Theme park visitors pick their favorite free drinks

September 24, 2009, 6:10 PM · The folks at Holiday World have released some interesting informtion via the park's Facebook page. It's the list of most popular drinks selected by park visitors over the past year.

Theme parks typically don't release much information about the sales of specific food, beverage or merchandise items. I suppose Holiday World isn't either, because, as many of you might know, Holiday World gives away all of its drinks for free.

Gatorade was the most popular drink poured by Holiday World visitors this season. Here's the complete list:

  1. Gatorade
  2. Lemonade
  3. Pepsi
  4. Mt. Dew
  5. Root Beer
  6. Dr Pepper
  7. Diet Pepsi
  8. Sierra Mist
  9. Sweet tea
  10. Diet Mt. Dew
  11. Fruit Punch
  12. Diet Dr Pepper

Brian picking his drink at Holiday World

Does that match up with what you'd pick? Theme Park Insider readers have expressed their preference for Coke products over the Pepsi products that Holiday World serves, but how does "free" affect your decision? Please pick your favorite from the list below. (I've included coffee, unsweetened tea and water, which Holiday World offers but did not include in the results.)

Replies (14)

September 24, 2009 at 11:51 PM · I had to go with Diet Pepsi since there is no option for Diet Coke. Since water is free from the fountains, I have trouble voting for that one (my wife would differ in that she would insist on bottled water).
September 25, 2009 at 4:31 AM · I voted for water assuming it's bottled water, not just from the fountain (which is often gross considering the way people slurp and slobber on them). The other picks are an indulgence since they're unhealthy, and water is the best as the mainstay.
September 25, 2009 at 4:57 AM · Perhaps enough people drink Gatorade without ice (which is how many people drink it) to skew the Holiday World results. When you fill a cup with ice, as most people do for all the other cold drinks, you get about half a glass of whatever you pour.
September 25, 2009 at 6:29 AM · Definitely bottled water, because you can reseal it and carry it around.
September 25, 2009 at 6:41 AM · I would probably go with the Gatorade too. Too much soda isn't good for the ol stomach, especially on a hot day. If it's free, people are bound to drink too much.

A side note about this buried treasure in Middle of Nowhere, Indiana...right in the middle of economic turmoil. In the face of a "down year" for the industry, Holiday World broke their own attendance record.

September 25, 2009 at 6:55 AM · I prefer Pepsi and Mt. Dew over Coke! Blah! I wish more places had Pepsi products or at least both!
September 25, 2009 at 8:38 AM · Not surprised to see Gatorade at the top. When I visited all I got was Gatorade. When it's hot out people know they need something more than soda, and when that option is right next to soda, they will make a good decision.

Also on my visit the flavor of Gatorade was orange, which I am not a fan of, but yet continued to drink it. So that is another factor...

September 25, 2009 at 10:25 AM · What about beer? When A/B still owned Sea World, you could get "2" free beers per person per day. A cold beer in the middle of the day is refreshing too.
September 25, 2009 at 11:11 AM · Nothin' better than ice cold water on a hot day. That is, of course, if there's no beer around.
September 25, 2009 at 2:39 PM · I actually like to make an "Arnold Palmer" -- half iced tea and half lemonade! I definitely find the non-carbonated drinks (tea, lemonade or Gatorade) more refreshing than sodas on a hot day.
September 25, 2009 at 6:02 PM · On the topic of the Arnold Palmer - one part iced tea, one part lemonade - there now is another golf-themed drink that's one part iced tea, one part lemonade... and one part vodka.

Called the "John Daly."

September 26, 2009 at 2:53 PM · "W" ... our water is available as part of the soda fountains in the Pepsi Oasis building.

Thanks,
Paula Werne, Holiday World

September 27, 2009 at 4:46 PM · why are there no Coke products?
September 28, 2009 at 6:24 AM · Read the article, please. Holiday World is a Pepsi park. The choices are the ones available at Holiday World. When a Coke park starts giving drinks away for free, we'll do a poll on that. :-)

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