No more free drinks at All Star Sports Resort

[Hakunamatata]

Price tags on the items are a pretty clear indicator ...

Are you all saying that the person who purchases the mug is the only one that can I use it? So if I were to purchase it, I couldn't let my wife, brother, cousin, friend use it? Even if I wasn't? Where does it say that? If you buy mugs for your kids, you're the only one that can fill them? Or they can only fill one and not the other mug? They better not get them confused, then. Or even better, I can't get up in the morning and go down and get some lemonade for everyone in my party (with all 4 mugs that we have) because its 'purchaser only'? That is not how it works, nor how it is intended.

:brick:

 

[Kamikaze]

Just to quickly chime in on the cost of soda. My corporation has a couple of C-Stores, and while fountain soda does have a pretty big mark-up, it does not cost the pennies that a lot of people are making it out to cost.

The idea that Disney is sticking it to their customers by not letting them continue to abuse the system is malarkey.

I can purchase 5 gallons of Coke syrup from Costco/Sam's Club for about $60. Thats already marked up because its being resold in a retail environment. But even at $12/gallon we're already getting cheap. Each gallon of syrup makes somewhere around 6 gallons of soda. So thats 768oz of soda. Thats 64 'refills' of a 12oz cup per gallon. A grand total of $0.19 a drink. Add on 3-5 cents for minimal CO2 costs, and you're at $0.22 to $0.24. And thats what I can do it for, myself, personally. Disney used to get the syrup for free, but not any longer. So they probably pay a minimal amount, a dollar or two per gallon. Start your math there.

If you push your refillable mug up to the handle and fill it to the top, then turn around and dump that cup out into an old mug or a soda bottle, then refill your mug again, how is that any different then just filling the old mug or soda bottle up directly from the machine?

Disney is looking to curb abuse of the system. End of story.

When does the soda become my soda? When it enters my mug, correct?

 

[xdan0920]

I can purchase 5 gallons of Coke syrup from Costco/Sam's Club for about $60. Thats already marked up because its being resold in a retail environment. But even at $12/gallon we're already getting cheap. Each gallon of syrup makes somewhere around 6 gallons of soda. So thats 768oz of soda. Thats 64 'refills' of a 12oz cup per gallon. A grand total of $0.19 a drink. Add on 3-5 cents for minimal CO2 costs, and you're at $0.22 to $0.24. And thats what I can do it for, myself, personally. Disney used to get the syrup for free, but not any longer. So they probably pay a minimal amount, a dollar or two per gallon. Start your math there.

I am not going to argue the cost of soda at WDW with someone basing their cost analysis off of the cost of 1 gallon of syrup on Costcos website. Feel free to argue with other forum members if you like.

Edited to Add:

Justify it all you want. The fact is, there is no difference between the two things I described. If you want to pretend there is, thats fine. Disney is putting a stop to that.

 

[Kamikaze]

:brick:

Smileys aren't good at refuting arguments.

My point is this: The mugs are not stated to be, nor are they sold as 'personal use only'. You're going to continue to see, even with this new system, people buying 1 mug for multiple people and sharing it, and there is nothing wrong with that. Yes, they will sell tons more of them, but it will still continue.

I am not going to argue the cost of soda at WDW with someone basing their cost analysis off of the cost of 1 gallon of syrup on Costcos website. Feel free to argue with other forum members if you like.

Oh its not off their website, kind sir. I purchase it myself for use in my SodaStream. But the point still stands, its ridiculously cheap to make a fountain drink.

 

[Brian Noble]

Actually, that argument is proven fact. There is no debate. You don't seem to have knowledge of human physiology, but caffeine is a potent diuretic

I thought so too. In fact, I went to the Mighty Oracle (e.g. google) to look up the appropriate citation. What do I find, but this link from the Mayo Clinic, which in the words of Lee Corso, says "Not so fast, my friend."

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661

 

[YankeeMouse]

As an annual passholder who visits 3-4 x a year, I love the idea of an annual passholder mug for the entire year. I'm one of those who buys a mug for each visit. Since I seem unable to throw away anything related to WDW, I've got tons of mugs rattling around in the attic, and one a year is a great idea!

 

[Kamikaze]

As an annual passholder who visits 3-4 x a year, I love the idea of an annual passholder mug for the entire year. I'm one of those who buys a mug for each visit. Since I seem unable to throw away anything related to WDW, I've got tons of mugs rattling around in the attic, and one a year is a great idea!

I agree with that, and with the rewritable RFID tags that ValidFill uses, it is possible for them to offer that as an option. The question is price. $50 a year add on to the AP sounds about right to me.

 

[Thurp]

It looks like regular cups (not the refillable mugs) have a maximum of 4 refills in 1 hour before they stop working.

Here's a video I found through facebook http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzZ4h7nh44

 

[Hakunamatata]

Smileys aren't good at refuting arguments.

Evidently not with those that condone theft.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

As an annual passholder who visits 3-4 x a year, I love the idea of an annual passholder mug for the entire year. I'm one of those who buys a mug for each visit. Since I seem unable to throw away anything related to WDW, I've got tons of mugs rattling around in the attic, and one a year is a great idea!

I would like to see something like this too. I'm a DVC member who is living in FL now, so my trips are usually shorter. It would be nice to have something that would give me a year of use since I can't justify spending 15 dollars every time I go for a weekend. Usually results in me picking up soda at a grocery store.

 

[JWG]

I would like to see something like this too. I'm a DVC member who is living in FL now, so my trips are usually shorter. It would be nice to have something that would give me a year of use since I can't justify spending 15 dollars every time I go for a weekend. Usually results in me picking up soda at a grocery store.

We have never purchased the mug either, and also purchase pop at the store. We find 2-liters to be a fine deal AND we don't have to walk 100 miles to a refill station.

We too are DVC members. We typically stay at BWV, OKW or BLT and the drink stations are not convenient. Our last trip was at AKV-Jambo and we were about as far from it as possible being a the other end of the hotel.

 

[flavious27]

I can purchase 5 gallons of Coke syrup from Costco/Sam's Club for about $60. Thats already marked up because its being resold in a retail environment. But even at $12/gallon we're already getting cheap. Each gallon of syrup makes somewhere around 6 gallons of soda. So thats 768oz of soda. Thats 64 'refills' of a 12oz cup per gallon. A grand total of $0.19 a drink. Add on 3-5 cents for minimal CO2 costs, and you're at $0.22 to $0.24. And thats what I can do it for, myself, personally. Disney used to get the syrup for free, but not any longer. So they probably pay a minimal amount, a dollar or two per gallon. Start your math there.

We really aren't going to debate the cost of a mug of soda to disney are we? They make lots of money anyway you split it, everyone does that sells soda from a bag in the box system.

It looks like regular cups (not the refillable mugs) have a maximum of 4 refills in 1 hour before they stop working.

Here's a video I found through facebook http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzZ4h7nh44

Interesting, this should have been fun for the CMs to explain to the customers. It does look rather cheap the way that they have stuck the rfid tag on the cups.

This video is just showing it for the soda, are they doing the same for the coffee? My problem if when people in front of me are using their own non-disney mugs to get coffee in the morning.

 

[Thurp]

This video is just showing it for the soda, are they doing the same for the coffee? My problem if when people in front of me are using their own non-disney mugs to get coffee in the morning.

I've been told that the test only includes soda. Coffee and tea are currently not part of the test.

 

[Kamikaze]

We really aren't going to debate the cost of a mug of soda to disney are we? They make lots of money anyway you split it, everyone does that sells soda from a bag in the box system.

He stated that it wasn't that cheap - that it didn't cost 'pennies'. I was showing him he was wrong.

 

[xdan0920]

He stated that it wasn't that cheap - that it didn't cost 'pennies'. I was showing him he was wrong.

Any and everything costs pennies. It is a matter of how many pennies. Based on my experience in actual retail sales of fountain soda, I can tell you the cost is not in the single digits of pennies, even for Disney. There is more to it then just the syrup and CO2 as well.

 

[fosse76]

It looks like regular cups (not the refillable mugs) have a maximum of 4 refills in 1 hour before they stop working.

Here's a video I found through facebook http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzZ4h7nh44

ANY time restrictions on refills that Disney has implemented eliminates "unlimited" refills, because there are limits now. I hope Disney doesn't use the term "unlimited" in their advertising.

 

[Kamikaze]

Any and everything costs pennies. It is a matter of how many pennies. Based on my experience in actual retail sales of fountain soda, I can tell you the cost is not in the single digits of pennies, even for Disney. There is more to it then just the syrup and CO2 as well.

http://www.eddieoneverything.com/de...-pop-like-coke-actually-cost-a-restaurant.php
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070513073921AAm2i2Q

When you are dealing with the volume Disney is, the price just goes down and down and down. If I can make it for $.25, Disney can make it for half that, at the very least.

 

[xdan0920]

http://www.eddieoneverything.com/de...-pop-like-coke-actually-cost-a-restaurant.php
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070513073921AAm2i2Q

When you are dealing with the volume Disney is, the price just goes down and down and down. If I can make it for $.25, Disney can make it for half that, at the very least.

I still only see part of the equation in those posts you put up. The math is flawed to begin with because it does not begin to take into account any overhead costs associated with a fountain machine aside from syrup. CO2 costs are "minimal", I guess that depends how you define minimal. Then there is the cost to lease the machines themselves, the cost of water, the cost of drink accessories(straws, cups, tops) the cost of "waste", the cost of clean up, the cost of electricity. These costs add up. Each one individually may be really small, but when you add them all up you start to tack pennies onto your cost.

Yes it is cheap for Disney to make fountain soda. But, no it is not "pennies". And, Yes it will add up to significant numbers if they are able to curb the abuse of the system.

If you still choose to disagree that is fine. I have exhausted myself on this subject.

 

[Figments Friend]

-

So what is the latest feedback on the new system...anyone here had any experience with it yet?

Last i read here, Guests were a little confused as to how it all works.
Anyone seen someone try to use a old mug ?

It will be interesting to see what develops over time, and what the end result will be from the testing.

 

[bugsbunny]

I would suppose I could buy a mug and then use it to fill all my other mugs? Or simply hold it close to the dispenser while I fill my other mugs?

Give it time! Sadly, people will figure out how to out smart it. Sometimes the simplest of solutions "fix" the most complex contraptions.