Refill Mugs - Are 2008 still good??

[DVCBELLE]

This thread is making me very sad. That so many people see nothing wrong with stealing, and have the attitude that "Disney should make it harder for us to steal." What?! What happened to people having some sort of honor, and just doing what is right, not what you can get away with?:'

I don't care that a Disney vacation costs a lot of money. That does not entitle anyone to steal, even something that is cheap. It wouldn't entitle you to steal a penny gum-ball. Do you go into a grocery store, buy a cart of groceries, and then steal an orange? Do you go into a clothing store, buy a new outfit, and then steal socks? No? Then what makes it ok to steal from Disney?

Where are the morals?

I am not a mug reuser - for $13 I can't be bothered to bring it back and honestly - I got way more than my $13 for it. But the true problem here is that Disney itself is not firm on its policy. Many people are told by CMs - bring your mug back - use it at any resort. (I know I was personally told this less than 2 weeks ago).

That is where my problem lies and why I can't get upset about people reusing their mugs. I know many places that tell you an official policy with a wink and you know that they have to say the policy but they don't enforce it and it is a widely accepted practice. I think many people feel that the refillable mug policy comes with a wink - particularly when many cast members back this theory up.

 

[annamonte]

I can't believe this thread hasn't been locked yet!


You know I hardly ever post on these boards, and one of the reasons is that I am always afraid that I might start a "big issue".... for the most part the DIS is a great group, but at times like these... geez...

 

[CleveRocks]

Actually for anyone to answer your analogy it has to be comparable so in your scenerio



So you need to rephrase your question.

I understand what you're saying, but I respectfully disagree. In the practice of logic, one boils down a situation to its simplest form. The simplest form isn't a refillable container; the simplest form is taking something without paying for it. A mug was purchased with the express written contract that it is refillable only through the end of the current stay; any use (at the soda fountains) after that is unauthorized. By Disney's written rule, one is not permitted to refill the mug at a Disney soda fountain after that point.

One is also not permitted to take a product from a store without paying for it.

That is the analogy ... unauthorized taking (I'm purposely avoiding the use of the words "theft" or "stealing" because they carry a lot of emotional weight with them, and I'm desperately trying to remove emotion from the equation).

Getting back to my original point ... this sort of thing is what happens every time I pose the question of penny candy ... people avoid the question and do not answer it head-on. Never once have I heard a single response such as "I refill old mugs but I wouldn't take a piece of candy" or "I refill old mugs and I would also take a piece of candy." Never once have I gotten a straight response. Curious, isn't it???

 

[watkinsme]

I understand what you're saying, but I respectfully disagree. In the practice of logic, one boils down a situation to its simplest form. The simplest form isn't a refillable container; the simplest form is taking something without paying for it. A mug was purchased with the express written contract that it is refillable only through the end of the current stay; any use (at the soda fountains) after that is unauthorized. By Disney's written rule, one is not permitted to refill the mug at a Disney soda fountain after that point.

One is also not permitted to take a product from a store without paying for it.

That is the analogy ... unauthorized taking (I'm purposely avoiding the use of the words "theft" or "stealing" because they carry a lot of emotional weight with them, and I'm desperately trying to remove emotion from the equation).

Getting back to my original point ... this sort of thing is what happens every time I pose the question of penny candy ... people avoid the question and do not answer it head-on. Never once have I heard a single response such as "I refill old mugs but I wouldn't take a piece of candy" or "I refill old mugs and I would also take a piece of candy." Never once have I gotten a straight response. Curious, isn't it???

I have never refilled a mug because I have never stayed onsite (yet) that I wasn't staying in the concierge level and had free drinks anyway. In the future I will have no problem using an old mug.

As far as the candy...if there is a CM standing there telling me to take a piece without paying I will...(as there have been CM's tell others to use the mug) if not then I will not take a piece.

 

[disneynutz]

People are going to do what they want and pointing fingers and trying to change beliefs with not happen.

Our nation is in a melt down and we are debating mug usage.

People are amazing.

 

[NMW]

I honestly can not believe that people care so much about the mug issue. Nothing on this board baffles me more.

 

[eaglerock]

Anybody look on EBAY. There are WDW refill mugs for sale advertising for you to re-use them at WDW.

I think there is also an entrepreneur on EBAY selling stickers with this years MUG LOGOS on them so you can convert an old mug to the new style.

 

[Annabelleasb]

Still going strong! ...yet, I must admit...very interesting!

 

[CleveRocks]

People are going to do what they want and pointing fingers and trying to change beliefs with not happen.

Our nation is in a melt down and we are debating mug usage.

People are amazing.

By your reasoning, then, none of us should be on DISboards right now, and instead should be helping the nation not collapse.

Did you ever hang out with a neighbor on your front porch (or in my case growing up in the city, the front stoop) and just discuss things? If you went to college, did you ever just hang around with friends and discuss things? Not to solve the world's problems, just to kick back and talk and perhaps at times respectfully debate? That's kind of what's going on here. People have opinions. It's OK for people to share opinions and explore ideas and get to know others better in a respectful atmosphere.

Why must you try to make people feel bad for just sitting around and talking? We'd all welcome your opinion no matter what it is ... unless that opinion is that we should all keep our opinions to ourselves.

Please, let us play. Tomorrow, I promise I'll spend money somewhere and help stem the nation's economic meltdown (I deserve a day off, anyway, seeing that I spent a total of about $8000 on our 8-day Disney vacation that ended last Saturday). But today, I'm in the mood to talk, but as I live in a beach town that's pretty deserted in the cold of winter, DISboards is the closest I can come to hanging out with neighbors and talking.

 

[watkinsme]

By your reasoning, then, none of us should be on DISboards right now, and instead should be helping the nation not collapse.

Did you ever hang out with a neighbor on your front porch (or in my case growing up in the city, the front stoop) and just discuss things? If you went to college, did you ever just hang around with friends and discuss things? Not to solve the world's problems, just to kick back and talk and perhaps at times respectfully debate? That's kind of what's going on here. People have opinions. It's OK for people to share opinions and explore ideas and get to know others better in a respectful atmosphere.

Why must you try to make people feel bad for just sitting around and talking? We'd all welcome your opinion no matter what it is ... unless that opinion is that we should all keep our opinions to ourselves.

Please, let us play. Tomorrow, I promise I'll spend money somewhere and help stem the nation's economic meltdown (I deserve a day off, anyway, seeing that I spent a total of about $8000 on our 8-day Disney vacation that ended last Saturday). But today, I'm in the mood to talk, but as I live in a beach town that's pretty deserted in the cold of winter, DISboards is the closest I can come to hanging out with neighbors and talking.

I agree I'll be doing some retail therapy tomorrow...it's date night

As long as it stays civil I'll debate away

 

[tasha99]

I've never gotten a mug before, but if I did, I understand it's for one stay only. However, if I'd gotten a mug way back in the day when they were saying it was forever and ever (even if the fine print said otherwise), I think I'd consider bringing it back since it was falsely advertised to me.

I do think they're a little gross--it's not like there are dishwashers in most hotel rooms to get them truly clean. I think Disney should issue drink cards that have the dates printed right on them. People could show them to get a free, clean cup.

 

[A&Bmama]

It seems to me the problem is this, on one hand you have Disney's "written policy" that the mug is good for the length of stay. On the other hand you have Disney's "common practice" which seems to be that you can reuse them. It is up to Disney to allign their common practice with their written policy. No amount of debate on the disboards is going to have any effect whatsoever.

But I wouldn't hold my breath for a crackdown, Disney knows that the only way for a guest to "steal them blind" (lol) on soda and coffee is for the guest to come and pay hundreds/thousands of dollars more to stay at their resort.

 

[A&Bmama]

I do think they're a little gross--it's not like there are dishwashers in most hotel rooms to get them truly clean. I think Disney should issue drink cards that have the dates printed right on them. People could show them to get a free, clean cup.

Thats a good idea, could be added to your KTTW card like the dining plan but intead of having a certain number of uses it could be unlimited use but expire at midnight on the departure date.

 

[fan1080]

By many (most) accounts, Disney doesn't enforce this policy.

Therefore.......

What's the problem?

 

[CleveRocks]

By many (most) accounts, Disney doesn't enforce this policy.

Therefore.......

What's the problem?

It's one of those "on your honor" things. Newspapers don't enforce you limiting yourself to taking only one newspaper when you put your coins in and open the door. You could take as many as you can carry. Therefore ... what's the problem there? Same thing. Honor. Doing what's right because it's right, not because someone is watching. Kinda the same reason that I really respect atheists who are "good" people ... they're doing it because it's the right thing to do, not because they think G-d will punish them if they aren't "good." NOT NOT NOT trying to start a religion debate, just an illustration to help you understand where I'm coming from.

 

[fan1080]

It's one of those "on your honor" things. Newspapers don't enforce you limiting yourself to taking only one newspaper when you put your coins in and open the door. You could take as many as you can carry. Therefore ... what's the problem there? Same thing. Honor. Doing what's right because it's right, not because someone is watching. Kinda the same reason that I really respect atheists who are "good" people ... they're doing it because it's the right thing to do, not because they think G-d will punish them if they aren't "good." NOT NOT NOT trying to start a religion debate, just an illustration to help you understand where I'm coming from.

Honor? For a soda?

If Disney doesn't feel the need to enforce it, I don't see the need for anyone to be big brother.

 

[kmvand1]

Your post is offensive to me-who are you to say who has character and who doesn't? As such,I reported it as being offensive to me.

I agree! I think by saying a complete stranger has no character, that speaks volumes about you!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Honor? For a soda?...

Yes, honor is honor. Anything less is dishonorable.

I did not mean to offend you or anyone else.
There is a sign and the mug itself says the policy. It has not changed; the rule has been there going back 10+ years--Good this visit only.
If you look at the other side you could say we who follow rules are offended also. The prices of those who are honest and pay for our purchases are inflated by those who persist in stealing. If everyone paid their fare share, the $13 mugs might only cost $10. When someone steals from Disney, Disney does not take a loss. They pass the cost along to the ones who play by the rules just like the stores in our hometowns do.
These are the character issues I refer to:
1)Respect. When Disney states this visit only, respect it.
2)Don't steal. There is no other word to describe taking something you have not paid for.
3)Responsible--paying your way, also guiding your children to do the right thing.
4)Humble--not thinking you are above the rules, also realizing you did wrong and changing ways
5)Cooperative--obeying the rules

Great post.

 

[eagillinois]

Here is my two cents (not sure it is worth much). I have been highly entertained reading this thread.

I know people think several people may be over-reacting to the re-using mugs issue, but I understand where they are coming from.

I know too many people that get a thrill out of getting something for nothing or cheating someone and they pass this value system down to their children. I think that is one of the reasons why so many people are quick to not take responsibility for their own mistakes and to tell small lies that lead to bigger lies.

For me, it is worth the extra $13 to do the right thing even when people around me are not. That is the value system that I want to instill in my children...to say yes, we could bring our mugs from 1999 and re-use them like John Doe over there and get away with it but we choose not to because it is not honest. Yes, I have heard the Disney doesnt care because you are paying for the room argument but it is still breaking the rules and dont we teach our children to follow rules?

If it is your choice to re-use the mugs, then let it be your choice, I am by no means passing judgment on you.

CleveRocks, pretend I am joining you on your front porch, sometimes it is good to have a clean honest debate about something as simple as mugs. I do have a fondness for the old fatter mugs even though they get water in them when washing in the dishwasher and the designs are fading fast!!! We will be buying the new ones in March to add to our collection.

 

[fan1080]

Yes, honor is honor. Anything less is dishonorable.

Then maybe those who believe this should let Disney know. From what is known at this point, Disney disagrees with you, or they would be policing it.

I see no need to cry fowl over something Disney feels is not important to police.

And, for the record, I buy new mugs every visit, and will do so next month. I just find this whole debate really silly. Disney doesn't seem to care, therefore, I don't.