change in refillable mug policy?

[lenshanem]

How fab would it be if they made LOS refillable mugs that were good everywhere, even the parks!

But, then there would be such abuse, like people buying one cup and then filling it up over and over and pouring into other cups. Maybe it could only be filled every hour or something?

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"But, then there would be such abuse, like people buying one cup and then filling it up over and over and pouring into other cups."***

People are already doing this.

 

[Scoootch]

Originally posted by floridafam
Scootch,

The VB usually don't say VB on them, at least out of all the times we have been there. I believe the ones from our last trip have flowers on them and say Spring 2004.

I've always liked the way they do the mug program at VB. They change with seasons and sometimes they have special ones for Holidays. We have a really nice glow-in-the-dark Halloween one the kids love.

That's really cool I didn't realize VB had been doing this all along. I thought perhaps the resorts at the park are going to start dating them by season and year now too. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if they do start doing it soon.

 

[Scoootch]

Originally posted by Johnnie Fedora
I'll wait for a CM to stop me from refilling my "good forever" mug we purchased in 1995 or 96. Just because Disney has posted their changed the rules doesn't mean they will guilt me into not refilling my mug.

I completely agree

If Disney wants to change their policy now, thats fine, but they need to stand by the original program.

Again, I agree. I suspect though that that's partly why the CM's aren't saying anything if they're noticing people with older mugs. I had understood the "lifetime" refillable ones though to have been where you are only suppossed to be able to fill them up at the resort they are from but then I'm also reading posts that say people are spliting their stays between 2 resorts and asking if they can use their mugs at both and CM's telling them yes, so who knows?! Like I mentioned before, I doubt they'll stop anyone using the old ones but they may just start with the dating them like the VB ones "summer 2004" and so on by season and then we'll all have to wait and see if they start calling people on it or not.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Just checking the score!

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

Originally posted by disneynut
My hubby and I just returned from the "World". We stayed at the AKL in a room with a savannah view. We loved watching the animals but weren't at all thrilled with the pool. Anyway, we went over to Saratoga Springs to look around. In the snack bar/restaurant area we were looking at the refillable mugs which are quite generic with DVC 2004 written on them. I asked the cast member there why the name of the resort was left off. She said that all of the mugs were going to that design and would change every season--so no more buying a mug, taking it home, and using it again the next visit. She said the mugs were designed to only be used for length of stay. I had a hard time believing that until I got a copy of the information about SSR, and there it was in black and white. We own at both BWV and VWL. I have a mug from VWL that I have been using for several years.

Also at AKL, I saw a man with an old Dixie Landings mug refill it in the restaurant. He said that he was told once you buy a mug, you can refill it at any resort. The cast member at SSR said that wasn't true.

I don't know if this is only true of DVC resorts or all resorts on Disney property. For $11.95 a mug per visit, it could get quite expensive.!

The pop century mugs had grandopening 2003 on them when I was there in Feb. I guess they are good until they no longer offere them since they had none with 2004 on them.
We normally buy the mugs each visit. Too much of the PITA taking them down just to save the $11. I also always assumed they were for length of stay anyway.

 

[CarolA]

I have purchased mugs several times over the years. I never recall seeing anything in writing that said it was good forever. I always understood it was a length of stay thing.

I understand people have been told differently, but as we all know CMs are human and can make misstakes. (Plus they don't want to listen to you rant!)

I can also understand Disney wanting to clamp down on this. I would expect that eventually they will go with the bar code like they use at the Water Parks.

 

[CarolA]

I have purchased mugs several times over the years. I never recall seeing anything in writing that said it was good forever. I always understood it was a length of stay thing.

I understand people have been told differently, but as we all know CMs are human and can make misstakes. (Plus they don't want to listen to you rant!)

I can also understand Disney wanting to clamp down on this. I would expect that eventually they will go with the bar code like they use at the Water Parks.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by Deb & Bill
CM's may have told you that they were good forever. However, official Disney policy was always been (since they first offered the mugs) that they were good for the length of the stay at the resort you bought them at.

We bought our first mugs in 97 and were informed then about the official Disney policy.

Disney hasn't changed the policy. They are just trying to be more verbal about it.

Obviously the CM you talked to was misinformed...LOL.

That may have been what you were told or maybe it was posted at the resort you purchased you mugs at, but like Terry S has posted, the YC/BC mugs had the good forever sticker on them when we stayed there in 2001. On one of these numerous mugs threads, someone actually posted a picture of the sticker on the YC/BC mug.

To bad if Disney may have blundered with this one, but chalk one up for the returning guest. BTW, you could fill that cup 30 times during your stay and it is costing Disney about 60 cents for all that fountain pop. My heart is not bleeding for the mouse on this one. Disney is hoping enough time will pass that everyone will believe the program was always length of stay...but it wasn't.

WOW I'm getting thirsty.

 

[goofy4wdw59]

This topic is one of those "hot potatoes" .
I'm Johnnie's DW and just wanted to add that during our first stay at WL in 1995, we stopped at Roaring Forks and noticed these mugs (DH didn't want me to buy one either). I LOVED WL and wanted to get the mug...just because...I liked it.
(My older mug has "Aladdin" brand name on bottom and is the cream/beige color, WL logo, with dark green trim)
I'm pretty darn sure there was a sign saying the mugs were refillable for return trips (to WL/Roaring Forks) or something like that. I believe I asked the CM about this when I purchased one as it was new to me. The CM told me the official policy.
We didn't use it again until 2000 or 2001? and purchased another one (auto-cup type for the car) with the same policy.
We refill our mugs occasionally as it's not a big deal with DVC accommodations. When we are near Roaring Forks and we think about it...may get a re-fill.
Based on what was displayed and promoted when we purchased mugs, I see nothing wrong with continuing to use our mugs for re-fills or, until they fall apart, LOL. I agree with Granny, I won't be upset if the re-fills stop.
I think the refillable mug thing got abused and Disney had to change their approach. They aren't going to change the policy with the older mugs.

 

[slc224]

I wonder what those "FREE REFILLS FOREVER" mugs are worth on EBAY now?!

 

[Pa@okw95]

When they first came out back in the mid-90's they were for length of stay. Some customers made them "Lifetime" mugs and eventually some did sell them as life time. The smartest thing anyone said on this subject was the one that stated you ask a 100 CM a question and you will get 100 different answers. The best mug situation I ever saw was when I was staying at Dixie Landings, a woman opens up her bag and puts out about 6 cups that they sell at Dixie for soda at their self serve soda spot and has her family fill those up, re-using them from a different meal. Now that beats all the mug programs, they were not mugs but cups. What has happened over the years is WDW has become a spot where there are many people trying to beat the system, I think for the most part the CM will turn his back rather than call a guest on stealing soda. At any rate they were not "Lifetime" when they started out but many made them that way on their own.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"....has her family fill those up, re-using them from a different meal. Now that beats all the mug programs, they were not mugs but cups....."***

See, that's the kind of abuse Disney needs to address, but they never want to appear to be the bad guy. So instead of confronting those abusive guests, Disney will instead try to come up with some method - possibly bar codes - that will stop the cheaters yet not make them look like the heavy. Heaven forbid they offend a thief.

 

[disneynut]

I didn't realize I was opening up a can of worms! I also hope nobody thinks I am calling anyone a liar or criticizing what people do. I was just passing along information that I thought would be helpful. I guess everyone needs to do what he/she thinks is best for him/her. I definitely an not the one to judge!

I understood the CM at SSR to say that the mugs would change EACH season so for those of us who go several times a year, we would need to buy a new mug each time.

Also, as of just three days ago, the mugs at VWL are still the same as they have been.

 

[disneynut]

I don't know if my first reply went through or not, so I will try again. I didn't mean to open up a can of worms on this topic. I was just trying to pass on information that would be helpful. Also, I hope you guys don't think that I was accusing anyone of lying or criticizing what people do. You gotta do what you gotta do!!! I am not the person to judge someone else's actions.

I understood from the CM as SSR that the mugs would change every season so for those of us who go several times a year, we would have to purchase a new mug each time.

As of three days ago, the mugs at WL were the same ones they have had for several years.

 

[jekjones1558]

We still return to Riverside every time we go to WDW, for old-time, pre-DVC sake. It is especially handy when we are at OKW, since there is no food court there. Our old mugs, which we were told were lifetime when we got them, say "Dixie Landings" and have red and blue decorations, I think. They are very large. It gives us a feeling of honoring tradition when we use these mugs, even though it is a pain to haul them for only 1 or 2 uses. For us it is like taking out the special Christmas dishes and remembering the feelings of past happy celebrations.

 

[manning]

This thread is good for at least 43 pages

 

[Sneaky3]

I was there this week and at VWL people were using the old cups which were bigger than the ones now. I asked the lady if I could use my cup that I had just bought at SSR and she said sure. She also said that if they wanted to say something they would just tell me please don't do that again. Well you know what no one ever said anything. Everyone was using the old and new cups. I personally think that Disney doesnt lose any money on this at all. My opinion....

 

[robinb]

The generic "seasonal" refillable mugs were at OKW in December. They were the same mugs sold in the parks execpt the CMs at OKW put a mark on the bottom. They also had the bigger OKW mugs, but they were single fill only. Personally, I was bummed since I really didn't want a mug with ice skating Minnie and Mickey on it and I would prefer a mug with the resort name and logo on it. I think this is a bad sign. I'm glad I already have my AKL mug.

 

[gritzel4]

Does this mean I can use my Disney Wonder mug at SSR? When I purchased it on board in 2002, I was told that it was lifetime refillable on the ship.