Is it true?

[Friendly Frog]

Universal charges you for a cup of water? I would be surprised if this is true. Even Six Flags will give you a free cup of water. How much does Universal charge?

 

[fairyprincess88]

Nothing. Cups of water are free at Universal.

 

[Metro West]

Nothing. Cups of water are free at Universal.

 

[Magpie]

Where did you hear this? Inquiring minds want to know.

Anyway, I can tell you that Splashtown/Funtown in Maine actually does charge for water and/or ice. My son got heat exhaustion and my husband went looking for water for him. The first lady at the counter just handed him a cup full of water and ice, which really helped, but when we sent our daughter back for more there was a new lady there who grumbled at her and said she "wasn't allowed" to give water away "for free" and she'd do it "just this once" but next time my daughter would have to pay.

Maybe your source mixed up their parks?

 

[Hombre59]

always get free ice water.. with the heat it would be horrible if they didnt.

 

[Berlioz70]

When I went to Universal in Spring 2009, I was charged 25 cents for water, they said it was for the cup. They used a regular soda cup.

I've been to Universal three times in the last month and have gotten free water in several locations. However, I was given "water" cups instead of a soda cup.

So either 1) Water cups are new. 2) Policy has changed. 3) the first location I went to was out of water cups so that's why I was charged?

No idea.

But yes, I've had to pay. Most recently, I did not.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Where did you hear this? Inquiring minds want to know.

Anyway, I can tell you that Splashtown/Funtown in Maine actually does charge for water and/or ice. My son got heat exhaustion and my husband went looking for water for him. The first lady at the counter just handed him a cup full of water and ice, which really helped, but when we sent our daughter back for more there was a new lady there who grumbled at her and said she "wasn't allowed" to give water away "for free" and she'd do it "just this once" but next time my daughter would have to pay.

Maybe your source mixed up their parks?

It was a comment someone made in a thread here on the Dis. I can't remember which one, sorry. It might have been in one of the Hydroflask threads?

EDIT: I didn't see the post in the Hydroflask thread. Might have been in one of the tip threads, but I am to lazy to do a bunch of searching to find it again.

 

[damo]

When I went to Universal in Spring 2009, I was charged 25 cents for water, they said it was for the cup. They used a regular soda cup.

I've been to Universal three times in the last month and have gotten free water in several locations. However, I was given "water" cups instead of a soda cup.

So either 1) Water cups are new. 2) Policy has changed. 3) the first location I went to was out of water cups so that's why I was charged?

No idea.

But yes, I've had to pay. Most recently, I did not.

That's interesting. It's been reported here for years and years about free ice water. I imagine that particular vendor had run out of water cups? I recall a discussion about someone asking for an extra soda cup (not a water cup) and they were told they would be charged. But that was the only discussion I can recall about being charged. It must be a soda cup issue.

Here's a thread from all the way back in 2001 talking about free ice water. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3046&highlight=free+ice+water

 

[gatechgal]

Isn't it a law in Florida that they have to provide drinking water?

 

[dvcterry]

i was there in august, very hot and asked for ice water, they gave me two cups~free.

 

[FINFAN]

we must have gotten upwards of 6-8 cups of ice EACH per day at Universal when we were there in June. Not only were they extremely generous with it and water, security kept commenting when we would see them that they were very pleased to see us using our heads to be drinking water/ice/liquids in the heat. (we had almost 10 days of no rain which was good and bad at the same time) I would bring 2 smaller bottles of cranberry -grape juice, reclosable lid and pour maybe 1/3 into a cup and let the ice do the rest if we wanted something other than water, also used the crystal light single packs of iced tea and lemonade. The only drinks we bought were Icee's ( those blue ones are addicting) had water the rest of the trip, was great on the budget !