.

[cobbler]

Personally I don't think it has anything to do with eliminating the mug program or putting barcodes on them.

I think this is in line with the general homoginization we are seeing with the merchandise. As others have said, it's just a cost cutting measure, much cheaper.

 

[scanne]

Regarding the posts further up discussing that soda is cheap -- I heard on one of the WDW podcasts recently (wish I could remember which one--I listen to a bunch!) that as part of its exclusive agreement with Disney to provide soda, Coca Cola gives Disney a supply of soda for free. Anyone know any details about this? That would shed some light on why The Powers That Be are not so worried about how much soda they end up giving away.....

My cousin used to be a WDW CM and told us that the soda was free basically because of all the advertising Disney does for Coca Cola.

 

[bellebud]

In POFQ last month, I overheard a cm tell a guest that the mug is good at any resort in WDW. I then asked the cm to be sure I heard correctly. I asked if the policy was recently changed, and she said she didn't know the previous policy, but she was certain the mugs are now good at any resort. My thought was disney is thinking "if you buy one at POFQ, and want to travel to the poly for a refill, knock yourself out!" And since the year is now on them, I assume disney doesn't care if you use them a few times throughout the year. Maybe a perk for repeat visitors??? (i doubt it).

Maybe disney is thinking for the amount of guests who buy them and return within the year and actually bring them back in their luggage to use them, so be it.

 

[PolyAddict]

Are they still using the Mara mug at AKL?

No it's the year of a million dreams one.

 

[nbodyhome]

Personally I don't think it has anything to do with eliminating the mug program or putting barcodes on them.

I think this is in line with the general homoginization we are seeing with the merchandise. As others have said, it's just a cost cutting measure, much cheaper.

That is how I see it as well. Nothing to do with how much soda anyone drinks (I expect the soda program is very profitable for Disney as it was, unlike probably the DD plan). You can go into store after store at Disney and merchandise mostly is the same. Billholders are not restaurant specific. Personally, I don't think it's worth the little bit of extra money it saves them. But they've cost cut before (I remember when we got chocolates on our pillows at the Polynesian in EVERY room, or after a table service dinner - or Mickey shaped butter). On the other hand, they did add the H20 products to the resorts - which is much better than what they had before.

 

[MissionMouse]

... I'm not sure that Disney started the mugs as a profit-type machine...

The soda mug program is an instrument to entice guest to visit their snack bar multiple times during their stay. Research of these types of offerings/programs have demonstrated a high percentage of people will also make a spontaneous purchase outside of the special offer item.

I would also suspect Coke is also providing a great incentive to Disney too, based upon volume of sales and product exposure to Disney's annual audience. Disney also continues to consolidate, centralize, streamline, reduce liability, and outsource many components of their operations

 

[nbodyhome]

The soda mug program is an instrument to entice guest to visit their snack bar multiple times during their stay. Research of these types of offerings/programs have demonstrated a high percentage of people will also make a spontaneous purchase outside of the special offer item.

I actually meant the mugs themselves (and the soda). But yes - going back to the snack bar, and really - back to the resort with their mugs (when originally guests were told to bring back the mugs). I thought of it at the time more as a loyalty type thing. I am sure the mugs have meant profit for Disney - and I expect the mugs themselves as well are profitable too (but Disney wouldn't need to turn a profit on the mugs themselves to benefit).

That is why I'm confused also about the resort being taken off. Someone seeing a WL mug might ask about the resort. Someone just seeing a WDW mug? Maybe not so much. Or if I see a certain resort mug in my cabinet, it actually reminds me of a stay I had (as opposed to some generic WDW mug that I won't really notice).

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Regarding the posts further up discussing that soda is cheap -- I heard on one of the WDW podcasts recently (wish I could remember which one--I listen to a bunch!) that as part of its exclusive agreement with Disney to provide soda, Coca Cola gives Disney a supply of soda for free. Anyone know any details about this? That would shed some light on why The Powers That Be are not so worried about how much soda they end up giving away.....

I asked several Cast Members this question and they all said because they get all the products to sell the soda from Coca Cola for free, they give Coca Cola free advertising around Walt Disney World.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

One man commented to one of the users that that mug wasn't supposed to be used for refills anymore and the guy just laughed. It's amazing that there are still some blockheads who don't feel that the rules apply to them. I will now jump off my soapbox.

I actually can see why this person laughed. Since this was not a Cast Member telling the guest he was doing something wrong, why should this person listen to another guest? I can see he was just telling the other guest the rules but if it's not a Cast Member saying anything, then the other guest must have thought where is this person coming from and what authority does he have saying what they can and can't do?

 

[disneyfanfamily]

I am in the minority. I can't wait to get the new mug. I really like it. However, we do not go more than every other year, and will probably be staying at POR (family of 5, here) every time we visit. I wouldn't want the same POR mug everytime we stay.

But, if we did visit often, and stayed at different resorts, I would like new mugs. They are nice souvies.

Angela

 

[LilGMom]

I'm sitting here at work drinking my soda out of a CBR mug (remembering our wonderful water view room and the nice long quiet walks to the food court area, ahhhhh) from last year and yesterday I had my drinks out of a WL mug (which has been used so much that the logo is coming off). While I understand that it is probably cheaper to make thousands of generic year dated mugs as opposed to make thousands of resort specific mugs and possibly have some not be purchased it still makes me a little sad and nostalgic for the resort specific mugs. We did buy some of the generic mugs at SSR when we were there last month but it doesn't necessarily bring back the memories as the resort specific ones do since I just think of WDW in general and not just the wonderful resort.

Even though we go a few times a year we would always buy at least one mug from the resort on each trip. I need to dedicate pactically an entire cabinet to our resort mugs. So now I guess I'll have dated mugs filling up the spaces. Now I have the song "Memories" dancing through my head....

 

[safetymom]

I don't believe that Disney gets the Coke for free. I would have to hear that from someone higher up than a resort CM.

 

[cocowum]

I don't believe that Disney gets the Coke for free. I would have to hear that from someone higher up than a resort CM.

Check out the podast on 5/29(email edition). John Magi says they get their coke products free because all of the advertising around WDW.

 

[safetymom]

I have heard that but I am still not sure I believe it.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't believe that Disney gets the Coke for free. I would have to hear that from someone higher up than a resort CM.

That information has been around long enough, I think it's at least partially true. It's possible the free coke is limited to specific quantity of syrup. I don't know if "free" is extended to bottled soda and water.

Most people think fountain soda costs next to nothing even if the syrup isn't free.

 

[safetymom]

I agree it is probably a certain quantity. Just because they get it for free or a reduced price doesn't mean they need to pass along their savings.

If they provide them with advertising that comes at a cost.

 

[Blue Skies]

I asked several Cast Members this question and they all said because they get all the products to sell the soda from Coca Cola for free, they give Coca Cola free advertising around Walt Disney World.

This was also discussed on the DIS podcast a few weeks ago. Disney gets the soda for FREE from Coca Cola. I agree with Pete on this one. Some people need to get a life on this. If Disney doesn't enforce this "rule" - than I am not worrying what other people do.

BTW..I am not brining an old refillable mug on our next vacation - my mugs don't last between trips. I wish each resort still had their own design. I think they make cute souvenirs.

 

[minnie61650]

That information has been around long enough, I think it's at least partially true. It's possible the free coke is limited to specific quantity of syrup. I don't know if "free" is extended to bottled soda and water.

Most people think fountain soda costs next to nothing even if the syrup isn't free.

Even if the syrup is free there are still other expenses I am sure that are not covered

Such as the cost to carbonate the syrup ,the cost of the dispensers. the cost of the ice, the cost to deliver the syrup, the pay for the CM's setting up the machines, the electricity to run the machines, the cost to maintain the dispensers, not to mention the cost of liability insurance in case of a lawsuit from a "slip and fall".

I am sure there other expenses I am missing but I assure you there are a lot of "hidden costs" in that mug of soda and even pennies tend to add up when hundreds of thousands of mugs of soda are dispensed weekly.

JMHO

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Even if the syrup is free there are still other expenses I am sure that are not covered

Such as the cost to carbonate the syrup ,the cost of the dispensers. the cost of the ice, the cost to deliver the syrup, the pay for the CM's setting up the machines, the electricity to run the machines, the cost to maintain the dispensers, not to mention the cost of liability insurance in case of a lawsuit from a "slip and fall".

I am sure there other expenses I am missing but I assure you there are a lot of "hidden costs" in that mug of soda and even pennies tend to add up when hundreds of thousands of mugs of soda are dispensed weekly.

JMHO

I think WDW makes enough money alone on the cost of the mugs to cover these extra expenses you are referring to. So that maybe why a lot Cast Members don't care what guests do with their mugs. If people are always purchasing the mugs at $11.99, then WDW is making a lot more money on them and I don't think they have ever lost money on the mug program.

 

[Davidsmommy]

I feel like I am the only one who really doesn't care about the mug picture.

We have 3 mugs from Pop in January. DH and I use them daily (we both drink coffee all morning and use the travel mugs to take in our cars when going out and about. My best friend/neighbor wouldn't recognize me at the busstop without a cup of coffee!). However, we also have a couple Dunkin Donuts ones, a couple generic ones - I simply don't notice which one I am using every day. Reading how everyone else remembers their trip while sipping out of their mugs makes me feel like a bad disser.