I'm an investigative reporter (j/k)

[disneymyway]

I decided to get to the bottom of the great refillable mug controversy and write about it in my blog - so I called WDW. I got a lady at customer relations who at first thought I was kidding that people get into fights about it. We were laughing so hard - she kept saying, "They fight about it? Oh, you are kidding me!"

http://web.mac.com/wendyd3520/Disne.../18_The_Final_Word_on_the_Refillable_Mug.html

She looked in her manual and checked with her supervisor and told me what I already know, that you can only use it for the trip you are on and have to buy a new one for each trip! :ROFLOL: I declare this debate CLOSED.

(Not that it really will close anything :lol: - I just like sounding official! )

 

[disneymyway]

We brought our mugs back once. But to tell you the truth I couldn't use it. I just knew that I would be the first one to get yelled at in front of everyone for using an old mug. Lights would go off and Disney security would come in and put me in Disney jail for re-using the mug.

Jiminy Cricket was on your shoulder dancing around and singing "Let your conscience be your guide"! :animwink:

 

[DivineMadness7]

You aren't an investigator, you're an instigator.

 

[disneymyway]

You aren't an investigator, you're an instigator.

guilty as charged! :wave:

 

[MKCP 1985]

yeah yeah yeah . . . this is a true story.

2007 - I'm staying at Port Orleans Riverside and I haven't bought a refillable mug. No plans to buy a mug. I walk from my room with a cup of coffee in the little styrofoam Disney coffee cup that they put in the room, down to the big dining hall for breakfast. I'm drinking my coffee and enjoying the walk over, taking my time.

I get my breakfast and then tell the cashier I need to buy a cup of coffee. She looks at my room coffee cup and says - "just refill that one. Its fine. You are staying here in the hotel - it's no problem."

:shrug:

There you go.

 

[disneymyway]

yeah yeah yeah . . . this is a true story.

2007 - I'm staying at Port Orleans Riverside and I haven't bought a refillable mug. No plans to buy a mug. I walk from my room with a cup of coffee in the little styrofoam Disney coffee cup that they put in the room, down to the big dining hall for breakfast. I'm drinking my coffee and enjoying the walk over, taking my time.

I get my breakfast and then tell the cashier I need to buy a cup of coffee. She looks at my room coffee cup and says - "just refill that one. Its fine. You are staying here in the hotel - it's no problem."

:shrug:

There you go.

For what it's worth I completely believe you. I think a lot of the cms make up their own rules lots of times and maybe are even encouraged to.

 

[MouseearsDeb]

All this talk about refillable mugs has me craving one full of froze coke from POP! YUMMY!!!:slurp:

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Whats the policy on using a refillable mug to fill everyones non-refillable cups??? I used to fill my kids baby bottles up with juice from my refillable mug.

Wouldn't that technically be stealing?

 

[Kelsybelle]

We brought our mugs back once. But to tell you the truth I couldn't use it. I just knew that I would be the first one to get yelled at in front of everyone for using an old mug. Lights would go off and Disney security would come in and put me in Disney jail for re-using the mug.

Boy, I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt this way! Except I pictured security would run in and send me straight to Its' A Small World and I would become one of the singing dolls for all eternity! :lookaroun

 

[miles1]

Trust me, WDW, in all the billions that they rake in througout the year, is not losing any money on those fountain drinks that people fill last year's mugs with. The amount of money that you're "stealing" from Disney is probably on the level of a single sheet of paper that you steal from the office to jot down personal notes, or the ink that you use to do it from the office ink pen.

You're not that far off. I actually did an analysis of this on one of the other 300 threads on the subject. I believe the result was that one would have to refill the mug about 430 times before Disney even came close to losing any money on the deal. That would be 61 drinks per day on an average 7 day trip, 31 per day for two trips, 15 for three trips, or a more reasonable 7 per day over four trips. So it takes a LONG time before Disney loses any money on this deal.

I understand that a policy is a policy and it's Disney's perogative to gouge us when they want to. But I can't agree with those who consider reusing the mugs to be equivalent to grand theft, and cast dispersions on others for doing it.

 

[Carolyn1717]

Wouldn't that technically be stealing?

That's exactly what I said...thanks for the backing. He was stealing juice...great way to show your kids how to grow up to be decent people. What about the one's who lie about their kids ages??? They are the worst. We used to love nailing them at the hotel all time. Of course we did it with our "Disney" smile pasted on our faces, but it gave us great satisfaction. It's real hard to teach a 3 year old to lie...they are usually so proud of how old they are. I cannot tell you the number of people who get snagged at the front desk when checking in. The worst of all though are the one travelling with 3 kids and only book 2. They sneak the 3rd into the room. What they don't take into account is, God forbid there is a fire, the firemen are only going to pull 4 out of that room. That's an extreme example but something that very well could happen.

 

[Scooter]

I never really minded people bring back mugs from previous trips, but what DID tick me off was blatant abusing of the mugs such as:

Refilling a mug, then pouring the contents into a thermos or canteen and doing it over and over.

Filling a Wilderness Lodge mug at The Contemporary resort.

and my favorite, and I've actually seen this, filling a Resort mug, then a Coke Bottle, then a coffee mug, then a 24oz soda drink cup and walking away without paying for any of it.

 

[sbkline]

I never really minded people bring back mugs from previous trips, but what DID tick me off was blatant abusing of the mugs such as:

Refilling a mug, then pouring the contents into a thermos or canteen and doing it over and over.

Filling a Wilderness Lodge mug at The Contemporary resort.

and my favorite, and I've actually seen this, filling a Resort mug, then a Coke Bottle, then a coffee mug, then a 24oz soda drink cup and walking away without paying for any of it.

Why would it annoy you to see someone filling a WL mug at the Contemporary? Yes, I understand what the policy is and the person is violating the policy. But the Contemporary is owned by the same company that owns the Wilderness Lodge. So what difference does it make if you get your free refill at this resort or that one? When you bought that mug, your money went to the same people regardless of which resort you bought it at, and the same people are buying the ingredients to run the soda fountains at all the resorts. So I'm not sure why that rule is in place because I don't understand what the heck difference it makes which soda fountain you use to fill your mug. And I don't see how that can be considered stealing in any sense.

I think what it boils down to is we all like to pride ourselves on being "good". It gives us a sense of superiority to be able to puff out our chest and point the finger at those evil rule breakers. In the final analysis, those who get all miffed about this kind of thing (in my opinion, of course) are ones who have a tendency to have a Phariseeic (sp?) sense of self righteousness. It gives such people a sense of pride in themselves to publically go on record as being abhorred by the violation of whatever rule it is in question in any given situation, and they want to make sure that they are heard or seen condemning these acts so that they can feel righteous about themselves and morally superior. It's all about "look at me...I'm such a good little boy...I follow the rules".

Maybe I'm just overanalyzing to a degree, but I grew up with a brother like that. Any time he would see the least little jot or tittle of a rule being broken, he wasted no time in tattling to Mom and Dad. My Dad referred to this as "pompous pious"...in other words, feeling all boastful and pompous about how good you are by making sure you nark out anyone you see violating a rule.

 

[disneymyway]

I think what it boils down to is we all like to pride ourselves on being "good". It gives us a sense of superiority to be able to puff out our chest and point the finger at those evil rule breakers. In the final analysis, those who get all miffed about this kind of thing (in my opinion, of course) are ones who have a tendency to have a Phariseeic (sp?) sense of self righteousness. .

Hmmmm, I think I'm seeing this on both sides of the fence!
:animwink:

OK - c'mon. This is just too silly of a topic to get this emotional about - on either side. I think we all have a position one way or the other but if I am going to fight with you guys about something I'd rather it be politics ( Get the republicans out of the White House! Stuff like that.)

To me it's just a funny thing that a cup can cause such controversy! What in the world is that????:dazzle:

 

[smk]

Hmmmm, I think I'm seeing this on both sides of the fence!
:animwink:

OK - c'mon. This is just too silly of a topic to get this emotional about - on either side. I think we all have a position one way or the other but if I am going to fight with you guys about something I'd rather it be politics ( Get the republicans out of the White House! Stuff like that.)

To me it's just a funny thing that a cup can cause such controversy! What in the world is that????:dazzle:

OH NO! Not Politics .....out of the frying pan and into the fire! :lol: I much rather talk about the silly refillable mugs, or what shoes to wear, or where to stay....POFQ, PORS or POP, or who has the best character breakfast, what resort has the best food court, what to pack, how to convert a park hopper to an AP, or do you convert a park hopper to a AP.... you know the things that are the most frequent topics on the board!

 

[smk]

Boy, I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt this way! Except I pictured security would run in and send me straight to Its' A Small World and I would become one of the singing dolls for all eternity! :lookaroun

It's kinda like that only you don't really become a singing doll, you just have to sit there, behind the scenes and listen all day. A really good plan for those that step out of line at WDW don't you think? :drevil: What could be more of a deterant?

 

[sbkline]

Hmmmm, I think I'm seeing this on both sides of the fence!
:animwink:

OK - c'mon. This is just too silly of a topic to get this emotional about - on either side. I think we all have a position one way or the other but if I am going to fight with you guys about something I'd rather it be politics ( Get the republicans out of the White House! Stuff like that.)

To me it's just a funny thing that a cup can cause such controversy! What in the world is that????:dazzle:

I just gave you my explanation on why I think that is.

I'm not trying to sound like I'm being emotional about it, since I'm somewhat indifferent to the whole thing. For myself, I follow the policy on it. If we're only supposed to use it on THIS trip, then I will honor that. So I'm not trying to argue in favor of violating the policy. I'm simply arguing that we shouldn't get all bent out of shape over those who do. If someone else wants to break the rule and use their old mug, the only way it could possibly affect me is that there will be one more person standing in my way at the drink station. :lol: In other words, if someone breaks the rule and gets refills with last year's mug, so what? :shrug: Disney obviously doesn't care that much, or else they would make more of an effort to patrol the food courts for violators. It's really between the individual, the Disney company and God. It's none of my concern if someone else chooses to violate the rule, so why get my dander up over it?

And it all gets back to the explanation that I just gave; people like to get upset about those kind of things because it gives them a way to get all puffed up about what a good little rule follower they are, if they can go around pointing their finger at others and very vocally expressing their disdain for those who are breaking the rules. IMO, it's all about trying to make yourself feel/look good by talking about how bad someone else is.

 

[disneymyway]

OH NO! Not Politics .....out of the frying pan and into the fire! :lol: I much rather talk about the silly refillable mugs, or what shoes to wear, or where to stay....POFQ, PORS or POP, or who has the best character breakfast, what resort has the best food court, what to pack, how to convert a park hopper to an AP, or do you convert a park hopper to a AP.... you know the things that are the most frequent topics on the board!

Oh I like talking about it too! But not when people get mad at each other and call each other names - like "self righteous"....

It's a funny topic and a fun way to poke fun at ourselves, except when we take it too seriously.