.

[rodkenrich]

.

 

[dismom3]

Are they still using the Mara mug at AKL?

 

[mickeyfan2]

Some resorts are no longer offering specific hotel mugs, but rather
a general mug available from every resort with the year marked
on it. (Some resorts seem to still offer their individual mugs,
presumably until these run out.) This seems quite disappointing
as I found it quite a souvenir to collect mugs from each resort
as I stayed there. It does have the upside, however, that you
could use your mug at any resort during the year purchased
because they're the same wherever purchased.

When we stayed at the POP in May we got one of the new generic mugs. When you buy it and at the station is states that it is only good for the length of the stay you bought it at and only at the resort you are staying at. So it is not good all year.

 

[shafke]

When we stayed at the POP in May we got one of the new generic mugs. When you buy it and at the station is states that it is only good for the length of the stay you bought it at and only at the resort you are staying at. So it is not good all year.

Technically, yes, the official policy has not changed. But, when all the resorts are using the same mug how are they to know where you purchased the mug? Unless they implement some sort of bar code scanning like they do at the water parks it will be very easy for people to abuse the system. I am guessing the number crunchers decided that the money saved by going with one cup design is more than it would cost on the handful of people that will use the cup at more than one resort or reuse the cup an another trip.

Buying 10,000 mugs of one design is probably cheaper than buying 10 different designs of 1000 each.

 

[nbodyhome]

They started a little while back. It's too bad, because the specific mug designs made it more special as a souvenir. Not so much now.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Unfortunately, it probably ends up being a cost saving measure implemented by Disney. It's pretty apparent that many people were re-using mugs from year to year and perhaps they wanted to counter the loss due to shoplifting by reducing their overall costs to the mugs. It's much cheaper to get say 100,000 mugs that have 2007 on it, as opposed to 10 different designs on each group of 10,000 mugs.

As for the policy, the only change specified on the side of the new mugs is that it's good for refills at any resort beverage station. It still states it's only for the length of stay though.

 

[mickeyholic]

Does anyone have a picture of their mug?

 

[nbodyhome]

Unfortunately, it probably ends up being a cost saving measure implemented by Disney. It's pretty apparent that many people were re-using mugs from year to year

When the mugs first came out, the CM's were telling everyone to "bring them back". They probably created a monster - though soda is very cheap, they aren't losing money on most people (unless someone drinks 10 cups a day and is there for months).

It's a bean counter type thing - as others have mentioned before, like each restaurant used to have their own billfolds. Now they are all Walt Disney Resorts. That I wouldn't have noticed so much. But Disney charges a fair bit now for the mugs - $13, and MORE people now will bring them back (as they go from resort to resort). There won't be any more "mug collections" where guests get them from each resort, why bother? I think it's a terrible idea, very short sighted. I don't even buy mugs anymore anyway, but I have several from different places (Disney made money on me, I don't drink much besides water). I bought the mugs because they were different.

 

[LilGMom]

That stinks! I like having a mug from the various resorts. I'm sitting here now with my morning coffee in my WL mug. Drinking out of the WL mug makes being at work a little more bearable because I have visions of geysers, fireplaces and the Pony Express running through my head.

Wonder if I can call the various resorts to see if they still have any resort specific mugs to finish my collection and replace the 'loved' (i.e. frequently used ones that are showing their age) mugs?

 

[mickeyfan2]

Technically, yes, the official policy has not changed. But, when all the resorts are using the same mug how are they to know where you purchased the mug? Unless they implement some sort of bar code scanning like they do at the water parks it will be very easy for people to abuse the system. I am guessing the number crunchers decided that the money saved by going with one cup design is more than it would cost on the handful of people that will use the cup at more than one resort or reuse the cup an another trip.

Buying 10,000 mugs of one design is probably cheaper than buying 10 different designs of 1000 each.

I never said you could not get away with it, but you know you are doing wrong and don't care if you do this. (General you.)

I preferred the resort specific mugs as a great keepsake from the trip. We never bring our mugs back. I am a water drinker and DH only needs a cup. The $11.99 is not a big part of our vacation budget.

IMHO the change to a universal mug is just the start of either the elimination of the refillable mugs or the start of heading down the path of barcodes. They may even have levels of mugs - your resort only or all resorts.

 

[TammiMcMan]

and MORE people now will bring them back (as they go from resort to resort).

I don't honestly think the change in a mug design was deterring a whole bunch of guests from bringing it back year to year. And I'm not arguing the point that soda is cheap, it's one of the main reasons people have given to justify their re-use. Disney may not be suffering losses in this category, but may have noticed a shrinking profit margin. Raising prices and purchasing a cheaper product will put those figures back in line, that's all.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

They started a little while back. It's too bad, because the specific mug designs made it more special as a souvenir. Not so much now.

I couldnt agree more
and as someone who loved collecting them I am not happy

 

[nbodyhome]

Raising prices and purchasing a cheaper product will put those figures back in line, that's all.

It seems to me that fewer mugs will be sold (from those of us who bought them more as souvenirs and don't drink much but water).

Also, I'm not sure that Disney started the mugs as a profit-type machine. When they first started, around 97? I don't remember, but I do remember getting them at the Contemporary and WL back then (when they were much nicer mugs, heavy-duty Aladdin mugs for the WL). The CM's would tell people to come back with them. IMHO, the mugs were great and essentially free advertising for Disney - and a reason for guests to go back to that particular resort. Then they went up in price, started being made of cheaper plastic, and now they are generic.

I was planning on buying a Pop mug in Sept., but there isn't a reason now.

I generally don't even bother with mug threads - so I'll bow out of this one now. Disney sells tons and tons of mugs everywhere, so they could afford to keep the mugs for each resort if they chose. Barcoding has been rumored for years and hasn't happened - but now guests can bring the mugs back EVERYWHERE.

 

[nbodyhome]

Oh - one last thing. Disney doesn't have a lot of resort-exclusive merchandise. This was a way to bring a little something back from the resort. It isn't like the soda is a bargain, you can often buy 48 Coke cans (4 12 packs) at Hess for the price of one mug. Actually, maybe 60 cans! Soda costs Disney pennies - and it really is cheaper just to stop for your own drinks.

Disney is branding more items generically now. The mugs are just part of it. Again, I'd not even normally notice except this is one thing I actually would buy (for a souvenir).

 

[nellie0100]

are they now the YOAMD mugs and if im staying at POFQ can i bring back the mugs that i bought and still use them even though they might be selling different ones?

 

[clownfish1452]

I found this article online it does not have a date, but does talk about the bar code program.

In an effort to rein in costs and increase income, the Walt Disney World Resort hotels are making some drastic changes to the extremely popular refillable mug program that may affect many repeat visitors to the resort.

[If you are unfamiliar with the program, you can read about it in MousePlanet's WDW Resorts from A to Z page under "Refillable Mugs."]

According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel entitled "32 ounces of soda not enough? Disney tries out self-serve refills," Walt Disney World is making large 32-ounce soft drink mugs available for free self-serve refills in Typhoon Lagoon. That's the good news. The bad news is that you can only refill your mug on the day of purchase. If you return to Typhoon Lagoon the next day, you can no longer refill your mug for free.

Disney has added a new UPC bar coding system to the self-serve refill stations that, for the first time, controls a previously unenforced policy. Although the refillable mug program has always been advertised as available during an actual length of stay that allows guests to refill their mugs during their trip, in reality, guests often brought their mugs back on subsequent trips to refill them free of charge. With the UPC code tied to a guest's hotel reservation, this new system closes this loophole altogether. That is, once your stay has ended, your mug is no longer refillable. Those mugs you bought on previous visits won't work next time you vacation at WDW.

Another loophole that may close with this new system is that you might not be able to use your mug at any other resort except at the one you are staying. For example, if you stay at one of the resorts for a few days and purchase a mug there, and then you move over to another resort for the balance of your vacation, the mug might not be refillable at the second resort.

How will this new system be enforced? Once the UPC code system is fully activated, they can devise a system by which the fountains work only if an "active" UPC code is on the mug.

WDW visitors are already complaining that the new system is yet another line to stand in and just "more time-consuming nonsense cutting into [one's] vacation time."

Did you recently visit WDW and see this change in practice? If you have any first-hand knowledge or experience, please email me or Brian Bennett at brian@mouseplanet.com to provide us with more details.

Sarah

 

[micksterlee]

Have you ever noticed that we seem to worry more about the mug program than Disney does?

 

[nbodyhome]

I found this article online it does not have a date, but does talk about the bar code program.

I wasn't going to reenter the thread, but just to say - I think that article is a minimum of 2 years old. I remember a debate on mugs 2-3 or so years ago that had to do with whether resorts would use the barcodes.

 

[ADisneygirl]

Well, we just returned from our first trip to SSR and I was sad that they were not selling a resort specific mug. I was looking foward to a new style and people asking me about the resort from the mug I am using. I, like others, buy these as a souvenir and enjoy drinking out of them while at work. Reminds me of my fun times and relaxing vacation. Yes, they do sell other resort specific merchandise, but not travel mugs.

The light blue generic mugs are cute, and I'll use it for work, but I always liked having a resort specific mug.

 

[minnie61650]

I found this article online it does not have a date, but does talk about the bar code program.

In an effort to rein in costs and increase income, the Walt Disney World Resort hotels are making some drastic changes to the extremely popular refillable mug program that may affect many repeat visitors to the resort.

[If you are unfamiliar with the program, you can read about it in MousePlanet's WDW Resorts from A to Z page under "Refillable Mugs."]

According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel entitled "32 ounces of soda not enough? Disney tries out self-serve refills," Walt Disney World is making large 32-ounce soft drink mugs available for free self-serve refills in Typhoon Lagoon. That's the good news. The bad news is that you can only refill your mug on the day of purchase. If you return to Typhoon Lagoon the next day, you can no longer refill your mug for free.

Disney has added a new UPC bar coding system to the self-serve refill stations that, for the first time, controls a previously unenforced policy. Although the refillable mug program has always been advertised as available during an actual length of stay that allows guests to refill their mugs during their trip, in reality, guests often brought their mugs back on subsequent trips to refill them free of charge. With the UPC code tied to a guest's hotel reservation, this new system closes this loophole altogether. That is, once your stay has ended, your mug is no longer refillable. Those mugs you bought on previous visits won't work next time you vacation at WDW.

Another loophole that may close with this new system is that you might not be able to use your mug at any other resort except at the one you are staying. For example, if you stay at one of the resorts for a few days and purchase a mug there, and then you move over to another resort for the balance of your vacation, the mug might not be refillable at the second resort.

How will this new system be enforced? Once the UPC code system is fully activated, they can devise a system by which the fountains work only if an "active" UPC code is on the mug.

WDW visitors are already complaining that the new system is yet another line to stand in and just "more time-consuming nonsense cutting into [one's] vacation time."

Did you recently visit WDW and see this change in practice? If you have any first-hand knowledge or experience, please email me or Brian Bennett at brian@mouseplanet.com to provide us with more details.

Sarah

The article you posted was

From the Mouseplanet.com websiteJune,2002:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/mike/ref...icy_changes.htm

There were others posted about the same time:

Here is another article written in June 2002:

http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/2002/06/24.html

Disney Mug Holders, Beware

"The new system of computerized monitoring of fountain refills being experimented with at Typhoon Lagoon could tighten a rather loose policy at Disney's resorts. They sell 16-ounce souvenir mugs for $9.99.

Guests may refill them at resort snack bars unlimited times with soda, coffee or tea for the length of their stay. Cashiers sell the mugs and then are supposed to keep a watchful eye as guests get their own refills.

But some Disney World employees and regular guests say they take the mugs on repeat visits to the snack bars and fill up -- basically a lifetime of free drinks for one purchase. They are occasionally offered on eBay and at garage sales, testimony to their timeless value.

Cashiers say the mugs' designs aren't changed enough for them to spot old ones. But the new system being tried at Typhoon Lagoon employs a bar code that's read electronically at the drink dispenser and recognizes old mugs." [Orlando Sentinel, via Boing Boing]

----------------------------------------------------------------

And another from June 2002:

From this website:

http://www.intercot.com/news/2002/june.asp

News Archive - June 2002

June 27, 2002


Refillable Mug Policy Tightening?
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Disney is experimenting with a new computerized barcode system to be used in tandem with it's refillable mug program offered at their resorts. The program allows guests to buy a mug for each person in their party which then can be used for unlimited drink refills during their stay. The policy change could come as a result of Guests taking the mugs on repeat visits to Disney World to fill up on what becomes basically a lifetime of free drinks for one purchase.
info and discussion here

_________________________________________________

I do not know why the resort bar code was never used.