Are you a Mug Abuser?

[Disney1fan2002]

I really can't believe this is such a hot button topic. We went to the Beach Club five times in 12 months this past year - guess what I did?

Here is what I really DON'T understand. So many times, I have read people defending themselves by saying, "well, I did bring back a mug, I asked a CM and she said it was fine" Tme and time again, people have said CM's have said it was OK.

Now, there are many poster's who think people are lying when they say they asked a CM. But, Dan Murphy, on this very thread has said the same thing...Dan Murphy is the furthest thing from a liar.

My question to the mug police of the mug program, obviously Disney does not think it is that big of a deal, if they keep giving people permission, so why is it a big deal to you? Let Disney deal with the rule breaker's,if they so choose, and you myob.

My PERSONAL opinion? I don't care what anyone says, there was a time when mugs were lifetime refillable. Yes, Disney changed the policy, but I feel that those who bought the mugs and were told they were lifetime (yes they were, and I don't care what anyone says) should be grandfathered.

I don't even bring my mugs back. We used to forget them, so we have a cabinet full of Disney mugs, and now we stay at DVC resorts with kitchens, so we don't need the mugs. It is just my opinion on the whole debate.

 

[daisyduck123]

We're guilty of bringing Caribbean Beach mugs with us on our trip last month...but I saw the new ones & had to have those so we bought them & used them. Really cute!!

 

[minnie61650]

Ummm...well, when I worked there a man peed in the middle of the O Canada movie theatre and I had to call Security on him. You can be sure he was embarrassed when WDW Security showed up!..........

I imagine he was embarrassed!

 

[MommyPoppins]

I don't find they save me money, so I don't buy them at all any more. I do have two, one from POFQ and one from WL. I broke even both trips so now I don't bother, since I don't use the mugs at home. Actually, these days I don't ever eat at the resort food courts, so it's a moot point. Maybe once we have kids it will become worth it....

Yeah....especially if you share.

 

[wasabi girl]

I'm only going for my second trip this Sept so I'm not an abuser, yet. I won't bring back my mug though because I'm staying at a different resort...they might notice a Poly mug at AKL....and, the darned mug would take up way too much room in my suitcase....

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

This poll was a neat idea

 

[cardaway]

I'm only going for my second trip this Sept so I'm not an abuser, yet. I won't bring back my mug though because I'm staying at a different resort...they might notice a Poly mug at AKL....and, the darned mug would take up way too much room in my suitcase....

Just stuff it full of underwear and there will be no wasted space.

We've used the same one on two trips and we always only buy one.

 

[macraven]

what an interesting discussion on disney mugs.


i do disney and universal each year.
i bought the universal dueling dragon mug there in 1996. i have used it on each trip at universal.
uo policy is any mug bought at universal is honored to be used forever.
i bought that mug for $6.
refills for mugs at universal is $1.25 and a discount if you have their pap or aaa.


wouldn't it be nice if disney did the same.
the mugs i buy at disney on my trips are usually lost in the basement of my house within 2 months of my return from the vacations.

just last week, mr mac found a disney mug and used it to put nails in it.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We only go for long weekends, so a refillable mug was never worth it...until I found out on the DIS that you can bring it back on future trips! (Can you say "negative role models?" ) I promptly bought a refillable mug at POP Century and once, in band camp (just kidding!) I brought it back to WDW and used it at <insert gasp> All Star Sports! But only because we couldn't get into POP that time. That makes it OK, right??

 

[Rella Bella]

Once again in the minority here.
The refillable mug idea just doesn't work for us. Granted we are a small family but why would we want to carry something to the food court and have to take it all the way back to the room before heading to the park?

I'm certainly not going to lug it to the park where it can't be refilled anyway. The extra walking when I'm doing 5+ miles a day just isn't worth the cost of a drink. Plus other than coffee, we bring water from home.

I do think it's very lax of Disney to have a rule and not enforce it. They should either be consistant, drop the rule, or (God forbid) get rid of the mugs altogether. JMHO

 

[cardaway]

I do think it's very lax of Disney to have a rule and not enforce it. They should either be consistant, drop the rule, or (God forbid) get rid of the mugs altogether. JMHO

A lot of people woud have to drink gallons every day, without paying for a extra mug, before it wouldn't be VERY profitable for them. They do it because it's a huge moneymaker.

Personally I wouldn't miss them but I'm also one that would prefer the dispensers be behind the counter where unsupervised kids can't do anything they want around them.

 

[Viking]

We'll be at WDW (PopCentury) for 10 days and I guess we'll make good use of our two mugs there. We'll have breakfast there everyday. On the days we spend at Universal and Seaworld we'll have a bevereg for the ride over and when we return from the parks in the evening we'll pass by the food court for a refill. They'll also make a nice souvenir and as we will do a 7day-cruise after our stay at WDW we can use the at the soda fountain on Deck 9 and thus avoid producing a lot of unnecessary waste by not using those throw-away cups.

 

[Rella Bella]

thus avoid producing a lot of unnecessary waste by not using those throw-away cups.

Best reason I've heard.
Save the Earth!!

 

[Viking]

Best reason I've heard.
Save the Earth!!

Thanks

 

[imsorry]

 

[scrump]

I've never bought the refillable mugs.

 

[minnie61650]

Here is what I really DON'T understand. So many times, I have read people defending themselves by saying, "well, I did bring back a mug, I asked a CM and she said it was fine" Tme and time again, people have said CM's have said it was OK.

Now, there are many poster's who think people are lying when they say they asked a CM. But, Dan Murphy, on this very thread has said the same thing...Dan Murphy is the furthest thing from a liar.

My question to the mug police of the mug program, obviously Disney does not think it is that big of a deal, if they keep giving people permission, so why is it a big deal to you? , ......It is just my opinion on the whole debate.

Thanks for posting your thoughts.

I think Disney does care that guests are not following the refill mug policy.
My thoughts are partly based on the refill mug info printed on Disney's official website and some articles that were written in JUne 2002.
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http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=TrailsEndRestaurantDiningPage

Trail's End Restaurant

Resort Refillable Mugs are sold in all Walt Disney World® Resort hotels, and can be used at the restaurant where it was purchased, for the entire duration of the current visit. Each location offers soft drinks, coffee, hot chocolate, hot and iced tea.
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From this Mouseplanet.com websiteJune,2002:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/mike/refillable_mugs_policy_changes.htm

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.

__________________________________________
The Mouseplanet article was written June 2002 when the new BB and TL mugs were being tested..

It makes me aware that Disney is concerned that some guests are not following policy and when it becomes cost effective they will most likely install this system or something similar. JMHO

I think Disney does not want to embarrass guests who are not following rules.

They sometimes use other ways to enforce their rules.

That is why we have 3 hour parking passes for dining at other resorts,
finger scanning to get in parks (no ticket sharing)
Wrist bands for SAB
Wrist bands for EMH, MNSSHP, and MVMCP
Barcodes for TL and BB mugs

How soon before the LOS Barcode for resort mugs?
If the refill mug abuses continue it may be a lot sooner than we want.
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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]

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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
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Yes, to my understanding it has not yet been installed.
But it was on the drawing boards.
Maybe they are waiting for better technology that will make it more cost effective. I don't know.

Bioscans for AP holders were used for a number of years before Disney decided to use them for all (with a few exceptions i.e. ...some in WC/ECV's etc.)of their ticketed guests.
The TL and BB mugs have been using the Barcode stickers for a couple years.
Maybe a length of stay sticker costs too much or is more complicated at the present time.
But I would not be surprised if someday in the near future Disney does have length of stay barcodes or stickers or something else in place to enforce their refillable mug policy.
JMHO

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Just teasing!

 

[Skylarr29]

I voted other because I actually had the older WL mugs that did not say for the length of your stay so we used to bring those back ( I think we only used it once or twice) Recently it got left in the car and was kind of gross so I had to throw it out. It depends on where we stay if we continue to buy them or not. I think the only place we will but them is at the WL because it is easy and fast to go to Roaring Forks.

 

[brerrabbit]

I really don't understand the whole thing. This topic has been beaten to death so many times. We have bought mugs a few times and finally decided that based on our tendencies when we go to WDW that they are not worth it. As an earlier poster said if you use it at breakfast then you have to take it back to the room before you go to the parks and on average we will only eat one or two meals during the week at the food court anyway. The last few times we have driven and always have a cooler full of drinks in the room anyway. We can fund drinks for the entire weekfor a family of four with what you pay for two of the mugs.

As far as is it right or is it wrong to reuse, well thats up to the individual who is or is not violating the policy. If Disney thought they were loosing money on the deal they would rectify the situation. But since I know exactly what the cost of the beverage that fills those mugs are per serving and what kind of profit they make on them I don't think anything will be changing anytime soon. It's an issue that would cause more negative impact and lose of business to fix than to just let it go.