I also remember that they were touted as "good forever" way back when. But that was in the day when all of the resort hotels had a full service restaurant or two, not just a food court.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
"Rapid Fill" Mugs Coming to Walt Disney World Hotels
- Thread starter djlaosc
- Start date
I also remember that they were touted as "good forever" way back when. But that was in the day when all of the resort hotels had a full service restaurant or two, not just a food court.
Agree 100%.
I personally don't like it but we never paid for overpriced drinks/mugs anyway.
Ya know, I keep thinking that Disney parks are heading toward catering to only the super rich, ala Jurassic Park. This quote from JP haunts me..."And we can charge anything we want, 2,000 a day, 10,000 a day, and people will pay it. And then there's the merchandise..."
nepalostparks
Well-Known Member
It's a regional theme park, and while I don't have exact attendance numbers, I'm sure it draws more than one day at WDW in their operating season. In 2010, their attendance was 1,182,636 according to their website. Even if each guest only was to purchase one drink at a conservative $2 a pop, I'd say that's a chunk of money.
Regardless, it's a theme park which includes unlimited soft drinks in the price of admission.
flynnibus
Premium Member
You overlook that in both examples... both companies have direct visibility into their sales. The record industry saw sales take a dive.. while the popularity of the music took no parallel move. With music there is the argument of 'free publicity' and if people would have bought.. but they do know that people DID buy music before.. even if they heard it on the radio frequently.. or could tape it, etc. Sales dived.. and have continued to dive. They faced piracy and a market shift.
Now Disney... drinking really isn't optional with your meals. Disney can very easily see how many drinks were sold and how many meals were sold and do some analysis and see what the trend is doing, and make comparisons to similar locations without the refill stations. Add to that, all it takes is sitting in the food court for an hour and watch the madness. There is no mystery here... Disney has the observed behavior and baseline behavior to compare with.
Do people drink more when it's free vs paid? Probably.. but its pretty safe to assume that on the whole, people will not give up drinking something with their meal just because its no longer free.
That's from alcohol sales. Ask any McDonald's franchise owner his biggest seller, and(s)he'll tell you the most sales dollars come from french fries. Go to the Hard Rock Cafe across the street, and the most sales dollars will be from alcoholic bevrerages.
Since when did whatever the heck those mugs cost entitle you to a lifetime of free soda?[/quote]
Since they charged $18 for something that will at most cost them $1.00 to provide to you.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Sure, but I remember when you could buy a gallon of gasoline for 28.9 cents. Good things never last forever.
The real problem was not with those that had one of those ancient cups. Eventually through washings, handling and so on the cup would either become broken or thing would start growing on them. What happened is after, when Disney changed their mind and stopped saying "good forever" many people just took it upon themselves to decide that they were still offering that perk when they were not. It went the same route as Fastpass good all day did. To much abuse means end of abuse by drastic means.So it was a good run. Thousands of people got free drinks for many years simply by ignoring the fact that it no longer was that way. Appears that the time is over. Just like Fastpass, Disney let it happen, instead of enforcing there own rules. There never has been a group with more fear of confrontation then Disney.
Bolt
Well-Known Member
Nothing more than I love than watching a foreign family filling up 10 water bottles full of soda while I wait patiently behind them with a cup I paid for. Sometimes I wish I had it in me to not care about anything. Just sometimes.
True.
I happily re-used several of my old-school 'fat mugs' over numerous visits without shame as i knew they were sold to me when the policy was :
'unlimited refills for your stay, and any future visits'.
There was actually signage that said this as well, posted in the Food Courts at that time.
It was one of the major marketing quotes that motivated you to want to buy a mug...and i did for that very reason.
I visited often every year and it would be something that i could use.
Never had a issue bringing it back over the years...actually had people comment on how nice the old mugs were.
i definately got my $11.99's worth out of those 2001 'fatties'....
I also remember signage at point of purchase. It still didn't seem worth it to me.
I also remember when APs were first offered, and could be renewed at the same price the next year as an incentive for people to purchase them!!! That policy was changed decades ago (at least I think so - I'll have to ask my in-laws who purchased one the first year they were offered)Once upon a time no one anticipated that people would want to vacation at WDW multiple times in one year, or that locals would visit as frequently as they do. Or did, depending upon who you talk to.
AngryEyes
Well-Known Member
Someone asking a CM why they can no longer steal from WDW will be the easiest question they get asked on a given day.
Money grab? How in the world is it a money grab to expect people to pay for the service that's being provided?
Technically, under the law, an employee is an agent of the company they work for. So yes, from a customer perspective, it should be honored. When it isn't, that's where customer service comes into play. Unless it was something really outrageous and costly, most businesses will allow whatever was promised.Really??? An "oral contract" by CMs is supposed to be honored!?!?!?
I would pay $100! For a 2 day stay.I wish they would do something for adult beverages like this. I would gladly pay $50 for a all I could drink glass for my 9 day stay.
ddrongowski
Well-Known Member
I was told this on my very first trip September 2001. But evidently it was a lie.
ddrongowski
Well-Known Member
Fuzzy navel, double bourbon, long island iced tea, and a frozen daiquiri for desert (and that would just be breakfast before rope drop!)I would pay $100! For a 2 day stay.
Could someone carry me over to the bus stop, as I cannot feel my legs.......
I think it is more along the line as something that was promised, through signage and advertising, as a benefit to entice you to use a service.
I bought a car in the past at a dealership that used to provide a free loaner when your car was being worked on. Now they get you a rental at a reduced rate. I wasn't "stealing" the service while using it, but would be stealing it now if I just took a car anyway, because I was accustomed to getting one free while my car was being serviced.
That doesn't mean that I didn't tell them that I disliked the "new" policy. As many are doing here. But I would not try to circumvent it, even if I could.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
Sure, but I remember when you could buy a gallon of gasoline for 28.9 cents. Good things never last forever.
So it was a good run. Thousands of people got free drinks for many years simply by ignoring the fact that it no longer was that way. Appears that the time is over. Just like Fastpass, Disney let it happen, instead of enforcing there own rules. There never has been a group with more fear of confrontation then Disney.
For arguments sake....when you sell something that is "good forever," you really can't just decide to cut the perk for those people who purchased under that pretense. You can stop offering it to future guests, and I guess in this case since no one seems to be able to produce a picture of one of these old signs, Disney can just play the "well that was never an official policy" card. But I would be miffed if I purchased a mug back (and still had it and it was in usable condition) and when I noticed it wouldn't work at the fountain a Cast Member said to me "well it was a good run."
Didn't they sell "lifetime park passes" back in the 80s or 90s at WDW? What if Disney decided to just stop offering that perk because they decided that even for the few who purchased those passes, they were just losing too much money from those guests...and tell you that you had a good run?
NowInc
Well-Known Member
This whole thing sort of reminds me of the Walgreens unlimited use film cameras from a while ago. I am assuming to try and compete with the forthcoming popularity of digital cameras, wallgreens offered these film cameras, that once filled up..you bring them in to the store..they replace it with an empty roll for free..and you can continue shooting...for the life of the camera. Heres the funny part..PEOPLE STILL USE THESE. In fact some walgreens still get shipments of film in JUST because of these cameras.
off topic a bit..but perhaps you can see the similarity.
off topic a bit..but perhaps you can see the similarity.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
Walgreens still makes money off of these due to the markup on film processing and upsells to photo CDs.
NowInc
Well-Known Member
Indeed. Which is why they don't tend to "punish" people for when the system is clearly abused..
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hacking-the-Walgreens-Forever-camera-for-near-free/