Refillable Mugs vs Freestyle Mugs

[g3pak]

We will be at Universal for 2 full days and part of a 3rd. 4 of us, DW and I can share a mug so we will probably get 3 of whatever we get. Do we get Freestyle or the Resort mug?

We are staying at the Hard Rock and will not leave the property in case that matters.

 

[Bethany10]

well, it depends on how your family rolls. For us, we bought both and treated them as both necessary hydration and an in park treat. We're not big snack people but we are big soda people. Plus everyone's life is easier when mama can go downstairs and get a cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

Will you have the ability to get bottled water outside of the park? meaning not paying $7 a bottle or whatever outrageous price it is now? Are you big soda people? that's what would drive it for me.

Interestingly enough, I bought a popcorn bucket off ebay when I bought our park cups. our kids are HUGE popcorn eaters. Did they touch that bucket? of course not! we hauled it both ways in the suitcase and no one used it. sigh

 

[isabellea]

Where can I get more info on those mugs?

 

[Adventureland]

Where can I get more info on those mugs?

This site seems comprehensive: https://insideoursuitcase.com/universal-studios-refillable-cups/

 

[DisBuckMan]

The main difference is that the Freestyle cups cannot be used at the resorts or CityWalk...only inside the parks. So, if using at the resorts is a big deal, then the resort cup is probably your best option, since it can be used at the resort.

The Freestyle mugs cost $8.99 per day for practically unlimited refills after you purchase it your first day...purchase price includes fill ups for the first day. Freestyle cups do include ICEE's.

We've used the same Freestyle cups since 2016...just get them recharged every trip.

This link should tell you most, if not everything you need to know...

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/refillable-cups-popcorn-buckets-coke-freestyle
ETA: We've never gotten the resort mugs/cups.

 

[Bethany10]

Of course, you are charged $1.49 every time you use your resort cup for a fill up.

That wasn't true for us in 2019. We paid a flat price for length of stay (for us 5 days) and the chip was activated for that time. No further payment necessary.

 

[shawthorne44]

That Orlando Informer article is disgustingly outdated. It would merely be outdated, but they lie and claim it was updated very recently.
Everything except the prices should be more or less the same.

I had thought, though, that the resort mugs can only be filled at that particular resort, and the park mugs can only be filled at the parks. Is that not true? Our upcoming trip is our first on-site, so I don't know from personal experience.

We are driving and staying at four different hotels. So we plan on picking up 12-packs of our favorite sodas and some gallon jugs of water for in the hotel.

Inside the parks we found it easy to share. We brought other similar cups (outdated Six Flags cups) and mostly used those to drink out of. Then whenever we saw a short freestyle line we refilled.

 

[cschaaf]

The main difference is that the Freestyle cups cannot be used at the resorts or CityWalk...only inside the parks.

I thought I saw somewhere that they recently put a Freestyle machine at the Coke kiosk in City Walk. Anyone have info?

We bought the Freestyle cups a few trips ago and have used them on multiple trips. We find them to be well worth it, particularly if you have an AP discount.

Not being able to get a free refill in City Walk or the resort is the downside. The Coke kiosk in City Walk does offer a refill discount if you show your freestyle mug (assuming they still don’t have a freestyle machine)

We hit the parks early, the. Head back to the room for a mid day break. We get a refill on the way out. After we go back, we stay until close. Maybe a refill on our way out, but we don’t need any more for the night. But, that’s with later closings. If the park closes at 6, that might be something to figure into your decision.

 

[FoodieFriend]

The main difference is that the Freestyle cups cannot be used at the resorts or CityWalk...only inside the parks. So, if using at the resorts is a big deal, then the resort cup is probably your best option, since it can be used at the resort.

The Freestyle mugs cost $8.99 per day for practically unlimited refills after you purchase it your first day...purchase price includes fill ups for the first day. Freestyle cups do include ICEE's.

We've used the same Freestyle cups since 2016...just get them recharged every trip.

This link should tell you most, if not everything you need to know...

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/refillable-cups-popcorn-buckets-coke-freestyle
ETA: We've never gotten the resort mugs/cups.

That Orlando Informer article is disgustingly outdated. It would merely be outdated, but they lie and claim it was updated very recently.
Everything except the prices should be more or less the same.

I had thought, though, that the resort mugs can only be filled at that particular resort, and the park mugs can only be filled at the parks. Is that not true? Our upcoming trip is our first on-site, so I don't know from personal experience.

We are driving and staying at four different hotels. So we plan on picking up 12-packs of our favorite sodas and some gallon jugs of water for in the hotel.

Inside the parks we found it easy to share. We brought other similar cups (outdated Six Flags cups) and mostly used those to drink out of. Then whenever we saw a short freestyle line we refilled.

Correction to @DisBuckMan pricing, to restart your unlimited refills for your in-park Freestyle cups, it's $9.99+tax now. I just brought my Freestyle cups purchased in 2019 & was able to reactivate them, no problems.

What you need to keep in mind is that Universal hotels are run by Loews & the parks are run by Universal. The cups you purchase are only valid where you purchase them. If it's a hotel cup, you can refill it in the hotel (sorry, I'm unsure if it's refillable at ALL Universal hotels once purchased since I've never purchased one myself). If you buy the cup in the park (Freestyle or character), you can refill it in any of the parks once it's activated. I advise keeping your receipt or taking a picture of your receipt because the chip scanners can mistakenly read your cup as inactive, so the TM will ask for a receipt to verify you've paid activation for the day. The information pages mentioned by PPs explain the difference between the types of cups you can get at Universal, but pricing is out of date for sure as @shawthorne44 mentioned. I did message Orlando Informer about the pricing, but they have not acknowledged the inaccuracy.

 

[g3pak]

I don't know why I can't get this straight in my mind. Let's see if I have this right:

Option 1: we buy 3 Freestyle cups, they run $12.99 each plus tax and refills for the day, then the next day we pay $9.99 per cup for the day. Freestyle machines are only inside the parks. Outside the park- at City Walk we can use the same cup and get a refill for $1.49. Also, if we do not pay $9.99 for refills for the day we can just pay $1.49 for a refill in the park.

Option 2: we buy the $16 cup and pay $1.49 per refill and that is inside the park at any fountain drink location plus some locations in City Walk

 

[Bethany10]

Option 1: we buy 3 Freestyle cups, they run $12.99 each plus tax and refills for the day, then the next day we pay $9.99 per cup for the day. Freestyle machines are only inside the parks. Outside the park- at City Walk we can use the same cup and get a refill for $1.49. Also, if we do not pay $9.99 for refills for the day we can just pay $1.49 for a refill in the park.

Yes, as long as you buy 3. If you go down to 2 or 1 cup then you'll pay more for it.

The mels drive in menu says SINGLE SERVE cups for $4.19, which leads me to believe one refill without paying the 10 bucks to reactivate is $4.19.

The only thing I can confirm about citywalk is coke has a kiosk there and I'm sure has the machine with the soda in it. We were so dead by the time we left the parks I was concentrating on getting myself to the bus.

 

[cschaaf]

I don't know why I can't get this straight in my mind.

It's not just you - the cup situation is very confusing.

One thing to note is - if you pay for an individual refill, you have to go to a quick serve or kiosk to do so. Whereas, with the 'free' refills, you can go right up to a Freestyle machine and get your refill. You can still go to a quick serve or kiosk if you want (if you want an icee as your refill, you have to do that).

The Freestyle option is more convenient, IMO, but you also have to weigh the number of refills into your decision. The more refills you'll get, the more value you'll get out of the Freestyle option; both in actual soda and in the convenience of the machines,

And another thing (thanks, Columbo), we find we get more refills than we think we will. One reason is that the cups don't stand up in the small lockers so you have to dump out whatever you have in the cup before storing it. The 'break even' point of individual vs. unlimited refills is around 7 refills.

 

[shawthorne44]

Since sit-down Quick-Service restaurants don't have the capacity that they used to because of social distancing, lines for all food can be long. For me, it would be worthwhile to go for the by-the-day option on at least one cup per group just to avoid the lines. In August, even the machines had lines longer than normal because one machine next to another one was disabled, also for social distancing. But, from what I can, they've spaced them out a bit since then.

 

[bdyy]

Can I use the freeway cup to just get ice water from the machine? I'd be willing to pay the daily price just for the convinence of getting water without queueing up.

 

[Pooh's World]

Can you still use the lifetime refillable mugs that were $9.99 and you could use them every year at the park?

(That was such a good deal)

 

[cschaaf]

Can I use the freeway cup to just get ice water from the machine? I'd be willing to pay the daily price just for the convinence of getting water without queueing up.

Yes, you can use the Freestyle cups to get water from the machines.

 

[bdyy]

Yes, you can use the Freestyle cups to get water from the machines.

Thank you! I assume the cup still needs to be activated in order to get water?

 

[DisBuckMan]

I assume the cup still needs to be activated in order to get water?

Yes

 

[DreamIsaWish]

The Freestyle mugs cost $8.99 per day for practically unlimited refills after you purchase it your first day...purchase price includes fill ups for the first day. Freestyle cups do include ICEE's.

ICEEs are included? Awesome!

I know I have a Freestyle cup around here somewhere from maybe 3 years ago. That should still work, if I pay the daily charge, I think.