Question 1

Refillable Drinks & Popcorn:

apoet-admin · Accepted Answer

One smart way to cut snacking costs – if not calories – around the Universal Orlando is by investing in refillable souvenir containers. Souvenir cups never expire, and can be brought back to the park months or years in the future.

Universal sells two different types of refillable soft drink cups. The standard collectible souvenir cupcosts $8.99, including your first fill-up, and can be refilled at almost any soda fountain in the parks or CityWalk for 99 cents. It can only be refilled for that price with regular fountain flavors – Coke, diet Coke, Sprite, root beer, Hi-C – and not with any specialty drinks. However, you do get a modest discount when using a souvenir cup to purchase an ICEE, lemon slush, and some other specialty drinks. Pricier character cups (shaped like Transformers or Minions) and specialty souvenir cups (like Butterbeer mugs) can also be refilled with sodas for the same price, but you only get as much drink for your dollar as those sometimes skimpy cups can contain.

In addition to the standard souvenir soda cups, Universal also sells Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cupsat dining locations with Freestyle soda machines. These massive red marvels can mix dozens of different drink brands and additional flavorings together to dispense over 100 soft drink combinations; you haven’t lived until you’ve had an Orange Coke. The self-service Freestyle fountains can only be activated by the RFID computer chip on the base of the cup, and is valid for unlimited refills (with a 10 minute pause in between pours) for the entire day. Freestyle cups cost $11.99 ($6 if purchased with a quick service dining plan at participating in-park locations) and can be reactivated for an additional $5.99 per day; rinse and repeat for as many days as you like. Freestyle cups can not be refilled at regular soda fountains, and Freestyle machines aren’t yet ubiquitous, with only a half-dozen or so dispensers in each park.

Even if you don’t pay to activate a cup, you can still dispense free ice and water from any Freestyle machine; it’s chilled, filtered, and tastes much better than the sulfurous lukewarm liquid flowing from the parks’ drinking fountains.

Lastly, street cart vendors in Universal’s parks sell fresh popcorn in either $3.49 single servings, or $5.99 souvenir popcorn buckets that can be refilled as often as your sodium level can stand for only $1.29. Flavored varieties like caramel or cheese can be refilled for $2.99, and (like the soda cups) buckets can be brought back on future trips.

Question 2

Refillable Drinks & Popcorn:

apoet-admin · Accepted Answer

One smart way to cut snacking costs – if not calories – around the Universal Orlando is by investing in refillable souvenir containers. Souvenir cups never expire, and can be brought back to the park months or years in the future.

Universal sells two different types of refillable soft drink cups. The standard collectible souvenir cupcosts $8.99, including your first fill-up, and can be refilled at almost any soda fountain in the parks or CityWalk for 99 cents. It can only be refilled for that price with regular fountain flavors – Coke, diet Coke, Sprite, root beer, Hi-C – and not with any specialty drinks. However, you do get a modest discount when using a souvenir cup to purchase an ICEE, lemon slush, and some other specialty drinks. Pricier character cups (shaped like Transformers or Minions) and specialty souvenir cups (like Butterbeer mugs) can also be refilled with sodas for the same price, but you only get as much drink for your dollar as those sometimes skimpy cups can contain.

In addition to the standard souvenir soda cups, Universal also sells Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cupsat dining locations with Freestyle soda machines. These massive red marvels can mix dozens of different drink brands and additional flavorings together to dispense over 100 soft drink combinations; you haven’t lived until you’ve had an Orange Coke. The self-service Freestyle fountains can only be activated by the RFID computer chip on the base of the cup, and is valid for unlimited refills (with a 10 minute pause in between pours) for the entire day. Freestyle cups cost $11.99 ($6 if purchased with a quick service dining plan at participating in-park locations) and can be reactivated for an additional $5.99 per day; rinse and repeat for as many days as you like. Freestyle cups can not be refilled at regular soda fountains, and Freestyle machines aren’t yet ubiquitous, with only a half-dozen or so dispensers in each park.

Even if you don’t pay to activate a cup, you can still dispense free ice and water from any Freestyle machine; it’s chilled, filtered, and tastes much better than the sulfurous lukewarm liquid flowing from the parks’ drinking fountains.

Lastly, street cart vendors in Universal’s parks sell fresh popcorn in either $3.49 single servings, or $5.99 souvenir popcorn buckets that can be refilled as often as your sodium level can stand for only $1.29. Flavored varieties like caramel or cheese can be refilled for $2.99, and (like the soda cups) buckets can be brought back on future trips.