Refill Mugs - Are 2008 still good??

[Suellen]

The first mug I got I was told was lifetime.. and we did two resorts that time and were told that we could use between resorts... we bought the new one at the new resort anyway though... that was in 1998 when I was there for my brothers wedding.

 

[Lockandbayb]

We were at Disney last May and it was announced on the buses that you CAN bring your mugs back year after year and get the refills for $1.00. so the mugs that you see people bringing back are getting their refills for $1.00. They are not doing anything wrong, they are just saving money.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We were at Disney last May and it was announced on the buses that you CAN bring your mugs back year after year and get the refills for $1.00. so the mugs that you see people bringing back are getting their refills for $1.00. They are not doing anything wrong, they are just saving money.

Ha, was this the Magical Express bus? Those bus drivers don't even work for Disney. They work for Mears.

I've had bus drivers and boat captains tell me that the monorail was supposed to go through the Swan and Dolphin, too.

There is no $1.00 refill anywhere, except maybe the AK animal topped beverage containers that you have to show the receipt that you bought the container that day. Even the water parks make you pay about $5-7 for a refill all day sticker on the water park mugs.

 

[jenseib]

Number one, I'm not trying to be Big Brother ... I'm talking about the overall idea ... I'm not suggesting video surveillance, or the death penalty for an extra ice cube, or enforcement of any kind. I'm talking about the idea of honor.

The concept of honor does not vary by degrees, it is not dependent on dollar figures. The concept of honor has nothing to do whether one is being watched. It has nothing to do with the risk of getting caught. It has nothing to do with whether or not there is any sort of penalty or enforcement.

For example, my wife founded our local Brownie Girl Scout troop, and our first-ever Cookie sale is winding down to a close. Just yesterday one of my son's Cub Scout leaders asked to buy 3 boxes from us, but I didn't have any with me. The boxes are $3.50 each. He gave me $11 for the three boxes and and told me to keep the 50 cents change for the Troop. When I got home, I was very very careful to tell my wife that I had an extra 50 cents for the Troop ... I wanted to make sure that I didn't forget and then accidentally keep the 50 cents for ourselves. I put it in the Troop cashbox and wrote the apporpriate entry.

It may seem silly to some that I made such a big deal over 50 cents. It's ONLY 50 cents, right??? Wrong. Well, yes, it's only 50 cents, but the man who gave me the money told me to keep that 50 cents for the Troop (he didn't intend to "tip" me 50 cents!). It is the honorable thing to follow his wishes and to give the money to the Troop rather than keep it for myself. I could rationalize from here to Orlando about how we spent money on gasoline picking up and delivering cookies, the paper and the computer printer ink we used to help with sales, and so on and so on ... I could rationalize all day about keeping the 50 cents. And no one would know about it. There's no Big Brother (Big Sister???) watching over us to make sure we don't pocket that 50 cents. But making sure it went to the Troop was a matter of honor.

People who act honorably don't change their character as a function of dollar amounts.

However, I also realize that honor is not a requirement. People are free to choose whether to conduct themselves with honor or not. G-d Bless America. I know people who look for the angles, who look for what they can safely get away with ... I just don't associate with them. They make their choices. I make mine. I'd never try to intervene when I see anyone acting dishonorably (in relatively minor instances), because that is their choice, and who am I to rain on their parade? Like I said, G-d Bless America.

Well you might still be getting ripped off or ripping someone off, as we were told GS cookies went down 50 cents a box this year, making them $3.00. Thats all I paid for them. Maybe it differs state to state?

 

[CleveRocks]

We were at Disney last May and it was announced on the buses that you CAN bring your mugs back year after year and get the refills for $1.00. so the mugs that you see people bringing back are getting their refills for $1.00. They are not doing anything wrong, they are just saving money.

Regardless of where anyone stands on The Great Mug Debate, what you were told on that bus was 100% wrong. That's not opinion, that's fact. Disney has no program where they charge $1.00 for refills on "old" mugs. It simply doesn't exist. WHoever told you that was making it up, or was spreading a false rumor.

Again, on this we can ALL agree!

 

[seadd67]

Any one that has worked In food Business,restraunts that sell foutain soda make Big$ on them. they get spend pennys on the dollar,Disney I am sure Is not hurting If people are useing years previous mugs. Now we buy new ones every trip and In genreal just do not do that.If other folks do It,whats the big deal there Is a ton of Families that go to WDW on a shoe string budget,and just can not put out the extra money for the mugs.To me there Is no harm In It,I can not see any of us losing any sleep over this,can we?.

 

[Cinderellabride]

Here is what it says on Disney's website under the Deluxe Dining Package information:

"1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug Per Person
The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan also includes a refillable Resort drink mug for each Guest. Bring your Resort mug to any quick-service restaurant at your Resort hotel and refill it as often as you like!"

So it appears as though the rules say you can use it anywhere at YOUR resort. It does not say anything about bringing it back, but considering as the signs at the resorts say that, then that is also the rule.

Just because Disney doesn't always enforce the rules, or CM's don't, doesn't mean that they are not the rules. But you don't have to answer to me, I just wanted to post what Disney officially says about it.

 

[Lehuaann]

2009 Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/m...fic/eng/nontheme/tickets/2009Quickservice.pdf

2009 Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me...ey Deluxe Dining Plan - Walt Disney World.pdf


The plan also includes one (1) Resort refillable
drink mug per person, per package (eligible for refills at Quick Service
locations only in your Disney Resort hotel).

I interpret this to read no mug-hopping allowed.

 

[Cdnmom2001]

When I was speaking to a CM last week he told me if I had a refillable mug from a previous year I could purchase a sticker for just under $4 and it would make my mug valid again and I would not need to re-purchase a new mug? Anyone confirm of deny this?

 

[djm99]

Every time we stay onsite we buy the mugs, BUT never used them to fill up while we were on our way to the parks. If I was having a meal or sitting at the pool of course I would use the Disney mugs. I always used my cheap $1 squirt bottles for the parks. I always took & filled up my squirt bottles only because I can close the top on them and put them in my backpack. I guess I could take along the Disney mugs fill them up then transfer that liquid into my squirt bottles, but that almost seems a little dramatic (but likely honest only to others eyes). I guess I will bring them with me this summer because we are using the CS meal plan.

 

[saratogadreamin09]

When I was at Saratoga Springs last week they sold the last of the 2008 mugs. After our 3rd day there we never saw the 08 mugs for sale but on our first two days we saw them for sale.

 

[nwhitehead1214]

A little off topic but where are the rules that say no food in the park?

I mean if I buy a small thing of cheerios for my kiddos at the food court can I not bring them in the park? We don't usually bring food from home to the park...but I also never saw this rule.

The official food policy is that outside food is discouraged in the parks due to health issues and the possibility of food poisoning from un-refrigerated perishables. It really isn't for profit reasons, Disney can be liable if someone is ill on their property. That being said it is unlikely that you will be in trouble if you bring Cheerios into the park. However, if you really want to follow official policy there is no outside food--- that is the official policy. That is the reason the point was made by a previous poster. There are a lot of people making judgments about Mug People, character questioning and they themselves are not "adhering to" official policy. Stealing can take many forms- NOT THAT I AM ADVOCATING ANY OF IT. I just leave everyone's personal decisions up to themselves. I just want to note, you will not find Cheerios in your Food Court at a Disney hotel because Disney's branding is not with General Mills. So if you have Cheerios at Disney World, it's contraband whereever you are. However, you may find some Oh We Oh's (can't remember the name) or some knockoff occasionally at a resort.

 

[Lehuaann]

When I was speaking to a CM he told me if I had a refillable mug from a previous year I could purchase a sticker for just under $4 and it would make my mug valid again and I would not need to re-purchase a new mug? Anyone confirm of deny this?

Again what kind of "CM" are we talking about...actual Disney CM or contracted worker? I have never heard of that and it is not on the website/dining brochure.

 

[Cdnmom2001]

Again what kind of "CM" are we talking about...actual Disney CM or contracted worker? I have never heard of that and it is not on the website/dining brochure.

When I was booking/switching my rooms he told me this over the phone. He could be wrong and I don't have an old mug so it's not really applicable but I was just wondering

 

[Cinderellabride]

Amen! I totally agree. Yes Disney says no food in parks, and NO coolers as well. So you are taking money away from them by not buying heir food. I could care less what others do. We bring snacks for my little one into the parks. I will be buying a new mug for myself, but using an old one for DD. She won't use it much. And if you want to get technical, we usually share a drink, so I could just go fill mine up, and go back and dump in any of her cups, and go back and refill again. DH can buy a new one if he choses ,or use qan old mug, I could care less, but if some guest questions me, especially rudely, they better hope they have a rain hat on~

Actually Disney does not say no outside food and no coolers. Here is the list of prohibited items that is listed on wdwinfo:

Prohibited Items

The following are not allowed to be brought into the Disney Theme Parks:

Items with wheels, such as wagons, skateboards, scooters, inline skates, shoes with built-in wheels, two-wheeled or three-wheeled conveyances, strollers larger than 36" x 52", suitcases, coolers, or backpacks with or without wheels larger than 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high (coolers required for medication may be stored in a locker or at Guest Relations), and any trailer-like object that is pushed or towed by an ECV wheelchair or stroller
Alcoholic beverages
Weapons of any kind
Folding chairs
Glass containers (excluding baby food jars and perfume bottles)
Pets (unless they are service animals)
In Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park (for the safety of the wildlife), balloons, straws and drink lids are not permitted. Note: they now have biodegradable paper straws.

(I added the emphasis)

They prohibit larger coolers along with larger backpacks and larger suitcases. That means you can bring smaller coolers. And it says nothing about outside food only alcohol and glass containers.

 

[nwhitehead1214]

Well, I don't have the official rule book and I don't care to find one but I do rely quite heavily on Anita Answers out of the Allearsnet.com crew here was her answer:

Celena and several others write:

Can you bring food or beverages into the theme parks? If not, can I stow them in the diaper bag without having them taken from me if discovered? Thank you for your time.

Hi Everyone!

The official beverage policy is that no glass containers are allowed into the parks, and no alcoholic beverages may be brought in. Bottled water and soft drinks are allowed.

The official food policy is that outside food is discouraged in the parks due to health issues and the possibility of food poisoning from un-refrigerated perishables.

That said, there are no Food Police at the World. When the Security Host looks through your stuff at the bag check area outside of the parks, they won't confiscate any foods from you. They're looking for weapons or other contraband that may hurt other guests, and not for sneaked-in snacks. So, in short, you can bring an apple into the parks, but you can't bring in a knife to cut it up. The knife will be confiscated. And for the safety and comfort of those around you, please do not cut the cheese in the parks. ;-)

Have a great time planning your trips, everyone!

A.A.

 

[Deb & Bill]

When I was speaking to a CM last week he told me if I had a refillable mug from a previous year I could purchase a sticker for just under $4 and it would make my mug valid again and I would not need to re-purchase a new mug? Anyone confirm of deny this?

The only place where you can buy a sticker and get refills is at the water parks. You can buy a water park mug on one day and then for subsequent days you purchase the daily refill sticker for about $5-7.

 

[edwardsfire]

I have seen folks use mugs from more than 4 years ago....no issues.
I wont tell how old mine is....

 

[minnie61650]

....Was there ever a time where it was acceptable to bring mugs back from a previous trip? My dad swears up and down that when we went two times within a year, he bought the first mugs and they told him to bring them back whenever he came to Disney for free refills...

Some CM did tell guests it was OK to bring old mugs back for for refills.
However..........................

I have serched the internet many times over looking for PROOF that Disney did in fact have a lifetime
refillable mug at one time . I did not find any articles to back up the claims of a lifetime refillable mug.
I did find a photoshop photo of this PRETEND one:

Here are some articles I did find that were written in 2002 and back up the claim that the Disney resort refillable mugs were never lifetime refillable mugs.



------------------------------------------------
From this Mouseplanet.com websiteJune,2002:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/mike/ref...icy_changes.htm

In an effort to rein in costs and increase income, the Walt Disney World Resort hotels are making some drastic changes to the extremely popular refillable mug program that may affect many repeat visitors to the resort.

[If you are unfamiliar with the program, you can read about it in MousePlanet's WDW Resorts from A to Z page under "Refillable Mugs."]

According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel entitled "32 ounces of soda not enough? Disney tries out self-serve refills," Walt Disney World is making large 32-ounce soft drink mugs available for free self-serve refills in Typhoon Lagoon. That's the good news. The bad news is that you can only refill your mug on the day of purchase. If you return to Typhoon Lagoon the next day, you can no longer refill your mug for free.

Disney has added a new UPC bar coding system to the self-serve refill stations that, for the first time, controls a previously unenforced policy. Although the refillable mug program has always been advertised as available during an actual length of stay that allows guests to refill their mugs during their trip, in reality, guests often brought their mugs back on subsequent trips to refill them free of charge. With the UPC code tied to a guest's hotel reservation, this new system closes this loophole altogether. That is, once your stay has ended, your mug is no longer refillable. Those mugs you bought on previous visits won't work next time you vacation at WDW.
Another loophole that may close with this new system is that you might not be able to use your mug at any other resort except at the one you are staying. For example, if you stay at one of the resorts for a few days and purchase a mug there, and then you move over to another resort for the balance of your vacation, the mug might not be refillable at the second resort.How will this new system be enforced? Once the UPC code system is fully activated, they can devise a system by which the fountains work only if an "active" UPC code is on the mug.

WDW visitors are already complaining that the new system is yet another line to stand in and just "more time-consuming nonsense cutting into [one's] vacation time."

Did you recently visit WDW and see this change in practice? If you have any first-hand knowledge or experience, please email me or Brian Bennett at brian@mouseplanet.com to provide us with more details.

---------------------------------------------------------
Here is another article written in June 2002:

http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/2002/06/24.html

Disney Mug Holders, Beware

"The new system of computerized monitoring of fountain refills being experimented with at Typhoon Lagoon could tighten a rather loose policy at Disney's resorts. They sell 16-ounce souvenir mugs for $9.99.

Guests may refill them at resort snack bars unlimited times with soda, coffee or tea for the length of their stay. Cashiers sell the mugs and then are supposed to keep a watchful eye as guests get their own refills.

But some Disney World employees and regular guests say they take the mugs on repeat visits to the snack bars and fill up -- basically a lifetime of free drinks for one purchase. They are occasionally offered on eBay and at garage sales, testimony to their timeless value.

Cashiers say the mugs' designs aren't changed enough for them to spot old ones. But the new system being tried at Typhoon Lagoon employs a bar code that's read electronically at the drink dispenser and recognizes old mugs." [Orlando Sentinel, via Boing Boing]

----------------------------------------------------------------

And another from June 2002:

From this website:

http://www.intercot.com/news/2002/june.asp

News Archive - June 2002

June 27, 2002


Refillable Mug Policy Tightening?
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Disney is experimenting with a new computerized barcode system to be used in tandem with it's refillable mug program offered at their resorts. The program allows guests to buy a mug for each person in their party which then can be used for unlimited drink refills during their stay. The policy change could come as a result of Guests taking the mugs on repeat visits to Disney World to fill up on what becomes basically a lifetime of free drinks for one purchase.

-----------------------------

Just my 2 cents.

 

[minnie61650]

My thought is that Disney doesn't pay for the products so I'm not sure how much credence I put in their refil policy, expecially when they don't enforce it themselves. The coke a cola company puts it's products in Disney for free to promote it's brand.

Even if the syrup is free there are still other expenses I am sure that are not covered.

Such as the cost to carbonate the syrup ,the cost of the dispensers. the cost of the ice, the cost to deliver the syrup, the pay for the CM's setting up the machines, the electricity to run the machines, the cost to maintain the dispensers, not to mention the cost of liability insurance in case of a lawsuit from a "slip and fall".

I am sure there other expenses I am missing but I assure you there are a lot of "hidden costs" in that mug of soda and even pennies tend to add up when hundreds of thousands of mugs of soda are dispensed weekly.

JMHO