>> Refillable Mug FAQ <<

[bluezy]

Just to clarify, at wilderness lodge the mugs are in big baskets. You choose the color you wAnt. There are no chips on the mug or activated on the soda machine. Maybe this is a wilderness only mug but they still tell you can use them at other hotels so without a chip that would not be possible unless all hotel mugs are now chip free. I’m not complaining. It’s much more convenient. I was just curious. And I have tried other cups just for fun. Soda is open and available for any cup at all.

I think that's basically how you get your mugs at any resort -- they've always been in baskets or on shelves (at least the ones that I've seen) and then you take them to the cashier to pay for them. How do you know they don't have chips in them? It was never obvious that the mugs had chips in them (at least not the ones we've purchased over the last few years) and you have to know where to look for them. The chips on the paper cups are much more obvious.

Interesting that the soda seems to be working for any type of cup. What made you first notice that they were working for any cup? Is there anything displaying on the little screens at the soda dispensers? Our family has never really had an issue using the chip mugs (other than the last time we were there and 3 of our 6 mugs stopped working one day. A quick trip to the cashier fixed that issue in about 10 seconds) -- they work fine for us and we haven't really noticed any difference from the old non-chipped mugs and the newer chipped mugs. We've never needed a refill before the wait time was up but I know some families do have issues with the wait time. I sure hope they aren't eliminating the chips because I get irritated when I see people filling thermoses, non-Disney mugs, etc. with what they feel is "free" soda (not referring to you, OP -- you purchased mugs and just "experimented" with a different cup).

 

[Wood Nymph]

Just to clarify, at wilderness lodge the mugs are in big baskets. You choose the color you wAnt. There are no chips on the mug or activated on the soda machine. Maybe this is a wilderness only mug but they still tell you can use them at other hotels so without a chip that would not be possible unless all hotel mugs are now chip free. I’m not complaining. It’s much more convenient. I was just curious. And I have tried other cups just for fun. Soda is open and available for any cup at all.

We had lunch today at Geyser Point and it is true that the soda will dispense into a cup that doesn't have a chip. But I think that is just a temporary kind of broken thing that is happening at this location. We are staying at the GF and have the regular mug with a chip.

 

[tnolan]

Very glad they put the handles back on the mugs. This makes it easy to put one on the inside door handle in our room at the Poly as a reminder to take our mugs, so we don't forget to take them with us for breakfast!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Is there anything displaying on the little screens at the soda dispensers?

There wasn't anything displayed on the little screens of the "free" soda dispensers at the Wilderness Lodge, which is why I think it is temporarily broken.

 

[nutshell]

Just curious. But how many of you carry your mugs to the parks? Since they are only refillable at a resort it doesn't seem to make much sense to carry them to the parks.

 

[Nohal]

Just curious. But how many of you carry your mugs to the parks? Since they are only refillable at a resort it doesn't seem to make much sense to carry them to the parks.

I always take 1 mug with me to the parks. I fill it with coffee on the way out of the resort and drink it waiting for the bus. Then if we have leftover drinks from meals it goes into the mug. On the way back to the resort I fill the mug up at the drink station on my way to the room.

 

[peg2001]

We tend to carry our mugs to the park, mainly because we pass by the food court anyway going to and from the bus transportation. The mugs are filled coming and going. One of us usually has a small bag/pack anyway so we just toss them into the pack once empty. If someone is otherwise going bagless, it probably isn't worth hauling the mug around.

 

[bluezy]

Just curious. But how many of you carry your mugs to the parks? Since they are only refillable at a resort it doesn't seem to make much sense to carry them to the parks.

We don't. We tend to go to the parks with no bags or I might carry a tiny crossbody bag that is only big enough to hold my phone, credit card, ID, and a little cash. It would be a pain for us to carry our mugs around the parks. But I understand why some people do -- especially if they've got a stroller or large bag to put them in (though I'd worry about them getting stolen in a stroller). Six out of seven trips we've had a room very close to the food court at our resort so it hasn't been a big deal for one of us to grab all the mugs and go refill them when we return from the park.

 

[southjerseymom]

Here now @ Wilderness Lodge. Not happy that I bought the mugs. I've spent the last week watching guests fill up their personal yeti's etc with tons of soda. Anyone can get anything they want out of the soda machine. My family are huge unsweetened ice tea drinkers. We drink Gold Peak at home. The Gold Peak tea here is awful. Tastes moldy - seriously undrinkable. The first 3 nights I complained to various Cast members. They all nodded and did nothing, After a week I'm done complaining and I'm just pissed. I spent $20 ($60 for 3) for water with a lemon in it. Complete waste of money. Get a courtesy cup and drink as much soda as you want for free here at Wilderness Lodge.

 

[SPAM]

Bummer to hear about the soda fountains working without mugs/chips. Are there reports of this happening outside Wilderness Lodge?

 

[dansdad]

Bummer to hear about the soda fountains working without mugs/chips. Are there reports of this happening outside Wilderness Lodge?

Not yet.

 

[bluezy]

Here now @ Wilderness Lodge. Not happy that I bought the mugs. I've spent the last week watching guests fill up their personal yeti's etc with tons of soda. Anyone can get anything they want out of the soda machine. My family are huge unsweetened ice tea drinkers. We drink Gold Peak at home. The Gold Peak tea here is awful. Tastes moldy - seriously undrinkable. The first 3 nights I complained to various Cast members. They all nodded and did nothing, After a week I'm done complaining and I'm just pissed. I spent $20 ($60 for 3) for water with a lemon in it. Complete waste of money. Get a courtesy cup and drink as much soda as you want for free here at Wilderness Lodge.

I would ask to speak to the manager for food services at Wilderness Lodge. I'd stand there and make him/her drink some of the tea and then ask why you had to buy refillable mugs when apparently everyone else is just filling any old cup they have. Maybe they'll refund some or all of your mug costs.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I took our nonchipped mugs from Wilderness over to bay Lake yesterday, they worked fine. Stopped at the drink station at the Contemporary. Same thing...no problem.

 

[bumbershoot]

I took our nonchipped mugs from Wilderness over to bay Lake yesterday, they worked fine. Stopped at the drink station at the Contemporary. Same thing...no problem.

So I hear you that it’s working. But how do you know they are unchipped?

Sounds like they’ve turned off something on the machine. But calling the mugs unchipped makes no sense. It’s not like you can see the chips.

And I know this is picky. And makes no difference for the experience people are having. And you don’t have to respond. But semantics are ridiculously important to me.

 

[bumbershoot]

And I would 100% be talking to management and getting an answer as to why they are charging for mugs when the machines aren’t “caring” about the containers.


Oh, about the tea...if it’s your first trip it’s worth knowing that many of us find Orlando water to taste atrocious. So anything made with the water can smell and taste atrocious.

I once got a sprite from the machine and as I brought it up drink I could smell the Orlando water in it. Had to dump it. Too gross.

So the tea might be suffering from that. Or they need to clean it out! No one should be ignoring it.

That said, cms are busy and don’t always act like they are going to rush off for your comment. But I’ve seen more often than not, if you’re in the area, you’ll see them or someone else come out to take care of the problem.

 

[PolyRob]

And I would 100% be talking to management and getting an answer as to why they are charging for mugs when the machines aren’t “caring” about the containers.


Oh, about the tea...if it’s your first trip it’s worth knowing that many of us find Orlando water to taste atrocious. So anything made with the water can smell and taste atrocious.

I once got a sprite from the machine and as I brought it up drink I could smell the Orlando water in it. Had to dump it. Too gross.

So the tea might be suffering from that. Or they need to clean it out! No one should be ignoring it.

That said, cms are busy and don’t always act like they are going to rush off for your comment. But I’ve seen more often than not, if you’re in the area, you’ll see them or someone else come out to take care of the problem.

Your point about the water is so true! I find some places have better filtration than others. I can either enjoy my Coke Zero, or get one that reminds me of riding Splash Mountain.

 

[bluezy]

So I hear you that it’s working. But how do you know they are unchipped?

Sounds like they’ve turned off something on the machine. But calling the mugs unchipped makes no sense. It’s not like you can see the chips.

And I know this is picky. And makes no difference for the experience people are having. And you don’t have to respond. But semantics are ridiculously important to me.

I'm the same way. I'm wondering how the PPs know their mugs aren't chipped. The vast majority of people using the chipped mugs have know idea where the chip is as it's not obvious and you have to know where and how to look for it. My guess is that the "system" is turned off at Wilderness Lodge for some reason and the mugs *are* chipped and that's why they're working everywhere else....unless for some reason the whole system is down and it's affecting all resorts. I'll sleep better tonight if someone just comes back and tells us how they know their mug truly isn't chipped. Of course, I suppose there's also the potential that the vendor screwed up and sent Disney 20,000 non-chipped mugs and Disney decided it's easier to turn off the system until that inventory is used up?????????

 

[PolyRob]

I'm the same way. I'm wondering how the PPs know their mugs aren't chipped. The vast majority of people using the chipped mugs have know idea where the chip is as it's not obvious and you have to know where and how to look for it. My guess is that the "system" is turned off at Wilderness Lodge for some reason and the mugs *are* chipped and that's why they're working everywhere else....unless for some reason the whole system is down and it's affecting all resorts. I'll sleep better tonight if someone just comes back and tells us how they know their mug truly isn't chipped. Of course, I suppose there's also the potential that the vendor screwed up and sent Disney 20,000 non-chipped mugs and Disney decided it's easier to turn off the system until that inventory is used up?????????

That's an excellent possibility about Disney possibly receiving unchipped mugs and doing this.

I guess an easy way to distinguish if Disney is still using the regular chip system is if the OP noticed whether or not the mugs were activated when they were purchased. If they were each placed on that black box by the CM at the register, they are indeed still chipped and being activated as normal. Last December when Gasparilla was closed for refurbishment, I purchased rapid refill mugs from the makeshift QS at Mizner's. The mugs were filled no questions asked by the CMs behind the bar at the lounge, but it was still normal business at the pool bar and the resorts requiring the initial activation.

You cannot see the chip on the mug since its in the bottom, but if you have a regular throwaway cup you can definitely see where or not there is a chip on those:



I am also very interested in knowing what is actually going on because I will definitely not purchase a non-chipped mug for $20 for a small trip if I will be stuck paying for something people are just taking advantage of. I will just pack some extra stuff in my SW checked luggage or do an Amazon order.

 

[bluezy]

That's an excellent possibility about Disney possibly receiving unchipped mugs and doing this.

I guess an easy way to distinguish if Disney is still using the regular chip system is if the OP noticed whether or not the mugs were activated when they were purchased. If they were each placed on that black box by the CM at the register, they are indeed still chipped and being activated as normal. Last December when Gasparilla was closed for refurbishment, I purchased rapid refill mugs from the makeshift QS at Mizner's. The mugs were filled no questions asked by the CMs behind the bar at the lounge, but it was still normal business at the pool bar and the resorts requiring the initial activation.

You cannot see the chip on the mug since its in the bottom, but if you have a regular throwaway cup you can definitely see where or not there is a chip on those:

View attachment 285808

I am also very interested in knowing what is actually going on because I will definitely not purchase a non-chipped mug for $20 for a small trip if I will be stuck paying for something people are just taking advantage of. I will just pack some extra stuff in my SW checked luggage or do an Amazon order.

I think a lot of people (not directing this at anyone in particular) think the mugs have those stick-on chips like the throwaway cups. That's why I'm thinking that these mugs *are* chipped and it's just the system not working (or being turned off for some reason). Just because you don't see the chip in the mug, doesn't mean it's not there. I noticed people saying their mugs didn't have chips a few months ago (I think it was on a different board) but when someone told them how to look for them in the mug, they realized that their mugs did actually have chips.

 

[southjerseymom]

And I would 100% be talking to management and getting an answer as to why they are charging for mugs when the machines aren’t “caring” about the containers.


Oh, about the tea...if it’s your first trip it’s worth knowing that many of us find Orlando water to taste atrocious. So anything made with the water can smell and taste atrocious.

I once got a sprite from the machine and as I brought it up drink I could smell the Orlando water in it. Had to dump it. Too gross.

So the tea might be suffering from that. Or they need to clean it out! No one should be ignoring it.

That said, cms are busy and don’t always act like they are going to rush off for your comment. But I’ve seen more often than not, if you’re in the area, you’ll see them or someone else come out to take care of the problem.

I'm ok with Orlando water it has never bothered me. .the Gold Peak tea at Roaring Forks is undrinkable. The Geyser Peak tea is better. I work in restaurants. The Gold Peak tea in Roaring Forks and Geyser Peak are calibrated wrong with the tea / water ratio. The Roaring Forks dispenser, in my opinion has a cleanliness issue.