Shanghai Disneyland announced this week that Pepsi will have the pouring rights at the Chinese theme park, which is expected to open late next year.
Wait a minute — "coming back?", you might ask. Theme park fans who know Walt Disney World and Disneyland as exclusive Coca-Cola territory might be surprised to learn that those parks once poured Pepsi soft drinks, too.
The Pepsi-Cola Company was the original sponsor of It's a Small World at the New York Fair and of the Country Bear Jamboree at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as the Golden Horseshoe in Disneyland, which the cola company continued to sponsor until 1990. For some years, the simple rule was that you'd find Pepsi poured on the west side of Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, while you'd get Coke on the east side. Eventually, Coke bought the exclusive pouring rights for all Disney theme parks in the United States, and Pepsi disappeared from the parks.
Elsewhere in the U.S., Coke's been pushing Pepsi out from other theme parks in recent years, too. Three years ago, Coke acquired the pouring rights for the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens theme parks, again replacing Pepsi. You might not think this is a huge deal, but given the ridiculous profits that businesses can make on soft drink sales, pouring-rights deals often count into many millions of dollars. The SeaWorld/Coke deal is whispered to have helped finance a good amount of the expense of building SeaWorld Orlando's new Antarctica pavilion, for example.
We surveyed Theme Park Insider readers when SeaWorld made the switch and a plurality approved of the change over to Coke products. Now that Disney's made a step back toward Pepsi, let's ask the question again. Which company's soft drinks would you prefer to drink at your favorite theme park?
Fight the Great Soft Drink Flame War, in the comments. And before we start hurling fizzy drinks at one another, allow me a moment to thank you all, once again, for being part of the Theme Park Insider community. I'm always amazed at the diversity of theme park fans we attract from around the world, and want you all to know that you're always very welcomed and appreciated here.
That said, there is something inherrently American about Coke. And the same can be said for Disney. The two just go together. From the perspective of a non-American, having Coca-cola in the fountains of Disney just seems more...right.
I would drink Coke if it was the only thing available at any given park, especially if they have Coke Freestyle machines (Universal Orlando's parks, for example).
This isn't the only single-company, multi-brand soda deal I've seen in the theme park industry; Legoland Florida serves Pepsi products (many of their restaurants offer free refills, so that's a plus), and I believe Legoland California, along with their "Discovery Centers" across the U.S. and Canada, serve Coke products.
The main factor that actually persuades me to buy a fountain soda (I don't do bottles) at a theme park is not necessarily the brand or flavor, but how it's served. If sodas are served behind the counter, then I'll just ask for ice water. If the restaurant has its fountain(s) in a place where customers can serve themselves, then I will gladly pay the $2.69 or so for a soda that I can refill as many times as I want (very rarely, the drink is included with your meal).
I wish either Disney or Universal would switch.
We treat pop like liquid candy. It is okay once in a great while but they are not drinking pop with dinner. No way. Pop is like a dessert treat. Pop should be had in moderation just like alcohol.
Now, when we are in the parks, I let the boys have as much as they want. On vacation, I let them go nuts. I don't think it harms their health because on vacation we are also walking A LOT so I think it evens out.
I almost never drink soda anymore, but I only drink Diet Pepsi and Coke Zero when I do. Once in a blue moon, I'll drink Sprite or 7UP, but Diet Coke is absolutely revolting, and Pepsi is too sweet. I agree with the previous comment about RC Cola, as it's hands-down the best cola around. It used to be served from the fountains at the local Arby's when I lived in Ft Lauderdale, but that was a long time ago and I haven't been to Arby's since, so I don't know what they pour from their fountains.
But that's just me. And seeing as how I am very unlikely to go to Shanghai Disneyland any time soon, this deal is interesting, but doesn't affect me in the least.
With the huge mark up on soda these have to be an incredible cash cow for whatever company gets the deals. Kerching.
And to all you Pepsi haters, Pepsi also owns Frito Lay (pretty much EVERY chip is Frito Lay), Cracker Jacks, Quaker Oats, Gatorade, Sobe, Naked Juice, Aunt Jemima and 7-up outside the US borders.
As to the primary question, I prefer Coke Zero, but I enjoy Diet Pepsi as well. I have to agree that Diet Coke is my least favorite.
But diet Pepsi is better than diet Coke. So if they don't have coke zero, I prefer diet Pepsi.
Cocacola Light tastes weird!!! I didn't like it, it tasted too much like fake sweetner.
My favorite sodas are actually the '10' products. 7-Up 10, Dr. Pepper 10, Canada Dry 10, etc. Those are actually the best diet sodas I've had, but the 10 calories is kind of cheating.
Pepsi must pay better these days as you see it more and more at public places (ala airports, etc) and at large venues (including hotels), even at their bars where coke should be used in mix alcoholic drinks, not Pepsi.....ever heard anyone order a rum and Pepsi or a Jack & Pepsi? NOPE.
And even per your poll results, Coke is the favorite by a very wide margin.
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