No Handles on New Refillable Mugs

[Biff215]

Magic bands? You buy them at a Disney resort so if you are staying at that resort they know your length of stay by scanning your band. They also have one day, two day, and three day pricing I believe.

I've found that length of stay seems to default to two weeks based on the date displayed by the machine, it never matches my exact check out date. I imagine this would be difficult with split stays. Maybe someone who stays longer than two weeks can clarify.

We got mugs with handles last week at BC. The quote I saw that supposedly came from the manager at Saratoga stated that this would be rolled out to other resorts based on guest feedback, which sounds like a test to me.

Personally I like a handle on my mug and I use them daily at home. It doesn't fit perfectly in my car but I make it work. Walking to and from the pool with a couple of these while at WDW is much easier with the handle, especially for kids. I don't think I'd buy one without the handle.

 

[rob0519]

This is actually quite simple. Disney reduces their costs by eliminating the plastic handle, but does not pass the savings along to the
consumer. THEN, Disney will come out with a detachable handle similar to those sold by Tervis in corresponding colors for say $2.95 or $3.95 each when customers start complaining about no handles. Win-Win for Disney.

 

[Rteetz]

I've found that length of stay seems to default to two weeks based on the date displayed by the machine, it never matches my exact check out date. I imagine this would be difficult with split stays. Maybe someone who stays longer than two weeks can clarify.

We got mugs with handles last week at BC. The quote I saw that supposedly came from the manager at Saratoga stated that this would be rolled out to other resorts based on guest feedback, which sounds like a test to me.

Personally I like a handle on my mug and I use them daily at home. It doesn't fit perfectly in my car but I make it work. Walking to and from the pool with a couple of these while at WDW is much easier with the handle, especially for kids. I don't think I'd buy one without the handle.

Yes that is true they do have a specific end date when you put them on the sensor.

I prefer the handle as well.

 

[Rteetz]

This is actually quite simple. Disney reduces their costs by eliminating the plastic handle, but does not pass the savings along to the
consumer. THEN, Disney will come out with a detachable handle similar to those sold by Tervis in corresponding colors for say $2.95 or $3.95 each when customers start complaining about no handles. Win-Win for Disney.

View attachment 154289

How much are costs reduced though for a plastic handle? Disney has had the handle for as long as I can remember if not since the beginning of the mugs.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

We don't have a dining plan, so we don't usually have a ton of mugs, but we were planning on getting one during our September trip. If there aren't handles, we will definitely skip. We always strap the mug on our backpack when it's empty. Can't do that very well without a handle. And we're planning to go stroller-less, so there's nowhere else to put it.

For the amount of money they cost AND the amount of liquid they hold, (1 gulp of soda for me), AND the fact that they only allow you to fill that mug 2 or 3 times within a certain time period, GEEEZZ, put the handles back on!! or offer both, with or without handles. It's an easy fix...I LOVE WDW, but do they have to keep nickle and diming us to death?

 

[ABQ]

Mine never fit in a cup holder anyway. But then, it rarely left the resort

 

[Jon81uk]

$16.99 for length of stay. How do they know your length of stay? Magic Mountain sells refillable for $25 everyday for the rest of the year.

By default the mug is encoded for 14 days. If your stay is longer, they scan your MagicBand to confirm the check out date and then add a further 14 days.

They used to offer one or three days for a lower price but removed that option.

 

[rob0519]

How much are costs reduced though for a plastic handle? Disney has had the handle for as long as I can remember if not since the beginning of the mugs.

I have no idea how much the costs are reduced by eliminating the handle. It does however use a least a little less raw material to produce the cup without a handle.

Let's say for example, the cost of the cup goes down only 2 cents. Using a made up number, let's assume Disney sells 10 million cups a year. That would be a $200.000 increase in profit.

Now let's assume half of those people (5 million) prefer cups with handles and buy them as a separate item. Again, a made up number, Disney makes $2 dollars per handle profit or $10 million dollars. So by eliminating the handles and selling them separately to the customers that want them they make an additional $10,200,000. Obviously these numbers are just examples, but it could be quite lucrative.

 

[rob0519]

I agree the design is terrible to use in an automobile cup holder, the cups seem to hold less and less with each new design and the limits on how much you can get in a pre-determined amount of time seems a bit silly. It's also, as other people have said, easier for one person to get multiple drinks for the family.

That being said, small children cannot hold a tumbler without a handle. Our grandnieces and nephews (ages 2-5) do not have large enough hands and love using these cups when they visit. Hopefully, the cups we have will last a few more years.

 

[DManRightHere]

I have a feeling in the long run they'll have them both with and without handles. Much easier to carry multiple mugs with a handle.

Or sell the handles as an add on, like Tervis.

 

[DManRightHere]

I have no idea how much the costs are reduced by eliminating the handle. It does however use a least a little less raw material to produce the cup without a handle.

Let's say for example, the cost of the cup goes down only 2 cents. Using a made up number, let's assume Disney sells 10 million cups a year. That would be a $200.000 increase in profit.

Now let's assume half of those people (5 million) prefer cups with handles and buy them as a separate item. Again, a made up number, Disney makes $2 dollars per handle profit or $10 million dollars. So by eliminating the handles and selling them separately to the customers that want them they make an additional $10,200,000. Obviously these numbers are just examples, but it could be quite lucrative.

I know you said you are just making up some numbers, but 10 million cups sold a year really bothers me!

 

[Bartattack]

Maybe they don't want one person going to the food court holding 3 or more cups ... maybe they want more people going to the food court each holding their own cup! AHA!

 

[Magenta Panther]

We don't have a dining plan, so we don't usually have a ton of mugs, but we were planning on getting one during our September trip. If there aren't handles, we will definitely skip. We always strap the mug on our backpack when it's empty. Can't do that very well without a handle. And we're planning to go stroller-less, so there's nowhere else to put it.

"Stroller-less"?

 

[raymusiccity]

Maybe they don't want one person going to the food court holding 3 or more cups ... maybe they want more people going to the food court each holding their own cup! AHA!

'You can have my cup with a handle, after you pry it from my cold dead hands!'

 

[prfctlyximprct]

THIS MAKES ME SO EXCITED BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIT IN MY DANG CUPHOLDER IN MY CAR AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES I'VE SPILLED HOT COFFEE ON MYSELF.

Sorry got so excited.

 

[mouse_luv]

Could they be doing this to accommodate the Coke Freestyle machines?

 

[Biff215]

Could they be doing this to accommodate the Coke Freestyle machines?

Would a handle not fit in those machines?

If they really go to Freestyle machines, I hope they plan to add plenty of them, especially at the busy food courts. I've always found that they take significantly longer to use, especially for those still unfamiliar with them and the flavor options.

 

[mouse_luv]

Would a handle not fit in those machines?

If they really go to Freestyle machines, I hope they plan to add plenty of them, especially at the busy food courts. I've always found that they take significantly longer to use, especially for those still unfamiliar with them and the flavor options.

No they more than likely would not fit in those machines. They do take longer to use so Disney would need to add several to food courts etc, so there's not a huge backlog of people waiting to get drinks. The only thing I like about Freestyle machines is it gives me options of things I can drink compared to the standard soft drink machines.

 

[Biff215]

No they more than likely would not fit in those machines. They do take longer to use so Disney would need to add several to food courts etc, so there's not a huge backlog of people waiting to get drinks. The only thing I like about Freestyle machines is it gives me options of things I can drink compared to the standard soft drink machines.

I used one in the DVC lounge on Saturday and I can't imagine the difference the handle would make if pointing toward you. I know it's just a guess, but I suspect that there's been feedback that some guests would prefer a sleeker mug. I don't see this as a significant cost savings to Disney, so I believe they may offer both designs if sales show guests like both.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Kid's today don't use handles. They have phones and they don't have handles, so they are not expected. The parks need to change to keep up with the times and changing audience tastes, they cannot be forever stuck in the past because of an obnoxious minority on a message board.