"Disney Testing New Resort Mug Technology" and DVC

[Golden Rose]

I don't have a horse in this race - I really don't care for the disney coffee, so I brings ours from home every trip and we make it in the room every morning. We do drink sodas occasionally, but we also bring the ones we like and store them in our fridge. (And our son doesn't drink soda or coffee, so it's a non issue for him as well.) We don't buy the mugs.

I think that buying them at the beginning of the trip and using them for the duration of that trip, regardless of the number of times one hops between resorts, is fair, reasonable, and in keeping with the spirit of the rules, if not the letter of them. There is a huge amount of difference between someone who uses a mug that is a couple of years old, and someone who gets a mug on the first night of their vacation and uses it for the duration of the vacation. I've been forced to stay at a different resort for a night or two at either the beginning or the end of the trip, when we realized our schedule changed. I think it would be absurd to expect someone to buy a second mug for a night or two, and I have no problem with someone using their mug when they pool hop.

That said, we do have a couple of sets of the refillable mugs from times we did dining plans that included them, before we joined DVC, and we hardly used them when we were there. (We did use them by the pool, which we enjoyed, but that was it.) We've loved having them at home, however. They really make nice travel mugs, and my husband loves to put his coffee in them in the morning to drink on the way to work. We almost bought another set on our most recent trip just to have fresh travel mugs at home, even though we knew we wouldn't use them on the trip!

Anyway, I don't have a problem with Disney adding the chip, although I do think it is a little silly. I just hope they are coded in such a way as to allow people to get drinks at any resort for the duration of their vacation.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Now if Disney would put K-cup coffee makers in our beautiful villas I wouldn't have to worry about a mug!!!

 

[disneynutz]

Curious how the chips will work with DVC resorts when members can pool hop. We are pool hoppers and bring our mugs with us. It seems that a sticker encoded with a length of stay bar code would make more sense. Then the mug can be used anywhere during the length of stay. We also frequent POFQ for meals when we are staying at OKW, so we'd want to be able to use our mugs there as well, and Captain Cooks at the Poly has one of my most favorite sandwiches on property.

I know it isn't ethical, but WDW makes a killing on soda sales, so frankly, it doesn't bother me that some people use older mugs.

Current policy doesn't entitle you to use your mug anywhere but at the resort where you are registered. I doubt if the new system when/if implemented will allow pool hoping.

Bill

 

[hakepb]

Curious how the chips will work with DVC resorts when members can pool hop. We are pool hoppers and bring our mugs with us. It seems that a sticker encoded with a length of stay bar code would make more sense. Then the mug can be used anywhere during the length of stay. We also frequent POFQ for meals when we are staying at OKW, so we'd want to be able to use our mugs there as well, and Captain Cooks at the Poly has one of my most favorite sandwiches on property.

I know it isn't ethical, but WDW makes a killing on soda sales, so frankly, it doesn't bother me that some people use older mugs.

What if the abuses resulted in you being 2x as likely to find your favorite drink dispenser empty?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Since I often do split stays and buy one mug, I'll probably just go without a mug if they go to this policy. Since joining DVC, we've had several trips without buying/using a mug for refillable drinks-there's been plenty of soda in our refrigerator.

 

[photobob]

We drive so we take cases of drinks with us. I did buy mugs at Vero in 2009 and made good use of them!

 

[ToddyLu]

The idea that DVC resorts cater to a higher class of people than the values is laughable. Next time you are at a DVC pool, just look around.

I loved this ...priceless!!

 

[kirstenb1]

like a PP suggested, we stock our own drinks in our room. I used to buy the mugs if dh had a conference at WDW at CSR or the like, just because the mugs were unique to each resort, and I thought they were cute.

 

[ToddyLu]

The halls at Kidani are so long that I start out to get morning coffee--I reach the lobby around lunchtime....only to find some one with a 7-11 cup has got the last drop of Coke. We don't see the mugs as useful on our trips. I want a drink dispenser in my room or one that pops up from the chair like in WALL-E Now that's what I'm talkin' bout.

Yeah yeah, I have a drink dispenser in my room--called a fridge and DH can sit a drink on the arm of my chair.....but it is DISNEY !!!

 

[castleri]

When a someone books a package at a Disney resort and wants a split stay, they have to purchase a second set of tickets and a second dining plan because each stay is a separate stay. The same with DVC members booking in two different resort or two different sizes of lodging.

So, your length of stay is the stay until check out. Checking in again, means a new length of stay.

My next trip is 3 nights at BLT in a 1 BR and 3 at OKW in a 2BR. They are listed as the same reservation number so I don't know that it can really be called two stays although we will have to check into OKW it is still the same reservation number. We have the DXDP the first night so will see what happens. We really don't drink soda much and make coffee in the villa so other than the 2 DGS using them at the pool (if their mother lets them have soda) they will be mostly souvenirs.

In December the trip is 4 nights at BCV and 2 at AKV Kidani both in a 2 BR and they have separate reservation numbers because I booked them using two different contracts so that is in fact two separate stays although it is really one trip. We only have the DXDP for the first night of the Kidani part so will have the mug for that part of the trip only.

Last year we had the QSDP for a 4 night stay and ended up getting the mugs the night of the 3rd day as we just didn't stay at the resort long enough to pick them up or use them.

I have wondered why they didn't do something like at the water parks with the bar codes needed to activate the machines every time there is a thread about using old mugs.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Now if Disney would put K-cup coffee makers in our beautiful villas I wouldn't have to worry about a mug!!!

Then they would have to worry about guests walking away with them. .

 

[rentayenta]

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?

 

[Deb & Bill]

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?

Sure we do. Some of us pay for the privilege to fill up a mug and others just take it without paying for it. Kind of like watching a shop lifter at work.

 

[rentayenta]

Sure we do. Some of us pay for the privilege to fill up a mug and others just take it without paying for it. Kind of like watching a shop lifter at work.

Interesting. Guess I'm in my own Disney bubble.

 

[Inkmahm]

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?

Same here. I can't remember the last time I was near a counter service restaurant at our DVC location. We eat breakfast in our villa and I have the refrig stocked with soda and water.

I bought a mug for each family member once about 10 years ago when we stayed at the WL. The next year, I invited my parents again and my mom brought her old mug with her. She was so proud that she saved me the money to not buy a new mug for her that I couldn't tell her not to use the old one. Just didn't have the heart. Haven't purchased or used a mug since then though. I'm surprised to hear there is as much abuse as described in this thread.

 

[rentayenta]

Same here. I can't remember the last time I was near a counter service restaurant at our DVC location. We eat breakfast in our villa and I have the refrig stocked with soda and water.

I bought a mug for each family member once about 10 years ago when we stayed at the WL. The next year, I invited my parents again and my mom brought her old mug with her. She was so proud that she saved me the money to not buy a new mug for her that I couldn't tell her not to use the old one. Just didn't have the heart. Haven't purchased or used a mug since then though. I'm surprised to hear there is as much abuse as described in this thread.

I truly could care less about that kind of stuff. I don't want to play Jiminy Cricket to some stranger at a drink station.

 

[tjkraz]

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?

I've never paid attention either. But then I've never paid $14 for one of the mugs. If I had, I would probably be more attuned to what others are doing.

I'm not the type to walk around waving my finger at others but really it's a clear case of right and wrong. Unless Disney starts marketing its resort stays as including free beverages, they have every right to establish such controls. Doesn't matter what they pay for the equipment and supplies. Staying at a Disney resort or being a DVC member doesn't give us the right to help ourselves to the drink dispenser.

 

[Sammie]

I have seen it all, 7-11 mugs, igloo coolers, heavy duty zip lock bags, you name, they have done it.

And many have said for years, Disney does not care, oh they do care.

I know it isn't ethical, but WDW makes a killing on soda sales, so frankly, it doesn't bother me that some people use older mugs

I am sorry but are you Robin Hood, robbing from the rich.

I care because guess who pays when people scam Disney, me, you and everyone else that the cost gets passed on to.

 

[smidgy]

This is my concern..

I know and understand that technically each part of our DVC split stay is it's own reservation and therefore we are supposed to buy a new refillable mug at each resort. But how many DVCers actually do this? I bought a refillable mug while at BLT then used it once I got to Kidani during the same trip. I'm sure some would frown upon this. But if now we can segment our stays and everything is under one travel number with various segments in between how does the new chipped mug work for us? If I stay 2 nights at AKV and buy a $13 mug I don't want to have to buy the same mug all over again when I arrive at OKW for 2 nights, then again buy another $13 mug when we get to BLT all within a week's stay. I'm just curious if the chipped mugs will extend to DVC resorts. If so and I have to pay $39 for 6 nights worth of crappy coffee and possibly some coke zero I'll have to start skipping the mug just like I now skip the DDP.

this also applies to non dvc members. a split stay does not mean a split vacation. you are still on disney property, spending your vacation dollars on disney (ie, NOT at universal, sea world etc.) NO WAY whether I am staying DVC, or cash, will I buy new mugs for the SAME vacation!

I always wondered why they did not have the barcodes like they have at the water parks. The chip idea is even better.

The idea that DVC resorts cater to a higher class of people than the values is laughable. Next time you are at a DVC pool, just look around.

true, true!

When a someone books a package at a Disney resort and wants a split stay, they have to purchase a second set of tickets and a second dining plan because each stay is a separate stay. The same with DVC members booking in two different resort or two different sizes of lodging.

So, your length of stay is the stay until check out. Checking in again, means a new length of stay.

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.
now, it's true, if you wnat the dining plan for both resorts, you would need 2 packages. IF we do the DDP, we only do it for the first leg of the stay, with the park tickets. say, we stay for 4 nights at POFQ, with the DDp and 8 day tickets. and we have a room only reservation at AKL (either points, or a pin code, or a room only code) for 4 nights.
our park tickets are still good. and our DDP credits are good until midnight of check out day. so, we can use a TS credit to eat at either Boma or Sanaa that first night at AKL.

so, if you want a split stay, it is true, that ... IF you want the dining plan for the whole stay, you need to pay for it for each reservation. NOT SO!!! for the tickets. you can purchase tickets for up to 10 days, that don't expire until 14 days after the first use. (and even then , you can purchase the non expiration, but that gets into big bucks.. )
so buy the tickets with the packageon the first reservation, and you need to hld on to the key cards for the 2nd reservation(you will have sep. room key cards)
we do this ON PURPOSE so we don'[t HAVE to have the DDP fo rthe whole trip.. too much food.

 

[bastraker]

Just back from a 12 night stay at BLT and we had the deluxe meal plan.

When I picked up my refillable mugs at the Contemporary, the cashier told me that the mug was good for my entire stay and could be used at the Contemporary refill station and at any other disney resort that we visit on this trip.

I didn't ask her any questions about the mug, but when she was cutting off the security tag, she was explaining the rules to me.

I also heard this same speech to many other people who were in line in front of me buying these mugs during my stay.

I have had several split stays using the deluxe dining plan and was always told by the cashier the same story - the mugs were good for my entire stay at both locations.