Refillable Mugs at ASMo

[JackSpratsMom]

As a new member to these boards I am afraid I didn't realise what a nerve this post would strike with some people.
It was just an innocent question that I guess has been rehashed on here many times.
Thank you for your responses.

I particularly wish to thank billybaruch1 for their heart warming welcome............I certainly feel all warm and fuzzy now

Thank you dcgrumpy for confirming that the disposable cups are not on clear view.

Thanks for your comments Kinggoofy!

 

[kinggoofy]

JackSpratsMoM

My pleasure....

actually these boards are alot of fun AND informative. Don't let a few of the "Eyes and Ears of Michael Eisner" ruin it for you !!!!!!!!.

 

[mcbreb]

We were told the same. As long as they were used at the
All Star resorts they were good for life. It seems to me they
may have a policy kinda like Texaco had years ago. If you buy
their special coffee mug then you get free refills for as long as
you own the cup.

 

[safetymom]

I am not trying to fuel the debate but want to know what you are supposed to do. We have been going to CBR many times and when the mugs changed we bought new ones each time.

Now at CBR above the beverage bar is a sign stating that the mug is only good for the length of stay in which you purchased it.

So if I understand what everyone is saying, my old mugs are good forever. The new one purchased in January is no longer useable because of the sign above the beverages?

 

[Teris]

The policy could very well be that now when you purchase mugs, they are for length of stay only. It wasn't policy at the AKL last summer tho or in any of my previous visits. But that doesn't mean they aren't trying to phasing out the lifetime refill program. There had been rumers of them doing this at some point.

That said,, it doesn't appear that they are going to turn back on the hundreds of thousands of returning guests who were told their mug could be reused at the resort they purchased it at, and now tell them that when they said originally their mugs were 'lifetime' they didnt' really mean that. Disney knows that the frequent returning guests are important,, and they would not be so petty as to upset a guest over a coke refill. That would be a PR disaster for them.

I dont' bring my old ones back,, but that's because they tend to take up too much room. I need that room to bring back other stuff,,lol.

In the end,, I would just go by whatever policy applys whereever you are staying. If in doubt,, ask to speak with someone in charge to find out for sure.

 

[safetymom]

Thank you Teris. I guess this means I can leave my new mugs home and take the old ones. My favorite was the big yellow ones from Dixie Landings. It would be nice to be able to use them again at POR.

I don't think WDW would issue a ruling on the old ones but I could see them doing it with the ones that they have for sale now. But on the other hand I don't know how they would police the policy.

 

[Teris]

Well,, it seems to be a touchy issue doesn't it? I think ongoing they will be checking for the newer mugs too. I loved my old CBR ones,, that were brightly colors, fuchia, caribbean blue, aqua, those rocked!

I would definately ask when you check in tho. I asked even tho I didn't bring the mugs with me,, I wanted to find out for myself what the deal was. I don't have a problem with getting new mugs,, altho we left the AKL ones there in the room when we left, as we were flying home to the UK, and already had too much stuff in the suitcases,, plus I had AKL mugs at home already. I am wondering if they are not being very consistant in the policy between resorts tho.

Either way,, I think asking does no harm. It isn't about the free refills, I think most of us already spend a ridiculous amount of money when we go there,, what's a little more for new mugs,, it's really about being told when we bought the old ones, that we could bring them back indefinately, and standing by that.

 

[bobcat]

As with many things Disney depending on who you ask you are going to get a different reply.

JackSpratsMom welcome to the DIS. As you quickly found out this is a hot issue. Don't let this post scare you off. There is a board for debates, where these issues are usually moved when they get heated. You asked a question and didn't deserve to be jumped on for it.

 

[safetymom]

Teris, I never had a problem with buying new mugs because we use them so much around the house. My kids liked getting whatever the new mugs were when we went back to POR or CBR.

I am trying to get rid of some of them before we move to Florida and the kids want to hold on to them.

 

[billybaruch1]

I'm sorry. I had no idea some people were told the refills are forever. I'm new here. Please don't think poorly of me or that I was "jumping" on anyone. Really, I was only expressing my opinion that trying to take advantage doesn't really help in the long run. I think each one of us is better off when we let our conscience be our guide. (Where have I heard that before?) Please accept my apology. My only defense is I didn't know mugs were for life (sometimes!)

 

[mcbreb]

That maybe the policies of the budget resorts difer from that
of the moderate and luxury resorts.

 

[Geoff_M]

"The Great Mug Debate" often erupts here and takes on the tone of a heated theological debate. Let's summarize the differing views that have been expressed here, just like in every other Mug debate thread in the last several years...

1) The Official Policy Group
The official policy, anytime anyone writes WDW, is "one mug, one resort (excluding sisters), one visit". Signs are also appearing in food courts around WDW that state this. Members of this group (me inclued), know that in practice food court CMs rarely enforce this policy and often contradict this policy* when asked about it by guests (sometimes even when the official policy is posted on a sign only a few feet away). They feel the CMs simply have thrown in the towel and don't have the resources to police the soft drink lines. This is why you may see someone using a 7-11 "Big Gulp" cup unmolested by CMs who witness the obvious abuse.

This group adheres to... the official policy.

* Update: A recent DIS poster added a new one... A CM told her mom that ANY Disney mug was OK to use at her resort.

2) The "But the CM told me..." Group
This group was told by a CM when they purchased their mugs that the mugs were (pick one or both):
a) Good for life.
b) Good at any resort.
They feel that official policy, or not, what the CM told them is what matters. They say either WDW unfairly changed the rules on them after they bought the mugs, or they wouldn't have bought the mugs if the CM hadn't given them bad information. They generally feel like a "wronged" party in the debates when people cut-n-paste the responses from WDW, and advocate continued use of their old mugs until actively prevented from doing so by CMs. The fact that most of them have long since recouped the costs of their mugs in savings from free re-fills doesn't impact their feelings.

Whether or not the current official policy is a change from the past is another side debate. Some recall the policy has been consistent, but enforcement has steadily dropped off, others claim the original policy was "for life".

3) The "I give WDW a ton of my hard earned money" Group
This group, the smallest of the three, feels that it's no skin off of Disney's back if they reuse the mugs again, and again... policy or not. They cite things like the high prices of everything at WDW, the internet rumor that Coke gives WDW syrup for free, etc. etc. as their basis for their actions. They may also borrow mugs from friends, or buy them off of eBay, or use their Big Gulp mugs for their trips to WDW.


I will also add: As for those that think that the policy has changed in recent years and what a CM told them a couple of years ago was the policy at that time, I've been active on this board from 1999 (under another ID) and from that time forward its been consistently reported from WDW when asked, that the policy is "one mug, one resort, one visit."

And just for yucks, here's the sign currently outside Roaring Forks at WL, there's also a "good for your current visit" sign on the drink dispenser.