Bag of ice now 3.25?

[Memphis 105]

I saw on a FB page the price of ice is 3.25 now. Can anyone confirm?  Do you have to have 13 quarters now? I didn't think the change slot was that big.  I know it's better to get ice at the trading post but sometime you just need it now. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

That would be one heck of a price hike!

 

We've got some Fiends on the Scene now, hopefully someone can confirm.

 

And that reminds me.... pack quarters. 

[Travisma 1,317]

I posted it on that other sites FB page a couple of days ago.

 

The machine at the 1500 loop Comfort Station had a bright yellow sticker near the coin slot and it said $3.25.

 

The machine was broken the entire time we were there.

 

Someone else posted that it was $2.75? at the Meadow TP.

 

Last year around this time it was $2.00 at the machines.

 

Maybe someone stuck a phoney sticker on it?

[keith_h 420]

We paid $2.00 at the machine in the 1300 loop when we were there the middle/end of October.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Last time I walked past the 900 loop machine (this morning) it was 2.00

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I posted it on that other sites FB page a couple of days ago.

 

The machine at the 1500 loop Comfort Station had a bright yellow sticker near the coin slot and it said $3.25.

 

The machine was broken the entire time we were there.

 

Someone else posted that it was $2.75? at the Meadow TP.

 

Weird!!

 

It's been $2 for ages.  I could see it going up a little bit, but $1.20 seems like a steep hike.

 

Maybe someone is playing games. Unless they actually updated the machines, you can't put $3.25 in them.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Why can't you put $3.25 in them?

It's a pretty simple adjustment on the coin mech if it's a mechanical one and a few pins adjusted if it's an electric one.

[Travisma 1,317]

Last time I walked past the 900 loop machine (this morning) it was 2.00

Take a quick trip to 1500 and see what the sticker says.

 

Like I said, maybe someone put a phoney sticker on the machine.

[keith_h 420]

Why can't you put $3.25 in them?

It's a pretty simple adjustment on the coin mech if it's a mechanical one and a few pins adjusted if it's an electric one.

 

It's a mechanical mechanism but I seem to recall it only has eight coin slots so that limits it to $2 unless they change out the mechanism or make folks use $1 coins.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I will look tomorrow

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Gives me another mission

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

It's a mechanical mechanism but I seem to recall it only has eight coin slots so that limits it to $2 unless they change out the mechanism or make folks use $1 coins.

Unless I am wrong. you can set up that mechanism to use multiple inputs to reach a higher total amount. Ray I am sure will know better. Vending is a big part of what he does. 

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

They are called coin chutes, push chutes, or coin push chutes. They used a lot in bar pool tables, sticker machines, etc.

The biggest I know of is a 16 coin chute. Or double 8. As the name implies it can take 16 coins or $4.00.

So you might think the most they could charge is $4.00. But you'd be wrong. There ones that use a token. They put a token dispensing machine next to it, it looks like a regular change machine, a nod they can charge what ever they want. They could also, theoretically, link it to your MB and you can just charge that $5.25 bag of I've to your account.

[keith_h 420]

They are called coin chutes, push chutes, or coin push chutes. They used a lot in bar pool tables, sticker machines, etc.

The biggest I know of is a 16 coin chute. Or double 8. As the name implies it can take 16 coins or $4.00.

So you might think the most they could charge is $4.00. But you'd be wrong. There ones that use a token. They put a token dispensing machine next to it, it looks like a regular change machine, a nod they can charge what ever they want. They could also, theoretically, link it to your MB and you can just charge that $5.25 bag of I've to your account.

 

Both the change over to a token dispensing machine, a larger chute or an RFID chip reader would require additional equipment or changing out the chute. I'm not saying it isn't possible that Disney would not do it just that it is highly unlikely.

[Billy 0]

I saw on a FB page the price of ice is 3.25 now. Can anyone confirm?  Do you have to have 13 quarters now? I didn't think the change slot was that big.  I know it's better to get ice at the trading post but sometime you just need it now. 

Howdy, We were at the Fort last week still $2.00

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Ice on the 3000 loop is always cold and complimentary.

[Lou... 3,118]

I saw on a FB page the price of ice is 3.25 now.

Who on FB said that?

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Both the change over to a token dispensing machine, a larger chute or an RFID chip reader would require additional equipment or changing out the chute. I'm not saying it isn't possible that Disney would not do it just that it is highly unlikely.

Why wouldn't they do it?

I can buy a new coin chute for about $25-$35. It is held in place by 4 screws. And I can change one out in about 5-10 minutes.

So let's assume they pay a technician to switch them out and it takes them 1/2 hour. And they pay that tech $20/hour.

Disney has invested $35-$45. If they change the price from $2.00 to $3.25. They would need to sell 28-36 bags of ice to recoup their investment. And then it is all profit after that.

I don't know how much a RFID system costs but Disney has invested millions in them. But I could only imagine it wouldn't cost to much to add their existing RFID technology to a vending machine.

Another option they can do is add a credit card reader to the ice machine. That technology already exists also.

Don't think for a minute that Disney isn't going to update equipment to make more money.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I'd love to see the ice machines and laundry equipment work off the Magic Bands, but aren't both of those contracted to a third party? There would have to be an incentive for the company to make that capital investment if that's the case.

[caveat lector 181]

That's about 20 cents / cube. Ice is going to cost more than the jack Daniels in my drink

[Memphis 105]

Who on FB said that?

 

I posted it on that other sites FB page a couple of days ago.

 

The machine at the 1500 loop Comfort Station had a bright yellow sticker near the coin slot and it said $3.25.

 

The machine was broken the entire time we were there.

 

Someone else posted that it was $2.75? at the Meadow TP.

 

Last year around this time it was $2.00 at the machines.

 

Maybe someone stuck a phoney sticker on it?

[Memphis 105]

Why wouldn't they do it?

I can buy a new coin chute for about $25-$35. It is held in place by 4 screws. And I can change one out in about 5-10 minutes.

So let's assume they pay a technician to switch them out and it takes them 1/2 hour. And they pay that tech $20/hour.

Disney has invested $35-$45. If they change the price from $2.00 to $3.25. They would need to sell 28-36 bags of ice to recoup their investment. And then it is all profit after that.

I don't know how much a RFID system costs but Disney has invested millions in them. But I could only imagine it wouldn't cost to much to add their existing RFID technology to a vending machine.

Another option they can do is add a credit card reader to the ice machine. That technology already exists also.

Don't think for a minute that Disney isn't going to update equipment to make more money.

When the technician comes out can we get him to make the MB open the bathroom and laundry room. Cause you know that is where the change machine for the tokens will go.  That would be so nice. 

[Discamper 394]

The Ice at the trading post is $2.75 but it's better ice and last long in a cooler than the puffy ice you get at the CF Stations. It's funny you pay more for a campsite than the value hotels but they don't give you free ice. I can go to the Wilderness Lodge and fill my cooler for free

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Howdy, We were at the Fort last week still $2.00

 

Good to know, thanks!

 

Oh and WELCOME! :wave1:

[keith_h 420]

Why wouldn't they do it?

I can buy a new coin chute for about $25-$35. It is held in place by 4 screws. And I can change one out in about 5-10 minutes.

So let's assume they pay a technician to switch them out and it takes them 1/2 hour. And they pay that tech $20/hour.

Disney has invested $35-$45. If they change the price from $2.00 to $3.25. They would need to sell 28-36 bags of ice to recoup their investment. And then it is all profit after that.

I don't know how much a RFID system costs but Disney has invested millions in them. But I could only imagine it wouldn't cost to much to add their existing RFID technology to a vending machine.

Another option they can do is add a credit card reader to the ice machine. That technology already exists also.

Don't think for a minute that Disney isn't going to update equipment to make more money.

 

Given the state of networks at The Fort I don't see any electronic payment system as cost effective and a mechanical change would be more likely. I also noticed the ice machines we saw have been around the block a few times. This leads me to believe they are either milked due to low operational costs that they want to keep that way or as a self funding amenity that no one cares about as long as it doesn't affect the balance sheet one way or the other. As long as it is one or the other I still think any price changes are unlikely. I suspect this is a situation where we will have to agree to disagree.

 

Since you mentioned MB's. I am thoroughly unimpressed with them and the implementation and to me is more form over function. I base this on the number of times I saw them not read and having to be reset continually by a CM. The finger print  reader is even worse and seems to be too sensitive as to finger placement on the reader.  I readily admit I have not seen the the underlying architecture or programming code but I think someone could have done a much better job or waited for the technology to mature more.