Dolly Parton’s iconic theme park has come under fierce fire after it implemented a new system that times and tracks its fountain drinks.
The dispenser, introduced at Dollywood last month, requires guests who buy a soda to scan a QR code on their cup before they can access the beverages.
Not only do customers have a limited time to fill up their cup, but the machine also keeps track of exactly how much liquid they get and will stop working once they reach their limit.
The new system has sparked immense backlash from Dollywood fans, and some have even threatened to boycott the park.
One guest, named Nathan Johnson, posted a viral video of himself trying it out last week on TikTok. He explained: ‘I just got one of the new cups with the QR code on it so I’m gonna test it out and see how it works.’
Nathan then approached the fountain drink dispenser and tried to fill up his cup as normal but nothing came out.
He explained that to get the machine to dispense any soda he has to scan the QR code on the cup at a nearby device.
Dolly Parton’s iconic theme park Dollywood has come under fierce fire after it implemented a new system that times and tracks its fountain drinks (stock image)
The process was introduced last month, and it forces guests who buy a soda to scan a QR code on their cup before they can access the drink dispensers. Parton is seen last year
After scanning the cup, a message popped up on a small screen telling him he had 19 seconds to fill his drink.
It also listed how many ounces he had remaining in his ‘balance,’ which was 16 ounces.
Suddenly, a timer started counting down as he rushed back to the drink dispenser to fill his cup with soda.
As he got some Coke, he panned back to show the screen – and both the timer and his remaining balance were seen going down.
In another clip, he showed how the machine ‘cut off’ and stopped dispensing soda when he reached the limit of 16 ounces.
‘You can go up and get refills, you just have a limited number of ounces you can get,’ he explained in the video, which raked in more than 711,000 views.
Many people rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts, and they were not amused by the idea of Dollywood timing and tracking the fountain soda machines.
‘The level of greed in this country is sickening,’ one user scathed.
One guest, named Nathan Johnson, posted a video of himself trying it out last week to TikTok and it went viral, raking in more than 711,000 views
‘I just got one of the new cups with the QR code on it, so I’m gonna test it out and see how it works,’ he explained as he held it up to the camera
Nathan then approached the fountain drink dispenser and tried to fill up his cup like normal but nothing came out. To get the machine to dispense any soda he has to scan the QR code
‘Dollywood is supposed to be better than this,’ another chimed in.
‘This screams “we hate our customers,”‘ someone else wrote.
‘Immediately no. Not supporting any business that does this,’ announced a different viewer.
‘Tracking a liquid that costs the restaurant maybe 10 cents per cup (including the cup) is wild,’ read a fifth comment.
A sixth said: ‘$110 for admission, $25 for parking, and they wanna limit how much you can drink. What a joke.’
‘Certainly Dollywood isn’t losing millions on soda. Absolutely ridiculous,’ another person penned.
‘I will never step foot on Dollywood again,’ stated a different angry fan.
Others, however, argued that it’s a good way to crack down on guests who get extra soda without paying for it.
After scanning the cup, a message popped up on a little screen that told him he had 19 seconds to fill up his drink. It also listed how many ounces he had remaining in his ‘balance’
Suddenly, a timer started counting down as he rushed back to the drink dispenser to fill his cup with soda
‘People hoard their cups from previous years and continue to get free drinks,’ one person explained.
‘[It’s] astounding. I’m totally thankful that they’ve brought this into the park, as every year I have paid for cups and continue to see people getting free drinks when I’m the one that’s paying.’
‘The reason for it is because people fill their own containers without making a purchase,’ defended another.
‘Stealing [isn’t OK], if you think the prices are ridiculous, don’t go,’ chimed in someone else.
‘Imagine condoning theft… why do you think they resorted to this?’ asked a different user.
Someone also shared the video on X, formerly Twitter, where it sparked another heated conversation about the topic.
‘Welcome to the future America,’ they wrote alongside the clip. ‘Dollywood has a new drink system where you buy a soda and have to scan a QR code to get the drink.
‘You have a short time limit and ounce limit to fill your cup. The soda machine cuts you off when you’ve reached your limit. This is CRAZY.’
Some also pointed out that Dollywood has become known for its ‘personal touch’ and ‘hospitality,’ which made the new drink system all the more frustrating.
Dollywood has had a booming few years.
It was named the best theme park in the US in August for the second year in a row.
TripAdvisor’s annual list, based on thousands of traveler reviews, ranked Dollywood above giants including Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
In July, a self-proclaimed Disney adult admitted that Dollywood had become his new favorite theme park, claiming it boasted more affordable ticket prices, fewer crowds and great rides.
