Lynne M
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2001
- Messages
- 12,657
Note: The previous version of this FAQ thread has been closed and made non-sticky. It will remain on the board for reference if needed.
The purpose of this thread is to provide information on the refillable mug program to those planning visits to Disney resorts. It is not a debate thread, or a place to revisit old arguments about the way the program worked five or ten years ago. Such posts will be deleted without comment.
If you purchase a refillable Rapid Fill mug at a Disney resort food court or quick service dining location, you can get free refills of selected drinks for the duration of your stay.
Where can I buy this mug, and what does it cost? How many days can I use it?
You can find the mugs at the food court or quick service dining location at any Disney resort.
If you’re staying on a package that includes any Disney Dining Plan, you’ll receive one mug for each member of your party at no additional charge - the cost of the mug is included in the dining plan (if you have children under 3 on your reservation, they are not on the dining plan, so they will not get a free mug).
If you don’t have the dining plan, you’ll be charged $18.99 for each mug (price changed 1/18).
Take the mug to the cashier, who must activate it (the mug contains an RFID chip that is read by the beverage dispenser). If you’re on the dining plan, the cashier will ask you to scan your magic band to confirm.
The mugs are sold as ‘length of stay’, but they seem to remain active for 14 days. The display screen on the soda machine will show you the expiration date for the mug when you fill it.
What does the mug look like?
It’s a 16 oz plastic mug with a lid. You can choose from several different lid/handle colors; currently, red, blue, green or purple.
What drinks can I get with the mug?
The selection of drinks varies a bit by resort, but all resorts offer soda, water, hot chocolate, iced tea, coffee, and hot water for tea. In the soda dispenser, you’ll find Coke products: the usual suspects like Coke & Diet Coke, various other sodas and fruit-flavored non-carbonated drinks.
Milk, fruit juices, and premium coffees and other beverages are not available with the mug and can be purchased separately.
How do I get my drinks?
The soda machine is very similar to those at fast-food restaurants, except for the little display screens.
Place your mug on the tray under your beverage of choice. If your mug isn’t placed correctly, a message will display on the screen. Press the button on the dispenser; the fill will stop automatically when the mug is full.
Note: these machines read an RFID chip that’s embedded in your mug. If your mug has not been activated by a cashier, or has expired, the dispenser will not work.
For coffee, water, iced tea, etc, just use the dispensers to fill your mug.
Can I mix drinks in a single fill?
Sure. If you like half-Coke/half-Diet Coke, go ahead. The machine won’t turn off until the mug is full, so you can mix as many drinks as you like.
Is there a limit on how often I can fill the mug?
For the soda machine, there’s a timer that makes you wait a couple of minutes before you refill. The display screen will tell you how many seconds are left before you can fill up again.
The coffee, water, and iced tea dispensers don’t read the chip in your mug, so there’s no wait period - just fill up as often as you’d like.
What if I’m staying at two different resorts during my trip? Will I have to get another mug?
No, once your mug has been activated, it can be used at any Disney resort.
Can I get drink refills in the theme parks or water parks?
No, the mugs only work at resorts. You can take your mug into the parks with you, of course, and pour any drinks you purchase there into the mug. Don’t hand the mug to a CM and ask them to fill it, though - they’re not allowed to fill your mug for sanitary reasons. They’ll serve your drink in a cup.
Do I need to be staying at a Disney resort to buy a mug?
Nope. There’s no requirement that you be staying onsite.
I bought one of the ‘forever’ mugs way back when. Can I still use it with the new machines?
Sorry, in this case, forever has an expiration date. Forever mugs can no longer be used for refills, as they don’t contain the chip that’s required to activate the drink machine.
Note: This thread is for discussion of the current mug program. Debates about whether the forever mugs should still be useable will be deleted without comment. If you're upset that you can no longer use your forever mug, contact Disney.
I stayed at a Disney resort earlier this year and I still have the mug. Can I bring it with me on my next trip, pay the activation fee again and use it?
Yes, you can, as long as it’s one of the Rapid Fill mugs with the RFID chip.
I hope this information is helpful, let us know if anything needs correcting or updating.
Thanks!
Lynne M and the DISboards Staff
The purpose of this thread is to provide information on the refillable mug program to those planning visits to Disney resorts. It is not a debate thread, or a place to revisit old arguments about the way the program worked five or ten years ago. Such posts will be deleted without comment.
If you purchase a refillable Rapid Fill mug at a Disney resort food court or quick service dining location, you can get free refills of selected drinks for the duration of your stay.
Where can I buy this mug, and what does it cost? How many days can I use it?
You can find the mugs at the food court or quick service dining location at any Disney resort.
If you’re staying on a package that includes any Disney Dining Plan, you’ll receive one mug for each member of your party at no additional charge - the cost of the mug is included in the dining plan (if you have children under 3 on your reservation, they are not on the dining plan, so they will not get a free mug).
If you don’t have the dining plan, you’ll be charged $18.99 for each mug (price changed 1/18).
Take the mug to the cashier, who must activate it (the mug contains an RFID chip that is read by the beverage dispenser). If you’re on the dining plan, the cashier will ask you to scan your magic band to confirm.
The mugs are sold as ‘length of stay’, but they seem to remain active for 14 days. The display screen on the soda machine will show you the expiration date for the mug when you fill it.
What does the mug look like?
It’s a 16 oz plastic mug with a lid. You can choose from several different lid/handle colors; currently, red, blue, green or purple.
What drinks can I get with the mug?
The selection of drinks varies a bit by resort, but all resorts offer soda, water, hot chocolate, iced tea, coffee, and hot water for tea. In the soda dispenser, you’ll find Coke products: the usual suspects like Coke & Diet Coke, various other sodas and fruit-flavored non-carbonated drinks.
Milk, fruit juices, and premium coffees and other beverages are not available with the mug and can be purchased separately.
How do I get my drinks?
The soda machine is very similar to those at fast-food restaurants, except for the little display screens.
Place your mug on the tray under your beverage of choice. If your mug isn’t placed correctly, a message will display on the screen. Press the button on the dispenser; the fill will stop automatically when the mug is full.
Note: these machines read an RFID chip that’s embedded in your mug. If your mug has not been activated by a cashier, or has expired, the dispenser will not work.
For coffee, water, iced tea, etc, just use the dispensers to fill your mug.
Can I mix drinks in a single fill?
Sure. If you like half-Coke/half-Diet Coke, go ahead. The machine won’t turn off until the mug is full, so you can mix as many drinks as you like.
Is there a limit on how often I can fill the mug?
For the soda machine, there’s a timer that makes you wait a couple of minutes before you refill. The display screen will tell you how many seconds are left before you can fill up again.
The coffee, water, and iced tea dispensers don’t read the chip in your mug, so there’s no wait period - just fill up as often as you’d like.
What if I’m staying at two different resorts during my trip? Will I have to get another mug?
No, once your mug has been activated, it can be used at any Disney resort.
Can I get drink refills in the theme parks or water parks?
No, the mugs only work at resorts. You can take your mug into the parks with you, of course, and pour any drinks you purchase there into the mug. Don’t hand the mug to a CM and ask them to fill it, though - they’re not allowed to fill your mug for sanitary reasons. They’ll serve your drink in a cup.
Do I need to be staying at a Disney resort to buy a mug?
Nope. There’s no requirement that you be staying onsite.
I bought one of the ‘forever’ mugs way back when. Can I still use it with the new machines?
Sorry, in this case, forever has an expiration date. Forever mugs can no longer be used for refills, as they don’t contain the chip that’s required to activate the drink machine.
Note: This thread is for discussion of the current mug program. Debates about whether the forever mugs should still be useable will be deleted without comment. If you're upset that you can no longer use your forever mug, contact Disney.
I stayed at a Disney resort earlier this year and I still have the mug. Can I bring it with me on my next trip, pay the activation fee again and use it?
Yes, you can, as long as it’s one of the Rapid Fill mugs with the RFID chip.
I hope this information is helpful, let us know if anything needs correcting or updating.
Thanks!
Lynne M and the DISboards Staff
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