No more free drinks at All Star Sports Resort

[phlydude]

We used this system @ A-S-S in Sept 2011...it was OK but my wife was bummed when the standard cup that came with her CS meal was limited to a total of 3 fills. She is a bit of a drinker at meals and can go through 4-6 refills if the meal is long enough. So for her, she got quite ticked at the notion of them controlling the fills via RFID - I told her to buy a mug and she refused because we were on the dining plan. She just said she would rather go to the Pepper Market for lunch instead of eating there.

 

[lebeau]

I feel like I'm saying it for the billionth time online, but they don't get the syrup for free (this was told to me from a Coca-Cola executive who would know)

Even if you pay for the syrup, the expense is negligible. It's been a long time so I forget the exact ratios. But I think the syrup cost less than a paper cup.

I really don't see syrup being much more of a factor than the water or carbonation.

 

[dreamfinder]

Even if you pay for the syrup, the expense is negligible. It's been a long time so I forget the exact ratios. But I think the syrup cost less than a paper cup.

I really don't see syrup being much more of a factor than the water or carbonation.

Figure around a 5:1 ratio. Some flavors/brands are slightly different. And then figure around $40-60 per 5 Gallon BIB, depending on volume, location, and such. A 5 Gal BIB will yield around 330 12oz servings. So for math, assume $50 (with volume buys its probably alot less) but that works out to about $.15 per 12 oz serving. Toss in another $.05 or so for water, CO2, and hardware. So being generous, your $15 mug, $5 for mug (cost of single mug in park with cocoa), means that you need to drink 50 refills before they start to lose money. And odds are, if you make that many trips to the food court you will end up buying a snack or two, more than making up for the cost of the product.

 

[YuggYuggWDW94]

How much soda does a person actually drink?

You would be surprised:ROFLOL:

 

[YuggYuggWDW94]

My biggest question...does this policy pertain to coffee too?? Or is this new company strictly soda dispensers? How would that work with the whole "wait 5 minutes" thing with the creamer machine as well as the coffee? When im in Disney I mostly just use my mug for coffee. If your coffee needs more cream or more coffee is one really expected to wait five minutes? And if so would the taste be different( like lets say a different brand )

 

[Master Yoda]

My biggest question...does this policy pertain to coffee too?? Or is this new company strictly soda dispensers? How would that work with the whole "wait 5 minutes" thing with the creamer machine as well as the coffee? When im in Disney I mostly just use my mug for coffee. If your coffee needs more cream or more coffee is one really expected to wait five minutes? And if so would the taste be different( like lets say a different brand )

It was strictly the soda machines. The faux-coffee dispensers worked as normal.

 

[Gepettotrevor]

I stayed at the All Star Sports last week, and the new machines were gone! The old ones without the RFID are back!

 

[SMS55]

You would be surprised:ROFLOL:

I'm a soda addict, I can imagine, but still. I quit soda and lost 20 pounds in a month. Unfortunately I started back up and have gained some of it back.

 

[07vanquish]

While the idea is fine, I think that it is going to be in Disney's best interest to offer some sort of additional buy in plan after you have gotten a mug. Ethics of the situation aside, I would venture to guess that the majority of mug reusers are AP holders and DVC members who they expect to visit multiple times per year and likely in shorter visits. I think that people who already own the current mug should be able to just add time as opposed to having to pay another 15 dollars a mug each time they visit for just two or three days. Either that or offer some sort of annual pass/DVC member mug good for a year.

Thats a good idea, I agree, but some will always complain :ROFLOL: :brick:

 

[scpergj]

It was strictly the soda machines. The faux-coffee dispensers worked as normal.

I think you are being kind of generous calling it faux coffee...I wouldn't even go that far!

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I think you are being kind of generous calling it faux coffee...I wouldn't even go that far!

It does make excellent pot hole filler...

 

[John]

What I dont get is that almost every single resturant you go to outside the world gives you unlimited refills on soda....why not Disney? I am not going to get into the whole stealing vs not stealing...( I have the supposed lifetime mugs) but some of the numbers thrown around ( $5.00 for a mug?) are not even close. At the volume Disney buys the syrup etc. is probably the best deal anyone in the country has with coke. 12 ounces of coke might be a penny or two.

The large majority of guest are not even at the resort for most of the day. How much soda does the AVERAGE guest really drink. Now they are includeing the mug into the dining plan...you think you are not paying for said mug?....weather you want it or not. So now everyone in your party MUST purchase a mug.....ending the practice of the parent pouring some in a sippy cup or anything else. How much soda does a five year old drink? if any?

To me it is a case of micromanageing...figureing out a way to squeeze every cent they can. Some bean counter somewhere impressing his boss on how he can make the company X amount of dollars by doing.......

 

[YuggYuggWDW94]

It was strictly the soda machines. The faux-coffee dispensers worked as normal.

Pshew! I was worried! Im not too much of a soda drinker so this is relieving to hear.

 

[go3epcot]

i think you are being kind of generous calling it faux coffee...i wouldn't even go that far!

Agreed!!!!!!!!!

 

[awhit066]

I'm not sure where I stand on this. As someone who does follow the rules and buys a new resort mug for every trip I'm glad that others would be forced to follow them too. However if the system makes life more complicated for even the guest who are following the rules then I'm not sure it's worth it.

Questions for those who got to test the machines; Were you able to mix and match the soda in your mug (E.g. Fill half with Sprite and half lemonade) or would you have to fill all the way to the top and wait 5 mins before being able to dispense any more.

I think you are being kind of generous calling it faux coffee...I wouldn't even go that far!

It does make excellent pot hole filler...

Oh that's what that stuff is... I thought it was turpentine. :hammer:

 

[dreamfinder]

What I dont get is that almost every single resturant you go to outside the world gives you unlimited refills on soda....why not Disney? I am not going to get into the whole stealing vs not stealing...( I have the supposed lifetime mugs) but some of the numbers thrown around ( $5.00 for a mug?) are not even close. At the volume Disney buys the syrup etc. is probably the best deal anyone in the country has with coke. 12 ounces of coke might be a penny or two.

Because the locations that have unlimited refills, have the expectation that you will purchase a meal each time you are there. Your entree has an extra 40 cents (or some such) built into it to help cover the cost of your soda. Admittedly WDW prices have that much (and more) built into them, but not for that purpose. People who stop down numerous times a trip for nothing but a refill, that has to be paid for somehow.

 

[LaughingGravy]

For all of this, they should at least bring back resort specific mugs and change them every couple of years.
The generic "disney parks" mugs are simply boring.

It would certainly help in justifying the purchase.

Say at Pop, where we eat there in the am, fill up the cup once, maybe a second time for traveling, then again at the end of the day,(we're not going all the way back to the resort for lunch just to save on a single drink for each member of the family), we then have a souvenir mug as well, which is pretty cool.

To go the next year or 2 years later and have the same mug, having to pay for the same souvenir mug screams of being ripped off.
Yes, I know it's length of stay.

Change up the mug, and it's OK. It's obviously a perception thing, but I think it is justified.

 

[freediverdude]

I'm not sure where I stand on this. As someone who does follow the rules and buys a new resort mug for every trip I'm glad that others would be forced to follow them too. However if the system makes life more complicated for even the guest who are following the rules then I'm not sure it's worth it.

Questions for those who got to test the machines; Were you able to mix and match the soda in your mug (E.g. Fill half with Sprite and half lemonade) or would you have to fill all the way to the top and wait 5 mins before being able to dispense any more.





Oh that's what that stuff is... I thought it was turpentine. :hammer:

I did get to test it last fall, and yes you could fill it partially with one and partially with another soda, it measured how much was going into the cup (talk about exacting, lol).

 

[goofntink]

What I dont get is that almost every single resturant you go to outside the world gives you unlimited refills on soda....why not Disney? I am not going to get into the whole stealing vs not stealing...( I have the supposed lifetime mugs) but some of the numbers thrown around ( $5.00 for a mug?) are not even close. At the volume Disney buys the syrup etc. is probably the best deal anyone in the country has with coke. 12 ounces of coke might be a penny or two.

The large majority of guest are not even at the resort for most of the day. How much soda does the AVERAGE guest really drink. Now they are includeing the mug into the dining plan...you think you are not paying for said mug?....weather you want it or not. So now everyone in your party MUST purchase a mug.....ending the practice of the parent pouring some in a sippy cup or anything else. How much soda does a five year old drink? if any?

To me it is a case of micromanageing...figureing out a way to squeeze every cent they can. Some bean counter somewhere impressing his boss on how he can make the company X amount of dollars by doing.......

WHAT??? Your comparing Disney to Burger King or McDonalds?? Seriously??? Wooowwww!!!! Last I checked unlimited refills at BK an McDonalds were only good when you are sitting down to eat in the restaurant. You can't leave and go back the next day,or even the same day for that matter and expect to be able to get a free refill. I would love to see you try it and then tell the worker at the restaurant," I already bought the cup and it says unlimited refills." when they confront you. The cop they call to come and arrest you for theft would probably get a good laugh as well!!

Speaking of purchasing volume. BK and McDonalds must get as good a deal on soda as well. So that comparison is invalid. Plain and simple the resort mugs have always been unlimited refills for length of stay. If you bring them back on your next trip and get soda. YOU ARE STEALING!!!!!!! There is no way you or anyone can justify refilling their mug from a previous visit,knowing it is one time use mug and then try to use the excuse 'Well it's Disney, they can afford it."

Micromanaging? No quite the opposite. I am glad that some "beancounter" came up with this idea. He/She is saving the company money,and that way the losses are not having to be passed onto to the guests or myself by raising prices to recover the losses.

 

[Florida_is_hot]

WHAT??? Your comparing Disney to Burger King or McDonalds?? Seriously??? Wooowwww!!!! Last I checked unlimited refills at BK an McDonalds were only good when you are sitting down to eat in the restaurant. You can't leave and go back the next day,or even the same day for that matter and expect to be able to get a free refill. I would love to see you try it and then tell the worker at the restaurant," I already bought the cup and it says unlimited refills." when they confront you. The cop they call to come and arrest you for theft would probably get a good laugh as well!!

Speaking of purchasing volume. BK and McDonalds must get as good a deal on soda as well. So that comparison is invalid. Plain and simple the resort mugs have always been unlimited refills for length of stay. If you bring them back on your next trip and get soda. YOU ARE STEALING!!!!!!! There is no way you or anyone can justify refilling their mug from a previous visit,knowing it is one time use mug and then try to use the excuse 'Well it's Disney, they can afford it."

Micromanaging? No quite the opposite. I am glad that some "beancounter" came up with this idea. He/She is saving the company money,and that way the losses are not having to be passed onto to the guests or myself by raising prices to recover the losses.

Well said.