FYI New WDW Resorts Soda Mugs

[CarolAnnC]

This has not yet been announced by DCL for the ship's soda mug program, but it has been adopted by all the WDW Resort Hotels.

Apparently, there will be new soda mugs soon that will have a bar code on them. When you purchase the mug, your length of stay will be encoded onto the mug. Therefore, when you go for your refills, they will be assured of only providing them during your length of stay as they will scan them at the registers.

I would anticipate that the DCL may also decide to go with these in the future. We will keep you posted of any further news in this regard. Here is the link to the Resorts Board post:

click here to view new soda mugs story (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=215092)

[Crissup]

WHAT?!? This is an outrage!! As anyone on the Resorts Board knows, we all have a God given right to purchase one of these and use it to supply unlimited quantities free soda to anyone we've ever even heard of in life for the rest of eternity. How dare Disney try to actually make a buck. :D

[Mjasp]

My beef is why do they charge $35 on the "Magic" and $10 at the All Star. You can stay there for 7 days and only pay $10. But on the Magic they charge more for 7 days.

[Viking]

Because you're on a ship - and it's a long way to swim to next Walmart :D

[gottaluvdisney]

I agree with you Viking. I think if DCL offered 'free' soda all day long, they would run out by day 2. I think if you saw free soda, a lot would be wasted and you would see 1/2 full (or 1/2 empty) glasses all around. I think when people pay for it, they will put a value to the soda or drink.

[wovenwonder]

gottaluvdisney -- that is the first time I've heard of it from that prospective! I never thought of that -- but you are probably right.
:)

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Sorry, I don't buy that argument--if that were true, they would charge you for food between meals, at least. I can't imagine how much stuff goes to waste because a kid decides they "have" to have fries, and then eats 3! I think Disney is just being cheap about the soda (although I'd personally prefer all-you-can-drink lemonade!)

[AnnMorin]

Hmmm does this mean we can not bring our son's mug from the last cruise to use again? (not that we were planning on it;) )

[KMovies]

Resort mugs are only fillable at the resorts - not at the parks. So, if you live at the resort, a great deal. But if you go to the parks for most of the day, you only get refills early AM and late PM. If you return mid day, you can get them too.

On the ship, you are able to get them throughout the day.

If the resort mugs were good during the day, they would be much more. I think Universal or was $9.95 for the whole day.

[Mjasp]

Hmmmmm. How many ports does the Magic stop at. People stay out all day they don't come back for a swim or nap and then go back again like the parks.

[IrishCowboy]

DCL sells about 500-600 mugs per cruise. Do the math, the mugs generate around $2 Million per year.

From a financial standpoint, it makes sense to try to make sure that mugs are only used for one cruise and not 'recycled'.

[BeanoC]

All I know is, I'll have 4 CBR mugs and 4 DCL mugs in my suitcase this October. If we can't use any of them I sure will have wasted a lot of suitcase space!! :)

I deifinitely won't purchase new ones though. We'll only be at CBR for 4 days so it's not economical. Maybe I'll buy 1 or 2 to share. I also agree that $35 is out of line for the cruise mugs, but if I get away with last year's for 1 more cruise, it'll be ok. If not, I'll just buy sodas in port.


'Beano':cool:

[atigeg]

I am not a soda drinker, so it doesn't matter personally to me, but I've always wondered why the cruise industry charges for soda (DCL is not the only one...that's the standard across the board). Many years ago, when I worked at Burger King, I learned that soda is one of the most profitable items. Perhaps that's why, but it just seems so strange when virtually everything else is included! Oh well, luckily I prefer iced tea. It's gotta be the good stuff, not the tap stuff, so I make my own (black currant...mmmm!) at the 24-hour station on deck 9.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.*****************

[aalan]

i am a soda drinker, and i really think dizney IS being cheap with the soda policy. $35 bucks is way too much, especially if you are spending thousands to cruise already. $10-$15 is more of a fair price. but hey, i didnt let it ruin our recent cruise. i carried on some sodas, bought more in st. thomas, and had plenty of FREE refills at the sit-down meals. i just thought it was silly to pay $1.50 for a diet coke sitting by the pool, especially with a %15 automatic gratuity added, and ALSO having to charge it to your account!

[JLSE50]

When we cruised with DCL and RC we bought a couple soda-pops per day. It bothered us that we were throwing away paper or plastic cups and adding to the solid waste problems of the world. We wished there was a refill system and suggested it on our evaluations.

The mugs we have from Dixie Landings, WDW 25th Anniversary, Fort Wilderness and Old Key West are daily reminders of wonderful vacations.

Buying mugs on the cruise will enable us to add less to the waste stream and have wonderful souvenirs. If subsequent cruises sell different mugs, we will have different souvenirs from each cruise.

I collect pins, but they hang on a lanyard on the bedroom wall. I have photos but they are in albums and scrapbooks. I have shirts but can only wear them some days of the week. But I can take my mug to work or shopping or use it around the house. Each time I look at it or drink from it I am reminded of a specific wonderful vacation.

Jan :earsgirl:

[disneyholic family]

that's weird....does that mean that every time you fill up your mug you have to get in line to get the barcode scanned???...
that's very inconvenient.....some of those lines are a nightmare...
i just pop into the food court to get a drink and then leave...
and i can drink quite a bit of diet coke at one sitting....

as for the ship, my kids only drink water so i don't have to worry about them on the ship (i'm the big sodaholic....diet coke....)..
oh...wait a minute....my kids only drink bottled water....
hmmm.......i suppose i can buy it on the ship.....anyone know if bottled water is available?....free?...for purchase?....

[wovenwonder]

Yes, bottled water is available for purchase -- I believe it was even more than soda though. I am also a bottled water drinker -- but I found the water on the ship to be very good! There is free drinking water and ice at the deck #9 beverage station.
:)

[disneyholic family]

oh right....the water on the ship isn't tap water....it's probably a form of bottled water, so to speak.....so they'll probably be very happy with that along with the ice....

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Regarding the water...

www.dcltribute.com/faq/water.htm

[JLSE50]

DAVE:
Thanks for the water info!
It fits our experience well. We have lived in places with good water and bad water and found the water in our bathroom to be in the good category and suitable for filling water bottles which we then chilled as you suggest.
Jan :earsgirl:

[dznymom1]

When we were at Blizzard Beach in April they must have been testing the barcode system. At the end of the day when we turned in our locker key, we had a choice of a mug or $1. This did not include soda. We chose the mug because what good is $1 at WDW? Anyway dh was thirsty so he bought a soda and when he went to the soda machine a kid was standing there waving his barcoded mug back and forth and everyone in the vicinity was filling up their free mug! I had a long talk with my boys explaining why it was wrong, but it sure was tough with so many people taking advantage of it :(

[DARWIN91]

Personally, I think carrying the mug all day is a major nuisance and they should just have it printed on the card at the time of check in if you chose to purchase the soda plan. Since you have to carry the card all day anyway, it could be noted on there. I hate having to worry about where my mug is everytime I walked around.

[plutojudy]

I wouldn't mind buying new mugs for every vacation, but I would HATE to stand in line at the registers every time we want to refill. (last trip, people who did not buy mugs were filling 1/2 gallon themos bottles under the table to take with them, talk about abuse of a good thing)

[JLSE50]

It is probably because people filled their thermos from the soda stand for free that Disney is now considering the bar code idea. No matter what they do, some people will take advantage :mad:
All we can do is set a good example for our children and perhaps other children will see and listen.

In every store the price we pay includes some coverage for things people steal. Disney is no exception. But they have more people than a store so probably have more stealing. Why people think they have to try to get something for nothing is beyond me, but that is the way the world is going right now.

While I like the idea of soda refills stamped on my Key to the Kingdom card so I can get refills or discount soda all day, it does not address the issue of garbage which is why I liked the idea of refillable mugs in the first place.

I guess no solution is going to be perfect for everyone.

Jan :earsgirl:

[dznymom1]

When we saw them using the barcoded mugs at Blizzard Beach, the scanner was on the soda machine, so there was no need to stand in line at the register after the initial mug purchase.

[plutojudy]

Bar coding is good. Just don't want to wait at the registers. It would be nice if they coded the KTTW card to use in the parks.

[strawberryblonde]

Good to know about the water on the ship, here I thought I would be hauling loads of bottled water onboard, lol! Sounds as though I will be able to take less than I had planned :). I'm not a soda drinker, so I won't have to deal with the mug system. I like the idea of a mug as a great souv. but would hate having to haul it around. Interesting topic.