Refillable Mug Policy

[Cynderella]

Hi everyone. I did a search for this but nothing really answered my question. And if there was a thread already Im sorry but I couldnt find it. My question is...I have several Mugs from different resorts and for years I have brought them back to the resort and used them again and again...I heard a rumor or read it somewhere but I forget....that now you have to buy a new mug everytime you go and that they have this policy written on the new mugs now. I havent been down since Nov 03 and we stayed at Ft. Wilderness and didnt have mugs but I know in the past I had brought ones back and had no problem. I was just wondering if anyone has been down recently and noticed a change at all. Thanks in advance for any info! :wave:

 

[Gail Hayden]

I wish I had an all straight $69 Spa, an all straight cruise, and an official straight hotel. That's just not fair.

Life is not fair. I am sure if you had a group of all straight people who wanted these things, it could happen.

 

[longfamily]

I wish I had an all straight $69 Spa, an all straight cruise, and an official straight hotel. That's just not fair.

Oh but you do. :kiss: It's called daily life.

 

[Gail Hayden]

Oh but you do. :kiss: It's called daily life.

Very true, but, it does not really have a "special" label.

 

[PurpleDragon]

You guys took this simple question and turned it into a entire moral debate!

Basically back when they first setup the food courts with the public access fountains they were completely expecting guests to abuse their use of them(people always do ), so to cash in on this Disney created the mugs. This way when guests use the foutain multiple times, they will at least be using Disney mugs. Also when the mugs were first being distributed there was no written statement on to how long they were good for, so because there was this massive loop hole, majority of people decided to use them everytime they returned to Disney. Cast members knew this and stated that the mugs were good forever, again there was nothing written anywhere at that point as to the length of use of the mug. Now because the penny pinchers are in charge up at Disney HQ, they are trying to find ways to increase profits with very little investment, so by finally posting a limit to the validity of the mug use, they are hoping to increase profits on something they were already distributing.

There are always going to be people out there who bring non Disney mugs to the resorts and filling them up, as well as repeat visitors who are resusing their Disney resort mugs. Disney knows this and doesn't seem to be too worried about it. I think if Disney were really concerned they would have already moved the drink fountains behind a CM only counter, or just done bottles only in the resorts thus ceasing this problem for good. But alas they haven't done anything of the sort, which pretty much tells me that Disney is not very concerned about it, so I don't think we should be either.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I couldn't wade thru 6 more pages before posting this. :lookaroun

There is a profit to be made on things Disney sells - the $12 mug for refillable soda, the $19 t-shirt that cost $2 to make. But that is NOT necessarily money in Disney's pocket. Yes, they make a profit - that's what they are in business to do (I can't believe I said that :brick: ). But there are bills to pay - 55,000 CM's, Imagineers, fuel for buses, benefits, and that's just for starters.

We buy a new mug when we stay at a resort. We follow the rules posted for them. I don't like it when I see people using old/other mugs to get refills. Can I stop it? No. Do I like it? No. Is it going to alter what I do, or affect my enjoyment of my favorite place on Earth? No.

My bottom line: Do whatever you want to do with the mugs. The rules are posted - "Mugs are good for free refills during your stay". Like speed limits, there will be people who break them. It's up to Disney how to enforce the rules. And if they do decide to implement some system to enforce the policy (like bar codes, I hear they have something like that at Blizzard Beach?), I don't want to hear any whining about it. :lookaroun

 

[HauntedPirate]

There are always going to be people out there who bring non Disney mugs to the resorts and filling them up, as well as repeat visitors who are resusing their Disney resort mugs. Disney knows this and doesn't seem to be too worried about it. I think if Disney were really concerned they would have already moved the drink fountains behind a CM only counter, or just done bottles only in the resorts thus ceasing this problem for good. But alas they haven't done anything of the sort, which pretty much tells me that Disney is not very concerned about it, so I don't think we should be either.

Well said. And, don't give them any ideas. :lol:

 

[PurpleDragon]

Well said. And, don't give them any ideas. :lol:

Oops!!:zipit: I forgot.......they may be watching!:lookaroun LOL!!!!:lol: :hammer:

 

[imagineer99]

We buy a new mug when we stay at a resort. We follow the rules posted for them. I don't like it when I see people using old/other mugs to get refills. Can I stop it? No. Do I like it? No. Is it going to alter what I do, or affect my enjoyment of my favorite place on Earth? No.

But I again, I pose the question...

If the mug I use is IDENTICAL to yours, how would you know I bought it a year ago?

In your view, I would just be following the rules.

 

[Cynderella]

Wow go me for getting a 9 page thread for my first one :sohappy:

 

[Ringo8n24]

I think you sum it up as PurpleDragon was indirectly saying that it is basically an amenity provided to the guests. Therefore, the costs have already been calculated somehow in the whole price setting of your stay. It is almost like you may feel like you are getting by with repeatedly using the mug, but truly you probably are not because you have already paid for the free drinks.

 

[HauntedPirate]

But I again, I pose the question...

If the mug I use is IDENTICAL to yours, how would you know I bought it a year ago?

In your view, I would just be following the rules.

Most likely, I wouldn't even notice. We just notice the mugs that don't belong, which, when I think about it, is kind of odd....

 

[PurpleDragon]

Like I said before, its obvoius WDW is not very concerned about it or they would have already made major changes as I stated earlier. My point is if Disney doesn't seem to mind too much, then why should we be so morally outraged to see people doing it.

Its a natural part of the human psyche, when you see an open oportunity, you take it. Some people indulge this, others suppress it. I don't think ther is much of a point deliberating the morality of it. A need to correct others and convert them to your way of thinking only reflects ones need and dependance on proving themself right. It is what it is, you do it your way, they will do it theirs and lets leave it at that.

 

[Scooter]

Like I said before, its obvoius WDW is not very concerned about it or they would have already made major changes as I stated earlier. My point is if Disney doesn't seem to mind too much, then why should we be so morally outraged to see people doing it.

Its a natural part of the human psyche, when you see an open oportunity, you take it. Some people indulge this, others suppress it. I don't think ther is much of a point deliberating the morality of it. A need to correct others and convert them to your way of thinking only reflects ones need and dependance on proving themself right. It is what it is, you do it your way, they will do it theirs and lets leave it at that.

First of all...Disney IS concerned about misuse of mugs or they wouldn't have changed the Policy to Length of stay.

Secondly...As someone who happens to Enjoy the use of this Refillable mug program, and someone who wants it to continue, I have every RIGHT to try and convince others not to abuse this policy.

If the policy is abused for long enough, it will eventually be cancelled and I, for one, don't want to pay $2.50 a cup every time I want a Coke.

This has NOTHING to do with me wanting to prove myself right or wrong and EVERYTHING to do with the Refillable Mug Program, and my family saving money when we stay for a week at a Disney Resort.

This is about a minority of people who refuse to follow the rules, possibly ruining a good thing for everyone else who DO follow the rules.

 

[PurpleDragon]

First of all...Disney IS concerned about misuse of mugs or they wouldn't have changed the Policy to Length of stay.

Secondly...As someone who happens to Enjoy the use of this Refillable mug program, and someone who wants it to continue, I have every RIGHT to try and convince others not to abuse this policy.

If the policy is abused for long enough, it will eventually be cancelled and I, for one, don't want to pay $2.50 a cup every time I want a Coke.

This has NOTHING to do with me wanting to prove myself right or wrong and EVERYTHING to do with the Refillable Mug Program, and my family saving money when we stay for a week at a Disney Resort.

This is about a minority of people who refuse to follow the rules, possibly ruining a good thing for everyone else who DO follow the rules.

My comment was in no way meant to offend. I was only stating that trying to convince someone that reusing their old resort mugs is stealing, is about as effective as banging your head against a wall. :brick: This is because Disney went so many years with that massive "Loophole" around the valid length of mug use. Even though they have a disclaimer on the new mugs now stating the length of stay rule, no where does it state that mugs purchased from the same resort during previous visits are no longer valid(again a "loophole"), nor have they changed the mug designs from year to year thus making it virtually impossible to tell which mugs are new and which are old(impossible to enforce said policy). Everyone who is trying to argue the reusing is simply assuming that the rule qualifies for all mugs, but does it? We don't know.

As far as the cancelation of the public fountain access, I seriously doubt that is going to happen. This issue has been going on for many many years and Disney has done nothing to stop it. Posting the "policy" on the mug is more of a scare tactic to increase mug sales rather than a serious effort to squash the "misuse" of public soda fountains. If it was they would have changed the mug designs each year as well to differentiate the old mugs from the new. But have they changed the design every year? Nope they have not, more like every 5-10 years!

If they wanted to stop this they would have done much more than putting a policy in tiny print at the bottom of the mug, they would have done one of the following:
- Posted this policy all around the food court area.
- Had a guard around the fountains scanning the mugs that are being filled.
- Moved the fountains behind a CM counter so that they were the ones doing the filling to filter out non resort mugs.
- Removed the fountains all together and sold bottled sodas only from the fridge area.
- Installed "pay service" soda fountains (insert quarters and place your cup in the slot)
- Installed soda vending machines in the food court
- Changed the mug design every year
- Added the date to the mugs (i.e. All-Star Movies Resort 2004)

So until any of these measures have been done, I would really doubt Disney is that concerned and would remove the public access soda fountains any time soon.

 

[longfamily]

My comment was in no way meant to offend. I was only stating that trying to convince someone that reusing their old resort mugs is stealing, is about as effective as banging your head against a wall. :brick: This is because Disney went so many years with that massive "Loophole" around the valid length of mug use. Even though they have a disclaimer on the new mugs now stating the length of stay rule, no where does it state that mugs purchased from the same resort during previous visits are no longer valid(again a "loophole"), nor have they changed the mug designs from year to year thus making it virtually impossible to tell which mugs are new and which are old(impossible to enforce said policy). Everyone who is trying to argue the reusing is simply assuming that the rule qualifies for all mugs, but does it? We don't know.

As far as the cancelation of the public fountain access, I seriously doubt that is going to happen. This issue has been going on for many many years and Disney has done nothing to stop it. Posting the "policy" on the mug is more of a scare tactic to increase mug sales rather than a serious effort to squash the "misuse" of public soda fountains. If it was they would have changed the mug designs each year as well to differentiate the old mugs from the new. But have they changed the design every year? Nope they have not, more like every 5-10 years!

If they wanted to stop this they would have done much more than putting a policy in tiny print at the bottom of the mug, they would have done one of the following:
- Posted this policy all around the food court area.
- Had a guard around the fountains scanning the mugs that are being filled.
- Moved the fountains behind a CM counter so that they were the ones doing the filling to filter out non resort mugs.
- Removed the fountains all together and sold bottled sodas only from the fridge area.
- Installed "pay service" soda fountains (insert quarters and place your cup in the slot)
- Installed soda vending machines in the food court
- Changed the mug design every year
- Added the date to the mugs (i.e. All-Star Movies Resort 2004)

So until any of these measures have been done, I would really doubt Disney is that concerned and would remove the public access soda fountains any time soon.

All great points!

 

[HauntedPirate]

First of all...Disney IS concerned about misuse of mugs or they wouldn't have changed the Policy to Length of stay.

Secondly...As someone who happens to Enjoy the use of this Refillable mug program, and someone who wants it to continue, I have every RIGHT to try and convince others not to abuse this policy.

If the policy is abused for long enough, it will eventually be cancelled and I, for one, don't want to pay $2.50 a cup every time I want a Coke.

This has NOTHING to do with me wanting to prove myself right or wrong and EVERYTHING to do with the Refillable Mug Program, and my family saving money when we stay for a week at a Disney Resort.

This is about a minority of people who refuse to follow the rules, possibly ruining a good thing for everyone else who DO follow the rules.

Very well said. Next thing we'll hear about is people reusing the cups to save money. I don't want to see Disney have to create the "Refillable Mug Police" because a few people feel it's their "right" to abuse a good thing.

I know this is going to sound bad, but I need to say it - if you can't afford a $12 refillable mug, maybe you should scale back your vacation plans.

 

[PurpleDragon]

All great points!

Thank you! At least someone understands what I'm trying to get across here.

 

[imagineer99]

I agree with PurpleDragon here. Nicely said!

 

[Sledge]

What they should do instead to better enforce this is when you check into your hotel offer to give you a special key for an extra $12. It is your room key but also your key to get the drinks. You put in your key in order for the drink to come out. This would suck though because it would take away all the fun of beating the system and then we would all have to go get tattoos and motorcycles in order to feel like hardcore rebels.

 

[stuart]

Well id have to confess now that we bought refillable mugs back in 1996 and have used them every year since then without anyone really caring. This was at Dixie and the cups we got were the brer rabbit ones that were mainly white. We see folk with the really old yellow mugs. No CMs ever bother so we just bring them back every year, and they will be taken with us next year as well.

Yes ok its abusing the system but really there are a lot of people out there doin it, and its not goin to be something that can be stopped easily.