is going to honor a season pass hot chocolate drink plan, you shouldn't have to go to guest services to figure it out. There should be a sign outside the dining location advertising the hot chocolate drink plan or at the very least put out a sign that says it can't be used at that location. 

[BeeastFarmer]

@BB1 and @johnjniehaus...tell us how you really feel!

These posts do bring up great points. Do better KI.  Do better Mike.  Do better supervisors of drink and and F/B.  It's not that hard to communicate which locations have hot chocolate and coffee and which don't.  

When we come to accept mediocrity like this, the park will accept that as a norm.  Instead of being the best One Team they can be, they become Multiple Scattered Teams who don't communicate with each other. After all, people buy and show up in droves and KI makes money, so why would they care about slipping Cornerstone values. 

If pass and per cap numbers decline, maybe they would care 

 

NOTE: this post is in no way directed at the parks communication team, unless they are boots on the ground with drink plan communication and implementation.  Constant bashing of that team, warranted or unwarranted is tiresome and akin to the current political climate. I was outspoken in my criticism earlier, but I can't change anything so there's no use in joining in on that battle.

[chad_1138]

I’ve been 3 for 3 the past couple of weeks.  ICEE stand in I-Street, French Corner, and the bar in the Festhaus on the Larosa’s side.  Hot chocolate was also available at the Coke Marketplace in Adventure Port, but I didn’t get one that time.  When I scanned my pass, the associate actually asked, “Soda or hot chocolate?”

Hoping everything will be resolved soon with issues, sounds like a lot of the ICEE growing pains from the first few weeks of the season.

[PKIDelirium]

What about Starbucks? I've always found them to have the best hot choc in the park.

[disco2000]

23 minutes ago, PKIDelirium said:

What about Starbucks? I've always found them to have the best hot choc in the park.

But they aren't on the drink plan....

[BoddaH1994]

Coney Freestyle is where I’ve always seen them. I’m not big on sugary drinks, so I haven’t tried it. I’m a big fan of the coffee. I’ve had success at French Corner and Graeters. I was on the fence because I bought it more out of curiosity than anything, but now that it’s coffee season I think I’m happy enough buy it again next year. 

I think the Hot Chocolate thing will “fix itself” during Winterfest because of the prominence of that option during that event. I do agree, the poor communication, which has been indicative of the park the past several years, is frustrating. I remember when the park opened and they were telling people that it only worked at the place by the Dodgem and Planet Snoopy, and that the “Mix Up” places didn’t count. A day later, it was, “LOL jk you can use it there. We just didn’t have the cups yet.” I understand that the “first day stuff” is going to happen, but being so grossly unprepared gets harder and harder to excuse every year. 
 

…but as… wise man… man once said (repeatedly, about you - the most loyal park guests) “Your complains are as adorable as they are predictable.”

 

 

[BB1]

51 minutes ago, BoddaH1994 said:

Coney Freestyle is where I’ve always seen them. I’m not big on sugary drinks, so I haven’t tried it. I’m a big fan of the coffee. I’ve had success at French Corner and Graeters. I was on the fence because I bought it more out of curiosity than anything, but now that it’s coffee season I think I’m happy enough buy it again next year. 

I think the Hot Chocolate thing will “fix itself” during Winterfest because of the prominence of that option during that event. I do agree, the poor communication, which has been indicative of the park the past several years, is frustrating. I remember when the park opened and they were telling people that it only worked at the place by the Dodgem and Planet Snoopy, and that the “Mix Up” places didn’t count. A day later, it was, “LOL jk you can use it there. We just didn’t have the cups yet.” I understand that the “first day stuff” is going to happen, but being so grossly unprepared gets harder and harder to excuse every year. 
 

…but as… wise man… man once said (repeatedly, about you - the most loyal park guests) “Your complains are as adorable as they are predictable.”

 

 

I mean listen at the end of the day I’m taking Kings Island literally by the horns in how much I get out of my pass. I’m effectively making money at this point based on my tables I’ve been using. *However* the park just keeps letting itself down. I hate saying this, honestly as someone who worked at the park I do, I wish that the park does see a dip in revenue from the constant upkeep of the new bars as I think they’re a honest waste of space. I’m sure they’re going to become tax write offs but I have yet to frequent a single bar at the park because I honestly don’t have the need for it. 

I just feel like there’s a difference between straight up lackadaisical and living up to this so called world class experience I keep hearing about.

As the great Don himself (paraphrasing) said in a recent Tower Topics episode it just takes a few people to really spearhead for something to make serious changes in the park; which I feel is lacking anymore with what I’ve seen over the past few years.