"Disney Testing New Resort Mug Technology" and DVC

[Anjelica]

I never understood the big uproar over the refillable mugs simply because why can't they activate the system that is installed over at the water parks?

You buy a mug at the water park and you have to have a bar scanner attached to it to activate the pop machines. You can bring back your old mugs the next year and then you purchase a new bar code. without the bar code the soda machine will not activate.

I really wish they would do this - it cuts down on the amount of plastics cups we have to throw away or in some cases stockpile. Bring back your old mugs each year but then purchase a new bar code.

 

[tjkraz]

Ultimately we are all playing in Disney's sandbox.

It really doesn't matter how much they pay for drink syrup or what we consider a "length of stay." If Disney puts these drink dispensers at all resorts and programs the RFID chip to only recognize a single resort stay, we can either buy under those terms or make other arrangements.

Whatever Cast Members are currently saying about appropriateness of mug use could easily change as a new system is rolled-out resort-wide. No need for guests to look over each-others shoulders if Disney chooses to do so.

 

[rentayenta]

THANK YOU!!!!

Very healthy perspective.:

Thank you.

 

[sarahk0204]

As for the 2 reservations, 2 dining plans argument, starting next year all dining plans are going to include refillable mugs. So, if you have a split stay with a dining plan for each, you will get two sets of mugs.

I realize this doesn't help those who don't use the dining plans at all or those who only have a dining plan for part of their stay.

 

[hakepb]

Tickets don't indicate your length of stay. If they did, anyone with an AP would get a full year (plus one day) to refill that mug.

Nope, your trips ends when you move out of the room or you start a different stay (with or without the dining plan). Your reservation (and multiple reservations may be linked but they are still multiple reservations) indicates your length of stay.

Although I thought half the reason for segmenting was to allow guests to stay with you during part of your trip. Now you could be setup to arrive a day before your guests Or a waitlist comes through for your first day, and find your cup does not work on day 2, even though you are in the same room.

 

[dizzneebabe]

I am 100% positive that wouldn't know if someone was refilling a Disney, 7-11, or some other mug. Do people really pay that much attention to refill drink stations and the mug a total stranger is using?

It's not that I'm necessarily looking for it, but when you are standing next to someone filling old resort mugs (with dates), or better yet, giving their Christmas mug (pre-Celebrate today mugs) to the bartender at BWV, it just makes you go, "Hmmmm." Here's me with my brand new spankin' pink handled mug and feel like I'm surrounded by people who think they are ENTITLED to something they're not.

THAT'S the part that bugs me. People are always going to cheat, regardless what it is, but do they really have to be that obnoxious about it?

As far as the RID's only activating once every 5 min or 30 min...I can just picture some of these people camping out with one mug and waiting. It's crazy that it might come to that. Although I suppose, that is one less party in front of me for a bus or TSM!

 

[rentayenta]

It's not that I'm necessarily looking for it, but when you are standing next to someone filling old resort mugs (with dates), or better yet, giving their Christmas mug (pre-Celebrate today mugs) to the bartender at BWV, it just makes you go, "Hmmmm." Here's me with my brand new spankin' pink handled mug and feel like I'm surrounded by people who think they are ENTITLED to something they're not.

THAT'S the part that bugs me. People are always going to cheat, regardless what it is, but do they really have to be that obnoxious about it?

I see your POV. Personally I'm still not sure I would care but I also have never bought a resort mug because we don't drink much soda/tea/coffee. Now, if I could refill it with a nice ale or margarita then perhaps.

 

[dmoore22]

I really wish they would do this - it cuts down on the amount of plastics cups we have to throw away or in some cases stockpile. Bring back your old mugs each year but then purchase a new bar code.

Or perhaps the mugs could be returned at the end of the visit for a reimbursement of a deposit or a credit towards a mug for a future visit. The mugs/plastic could then be refurbished or the plastic recycled for another use. If the guest wishes to keep the mug as a souvenir then they would not receive the credit/reimbursement. As I'm reading through this thread I'm seeing a lot of fantastic ideas from everyone. Do I see Imagineering in our future?

 

[dmoore22]

I see your POV. Personally I'm still not sure I would care but I also have never bought a resort mug because we don't drink much soda/tea/coffee. Now, if I could refill it with a nice ale or margarita then perhaps.

I like the way you think!

 

[DVC-Don]

I have not bought a refillable mug since we bought our first DVC back in late 2000.

 

[ssawka]

They could automatically limit it to one refill every 30 minutes to an hour.

According to the article there's a limited time period in which to fill the mug and 5 minutes between fills. However, I just remembered a scene from the movie "Horsefeathers" in which Harpo Marx had a bottomless bottle he filled with bootlegged whiskey. A strategically located funnel and tubing. (I can't believe I'm actually thinking about this.) I'm also thinking that those that purchase these mugs will have to keep a sharp eye out or label their mugs with indelible markers to discourage folks from attempting to swap out an expired mug with another guest's active mug. In other words steal another guest's mug.

There are apps available that allow the chips to be reprogrammed. It's not an infallible or secure technology. Since I'm not a soda drinker I'm hoping for refillable steins at the Biergarten in Epcot.

See, now that bothers me. If I am offered "unlimited refills" they should be "unlimited". I tend to drink alot, aand given the size of the cups, I could easily drink more than one every five minutes, even if I rinsed it between uses. It kind of reminds me of how internet providers say "unlimited" and then throttle your usage.

 

[bumbershoot]

oh deb,( my dear All my kids pal), not true. we have numerous times booked a package with enough tickets for our WHOLE length of stay. with only X amount at the first resort. then we go over to a 2nd resort, with a room only reservation. and use the tickets from the original package.

I'm sure Deb knows this. I think we all know this. But the fact is, it's two separate stays. You have a package for one stay and a room-only for the other. They are separate.


Now I have a feeling that this new system is going to sort of spread out what constitutes a stay...I can't quite see a cashier, selling the mug at the food court, validating when you're staying etc, programming it into something, making the chip match that... I have a feeling they'll make it work for a certain period of time... But until/unless that happens, a stay is defined as Deb said.

I'm not sure what the writer meant by "expect about an hour of use out of these"

That the disposable paper cup will work for refills for about an hour, so you can refill it while you're there eating.

 

[twinklebug]

That the disposable paper cup will work for refills for about an hour, so you can refill it while you're there eating.

Oh thank you, I misread and didn't interpret pay-as-you-go to mean paper cup. Makes sense now.

 

[BeesKnees]

Tickets don't indicate your length of stay. If they did, anyone with an AP would get a full year (plus one day) to refill that mug.

Nope, your trips ends when you move out of the room or you start a different stay (with or without the dining plan). Your reservation (and multiple reservations may be linked but they are still multiple reservations) indicates your length of stay.

That may be the letter of the rule but if Disney actually expected a person with 3 splits over 10 days to spend $39 they would not sell many mugs. I feel this falls into the spirit of the rule where a length of stay is the time you are on a single vacation. Even if there is no real value to buying a mug the perception of value is a necessary selling point.

I don't see the value because I don't drink enough soft drinks in a single visit to pay for a mug that will fade. I might be more inclined if the mug came with a set number of refills that could be used when and where I choose.

 

[pmcpmc]

I bought 15 years ago are stillas good
Today as the day I bought them
I believe in looking after the environment

 

[Deb & Bill]

That may be the letter of the rule but if Disney actually expected a person with 3 splits over 10 days to spend $39 they would not sell many mugs. ....

And if they guest purchases a package because they want the dining plan, they have to purchase a ticket with every package they buy. So a split three ways, means three tickets per guests. And a one day ticket is a whole lot more than a one day mug.

 

[BeesKnees]

And if they guest purchases a package because they want the dining plan, they have to purchase a ticket with every package they buy. So a split three ways, means three tickets per guests. And a one day ticket is a whole lot more than a one day mug.

A package denotes savings. If there is still a savings with the 3 split stays requiring one day tickets then people do it, if not, they are probably dumb to do it for value reasons.

It would be like sitting down at an all you can eat restaurant and being told you would have to pay again if you had to go back out to your car to retrieve something. You know as well as I do in most cases they would wave you back in even though they could technically say you were starting another meal.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...It would be like sitting down at an all you can eat restaurant and being told you would have to pay again if you had to go back out to your car to retrieve something. You know as well as I do in most cases they would wave you back in even though they could technically say you were starting another meal.

No, it would be like paying for your meal, going out to your car and then deciding you wanted more. You have to be seated at another table and start a new bill.

 

[gatorskin76]

Do you all realize that Disney pays $0.00 for coke syrups. Yuppers! They have for a long time. The deal with Coke is that the coke cups are used and it's all written off to advertising.

So.....Disney's Coke-Nazi plan (sorry, from NY and have met the Soup Nazi) is all about regulating something which is ...... FREE.

I wonder how much $$$$$$$$ they spent on R&D to save $$$$ vs. those lousy plastic mugs......especially when the worst offenders are only at a couple of resorts.

Oh well......another RARA for the beancounters.

1. It's not FREE to the people that actually pay for the syrup from Disney.

2. If you think Coke is giving them the syrup FREE out of the goodness of their heart, you are wrong. Obviously Coke is happy with the trade.

 

[Sammie]

Do you all realize that Disney pays $0.00 for coke syrups. Yuppers! They have for a long time. The deal with Coke is that the coke cups are used and it's all written off to advertising.

So.....Disney's Coke-Nazi plan (sorry, from NY and have met the Soup Nazi) is all about regulating something which is ...... FREE.

I wonder how much $$$$$$$$ they spent on R&D to save $$$$ vs. those lousy plastic mugs......especially when the worst offenders are only at a couple of resorts.

Oh well......another RARA for the beancounters.

How do you know they do not pay for coke syrup, fact or urban legend and based on what facts?