Pictures of the 2011 mugs....too cute!!!

[pax_65]

Mostly because it was a pain in the neck getting the mugs refilled at Boardwalk.

Why is that? We're staying a few days at Boardwalk on our next trip. I always buy the mugs and get more than my money's worth from them, easily downing 4-5 drinks a day.

 

[kbmum]

Why is that? We're staying a few days at Boardwalk on our next trip. I always buy the mugs and get more than my money's worth from them, easily downing 4-5 drinks a day.

I've heard the beverage stations at the QS restaurant are behind a counter. You have to ask a CM for the drink you want, they pour it into a paper cup, then hand you the cup.

 

[pax_65]

I've heard the beverage stations at the QS restaurant are behind a counter. You have to ask a CM for the drink you want, they pour it into a paper cup, then hand you the cup.

Wow... that's both inconvenient and environmentally unfriendly.

I love the way Saratoga Springs does it. They have a beverage station right by the pool. Just a short walk from the chairs.

 

[yankeevttch]

I like the mugs. I wish that they had a system where you can use them in the parks also so you don't have to create more waste with the paper ones.

 

[dreamfinder]

FINALLY!!!!! :sohappy::sohappy::sohappy:

Oh...before I get too excited here, does anyone know if they are in the resorts already? Sure hope so, as we are checking in to Pop in 2 weeks and we need to buy 4. :shrug:

Some resorts do indeed have them in. Just got back from a short trip, and saw plenty of people carrying them, thought they were waterpark mugs until I saw this posting. However, our resort Caribbean Beach still had the old mugs, but seemed to be running out as the first few days they only had 1 color.

I wish they had four different lid colors readily available. Last year's mugs had black, red, yellow and blue lids. The blue lids weren't put on display (not that I ever saw, anyway), but they were available behind the registers or counters.

We're staying at Beach Club for the first time this summer. Could someone please tell me where the beverage stations are? I'm trying to decide if having mugs will be worth the hassle or if I should just get extra drinks delivered by Garden Grocer.

There is one fountain out at the pool bar/counter service. Also one of the gift shops has a fountain, but not both. Which ever of the two is closer to Epcot has it, I can never keep straight which club is which.

I've heard the beverage stations at the QS restaurant are behind a counter. You have to ask a CM for the drink you want, they pour it into a paper cup, then hand you the cup.

Ayup. However, the cups are bigger than the mug...

 

[sbkline]

It's really a symptom of a larger debate, which is "Would you do cheat the system to save a few bucks on your Disney vacation?" Some people feel Disney charges so much as it is, they feel justified in taking advantage of any loophole to make the trip more affordable or get a better deal. This includes the mugs, lying about the age of your child for park tickets, whatever.

I'm all about getting a great deal - shop around for codes and such, but I won't lie, cheat or steal to do it.

I remember having this debate before, and I asked "If the system somehow allowed you to enter the park with an expired park ticket, would you do it?" and a number of people said yes. There's really not much I can say to that. I guess they enclose the parks in high fencing for a reason.

I would also try to give the benefit of the doubt to many of the "mug abusers" by saying that it's also a matter of what one views as "stealing" or "cheating". I don't think most mug abusers are conciously trying to cheat the system. I think there are just several "gray" areas when it comes to stealing. We would all agree that walking into Walmart and just taking something off the shelf is wrong. But there are other areas where some might view it as "stealing" while others don't even think about it as such because it's such a small amount. For example, is it "stealing" if you're visiting a resort just to look around, and you pass through the food court and grab a handful of napkins for your kid's runny nose, without making a purchase? Some would consider it stealing (and technically, it probably is), but most of us would probably think nothing of it. Similarly, there are many people who reuse old mugs with no thought of "cheating" the system. Either they are under the impression taht their mug is good for life (apparently, they used to be way back when), or refilling a mug is just as natural for them as yanking out a few napkins without being a paying customer. I'm not trying to judge if it's right or wrong...just arguing that it's not necessarily so simple as someone deliberately trying to cheat the system.

 

[fosse76]

Thank you. I believe they have a similar system in place at the water parks.

The most bizarre refill I saw wasn't an old mug it was a gatoraid bottle.

Well, I can't comment on the gatorade bottle, but the fact that Disney does have the technology to enforce the rule, yet refuses to implement it, means that Disney is no way concerned about the re-use of old mugs at its resorts. The fact that they also do not dissuade guests, through CM intervention, from re-using old mugs also means that those guests are not stealing from Disney. I know you holier-than-thou people like to think people who re-use their mugs are stealing, but Disney's complacency essentially negates that. I would venture that only a small number of guests actually bring back old mugs (I know I generally forget to bring mine). Combine that with the actual cost of the mug vs. what Disney charges for it, and the number of actual refills made by each guest, and Disney is still making a huge profit on them. I would venture that even if half of all guests at resorts were reusing old mugs that Disney would still be making money. So lets just stop the indignation and get over it. Disney doesn't care, so why do you?

 

[epcotWSC]

The fact that they also do not dissuade guests, through CM intervention, from re-using old mugs also means that those guests are not stealing from Disney.

Stealing is stealing no matter how you justify it. Just like downloading songs, movies, games, adult images/movies, etc. without paying is stealing. Just because the FBI or the copyright holder isn't coming after you, doesn't mean it's not stealing and doesn't mean they don't care.

Disney may care, but to what extent are you going to waste resources to stop a small group of people from stealing some fountain soda? They surely wouldn't hire an extra person to do soda watch. That'd be a bigger waste of money than what they already lose. Plus for the most part the CMs are either A) Busy with their jobs or B) Don't care enough to stop people.

If it was an issue that was out of hand, Disney would care. If they weren't selling any mugs and everyone was bringing their prior year mugs or a cup to fill up, they'd care. You'd see all of the soda refills go behind counters instead of being out in the open.

No one's perfect, nor am I saying that I am, but to convince yourself that doing something wrong isn't wrong because no one seems to care is silly.

 

[disney1077]

I wish they had four different lid colors readily available. Last year's mugs had black, red, yellow and blue lids. The blue lids weren't put on display (not that I ever saw, anyway), but they were available behind the registers or counters.

We're staying at Beach Club for the first time this summer. Could someone please tell me where the beverage stations are? I'm trying to decide if having mugs will be worth the hassle or if I should just get extra drinks delivered by Garden Grocer.

You can refill your mugs at the Beach Club marketplace, Hurricane Hannah's and the Beaches and Cream soda shop.

 

[TinkerChelli]

Alright I am super excited for a Pink!!! My Fav. Color !!! YIPPIE Thanks so much for letting us know

 

[pax_65]

The fact that they also do not dissuade guests, through CM intervention, from re-using old mugs also means that those guests are not stealing from Disney.

My kids are old enough to read the signs and they know the rules. I personally can't re-use old mugs and then look my kids the eye and tell them it's ok.

I will pay the $14. As I said before, I probably fill up 4-5 times a day... over a 10-day trip that's 40-50 drinks for $14, or about 31 cents a fill-up. I still think that's a pretty good deal.

 

[fosse76]

Stealing is stealing no matter how you justify it.

Actually, no it's not. They may have a posted sign, but their lack of enforcement is de facto permission to guests to re-use their old mugs. Until they actually enforce the policy, the act of re-using an old mug is not theft or stealing. No matter what you may think.

Disney may care, but to what extent are you going to waste resources to stop a small group of people from stealing some fountain soda? They surely wouldn't hire an extra person to do soda watch. That'd be a bigger waste of money than what they already lose. Plus for the most part the CMs are either A) Busy with their jobs or B) Don't care enough to stop people.

Disney's reasoning for non-enforcement of its policy is irrelevant. They allow the behavior, therefore they are granting permission for guests to re-use their old mugs. Therefore, it is not stealing.

]No one's perfect, nor am I saying that I am, but to convince yourself that doing something wrong isn't wrong because no one seems to care is silly.

I am mainly responding to the idea that people who re-use ther old mugs are stealing. They aren't. The morality of the re-use of old mugs is a different, though sopmewhat related, issue. But the point is until Disney actually enforces its policy and takes proactive steps to prevent this behavior from continuing, it is not theft.

 

[George]

So..let's say I live in a small town, leave my car unlocked with it's keys in it. Our lone law enforcement officer sleeps at night. Someone steals my car at midnight. Since it was easy to do and no one was around to enforce the rules, does that mean it's not stealing?

Not enforcing a rule doesn't mean that the opposite of that rule should be the norm. I'm sure that the main reason Disney doesn't stop people from refilling mugs is that it would be a pain in the butt to do and they make a ton of money from having folks as guests whether they get free refills or not. I'm sure filling up your Dixie Landings mug from 1991 is not a condoned behavior.

For the record, I don't really care that much...but I found that lack of enforcement means de facto permission argument interesting. Just cause I'm not always standing near my garden doesn't mean the neighborhood kids have permission to run rampage over my greenery when I'm asleep or at work.

 

[MichWolv]

Actually, no it's not. They may have a posted sign, but their lack of enforcement is de facto permission to guests to re-use their old mugs. Until they actually enforce the policy, the act of re-using an old mug is not theft or stealing. No matter what you may think.


Disney's reasoning for non-enforcement of its policy is irrelevant. They allow the behavior, therefore they are granting permission for guests to re-use their old mugs. Therefore, it is not stealing.

I am mainly responding to the idea that people who re-use ther old mugs are stealing. They aren't. The morality of the re-use of old mugs is a different, though sopmewhat related, issue. But the point is until Disney actually enforces its policy and takes proactive steps to prevent this behavior from continuing, it is not theft.

This is wrong. If a bully takes your money at school every day but you don't report it for fear retaliation, that doesn't make it legal for him to take you money. No doubt Disney's reasons for not enforcing are far different from the bullied kid's, but as you say "Disney's reasoning for non-enforcement of its policy is irrelevant."

We might reasonably ask whether Disney minds if we use the old mugs. And maybe Disney doesn't -- I've never asked anybody about it. But if we believe that we don't have permission to take free drinks in an old mug, and we do it anyways, of course it's stealing and illegal, even if they won't prosecute us for doing so.

Just like taking the towels from your room home with you is stealing, but the hotel won't prosecute. Just as driving beyond the speed limit is breaking the traffic laws, even if the police officer doesn't bother to pull you over.

 

[bunnyman]

I can see both sides of the arguement. In today's world of business travel, you can stay for a lot less than even the value resorts, and have included in the price of your room daily full or continential breakfast, free wi-fi, etc. For pete's sake, even Motel 6 has free coffee! Now take that same business traveler and plop them into the Poly at $300+ a night, plus no free breakfast, daily internet fees, etc., and some of those people see no problem "abusing" the mug set-up. I know one business traveler who ordered room service coffee on day one, and for the rest of their week used the empty coffee pot everyday at the coffee vending area!

 

[MichWolv]

I can see both sides of the arguement. In today's world of business travel, you can stay for a lot less than even the value resorts, and have included in the price of your room daily full or continential breakfast, free wi-fi, etc. For pete's sake, even Motel 6 has free coffee! Now take that same business traveler and plop them into the Poly at $300+ a night, plus no free breakfast, daily internet fees, etc., and some of those people see no problem "abusing" the mug set-up. I know one business traveler who ordered room service coffee on day one, and for the rest of their week used the empty coffee pot everyday at the coffee vending area!

But hotels (and Disney) get to decide what to offer in exchange for payment. If a patron knowingly takes more than he/she purchased the right to take, that's theft. If Mr. Businessman thinks that Disney should offer more than they do for $300 per night, Mr. Businessman should take his business elsewhere...which is precisely why I usually stay off-property.

 

[the-reason14]

I used to use my old mugs and may still in the future I can't lie. It really all falls down to the individual and how he or she feels ethically. I will agree that I think it is stealing. Just because Disney isn't taking measures to prevent this, doesn't make it right, it just means Disney doesn't really care. If it says, 'these mugs are good until the end of your stay' and you come back and use an old one from 3 trips ago, how can you say it's not stealing? However you justify it, it's still stealing!! Does that mean, I won't or others won't ever do it, hell no!! Another justification is you could say that it's just an added perk of being a repeat visitor, but unless the signs say that then sorry but you are stealing. Doesn't matter if it's a 'little amount' compared to what Disney makes, it's stealing.

 

[candydog]

Actually, no it's not. They may have a posted sign, but their lack of enforcement is de facto permission to guests to re-use their old mugs. Until they actually enforce the policy, the act of re-using an old mug is not theft or stealing. No matter what you may think.


Disney's reasoning for non-enforcement of its policy is irrelevant. They allow the behavior, therefore they are granting permission for guests to re-use their old mugs. Therefore, it is not stealing.

That may just be one of the most ridiculous things I ever read. Yes, we may be arguing far too long over something so petty here but seriously? Just because a rule is not enforced means it does not exist?

So if no laws were enforced against murder anymore it would make it perfectly fine to go on a killing spree? Are people so untrustworthy nowadays that they have to be policed when it comes to the simple following of a rule?

Wouldn't it be much better to live in a place where rules are not enforced because we are trusted to follow them ourselves?

 

[spaceghost]

Haven't we had this discussion before? Deja vu... as for the new mugs, I think I like them. The kids will love the pink option for our trip later this year, that's for sure.

 

[MichWolv]

I used to use my old mugs and may still in the future I can't lie. It really all falls down to the individual and how he or she feels ethically. I will agree that I think it is stealing. Just because Disney isn't taking measures to prevent this, doesn't make it right, it just means Disney doesn't really care. If it says, 'these mugs are good until the end of your stay' and you come back and use an old one from 3 trips ago, how can you say it's not stealing? However you justify it, it's still stealing!! Does that mean, I won't or others won't ever do it, hell no!! Another justification is you could say that it's just an added perk of being a repeat visitor, but unless the signs say that then sorry but you are stealing. Doesn't matter if it's a 'little amount' compared to what Disney makes, it's stealing.

An honest response. I can respect "I know it's stealing, but I may do it anyways" a lot more than the twisted attempts to rationalize that it isn't stealing at all.