No bar codes on mugs yet

[kjs1976]

Just got back from AS-Sports...they have new mugs for this year but no bar codes yet. And the sign does say...good for length of stay only...but everytime I refilled ours, I saw at least five older mugs being used and with CMs nearby or watching, no one said anything. Didn't ask about the new program!!! Darn! We were to busy or two tired by the time we got to the food court!

kjs

 

[shawnob]

this is one thing that kills me. I have read a lot of posts on this subject, and all I could think of , is "greed"on the person who plans on or brings an old mug to the hotel.
I can think that one would want to save a little bit of money, while on vacation....but come on.
I have even read a post where someone mentioned that they would like to see some top execs. hog tied and shot in the back of the head, then and only then they would pay for all the free pop that they have gotten in the past.
Also, on one post, a cm said "all you can drink" but the manager said ".length of stay" so they did it anyways and took the free drink.
If it is all about the $2 for a drink then there is a problem. Disney is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, so don't ruin it for the rest of the people who want to go there and have fun.
I guess it doesn't really matter to me if they do put a bar code on the mug or not, my conscience won't really allow me to take something that doesn't belong to me.
On that note, when you stay at one of the on site properties, and you get a LOS pass, does that give you the permission to go back and enter the park for free any time you like? Answer that

 

[Susan-Ontario]

Good Sunday Morning Everyone,

I didn't reply to the last post on refillable mugs because it went on and on, but I just have to answer this one. When we purchased our mugs at Port Orleans we were told that they were good for life and at both PO and Dixie. I can see them changing that policy for new purchases. More importantly though, having been involved with single source beverage deals with Coke I heard this rumour about Walt Disney World. Coke is supposedly providing the resorts with all the coke products for free in exchange for the single source deal with all of the theme parks. If this is in fact true, then Disney doesn't even pay for the soda at the resorts and this whole discussion is moot.

If you were told that you're mugs were good for the life of the mug, then take it back. Just remember that a glass of soda only costs pennies to the supplier, and Disney makes money because you just might want a snack to go along with that refill in your mug.

Have a super day!!

 

[MELSMICE]

Bottom line is that if Disney puts bar codes on the mugs some people will get them every time they visit WDW & others will not. Just like it is now - some people will buy them, some don't.

Those that are annoyed because Disney is implementing the new policy & "taking something away" should buy their own 6-pack & plastic cups.

Policies are put into effect, however, as time goes on things change. There are always people that will take advantage of things. I have always understood the policy to be "length of stay", so I don't have a problem buying a new mug. If the $10 mug is going to be an issue I shouldn't be traveling to WDW.

Also, I am sure there are many people out there that buy one mug & pour it into plastic cups for their entire parties. I like saving money too, but I'm not going to worry about something that's really very petty.

 

[PistolPete]

I agree with Susan. When I purchased mugs at PO in 1997, I was told to keep the mugs and bring them every trip that I stay in PO or DXL. They are allowed to be refilled.

By no means am I cheap, nor do I feel like I am "cheating" by doing this. This was the policy when the mugs were purchased. I plan on bringing them if I stay at PO again. If there is a change in the policy, a CM can approach me and we can talk about it. No big deal.

PO did change their mugs, new colors.

 

[tarabl]

As far as the issue of taking something you didn't pay for, I don't feel that taking my old mug purchased when they first started doing mugs when the fill for life policy was in effect, or atleast stated to me at the time of purchase. I did pay for the mug, but how about those who rinse and reuse their regular soda purchase cup over and over, or the people who bring the plastic cups from the room over to fill them up.

I used my old mugs this past week along with ALOT of others who had old mugs. I too would have purchased new ones if told by a CM but instead the CM's I encountered smiled at me and talked to me while I was filling up my old mug never even mentioning anything about getting a new one.

 

[maryliz]

I don't feel that I am stealing if I bring back a mug that I have been told on more than one occasion to do exactly that. I will continue to do so, until such time that I either physically cannot use it (because it doesn't have a bar code), or if I am told by a CM that the policy has changed and that I must purchase new ones. If that becomes the case, so be it, I will either buy new ones (depending on how long my trip is and whether I am changing resorts during my stay), or I will head to Wal Mart and stock up on pop. As for the comment about the LOS pass, I do feel that you are comparing apples and oranges since the passes ARE technically bar coded. If they say it to me, fine ... until then, I am assuming that my old mugs have been "grandfathered" under the old policy under which I was sold them. I figure you do what you feel is right for you ... hard to imagine that people can get so worked up over what others are doing, and deciding who is moral and who is not. By the way, I did receive an e-mail from Disney telling me that they got mine on this very issue, and that I should hear from them within a few weeks.

 

[Geoff_M]

ONHWGA!!!!

Coke is supposedly providing the resorts with all the coke products for free in exchange for the single source deal with all of the theme parks. If this is in fact true, then Disney doesn't even pay for the soda at the resorts and this whole discussion is moot.

1) But since this is pure hear-say and there isn't on piece of evidence to support it, this shouldn't enter into the debate.

2) Even if it were true, so what? If MinuteMaid (another Coke unit) gave the resorts free orange juice in exchange for a similar park exclusivity deal, should resort guests expect free juice in their mugs too?


From Day 1 the mugs were officially good for LOS only. The only thing that changed was the CM's and food court managers waved the white flag when they realized they couldn't enforce the policy. That surrender became engrained and CM's started telling people the mugs were good for life. (I do think WDW can be faulted for allowing the "two faced" atmosphere to exist, BTW.)

Think I'm wrong... fire off an e-mail about the rumored "mug policy change" to WDW and see what's the response. Don't call or write the people that've waved the flag, go to the top.

Now, I do think there's a chance that WDW will give free stickers to people with older mugs. But this will probably come about as the result of a PR headache from people complaining that they where incorrectly told by local resort CM's the mugs were good for life (often times while signage in the food courts stated otherwise). Another solution might be to offer a small "mug refund" room credit for each old mug turned in at check-in. Yet another solution might be to offer guest one new LOS stickered mug for each old one turned in.

 

[SnackyStacky]

If it is all about the $2 for a drink then there is a problem. Disney is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, so don't ruin it for the rest of the people who want to go there and have fun.

Suppose a family of four each has a beverage in the morning. At $2/beverage, that's $8.

Now suppose they come back for a quick lunch break, and once again, there are another 4 sodas. That's another $8. I'm guessing that the paper cups aren't supposed to be refilled, so let's say 2 of those 4 want another drink and are honest. That's another $4. So far we're up to $20.

Same deal upon return to the hotel. Another $8. That's $28 for the day.

Multiply that day by 6, since most people stay that long, usually longer. That's $168.

Those little $2 here and there certainly add up. Is it being cheap when people take their own water bottles to refill for free at sinks or water fountains?

Also, many families take more than 4 people. When you're dealing with families, there tend to be budget constraints, and quite frankly, who wouldn't rather put a few more dollars into the souvenir budget for their kids than the food budget?!

For me it's personally not an issue. I KNOW that no matter HOW long I stay, I would drink far more than $10 worth, so the mugs pay for themselves in a day or two, and I have no problem buying a new one each trip. But I can understand why people would be upset that they bought these mugs under certain circumstances, and when those circumstances change, it's probably very annoying.

My point is that there are definitely people who give new meaning to the loosely-used term "frugal", but there are also people for whom it really is a budget issue.

On that note, when you stay at one of the on site properties, and you get a LOS pass, does that give you the permission to go back and enter the park for free any time you like? Answer that

Obviously not, HOWEVER, it seems to me that the comparison is invalid because when people were first buying these mugs, they were not sold as being mugs to be refilled for the length of stay only; they were sold as bring-these-back-each-trip-to-refill. If (and this hypothetical goes beyond ludicrous....) Disney had ever sold length of stay passes as "pay one price, and be readmitted to the parks each time you come back for no additional charge", then yes, Disney would have to honor that, and let people in.

 

[mom23guys2]

When the mugs first came out there were no sign saying LOS. They just said refillable mugs. When we asked we were told they were good at that resort for as long as we had them. We have quite a collection now 15 or 20 of them since we went with five people. We just go ourselves for 10 days but our children sometimes join us for two or three days. We often change resorts tro or three times when we're there. It's not just $10 this could add up to $80-$100 dollars during our stay.
I really don't think Disney had a stated policy when they started the mug sales. Maybe they didn't realize what a hit they'd be or someone didn't forsee the problems.
I think your comparison to LOS passes is faulty. The proper comparison would be to five day passes. We all have been told they are good forever. What if Disney decided they were only good for the length of your stay and said you couldn't use them next visit? They can do that with new passes but the old ones need to be grandfathered.
We never use one resorts mugs at a different resort but we sure do use them on subsequent visits. As a matter of fact, cast members have commented that they liked the older style better than the new ones.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

This is an issue that just keeps coming up over and over and over!

When I purchased our Mara mugs at the AKL on our first stay at a Disney property, the CM said they were good forever and could be used at other resorts. I took the CM at her word since she was so familiar with so many facits of WDW. I even argued the point on a thread about the same topic.

When we returned to AKL on our next visit, I saw that the sign advertising the mugs clearly stated that they were good for the length of one stay and only at Mara's. I immediately accepted that the CM had been wrong.

Disney is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, so don't ruin it for the rest of the people who want to go there and have fun.

I am an honest person. I don't like to see anyone cheat or "take advantage" of loop holes and I really hate to flame anyone, but come on people, if what complete strangers do really interferes with your vacation so much as to ruin it for you, then you really need to
GET A LIFE!!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself this time.

 

[MELSMICE]

Minnie's Mate - I hear you & I totally agree!!

I'm concerned w/ what I do on my vacation, not anyone else!!!

You said it perfectly!!

 

[Carrieberry]

I have read and read...and read... all of these arguments over the whole refillable mug thing and quite honestly, I haven't posted because I wasn't sure which side was right!

Two years ago we bought mugs at DxL and were told they were good for life. Then last year we stayed at PO and so we took our DxL mugs and used them while we were there. No one said a word to us, though I did feel a little pang of guilt being that we were staying a the sister resort and our mugs were different than the other guests, but they did tell us "for life". Many CM's saw me filling up my mug and never said a thing. I suspect this was because they know that people have been told many different things, and let's face it, Disney resort CM's are not the most confrontational. Our mugs did however take up valuable space in our suitcase on the way back!

Next trip we will be staying at All Star moives, and of course we will be buying new mugs, not trying to use a different resort mug.

I think it all boils down to this:

If Disney is trying to implement a new program to ensure that people only use their mugs for their legnth of stay, then it is up to the guests to abide by their rules starting whenever the new program or signs pointing to it are announced. I don't want to feel like I was the reason they took away more on site benefits due to a lack of cooperation by the guests. CM's at CRO tell people diffrent things all the time, that does not make them right all the time, it just makes it more confusing. Disney obviously wants the mugs used for legnth of stay only, and I for one am going to abide by their rules, and assume my old mug refills in the past were allowed, but they no longer are.

Phew..sorry for the babbling!

 

[mom23guys2]

Just a suggestion, I Disney wants to implement a new policy of LOS for the mugs, why not make them good at any resort you will be staying in during that LOS. It really would be more equitable since some of us like to split our stays.
BTW, when we pack our mugs we put things in them such as vitmin and aspirin bottles, they take up less room that way.