**CONFIRMED** Rumor About the Resort Refillable Mugs!

[kaytieeldr]

You don't have to be on the DDP to get the refillable mug. Any resort guest can buy them for the length of their stay.

Disney isn't one to let an opportunity to make a little extra cash go by. I'll bet it's a combination of factors coming into play.

-more than a little money lost to people using old mugs or otherwise getting resort drinks without paying for them.
-Drop in the price of the chips to an affordable level.
-Widespread (within WDW) use of RFID technology.

Put all these together and someone was sure to jump on the concept of cups with chips.

I really don't care if the cups have chips or not- as long as I can get my drink whenever I want it. But the cost for 4+ days does seem to have jumped substantially.

Along with the normal goal of any business:
-Increase revenue (so, ultimately, profits, shareholder dividends, expansion, improvements...

 

[msjprincess]

.

 

[msjprincess]

Really? If Disney didn't think that there was a problem with people reusing the mugs without paying, why would they be putting these new measures in place? While the cost of the RFID isn't high per piece, it IS an expense for Disney....why would they bother if they didn't feel that there was some money being lost without this technology?

To make even more money

 

[kaytieeldr]

$17.99 for a length of stay


Ouch

$4.50 per day for four days
$3.60 per day for five days
$3.00 per day for six days
$2.57 per day for seven days
$2.25/eight days; $2.00/nine days; $1.80/ten days; $1.63/11 days; $1.50/12 days; $1.38/13 days; $1.23/14 days.
If you refill the mug just seven times over a stay of four or more days, you're getting good or better value out of it.

"$17.99 for length of stay (4+ days)"

You can buy a lot of stuff to drink at Wal-Mart or Target for that price.

Sure - with a car. If all you need is drinks, $14-$17 plus tip for a delivery service or $60+ for a car service doesn't seem like a saving. Yes, it's different if you have a car; not everyone will.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To make even more money

Not that there's anything wrong with this concept. Ask any stockholder .

 

[mickeyway]

I don't believe soda costs Disney any money at all. I know that at many Fast food restaurants ie. Mc Donalds, BK, Wendys they pay nothing for the soda syrup and only pay for the cup and ice. The soda company gets advertising and loyal customers from it being sold at the restaurant. This is why most of these places have free refills. Soda costs the store maybe 26 cents a glass. I would think it is the same at Disney. They spend money on the plastic cup and ice and water as well.

This is just what I know to be true in the North East area. I have worked at fast food and theme parks here it I know this was the case.

 

[jcemom]

If I could buy one set of mugs to use during both portions of our split stay I would do it. I am not buying two sets of mugs to use for four days each. They are too small anyway.

I'll probably pick up a two liter in the resort shop to keep in our room. That will be enough for a taste of soda in the evenings. The rest of the time we'll drink water. It's way better for us anyway.

 

[smitch425]

If I could buy one set of mugs to use during both portions of our split stay I would do it. I am not buying two sets of mugs to use for four days each. They are too small anyway.

I'll probably pick up a two liter in the resort shop to keep in our room. That will be enough for a taste of soda in the evenings. The rest of the time we'll drink water. It's way better for us anyway.

As long as your split stay is over consecutive days, you should only need one mug.

 

[msjprincess]

No, if you have a split stay, the same mug can be used for the whole trip. If you stay somewhere off property for even just one night in between Disney resorts, you would have to purchase a new mug for the second part of your stay.

Do you have a link to that? None of the articles I read have been clear on split stays.

 

[disneynutz]

Everything changing over to rfid it is interesting. Seems resort guest will not be limited to refills after all.

Disney makes a change then starts the gradual cut back process as time goes on.

Some people will not like the increased price, that's what it really is.

Some will accept the price and think that it's a good deal.

Later Disney will restrict the time between refills or the number of refills.

They may tie the drinks to your magic band account.

The higher price makes the DDP seem like a better deal.

They will probably implement the technology in the parks and/or restaurants.

Bill

 

[briananddeb]

Just for starters, I post seldom but visit these forums almost every day. We always buy new mugs each trip. But the RFID thing has me worried. Just went to the World in June, stayed at POFQ. My RFID card wouldn't always let me in our room, didn't always work at the food court and only let me into a Park once when used as a tap-and-go. The rest of the time a Castmember at the turnstyles had to scan it through a portable tablet-type scanner-thingie. And three different Castmembers - one at the Parks and two at the Concierge desk at our resort - tried to re-program the card with no improvement. And now they're going to add the refillable mugs to this? Please tell me that it ain't so!!!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

The higher price makes the DDP seem like a better deal.

May I ask how? Not every resort guest is eligible for or chooses to participate in a dining plan, yet every resort guest may purchase a refillable mug. How do you believe increasing the price of the multi-day refillable mug would instead encourage people to purchase any dining plan?

 

[disneynutz]

Just for starters, I post seldom but visit these forums almost every day. We always buy new mugs each trip. But the RFID thing has me worried. Just went to the World in June, stayed at POFQ. My RFID card wouldn't always let me in our room, didn't always work at the food court and only let me into a Park once when used as a tap-and-go. The rest of the time a Castmember at the turnstyles had to scan it through a portable tablet-type scanner-thingie. And three different Castmembers - one at the Parks and two at the Concierge desk at our resort - tried to re-program the card with no improvement. And now they're going to add the refillable mugs to this? Please tell me that it ain't so!!!!!

Maybe you will have better luck with the Magic Band?

Bill

 

[disneynutz]

May I ask how? Not every resort guest is eligible for or chooses to participate in a dining plan, yet every resort guest may purchase a refillable mug. How do you believe increasing the price of the multi-day refillable mug would instead encourage people to purchase any dining plan?

Easy, people will feel better about the DDP rationalizing that they are now getting $18 worth of "free" drinks.

Bill

 

[kaytieeldr]

And now they're going to add the refillable mugs to this? Please tell me that it ain't so!!!

It appears so. During the test at All Star Sports, there were Cast Members at the drink stations to help with problems.

 

[davedmaine]

I don't believe soda costs Disney any money at all. I know that at many Fast food restaurants ie. Mc Donalds, BK, Wendys they pay nothing for the soda syrup and only pay for the cup and ice. The soda company gets advertising and loyal customers from it being sold at the restaurant. This is why most of these places have free refills. Soda costs the store maybe 26 cents a glass. I would think it is the same at Disney. They spend money on the plastic cup and ice and water as well.

This is just what I know to be true in the North East area. I have worked at fast food and theme parks here it I know this was the case.

That's not true. Those restaurants pay for their syrups/sodas; many fast food restaurants do receive rebates from the soda companies though.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Easy, people will feel better about the DDP rationalizing that they are now getting $18 worth of "free" drinks.

Bill

Instead of $12 or $13 or $15 in addition to the actual food and beverage included in the DDP? I can't see that being an influence.

 

[msjprincess]

Instead of $12 or $13 or $15 in addition to the actual food and beverage included in the DDP? I can't see that being an influence.

I agree, mugs are now $15.49. I can't imagine the extra $2.50 will make a difference.

 

[smitch425]

Do you have a link to that? None of the articles I read have been clear on split stays.

This was posted in the comments of the Orlando Theme Parks article by someone claiming to work for Disney. I know, I know...he could be lying, but I really don't think he is. He was answering many questions and seemed very knowledgeable. Only time will tell, but Disney has always been lenient on allowing the same mug to be used with split stays, and with the announcement that you can now use the mug when visiting other resorts, I don't see them changing their stance for split stays once the new system goes live.

Split Stays: If you are on DDP on both stays, you will receive two mugs. If you are only on DDP for part of your stay, you'll need to buy a mug for the rest of your stay if you'd like to have the free refills. However, if you are on a split stay, and do not have DDP, you may buy the mug, (and with a designed workaround) you'll be able to have the 4+ days refill. Since the mugs will now work from resort to resort, the second resort will just need to verify your Length Of Stay.

 

[WantToGoNow]

I think this is a good step Disney is taking to resolve the issue of people helping themselves to the drinks without paying for them. Now they need to do something about the milk (ie coffee creamer) that people use for their cereal, bottles, sippy cups, mug refills, etc - they sell milk for those purposes.