DEBATE: Send em back

[TiggerFreak]

Maybe those of us who are upset with the rumored change in the refillable mug policy should pack an old mug up in a box and mail it off to Al Weiss or Paul Pressler, along with a note expressing your disappointment.

Remember "It's A Wonderful Life?"

Picture thousands of old (dirty!) refillable mugs cascading out of mail bags....

Woulldn't that be a hoot

 

[OnWithTheShow]

And you are upset because they are going to keep you from abusing the system???

 

[Testtrack321]

Yeah

The thing is that you can use them at your hotels for the stay, but this has been in effect for a while here.

Lets just hope the money saved is for the theme parks, not Esiner's and Presslers pocketbooks.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by OnWithTheShow
And you are upset because they are going to keep you from abusing the system???

Why do people keep saying this? Many...many people were told that the mugs were good for life. The only people abusing the system are those that use their own cups. Something that I've never seen but I don't doubt happens from time to time.

 

[d-r]

Given that each resort is pretty different and you are liable to hear something different from any CM you talk to - I never knew that there was an "official" policy of any sort for refillable mugs. Bear in mind that I have never purchased or used a refillable mug and can't imagine having to keep up with it, but just from my own thinking I wouldn't have assumed, regardless of what I was told, heard or read on the internet, that $15 (or whatever it costs) would buy me free drinks at WDW resorts for the rest of my life. Aren't the mugs priced differently at different resorts and they are transferable - why would they be lifetime? Again I'm not disputing that people were ever told by come CM's that it was lifetime or whatnot, just that I wouldn't have taken it as any sort of policy. Since there was never an actual policy I don't think I would be that upset now that there is. Like I said though we've never bought one and don't plan too, but it does seem from various posts here and there that the refillable mug issue is abused frequently.

Melissa

 

[EUROPA]

So now we can't trust the CM's that work at Disney anymore? Has the service industry become that bad? Why is it so far fetched to think that 10-15 dollars would get you free refills when you bring the mug back to that resort? Many convience stores sell mugs for Coffee and Softdrinks that can be refilled at a reduced rate for as long as you own the mug. The only differnce is that Disney gets the bulk of the money up front. Both are designed to do the same thing to get you back in the food court or the store. I'm betting that Disney played the numbers for years and thought that most families don't go on Vacation every year to Disney, go to the exact same resort, and remember to bring those mugs they bought last year. They were hoping that you remember that you did have a mug last year and you would get another one.

So if you were told they were good for life then your not cheating the system. If you were told something else. take a mug to another resort that does not allow switching(All-Stars) or you use your own cup then you are cheating.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by thedscoop
I'm going to endeavor to find out the official policy. I'll cite the source. And, hopefully, then people (on either side the official policy falls) won't use contradicting CM's as a rationalization.

I don't know all the tax laws, but I'll bet the Tax Man wouldn't give a rodent's rear if I told him that the local IRS guy told me it was okay not to report as income those 'gifts' from clients.

I'll let you know where this journey leads.

So let me get this straight.... now that Disney has announced a new Mug policy which they are only going to allow mugs to be used for length of stay only and it was in the Orlando Sentinel your going to find out if there a mug policy that only allows you to use the mug for the length of stay? ( Don't work to hard on that one)

IRS...great comparison Apples to Bears. For the next one you should try to at least make them both fruits.

 

[Peter Pirate]

So let me get this straight...Oh, I get it...

 

[paradefreak]

I really don't get all the upset over such a minor(!) issue. I bought a mug once and it was a complete hassle. I see people in line for the buses in the mornings with their mugs and think, "Are they going to lug that around all day?" Just give me the one time use cup or disposable bottle.

Really everyone - is all this elevated blood pressure worth a coke?

 

[TiggerFreak]

So let me get this straight...Oh, I get it...

Man, maybe I don't get it

I was just kidding folks.

Look, the way I see it is that if they start tellin people that the mugs are only good for the length of stay, all those unsold mugs will start overflowing into the utiladors and we'll see them change the official policy back to the unofficial one of yesterweek.

It sure would be a sight if it happened though,
"Everytime a bell rings ...."

 

[EUROPA]

Like I've said in previous post we buy new mugs when we go back. I just got tired of people saying that other people were cheating the system or stealing when in specific cases they were not.

If we agree that the existing (or even newly existing) policy is that refillable mugs cannot be reused on subsequent visits then I guess we also now agree that using "newly purchased" refillable mugs is now officially cheating.

Yes I agree with that if . I don't have a problem with the new policy per say. I don't think it will be a good idea though if they do install bar code scanners. I do think that they will make people mad who were told the mugs were good for life and now they are not.

What would you think if the CM's kept telling people the Mugs were good for life even if the customer challanged them on the policy by pointing out the new signs they have installed? What if the Kitchen manger told you this? What aout the resort manager?

 

[EUROPA]

Happens at work all the time...what take 10 emails to solve can get solved with one face to face visit and a lot less time.

 

[HB2K]

Originally posted by thedscoop
I'm going to endeavor to find out the official policy. I'll cite the source. And, hopefully, then people (on either side the official policy falls) won't use contradicting CM's as a rationalization.

I don't know all the tax laws, but I'll bet the Tax Man wouldn't give a rodent's rear if I told him that the local IRS guy told me it was okay not to report as income those 'gifts' from clients.

I'll let you know where this journey leads.

No but when a person represents a product as one thing and it's really another it's at minimum mis-representation, and at maximum fraud.

And to put the blame on someone who is upset because they purchased one thing, and now are being told another is absurd. The blame falls squarely on the CMs. It's not my responsibility to verify what my CM tells me is the actual policy.

Come on Scoop.

 

[Another Voice]

Wow, I’ve never read someone actually advocate lethal injection for ripping off those tags from a mattress…. These lawyers must be contained.

What I find very amusing (and very in character for the company these days) is they are going to spend all the time and money to install the bar code reading equipment, develop the software, create bar coded mugs and cups just to really cheese off their best customers. The amount the spend on Coke products is staggering, but it’s less than they spend on water and the percentage lost The Evil Thieving Cup Horde is trivial. They can not possible recover the cost of installing the equipment and the additional operational costs. How many guests can’t answer “how many in your group?” – and now they have to scan a soda cup? The line will be backed up for hours.

And all this from a company that just drop two million in cash to buy the movie rights to the “Underdog” cartoon.

Simply amazing.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

How many guests can’t answer “how many in your group?” – and now they have to scan a soda cup?

Voice!!! You bust me up!!!

 

[airlarry!]

Every comment about coke for life for $15 or cheating or tax laws or spoiled angry guests may well be humorous, funny, or even in some cases, hilarious.

However, since the issue is a $9 mug somebody bought because the CM said it was good for every visit TO THAT SPECIFIC RESORT, then all these jokes are actually irrelevant.

When somebody, anybody can find the policy that said in 1995 that the refillable resort-labeled mugs were only good for that visit, then I for one will shut up about this rather small issue. Heck, I will personally join in on the jokes.

No offense, my friends, but are Europa and I the only person in this universe that has walked into an establishment that sells expensive refillable-for-life mugs? It's not like it is an original idea. Please tell me other people have noticed movie chains, pizza joints, etc. etc. with free or discounted refill offers if one buys an overpriced plastic mug. And in this case, a pitifully small 12 oz one to boot.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by airlarry!

No offense, my friends, but am I the only person in this universe that has walked into an establishment that sells expensive refillable-for-life mugs? It's not like it is an original idea. Please tell me other people have noticed movie chains, pizza joints, etc. etc. with free or discounted refill offers if one buys an overpriced plastic mug. And in this case, a pitifully small 12 oz one to boot.

Hello...see my ealier post on this thread.

 

[hopemax]

Like airlarry, I hope that the looking for official policy includes past years longer than the last 1 or 2.

I have a feeling that what happened is:

Refillable mugs were introduced, refills for life weren't prohibited. "If bringing a mug back is going to make a guest happy, big deal, we're going to make a fortune off them in a billion other ways, let them have this crumb." But there was no "official" yes or no policy. Then the inevitable management turnover, coupled with the belt-tightening, brought in new people who had a different opinion of what was good for business. And since there was never an official policy they could institute their own policy.

However, just for conversation's sake, check out what Holiday World's opinion of free pop is (and sunscreen):

Holiday World

ooh, I just found out another local type park Lake Compounce also has free pop now.

And I found an interview with the owner of Holiday World about why free pop: http://www.coasterbuzz.com/news/news.asp?NewsID=3159

CB: Tell me about free soda. Why did you do it, how do you pay for it and what has the response been from the public? This is normally a high-margin item for most parks. Are you moving the income to something else or letting it go?

WK: The primary reason for free unlimited soft drinks was strategic. We wanted to do something that would set us apart from the larger, "corporate" theme parks. We believe that it has worked very well. The public has responded very positively. Park guests frequently stop me in the park and say, "Thank you for the free drinks." The year we introduced free unlimited soft drinks was also the year we added The Legend. We took the general admission price up $4.00 that year. Part of that increase was for The Legend and part was for free unlimited soft drinks. We've been very happy with the results.

Ah yes, the ol' perception vs. reality...

 

[Planogirl]

I bought one that was good for life from a convenience store but I got tired of it.

OK, so we'll just stop and once again lug bottles of soft drinks from the local Publix to our room. No more trips in the morning with my refillable mug to get ... hot water! I like my own tea in the morning but it's not worth the money so I'll just switch back to soft drinks.

No high blood pressure here. But I do wish that Disney would put coffeemakers in the rooms.

 

[d-r]

Hey y'all -

I don't think this is a personal thing or something to be upset about, but then as Melissa said I've never gotten one so maybe I don't get it or something.

But I'm stuck on what Melissa said about the resorts - we know that they function somewhat autonomously as indpendent budget units. I am pretty sure that the mugs cost different amounts at different resorts - not sure but I think so. Doesn't that make you think that the different resorts are handling these mugs at a local level? Why is there the idea that there was some wdw-wide "policy" that has changed?

I suspect that there were different "policies" at different resorts, and for that matter under different managers at a given resort during different time frames, or even for different cms at a given resort. Someone may have been told one thing at the wilderness lodge and somebody else was told something else at port orleans - and what they were both told was "right."

I think it was the case that if you bought one at one all-stars you could use it at any all stars, or if you bought one at port orleans you could use it at dixie landings. Well, doesn't that seem like what the resort "units" are? I think these are seen as "perks" of a resort and left to the discretion of the resort. Likewise, it seems to me that the news story was about one of the water parks, and I would guess that how that water park wants to handle soft drinks is up to that water park.

Anyway, more power and all that-

DR