A Green Idea for WDW Parks Means More Convenience For Disney Guests

[rileysdadrocks]

My wife and I were discussing Disney doing away with plastic straws in the parks to help by being more green.While discussing, we also remembered the frustration of having to spend alot of money(out of pocket if not on dining plan)for soda. As Disney already does this with resorts.....why not have an option to add your resort mug,or have the option to buy a parks exclusive mug with a drink refill program. This would cut down on excessive paper and plastic use,reduce waste and make an overall better experience for the guest.They could also make them out of recycled plastic. If you can put up with having to carry your mug around all day(most people carry refillable water bottles anyway) why isn't this an option offered by Disney Parks?

 

[mom2rtk]

Disney isn't interested in options, no matter now green, that allow guests to spend less money.

 

[HopperFan]

They actually tried a similar program way back when at AK. I still have my mug. It wasn't a free refill, I think it was 99 cents.

I don't want refillable mugs because it will be like Universal with the freestyle machines, soda spilled all over and sticky floors. We have a few refill stations in quick serves but they would have to add many more all about.

And the loss in revenue would be HUGE to Disney so I say it will never happen. It's not just the cups off soda but all those bottles they sell at kiosks would hurt as well.

 

[luvsJack]

They actually tried a similar program way back when at AK. I still have my mug. It wasn't a free refill, I think it was 99 cents.

I don't want refillable mugs because it will be like Universal with the freestyle machines, soda spilled all over and sticky floors. We have a few refill stations in quick serves but they would have to add many more all about.

And the loss in revenue would be HUGE to Disney so I say it will never happen. It's not just the cups off soda but all those bottles they sell at kiosks would hurt as well.

We thought the freestyle machines were great and didn't find this mess you mention. There was one machine in one location that got messy but it was due to one family. Someone came over and cleaned up as soon as they left. All the rest were fine. No sticky floors at all.


I think its a great solution. It would cut down on the cost of cups and let's be real, the actual cost of the drink they are putting in ANY cup is miniscule so while it may be less revenue, there is no "loss" at all. And it would give families with kids an option over and above handing them a cup with no lid and no straw.

 

[HopperFan]

We thought the freestyle machines were great and didn't find this mess you mention. There was one machine in one location that got messy but it was due to one family. Someone came over and cleaned up as soon as they left. All the rest were fine. No sticky floors at all.


I think its a great solution. It would cut down on the cost of cups and let's be real, the actual cost of the drink they are putting in ANY cup is miniscule so while it may be less revenue, there is no "loss" at all.

And it would give families with kids an option over and above handing them a cup with no lid and no straw.

Glad you had good experience. My experiences have been different.

Not sure about your math though ............... they have almost no cost in what they put in cups, the cup is likely the higher cost ... so that $3-4 guests are paying for their drinks is almost all profit. It would be LOTS OF LOST REVENUE because those with resort mugs are likely those buying lots of park drinks. Losses they would recoup by building in to other things or the mug system would change.

That refillable mug that is what $18 for length of stay ... assume a week. To make that mug usable at the parks and to make up for the lost sales it would be more like a cruise and you'd have to pay $8 per day. Maybe more because now they have to install drink machines throughout the parks. I would imagine there wouldn't be additions to the restaurants because they still need to provide those cups for everyone not buying the mugs.

You do have an option, bring your own cups, bring your resort mug (many do) and then just pour the drink in to that. No reason your kid needs topless drinks. If you are going to buy a refillable cup you have to carry it anyway.

 

[mom2rtk]

We thought the freestyle machines were great and didn't find this mess you mention. There was one machine in one location that got messy but it was due to one family. Someone came over and cleaned up as soon as they left. All the rest were fine. No sticky floors at all.


I think its a great solution. It would cut down on the cost of cups and let's be real, the actual cost of the drink they are putting in ANY cup is miniscule so while it may be less revenue, there is no "loss" at all. And it would give families with kids an option over and above handing them a cup with no lid and no straw.

Lost potential revenue is always a loss in Disney's eyes.

 

[luvsJack]

Lost potential revenue is always a loss in Disney's eyes.

Very true.

And kinda sad, imo. I mean yeah, they are a business but sometimes you look at "are we still making money" not "are we still making a tremendous amount of money?"

 

[luvsJack]

Glad you had good experience. My experiences have been different.

Not sure about your math though ............... they have almost no cost in what they put in cups, the cup is likely the higher cost ... so that $3-4 guests are paying for their drinks is almost all profit. It would be LOTS OF LOST REVENUE because those with resort mugs are likely those buying lots of park drinks. Losses they would recoup by building in to other things or the mug system would change.

That refillable mug that is what $18 for length of stay ... assume a week. To make that mug usable at the parks and to make up for the lost sales it would be more like a cruise and you'd have to pay $8 per day. Maybe more because now they have to install drink machines throughout the parks. I would imagine there wouldn't be additions to the restaurants because they still need to provide those cups for everyone not buying the mugs.

You do have an option, bring your own cups, bring your resort mug (many do) and then just pour the drink in to that. No reason your kid needs topless drinks. If you are going to buy a refillable cup you have to carry it anyway.

The mug system as they have it now, is not available to off site guests. So there is a whole new crop of customers for the mugs in the parks, that would make up quite a bit of the difference.s

I didn't mean there wouldn't be LESS revenue. I just wouldn't call it a LOSS. They will still be making plenty of money on pennies to the cup soft drinks. The drink machines are installed by Coke or Pepsi, they wouldn't be buying them. Do you think Universal isn't in the business to make money? If they are still making money with them, so would Disney.

The machines are located in an area of CS places that is easy for folks to walk up to from the outside. There are no extra cups. You use a mug or your own cup if you want the free water. If you purchase a drink, they give it to you from behind the counter just like now. The machines ONLY work for the mug unless you are getting water. And the way a freestyle machine is made there just isn't that much ability for a big mess. Just like there isn't a big mess at Wendy's or any other ff place that uses those machines.

Yes, I could take my own cups. And anyone that doesn't want to purchase a refillable cup could just not buy one too. I don't think either option would lock everyone in to one decision.

But if worried about sticky messes, I would be a whole lot more concerned with getting it from those thousands of kids whose family was not aware that they would not get lids and straws and are not prepared and bring their own cups. So, I would says its a choice of a mess by a machine that can easily be cleaned or messes all over.

 

[Arielfan98]

Honestly if Disney were to do this, they'd probably make it cost extra to refill in the parks. For example, you'd pay a flat rate per mug to only refill at the resorts and then another flat rate per mug to refill at both the resorts and parks, sort of like a dining plan but for the mugs. I would hate that.

 

[luvsJack]

Well they could do a whole different mug system in the parks. The mugs for the resorts are just for the resorts, the mugs in the parks just for the parks. And for an extra cost you could add park use of the resort mugs--and extra weekly charge. Its all done with chips in the bottom of the mugs.

Uni's is a daily rate or a multi day rate. Same mugs just the chips tell them if you paid.

 

[rileysdadrocks]

Well they could do a whole different mug system in the parks. The mugs for the resorts are just for the resorts, the mugs in the parks just for the parks. And for an extra cost you could add park use of the resort mugs--and extra weekly charge. Its all done with chips in the bottom of the mugs.

Uni's is a daily rate or a multi day rate. Same mugs just the chips tell them if you paid.

Exactly

 

[Wild4Walt]

This is a very timely post with the announcement that plastic straws will be gone by the end of next year.

I do think this could be one solution that is offered to guest but it won't be cheap. If you've ever done a soda program on a cruise ship, I would think it would have to be similar. Depending on how long your trip is, will determine what kind of price you'll pay. We figured out on our last cruise the price you pay would be equal to 2 soft drink purchases a day. I think Disney would have to do this on a larger scale.

It is an intriguing thought though and I an anxious to see what type of solution Disney is going to bring to the table. ( no pun intended )