New Refillable Mug Program

[Stu29573]

Disneyland will change as well. The plan is have this be at every Disney Resort across the globe. They just decided to make their largest resort the guinea pig.

I dont think it is as complicated as some are making it be. It is just different and human beings inherently don't like change. I'm with holding judgment until I experience it myself.

I freely admit I dont like change for change's sake. Im a "if it aint broke" kind of guy. Maybe if this blows up in their face at WDW, it wont infect the other parks... On the other hand I really hope I am wrong in my fears, and it turns out to be a vast imorovement....but I cant see how right now...

[BrerGnat]

You know what's funny? Cruise lines have been using RFID encrypted soda dispensers for a few years now. Royal Caribbean, for example, charges $6.50 PER DAY for a "soda package". This is PER PERSON! On a 7 day cruise, that's close to $50.

Disney mugs are quite a bargain compared to that.

From what I know, these machines/mugs have never had problems on the cruise ships. The technology is not riddled with issues like a few people want to believe.

It will all be fine.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

From what I know, these machines/mugs have never had problems on the cruise ships. The technology is not riddled with issues like a few people want to believe.

The soda is fine, it's the engine and the sewage containment issues for the ships!

[squijee]

What about the ice tea machines and the hot chocolate and coffee machines? We don't drink much soda.

[Nascfan]

What about the ice tea machines and the hot chocolate and coffee machines? We don't drink much soda.

All three of those things are on the beverage stations and therefore would be included in refills, same as now.

[TheVBs]

There is nowhere you can vacation where everything works perfectly 100% of the time. However, I've never experienced a drink malfunction. If I do on a future trip, I'll let someone know and it'll get fixed - just like I would anywhere else, with any other issue.

GMRO, the problems you experienced were of a magnitude higher, and I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm even sorrier that you were given a hard time when you tried to get it fixed. That is not good customer service and I hope you let Disney know that.

Otherwise, yes. I really do think the mug thing is that uncomplicated. Even if you've never been to Disney before, how the mug works will be about a 10 second explanation. If something goes wrong on a first timer's trip, they'll either get great customer service and come back, or they don't and they won't. When I think of our first trip there and how much we didn't know and that we realized belatedly that we needed more planning, we were still hooked and came back. A drink malfunction would have been quickly forgotten by us.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I think some people give the average WDW guest WAY too much credit... Half of them cannot figure out Fastpass, you want to them to figure out RFID and NextGen and MyMagic+ and fastPass+? Yea... never going to happen...

[buzznwoodysmom]

Wow, seven pages about soda mugs!!!!

All I want is a new mug design!

[DonaldDuckUSA]

Just had to respond to this, Disney is counting on the vast majority of people not doing spreed sheets. They expect that most people don't know the true cost of their vacation until afterwards (first time I went I didn't). A good many people are caught unawares or just don't care. They are on vacation. That said most of us on this site seem to have to account for every dollar (myself included). Therefore we try to get the most bang for our buck and research every part of our trip. I believe that would be true no matter where we stayed. I know if I was going to the beach or New York city I would look at the cost of everything. But that is just who I am and the same is true for others. I have even looked into the costs of staying offsite but it just wouldn't work for my family. So yeah its Disney its expensive but so are a lot of other places. Some of us are just better at planning (like you). Not trying to insult you I think you feel a lot like I do and don't want to just throw money away.

You're not insulting me at all. I totally agree that Disney is banking on (quite literally) people not being obsessive planners and detail oriented. That's fine, but I'm just to the point where I'm being pushed beyond my planning limit. I'm growing tired of the details of a Disney vacation.

I'll keep going, sure. But I'm not too thrilled about stretching a budget to stay on site only to do more of this mess. But that's just me.

[Christine]

Oooooooo!!!!!

...save it for the podcast...save it for the podcast...

[JerseyDad]

....at +17 buck per mug (no dining plan or free dining this year for us) ...me thinks this is a bit insane.

....I guess I'll be relegated to bringing an extra case or two of diet coke to POP with us ...and our old mugs ...and getting our ice cold soda from our room fridge ....oh ....wait ...I forgot ....NO FRIDGE.

...hey ....WDW ......another FAIL!!

[stephicakes]

Man, I am glad I don't drink soda! Think I'll stick with my water and stay clear of those drink machines!!!

[Tekneek]

From what I know, these machines/mugs have never had problems on the cruise ships. The technology is not riddled with issues like a few people want to believe.

From what I have been told, the drink containers are smaller and they lock you out for 15 minutes. For me, that would be an issue (although I suspect just about everything is overpriced since they have a captive audience that cannot easily opt out).

For what it is worth, the comparison with a cruise ship is meaningless to me. I'm not going on one and don't plan to. They could charge $1 million a day for soda or 50 cents and I won't consider it an apples-to-apples comparison.

From personal experience, it is a very good thing that more people don't know what it is like when a WDW vacation goes bad. When things go off the rails for you, few CMs know what to do, and it is like you've become an "untouchable." Disney CMs do well to pick you up from the little run-of-the-mill things, but anything significant going wrong and you're in a special kind of hell trying to get any kind of reasonable resolution in a decent time frame.

[Stu29573]

From personal experience, it is a very good thing that more people don't know what it is like when a WDW vacation goes bad. When things go off the rails for you, few CMs know what to do, and it is like you've become an "untouchable." Disney CMs do well to pick you up from the little run-of-the-mill things, but anything significant going wrong and you're in a special kind of hell trying to get any kind of reasonable resolution in a decent time frame.

This is very true....and one reason I haven't been chomping at the bit to get back quite as much. While it was clear that most of the CM's wanted to help, it was equally clear that they were getting zero management support. In fact, although I spent about six hours over three days in lines, on the phone, and talking to confused CMs, I never once had the opportunity to talk to anybody in management. By the way, it was all caused by a rollout of a new computer system. See why I'm sceptical about all of this?

[Aurora]

From personal experience, it is a very good thing that more people don't know what it is like when a WDW vacation goes bad. When things go off the rails for you, few CMs know what to do, and it is like you've become an "untouchable." Disney CMs do well to pick you up from the little run-of-the-mill things, but anything significant going wrong and you're in a special kind of hell trying to get any kind of reasonable resolution in a decent time frame.

We have had that experience twice -- once with a couple hundred dollar purchase that wasn't ours appear on our room bill, and the other with a room that was dirty and broken with no ability to change rooms. Both times it was resolved to our satisfaction with no fuss at all by the CMs, and with very little fuss by us, and I documented them in my trip reports.

I understand you had a completely different experience complicated by technology and requiring quite a bit of your vacation time to resolve, and that's very frustrating. I also know others who have had just as maddening of a situation. I just wanted to point out there are other people who had the exact opposite experience.

But I don't think something going wrong with drinking mugs could be considered by any stretch of the imagination "a special kind of hell."

[Tekneek]

But I don't think something going wrong with drinking mugs could be considered by any stretch of the imagination "a special kind of hell."

No, that is reserved for things above the norm. We've had issues like what you mentioned resolved, but others that DIsney just dropped the ball on. The unfortunate thing, and reflects the decline in guest service, is that it is very difficult to get the proper attention applied when something serious has gone on (not referring to medical issues) that the ordinary front line CMs or direct managers don't know what to do with. You end up being referred to different phone numbers, talking to these people, those people, and nobody is doing anything...while time continues ticking by.

We didn't have the big technology-caused problem, though, that was a different poster. However, Disney's track record with backend services doesn't give me confidence about any of these new initiatives.

Those moments reveal the difference between the legend of Disney customer service and the reality. Disney can get really ordinary at those times, even hostile about it. I don't want to get into the details in a public forum.

[Scrappy2]

I have one question. If I am one of those that do not purchase the mug I just buy a fountain drink each morning with my breakfast. That is the only time I get a drink at the resort so buying a drink each day works better for me and cost about the same. I just buy one each day so I do not have to carry my mug with me all day or run it back to the room after breakfast. How will individual drinks work with the new system?

[PopPhan]

I have one question. If I am one of those that do not purchase the mug I just buy a fountain drink each morning with my breakfast. That is the only time I get a drink at the resort so buying a drink each day works better for me and cost about the same. I just buy one each day so I do not have to carry my mug with me all day or run it back to the room after breakfast. How will individual drinks work with the new system?

The 'paper' cups they give you will have an RFID sticker/chip/etc. on them and will allow 4 fills/refills within a 60 minute period of time that begins on your first fill. After the time has run out, the RFID will become inoperative.

[comicguy]

I have not read through the whole thread, so maybe this has already been asked.

What happens w/ Spit Stays? (example) 1st half w/ dining, second half OOP?

Just wondering what "length of stay" will actually refer to in these circumstances?

[Mendelson]

I have one question. If I am one of those that do not purchase the mug I just buy a fountain drink each morning with my breakfast. That is the only time I get a drink at the resort so buying a drink each day works better for me and cost about the same. I just buy one each day so I do not have to carry my mug with me all day or run it back to the room after breakfast. How will individual drinks work with the new system?

Well, this one is a sticky wicket.

Are you purchasing before 8am (hereafter referred to as Standard Business Starting Hour [SBSH])? If so, the deal is that you logon to Disneybeverages.com within 20 minutes of the anticipated time you expect to purchase your cup, simply log in, navigate 12 levels down, and click the "Claim my drink" button (in four-point font) at the bottom of the page.

At this point, you're only a few easy steps away from beverage magic!

Simply proceed to the food court at the resort that comes after yours alphabetically. So if you're in the Poly, for example, you would go to Saratoga Springs. There, present your MMW bracelet. Next comes a fun activity to bring the magic of Disney movies to your vacation! Prior to leaving home you'll have been asked to name your favorite Disney movie. A CM will now say a line to you from that movie and you must respond with the next line from the movie (i.e., the CM says, "But I don't want to go among mad people," [from AiW] you must respond with, "Oh, you can't help that - most everyone's mad here"). After successfully completing your movie challenge, the CM will give you a 23-digit code.

Enter the code on the beverage machine, sing along in the proper key with the short classic Disney song that plays after, and you will get four ounces of your favorite beverage (but unlimited ice!...WDW listened to their guests!).

Do I repeat all this fun to get more beverage? you ask.

Not exactly - for four more ounces proceed to the resort that is the nearest counterclockwise to the resort where you've retrieved your first portion (so if you were at OKW at this point you would now go to POFQ). Enter the 23-digit code you previously received in reverse order and enjoy any beverage except for the one you previously chose.

Please note that this entire series must occur before SBSH. After that time the system starts to get complicated.