refillable mugs question

[MelindaKiah]

I'm just wondering about these refillable cups. Are they fairly sturdy (good quality plastic)? Also, how do you guys carry them around the parks without them becoming a pain? Is there any way we could fix it so we can attach it to a belt loop (when empty of course!!LOL) or something? I'd love to buy each of the 4 kids one when we get there, but am unsure if they'd want to carry them around when empty, etc.

Thanks!!!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Melinda - unfortunately, I have found carrying the refill mug a hassle...but I usually carry it along because I know it saves lots of money (and the more I save, the more trips I can go on!!).

It's too bad they don't have the optional strap like Busch Gardens does for their refill mugs...I'm hoping to stop by a Wal-Mart or a fabric store to see if I can find some way to tie something around the mug to form a strap I can hang around my neck or something. Haven't had the oppurtunity to try yet...but I've been meaning to!

Won't last long around your belt loop, even if you have the refill mugs that have the straws that arch over (you know what I mean?). I did that once, only instead of a belt loop, it was a loop on my camera case. Even though it was empty, the weight of the cup was too much for the straw and one end of the straw pulled out easily.

I really should try to find some way to make a neck strap...hmmmmm

 

[MelindaKiah]

Thanks for your reply! That is exactly what I was wondering. I don't mind carrying a cup around, but I'm pretty sure the kids won't want to do it. Two of them are old enough to go off on their own, and I just can't see them carrying the cups. I was hoping maybe there was a wrist strap or something on them....that's something they should consider!LOL

Oh well...even if I get them for myself, my hubby and our two youngest and I can throw them into my little purse/backpack that I'm taking, that will save some money anyways.

Thanks again for your quick reply!!!

 

[SpideyHulk24]

Fly Fly-

You could make and sell straps while you are waiting for the GB shows!!!! LOL.....

That would be more income for more Universal trips!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

LOL Spidey! With the money from the refill mug straps and the tour shirts (remember about that??? hehehe) I'll be rich in no time! Besides, I'm still waiting for my check for all the advertsing I do for the show...how come I don't see it?

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

No problem Melinda! Remember though, these "refill mugs" are quite large and so I'm sure a couple of you can share one...that's what I do sometimes. Helps save money, and my parents have an excuse to make ME carry it, and yet they can benefit from it too. No fair!

 

[wendypooh]

Melinda, we used lanyard, that tighten, and hung them on the stroller....... yep, they were full!!! My 3 year old wanted all the cups, but wouldn't hold one to save his life!!! It worked out really well, though.


Spidey.......... you crack me up!!!!

 

[MelindaKiah]

Great idea to share!!! Thanks!!!


That would save even MORE!!! I love it!!! We won this trip and are trying to keep the costs as low as possible because even though we won it, it is still a tad expensive since we hadn't been planning on a family trip next summer!!LOL

I've already managed to convince Universal vacations to give us a second room in lieu of the 4 plane tickets we won in our package. There are 6 of us, so 4 plane tickets wouldn't have worked, and we needed another room anyways. They didn't want to do it....so I told them to send me the airline tickets anyways. She couldn't understand why I wanted them if I wasn't going to use them. I told her that the value of the package we won is the value I was going to get.....regardless of whether I used all the stuff in it. She quickly realized that they'd save themselves about $1000 by just giving us the second room instead of the airfare!!LOL She expected I'd say to just keep the airline tickets but no way!!!!

So we're right now trying to make this the best vacation we can for the kids with the least amount of money. I love these boards...they are helping SO much!!!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Well, I'll be...wendypooh has beaten me! Now I know what in particular I should buy to make the strap.

 

[MelindaKiah]

Thanks for the idea Wendypooh!!!

My husband seems to think he can figure something out before we go so that we can hang it around our neck, or on our belt loop or something. I think he needs to know the size before he can do that, but you know men!!LOL

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Melinda - what a great way to get a Universal vacation! Whoo!! I'm jealous

Well, my parents and I spend very little while at the parks because it got too expensive with our fequent trips. What we usually do is eat a late lunch (2:15 PM after second GB Show) at Hard Rock Cafe, or somewhere...and we are full for hours. We split a hot dog earlier in the day if we are hungry (hot dogs are expensive but HUGE. My mom and I split one....only once have I eaten an entire thing...and that was because I didn't eat anything that day, and it was LATE).

Sometimes we pack sandwiches or something and leave them in the hotel (if we stay onsite) or in a cooler in the car (if we're staying offsite) and we just got back to eat. Saves money there too.

We refrain from any snacks. This used to be hard a year or so ago, but now, I don't even think about it. I get about 3 refills on a soda a day (and only $1.34 per refill!!!) and that's it until we eat a real meal.

 

[MelindaKiah]

Thanks. I won online actually...a Hulk instant win contest...I was just trying to win a pair of movie tickets for the kids to see the Hulk and ended up winning the grand prize. It was in June and I'm still pretty shocked over it. And very, very grateful.

We are staying at the Royal Pacific, so that will help us with meals. We plan on coming back to the hotel around 1 or 2 to get sandwiches that we'll make there and sitting by the pool till we eat supper and then go back the parks or vice versa. I can't imagine we can afford to feed the 6 of us in the park so this is pretty much what we have to do. I don't mind being frugal...I just like to have it all planned out in advance so I don't end up spending money because we didn't plan.

Thanks for the tips!!!

 

[wendypooh]

Melinda, the cups are VERY heavy when they are full!!! and trust me you don't want it around your neck........ you might want to ring his neck once you see how heavy they really are. The cups are big.......... and some of them are bulky......... i.e...spongebob!!!

The lanyards we bought are the ones that have the end that tighten......... we put it at the crease on the lid where is screws in, and tightened it....... then hung it on the stroller......... we didn't even have to take it off to drink out of it!!!

We also bought lanyards for our room key......... we stayed onsite, and you need the roomkey for head of the line, We just had the front desk at the rpr punch holes in our room keys and each of us wore them around our neck........... EASY!!!!!!! and we didn't have to worry about losing them!

Where are you guys staying???? If it is the RPR, you will LOVE it. We are planning our next trip......... and would NEVER stay anywhere else, it is beautiful. My 3 yr. old LOVED the pool!!! Have a wonderful time!!!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Yeah...I couldn't imagine - 6 people!!! Thogh I did meet up with family when we took my grandmother to Universal Studios for the first time in her life (for her 75th birthday. ). There was 9 of us, but we split up often and didn't have to worry about one person paying for everything.

Although, you may want to try Hard Rock Cafe once...what my mom and I do is, we each get an order of Boneless Bodacious Tenders (one gets Heavy Metal Buffalo, the other Tangy BBQ) and a side of french fries and mashed potatoes. We get our drinks as a refill of our mug at a concession stand before we go into the restaurant so it saves us money there. We split the chicken and even have some food left over. We couldn't finish all our chicken and we were full for the rest of the day!!

yum....

 

[MelindaKiah]

LOL....he didn't want me to hang it around my neck when it was full!!LOL

I am planning on getting those lanyards for the room key...I think that's a great idea and a good way to ensure the kids don't lose it or have to fumble around for it constantly.
I will also be sure to bring a few for the cups.

We are staying at the RPR. That's the hotel that was included in our win. I'm thrilled with that. I didn't know until the packet arrived where we'd be staying...I never dreamed it would be onsite, but I am SO glad we are. It will be incredible.

We can't wait!!!!!

 

[wendypooh]

Melinda, we brought a cooler and soda, and the boys got cookies, chips, etc.......... that we brought with us. There are a lot of places to eat off site........... that are NOT too expensive. We even brought instand oatmeal for breakfast......... we used the coffee maker to get hot water....... viola, breakfast!! We would pick one meal a day as our "meal" and the others we would go offsite for. As far as the RPR........... the food at the restaurants there is EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We ate at Jakes one night, and while it was awesome............... it was VERY pricey!!! Just to be forwarned! There is a huge mcdonalds, that is awesome, the boys liked it a lot, someone one here can tell you where it is, I forget the road, maybe on sandlake, but I'm not sure. Anyway, if you have any more ?????'s ask away!!!

 

[MelindaKiah]

Thanks guys!! I really appreciate it. I'm sure I'll have tons more questions as the time draws nearer.

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

ah yes, the McDonals...but isn't it overpriced? That's never cool...

 

[wendypooh]

LOL, I'm sure he didn't want you to hang it around your neck full.......... I'm being funny!!!!!!! We loved the RPR, and you will LOVE head of the line!!! When is your trip?

 

[wendypooh]

I didn't think so clare.............

We really loved NBA city............ it was AWESOME, if you don't eat anywhere else at the park, eat there.......... you'll be glad you did!