"RapidFill" RFID refillable mugs coming back resort wide...

[smitch425]

After the trip, yes...I was referring to if they were removable while still usable.

It does appear that they are "embedded" in some fashion though - I think like a PP said, it's likely the same sticker as on the cups, but between the cup and liner.

Oh. In that case, it would be faster for the thief to take the whole cup than try to pry something off of one before being caught.

I can't wait to see how this will all go down. Seeing so many people abusing the system at POP for the last several years has been interesting. I imagine there are going to be a lot of confused and angry people at the machines this year.

 

[WisconsinDad]

Any word if these are available at CR yet? We will be there in 3 1/2 weeks. I'm also curious about WL and the POLY. I would like to know if I can take our mugs with us if we go to either of those places for a QS lunch or dinner?

 

[doconeill]

Any word if these are available at CR yet? We will be there in 3 1/2 weeks. I'm also curious about WL and the POLY. I would like to know if I can take our mugs with us if we go to either of those places for a QS lunch or dinner?

I don't even know if they are active at the resorts that were supposed to be done first, nor do I know how rapidly they plan to roll out.

And as I said before, I don't even think Disney's confirmed it yet.

 

[TeresaWen]

I was checking the vendor site, and it does say specifically they are not microwave safe. Unless they make the RFID removable, they can't really help it. And making it removable presents an abuse problem (unless the process of removal renders the RFID void/inert).

Another reason this should link to MagicBands instead...

I would be fine with this...if we could remove the chip after our stay then the cups are more useable back home and less would end up in landfills. I guess we can't have everything. It is a shame that abuse of the system for years results in this. My cup will become trash after my trip. Too bad

 

[DizCaptain]

I would be fine with this...if we could remove the chip after our stay then the cups are more useable back home and less would end up in landfills. I guess we can't have everything. It is a shame that abuse of the system for years results in this. My cup will become trash after my trip. Too bad

Honestly, I doubt system abuse is the root cause of this implementation.

 

[lilmomma00]

Honestly, I doubt system abuse is the root cause of this implementation.

I agree!

 

[Lewisc]

Seems they may have lost the race already, given how popular the Coke Freestyle machines are now. I can go to Five Guys, Burger King or the local theater and get unlimited refills and tons of different flavors. And there are "fill-limited" versions in use on Royal Caribbean ships.

I'm actually extremely surprised that Disney didn't go back to Coke after this test and go with Freestyle machines, except that maybe they didn't want to deal with syrup maintenance.

Maybe when they finally run out of Beverly syrup, they'll put Freestyles in Club Cool...

Not all validfill is the company which has technology which allows the valve to be controlled via RFID. Validfill control technology is available for Coke Freestyle Machines and Royal Caribbean is one of their "Reference Customers". I doubt Validfill cares which type of machine Disney uses.

 

[doconeill]

Not all validfill is the company which has technology which allows the valve to be controlled via RFID. Validfill control technology is available for Coke Freestyle Machines and Royal Caribbean is one of their "Reference Customers". I doubt Validfill cares which type of machine Disney uses.

I actually learned that earlier today - ValidFill adapted their technology to the Freestyle machines for Royal Caribbean. Not sure if anyone else is currently using it. It turns out that Coke and ValidFill struck an exclusivity agreement last year, which probably let to incorporating it in the Freestyle machines.

ValidFill also provides "standard" drink stations with their technology built in, which I believe is what Disney is using.

 

[Lewisc]

I actually learned that earlier today - ValidFill adapted their technology to the Freestyle machines for Royal Caribbean. Not sure if anyone else is currently using it. It turns out that Coke and ValidFill struck an exclusivity agreement last year, which probably let to incorporating it in the Freestyle machines.

ValidFill also provides "standard" drink stations with their technology built in, which I believe is what Disney is using.

The agreement with Coke goes back to May 2011. There is a typo on validfill.com. Click through and look at the date on the press release. Makes sense, Royal Caribbean won a 2011 award for using of RFID to dispense soda.

I think Disney is being used a large test. I suspect places which currently dispense soda behind the counter, to control quantities, might be convert to self service. I've seen signs at a few places (food "court" front of some Targets?) suggesting only one refill or "only" an hour of refills is included with your purchase. They don't want store employees getting soda all day. I have no idea how the honor system is working. Places which offer free internet might want to limit refills. How many hours should a person be allowed to use a table while drinking free beverages? The current option is to either eliminate self service, increasing labor costs or accepting customers actions at the self service machine. It's not realistic for employees to count the number of refills or impose a time limit.

 

[patsal]

Just back on Tuesday and these are not being used anywhere yet. However the soda machienes at AoA are equipped for the transition already. Contemporary, Beach Club, and OKW were not any different than the p ast andthe food court at Sunshine Seasons has not had any change in dispensers either. This was a huge discussion for us (we change resorts a bunch of times in one trip and don't like the idea of filling landfills with all those cups) and as a result we noticed things that others were doing since it was on the forefront of our minds, we saw a lot of "transgressions" just while eating at AOA.

 

[doconeill]

Just back on Tuesday and these are not being used anywhere yet. However the soda machienes at AoA are equipped for the transition already. Contemporary, Beach Club, and OKW were not any different than the p ast andthe food court at Sunshine Seasons has not had any change in dispensers either. This was a huge discussion for us (we change resorts a bunch of times in one trip and don't like the idea of filling landfills with all those cups) and as a result we noticed things that others were doing since it was on the forefront of our minds, we saw a lot of "transgressions" just while eating at AOA.

They seem to be starting with the values, so I wouldn't be surprised that AoA has something...but what do you mean by "equipped for the transition"? Are the new dispensers in place? In use (but RFID-disabled)?

If CBR has it when we go, we might get it, then we can use it at OKW (RFID or not at OKW, I've licensed it)...but if I have a split stay in that direction (RFID to non-RFID). In the other direction, it obviously would not...

 

[smitch425]

They seem to be starting with the values, so I wouldn't be surprised that AoA has something...but what do you mean by "equipped for the transition"? Are the new dispensers in place? In use (but RFID-disabled)?

If CBR has it when we go, we might get it, then we can use it at OKW (RFID or not at OKW, I've licensed it)...but if I have a split stay in that direction (RFID to non-RFID). In the other direction, it obviously would not...

From what I have read, POP's machines are in use, but not the RFID part. And I think I read something in this thread about guessing that ASSpo would not be getting them until after their refurb, but the plan is to have drink stations and grab and go stuff in the arcade, so the refurb should not affect the installation.

 

[patsal]

They seem to be starting with the values, so I wouldn't be surprised that AoA has something...but what do you mean by "equipped for the transition"? Are the new dispensers in place? In use (but RFID-disabled)?

If CBR has it when we go, we might get it, then we can use it at OKW (RFID or not at OKW, I've licensed it)...but if I have a split stay in that direction (RFID to non-RFID). In the other direction, it obviously would not...

Dispensers with code readers installed on them were in place but the readers were not turned on.

 

[Ravenne]

I don't suppose there's any news or info out on how this would work with hot beverages like tea, coffee, and hot cocoa?

Water out of these dispensers remains free and unlimited, right?

 

[mytripsandraces]

Has anyone seen this yet? There's a very interesting video about how the machines work.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2013/07/27/news-update-on-disneys-new-rapid-fill-refillable-mug/

 

[doconeill]

Has anyone seen this yet? There's a very interesting video about how the machines work.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2013/07/27/news-update-on-disneys-new-rapid-fill-refillable-mug/

Nothing really new, other than they've installed a fill station at BC. Seems like these may be rolled out near-simultaneously.

But, "RFID bar code"?

 

[bookgirl]

Just back on Tuesday and these are not being used anywhere yet. However the soda machienes at AoA are equipped for the transition already. Contemporary, Beach Club, and OKW were not any different than the p ast andthe food court at Sunshine Seasons has not had any change in dispensers either. This was a huge discussion for us (we change resorts a bunch of times in one trip and don't like the idea of filling landfills with all those cups) and as a result we noticed things that others were doing since it was on the forefront of our minds, we saw a lot of "transgressions" just while eating at AOA.

Since the non RFID cup is still offered with 2013 Dining I doubt the new system would start until after the New Year. (there was talk that the cups would not be a give away with 2014 Dining plans).

 

[doconeill]

Since the non RFID cup is still offered with 2013 Dining I doubt the new system would start until after the New Year. (there was talk that the cups would not be a give away with 2014 Dining plans).

Why would it matter if someone on the dining plan get a non-RFID cup or an RFID cup?

If this wasn't going into place until the New Year, they wouldn't be taking valuable space to put the dispensers in today.

 

[bookgirl]

Why would it matter if someone on the dining plan get a non-RFID cup or an RFID cup?

If this wasn't going into place until the New Year, they wouldn't be taking valuable space to put the dispensers in today.

They will want to use up as many of the NONRFID mugs as possible before switching over so right now they give them away with DDP.

If the cost goes up in technology they may take the refilable mugs away from the dining plans (they have only been part of the DDP for a year or two) and make you get a one time cup with your meals at CS locations. Thus people even on the DDP would have to buy the cup like they used to do a few years ago.

It would just make sense to start the new program after the new year with the new 2014 dining plans.

Maybe even start the new cups with a new theme which traditionally has rolled out in Janurary. So again starting in the new year.

As for doing the upgrade in machines now, well it's going to take a while to put the technology in place so starting 6m out is not a bad idea.

I'm just putting ideas out there, it's not like I or anybody else knows exactly what, when or why they are doing anything.

 

[doconeill]

They will want to use up as many of the NONRFID mugs as possible before switching over so right now they give them away with DDP.

They've been giving them away with the DDP all year. And perhaps they are already running low on the non-RFID mugs. Don't know. They could sticker the non-RFID mugs if they wanted to make them RFID. They could also sell them elsewhere as non-refillable souvenir mugs. Don't really need to wait.

If the cost goes up in technology they may take the refilable mugs away from the dining plans (they have only been part of the DDP for a year or two) and make you get a one time cup with your meals at CS locations. Thus people even on the DDP would have to buy the cup like they used to do a few years ago.

It would just make sense to start the new program after the new year with the new 2014 dining plans.

Or they can make it look like the DDP is a better value. Especially since the incremental cost for Disney has probably been fairly minimal.

Maybe even start the new cups with a new theme which traditionally has rolled out in Janurary. So again starting in the new year.

I don't think new designs traditionally rolled out any any particular time. I remember it happening in September once. It's when the old stock runs out that the new design appears. They don't have to really change anything...they just need to get the RFID "embedded", which might be simpler than it sounds, and I believe the mug manufacturer does this already with the same mug forms.

As for doing the upgrade in machines now, well it's going to take a while to put the technology in place so starting 6m out is not a bad idea.

It's not going to take that much time to get the machines in place. It appears that four resorts already have them installed, and that's just what we've heard. And that's in, what, 3 weeks?

How long for training, etc. is a different matter. But it sure seems like this is coming fast.