The refillable mugs...

[horizons82]

In a couple of months I'll be staying at an on-site hotel for the first time. It's been a dream of mine to always stay at the Contemporary, and even though it will be short due to the room cost, I am wholeheartedly excited and can hardly wait!

Anyhow, my wife and I are drink/diet soda fiends. In the past I've read about refillable mugs, but I'm not really seeing anything about them on the WDW site and most articles I'm seeing about them are pretty old. Anyhow, I had a few questions about the mugs that hopefully some people can answer:

Do they still offer these?
Where would you purchase one?
Exactly where are you able to fill them up at (are they good at any hotel self-serve drink station)?
Would you be able to take it to a different on-site hotel and use it there?
Do you get to keep the mug at the end or is it turned back in?
Are they worth it?

Also...and this is pure curiosity as I wonder about these kinds of things...I read there is a RFID chip in the mugs. If you try to use a mug past the date the mug is for, does it simply prevent the machine from dispensing any drink into that mug when one would attempt to use it, or is it a kind of honor system where they assume you won't use it after it has expired?

Thanks for any answers!

 

[disney4life2008]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining/refillable-mug.htm

Due to the RFID chip - the mug is deactivated after the last day of your stay at the resort.

 

[horizons82]

Thanks for the link...at one point I did search and found that page you linked to, but all I noticed was the 2013 at the top and didn't see the prices were for 2014. Glad to know it's still in use.

 

[slappy magoo]

In a couple of months I'll be staying at an on-site hotel for the first time. It's been a dream of mine to always stay at the Contemporary, and even though it will be short due to the room cost, I am wholeheartedly excited and can hardly wait!

Anyhow, my wife and I are drink/diet soda fiends. In the past I've read about refillable mugs, but I'm not really seeing anything about them on the WDW site and most articles I'm seeing about them are pretty old. Anyhow, I had a few questions about the mugs that hopefully some people can answer:

Do they still offer these? YES
Where would you purchase one? In your case, best bet is the Contempo Cafe food court though they may be available at other locations, too, perhaps gift shops...
Exactly where are you able to fill them up at (are they good at any hotel self-serve drink station)? Again, mostly at the Contempo, plus there is a refillable station by the main pool.
Would you be able to take it to a different on-site hotel and use it there? Nope.
Do you get to keep the mug at the end or is it turned back in? It's all yours.
Are they worth it? I find it better to think of them as a practical, though not particularly unique souvenir. If you think you're going to spend a lot of time at the resort versus the parks, and you intend to consume a lot of beverage, it'll seem like a better value. If you're eating a lot of meals at the Contempo Cafe and you're on any of the meal plans, it'll seem like less of a value since a hot or cold drink is included in any Quick Service meal (the cashiers, at their discretion, might opt to let you have a bottled drink - like a Vitamin Water or Nestle Quik - with your meal instead of a fountain drink. YMMV. If your room winds up being far from a refillable location, you may decide it's not worth the effort to schlep over to refill the mug, especially since their capacity is deceptively small; the thickness means it holds less fluid than most mugs that size, but it also means it's sturdy and last you a while at home. So "worth it" is in the eye of the beholder.

Also...and this is pure curiosity as I wonder about these kinds of things...I read there is a RFID chip in the mugs. If you try to use a mug past the date the mug is for, does it simply prevent the machine from dispensing any drink into that mug when one would attempt to use it, or is it a kind of honor system where they assume you won't use it after it has expired? They now have chips. They should be active until the end of your checkout day.

Thanks for any answers!

 

[disney4life2008]

Thanks for the link...at one point I did search and found that page you linked to, but all I noticed was the 2013 at the top and didn't see the prices were for 2014. Glad to know it's still in use.

I think the prices are the same (if not, it might be $1 and change more but not much). If you are avid soda drinkers like myself then it is worth it.

 

[kasey1988]

Anyone know what the price is for buying a bottle or cup of soda at resorts? We are debating about purchasing the refillable mug for our 2 days at akl, since we figure we will drink more then $12 while laying by the pool, watching the animals, with breakfast and lunch at Mara...

 

[disney4life2008]

Anyone know what the price is for buying a bottle or cup of soda at resorts? We are debating about purchasing the refillable mug for our 2 days at akl, since we figure we will drink more then $12 while laying by the pool, watching the animals, with breakfast and lunch at Mara...

I know cups are $2.99 with 2 or 3 refills (they also have RFID chip). I think bottles are about the same price as well.

 

[asialeigh]

I know cups are $2.99 with 2 or 3 refills (they also have RFID chip). I think bottles are about the same price as well.

I believe the cups actually have 4 refills within a 2 hour time frame I believe.

 

[JIMINYCR]

my wife and I are drink/diet soda fiends. I

We always get the refillable mugs, we find it worth the money during our stay. But just so you are aware, since you stated that you are soda fiends, The amount of soda the mugs hold isnt going to give you a lot. Without ice it comes to about 14 oz.. I fill up and in no time I'm ready for a refill. Just letting you know they arent super large mugs.

 

[smk]

I take my own soda, mugs are not worth the price anymore or maybe I am drinking less diet coke? My husband buys one because he uses them all year round here at home for coffee on the go.

 

[Dwarful]

The last few trips we have opted not to have the mugs. If you are on the dining plan QS meals come with a drink...even if you are at the resort you can opt for a bottled beverage or get a paper cup. It really depends on how much resort time you plan on having. If you know you will be at the resorts....average out the number of drinks you think you will have at the Contemporary each day multiply that by about 3.00 or 3.50 with tax. Then compare that with the cost of the mug and you will know if it will be a break even or not. Of course you could add in the mug cost as a souvenir as well. However, because they don't hold much liquid with a good amount of ice I don't use my mugs at home very much.