Question: All Star resorts and mugs......how old?

[TLHB70]

Yes; we have bought the refillable mugs at the All Star Resorts the last two times that we have gone to WDW. (By the way, both times being within one year of each other.) I have been told by another Disney fan friend recently that we do not have to buy new mugs each time, that these mugs are good on any trip. Of course, this friend has never been brave enough to try it. She said that she has been told this fact, though. How true is that? Have any of you used an old mug on a new, different trip? Is that allowed? Is there any CM out there can give us the "OFFICIAL" rules on this? How old is too old on these mugs?

 

[ducklite]

The official rule is that they are good at the resort they are purchased at for the length of stay during which the mugs were purchased. If I'm not mistaken it's clearly posted in the AS food courts.

Personally I wish they'd do like the cruise line and put the YEAR on the mugs or completely change the design/color every six months.

Anne

Anne

 

[my2boys]

I know this is a very touchy subject re: the Official rules! I know my answer will not be favorable with everyone but then again no one can please everyone.

I stayed at the ASSp in January, '99 and purchased two mugs. I stayed at the ASM in November 2001 and purchased two more mug (but also BROUGHT my mugs from my previous trip) and used all four for my family of four. I went back again in December, '02 and stayed at ASSp again and again brought all four mugs with me and used them. Was Never stopped or questioned! I really don't see the problem with using them on subsequent visits as long as you use them at the same resorts.......I will be visiting CBR in August and will purchase new mugs then for that resort.

let the bashing begin......!!!!!LOL!!!!

 

[TLHB70]

I didn't mean to get bashing started. However, I would like to know the rules. Or, I would like to hear from people that have reused them to know what happened. I would love to be able to reuse my mugs. We bought four, and we will be staying at the same resort this time.

 

[Magic2000]

We have quite a collection of mugs from the different hotels we've stayed at in Disney! They are a great bargain for my family, and we like using them once we're home to remind us of the trip!

We bought a mug from the All Star Movies in 2000. On our return trips to the Movies (in 2001 and 2002), I brought my mug and used it. In fact, the kids and I were trying to decide what we wanted to drink, and my mom was trying to talk us into getting Diet Coke, and the CM asked my mom why she didn't just use her mug for the Diet Coke. (My mom had a mug that she bought in the MK at one of the drink stands - it had the characters dressed for Christmas. ) Anyway, my mom said that she had bought it at the MK and the CM said that its a Disney mug and she could use it. That was so sweet of the CM, spreading some pixie dust our way. Its the little things that make you want to go back again and again!!

(Although we did fill the mug with Diet Coke that one time, we didn't use the MK mug again. I think the CM was just trying to spread a little Disney cheer with good public relations. It worked for us.)

 

[Geoff_M]

"The Great Mug Debate" often erupts here and takes on the tone of a heated theological debate. I'll try and summarize the camps and their views so everyone can save a lot of typing...

1) The Official Policy Group
The official policy, anytime anyone writes WDW, is "one mug, one resort (excluding sisters), one visit". Signs are also appearing in food courts around WDW that state this. Members of this group (me inclued), know that in practice food court CMs rarely enforce this policy and often contradict this policy when asked about it by guests (sometimes even when the official policy is posted on a sign only a few feet away). They feel the CMs simply have thrown in the towel and don't have the resources to police the soft drink lines. This is why you may see someone using a 7-11 Big Gulp cup unmolested by CMs who witness the obvious abuse.

This group adheres to... the official policy.

2) The "But the CM told me..." Group
This group was told by a CM when they purchased their mugs that the mugs were (pick one or both):
a) Good for life.
b) Good at any resort.
They feel that official policy, or not, what the CM told them is what matters. They say either WDW unfairly changed the rules on them after they bought the mugs, or they wouldn't have bought the mugs if the CM hadn't given them bad information. They generally feel like a "wronged" party in the debates when people cut-n-paste the responses from WDW, and advocate continued use of their old mugs until actively prevented from doing so by CMs. The fact that most of them have long since recouped the costs of their mugs in savings from free re-fills doesn't impact their feelings.

Whether or not the current official policy is a change from the past is another side debate. Some recall the policy has been consistent, but enforcement has steadily dropped off, others claim the original policy was "for life".

3) The "I give WDW a ton of my hard earned money" Group
This group, the smallest of the three, feels that it's no skin off of Disney's back if they reuse the mugs again, and again... policy or not. They cite things like the high prices of everything at WDW, the rumor that Coke gives WDW syrup for free, etc. etc. as their basis for their actions. They may also borrow mugs from friends, or buy them off of eBay, or use their Big Gulp mugs for their trips to WDW.

 

[TLHB70]

Thanks, Geoff_M, for that information. I am fairly new at the boards and didn't realize that this topic had caused so much debate. Honestly, I just want to do the right thing. I never even considered reusing the mugs before. That is why we bought four new ones within a year. I just assumed that the mugs were only good for that visit. I questioned this new information when my friend told me. That is why I asked the experts here. I just want to do the right thing and follow the rules.

 

[Geoff_M]

TLHB70,

No problem. I developed that canned post last year and it seems to keep these threads down to size. In the past they would rage on for pages. I understand completely where you're coming from.

The problem is that WDW doesn't consistently train their CM's on the issue. Ask 10 different CM's and you'll probably get three or more interpretations of the policy. Magic2000 even added a new one from a CM... "Any Disney mug is OK".

We have two sets of four mugs (PO and WL) as souvenirs. We haven't taken them back. We've found that it's a lot cheaper to stop at a Publix on the way in to WDW and buy a couple cases of soft drinks for a lot less money (There's five of us and you can buy a lot of cases for $50!). Another bonus of this method is you can get the flavors you like and aren't restricted to Coke products.

 

[puffkin]

I see nothing wrong with reusing the mugs on return trips to that resort. We are returning in July to the ASMo and will be using our mugs from 2001. However, I think it is downright rude to use mugs from other resorts or even your own containers. That just isn't right.

BTW, I asked the CM at ASMo and POR when we purchased our mugs and both times I was told that it was good for life at the respective resorts. So, while this may differ from the "official" disney policy, which is hardly ever true anyways. I consider it my good faith attempt to find out the policy.

And, for those who follow the "Official Disney Policy" all the time, do you enter the parks when they sometimes open them before the "Official" opening time? And, how many parents out there lie about their kids ages to pay childs rates when their kids birthday was the week before the trip. There are many ways that people beat the system, and while not necessarily right, I can sometimes see where they are coming from. My point is, until Disney can become a little more consistent with their policies, or solve this whole issue by dating the mugs, I don't think that it is wrong to reuse your mugs at the same resort. Just my honest opinion. Go ahead and flame away.

 

[primax]

Plain and simple, if the mug design you have is the same as the mug design currently being used then reuse them. How often do the mug design change? I have last years mug with the 100 Years Of Magic logo on them.

 

[BeauMec]

Thanks Geoff for the great clarification of this subject! I'm staff in a criminal courtroom and you made me LOL! Oops!

I have fond memories of my daily early morning, half-asleep, stroll to the food court for my first mug of coffee. I slowly wake up as I sip and stroll on the way back to the room. After that precious first mug I'm then able to actually work the in-room coffeemaker!

I am, of course, a member of the Official Policy Group!

 

[DaveH]

I do not know the rules at the AS's. I do know the sign at WL saya the mugs are good forever. It says you can use the mugs on any future trip at the WL. I am going to ASMo on Monday. I will try and found the posted rules on the mugs.

 

[Geoff_M]

BTW, I asked the CM at ASMo and POR when we purchased our mugs and both times I was told that it was good for life at the respective resorts. So, while this may differ from the "official" disney policy, which is hardly ever true anyways. I consider it my good faith attempt to find out the policy.

Obviously you're in Group #2.

However, I think it is downright rude to use mugs from other resorts or even your own containers. That just isn't right.

Well, another CM told Magic2000's Mom that a mug purchased in MK was good at her resort. So on what basis would you claim that her use of the MK mug was not "right" if she did so? She would be using the same justification used to reach your opinion.... a CM told her so. She made a good-faith effort to learn the rules, right? CM's have told people:
1) The mugs are good at the same resort for a lifetime.
2) The mugs are good at any resort for a lifetime.
3) Any mug purchased anywhere within WDW is good at any resort for a lifetime.

So how does one decide which is the proper thing to do?

If what a Disney representitive tells me is the guiding principle, then it's OK to book 5 people into a DVC 1 bedroom villa... even though the "official" policy is 4 people max. We have 5 people in our family and when asked the DVC realtor that we meet with back in January told us "No one is going to be the 'room police' and make sure that you have no more than 4 people in the unit. It's not an issue" So my logical application of the philosophy of Group #2 to this issue is that it's OK to put 5 people into the villa even though I know the "official" policy is 4 max, correct?

...Disney can become a little more consistent with their policies, or solve this whole issue by dating the mugs...

Well, there's one thing we can agree on!

Someone posted a picture from an AS food court recently that stated the "one visit" rule. I'll be at WL next month and check that out too. I honestly think the best thing they could do is install the once rumored bar code system and be done with the confusion.

 

[ducklite]

I'm always going to believe a written policy over one that anyone is verbally telling me.

Just my two bits on it.

Anne

 

[behappy]

bringing your 'used' cup back to McDonalds or Burger King? After all, when one buys a soda at these fast food chains any more, they come with unlimited refills?

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

We stay at all stars every year. We brought our mugs back last year and used them. We will this year also. Thats what we were told. I have seen MANY Many people filling up tubs ,cups,things that looked like a backpack with a hose, lol. Now i think that is a litte ridiculous. We would never use the mugs at any other hotel. If we stay some place diff. we would buy new ones.

 

[SueM in MN]

When they renovated CBR, they added a sign right to the drink dispensors that says the mugs are good for the entire stay in which they were originally purchased.
A year ago, we purchased mugs at WL. There was nothing (except "Refillable Mugs" listed on the price board that is at the entry to the food court area....but, we saw a sign by the drink dispensors said that the mugs were good for your entire length of stay and when we purchased the mugs, the CM said, "I have to let you know that this is only good for this stay." Another but.... someone else who was at WL last year the same week we were and posted about their mug buying experience said that they were told the mugs were good forever and that the signs said that they were.

So... this will probably go on for many pages, but Geoff_M's summary is basically everything that will be said. (Except one time this came up, there was a contingent that said "your length of stay" meant any time you stayed at that resort.) Just keep it friendly, please (from an-away-from-my-own-board-moderator).

 

[alwaysmom]

The good old refillable cup debate.

While preparing for our disney trip in Apr. I read and reread all the threads concerning refillable cups. It was pretty much 50/50 reuse/can't reuse, I insisted we bring ours from ASMo 2000, DH insisted we don't (he swears he'd seen a sign posted "good for length of stay") On our arrival at ASMo 2003, we purchased 4 more mugs, looked for signs - found none. At check out I asked the policy and was told.....The mugs can be used this trip, next trip and any trip thereafter forever at the resort they were purchased. Boy did I give DH a hard time, I could have spent the $40 on something just for me.

While I don't know if this is the true policy. I do know I will bring our cups with us next time we stay at ASMo.

 

[DMRick]

I'm in group 4 (or is it 5?). In the past, there were no posted signs and the CM's encouraged you to buy the mugs, by telling you they were good forever. Since I couldn't find anything or anybody to tell me differently, in the past, we brought back the mugs for years. Begining last January (2002) was the first I noticed the signs up on the wall, and now above the drink machines (although the wall sign in the All Star Music was down three weeks ago), saying good for the length of your current stay. In your room, on the tag that tells about the room pizza..it does say for your current stay. I asked the housekeeper for an extra tag and have it, if anyone wants me to scan and share it. In spite of that, yet again on this last trip, I heard the cashier saying it was good forever, and that it was good at all resorts.

Since, when I purchased my mug, I was told it was good forever (at my resort or sister resort), I do continue to bring them back..however I ask to see the food court manager the begining of each trip, and ask if mine is still reuseable (since I felt and still feel, that that one cashier saying it's meant to be reused might be incorrect info, but I've heard it over and over..even when we recently bought new POR mugs, that's what we were told..when I mentioned the signs, she said the CM's are being told, it's still allowed) . The answer from the food court manager has always been a resounding yes. He's the only person I feel I have to ask permission of to reuse my mug. Once he (or she) tells me that they are no longer allowing even those who bought while being told they could be brought back, then I'll stop. First, they have to stop telling the people who are buying them now..but for some reason, they still tell you they are good forever....it's like the signs above the machines are there...well, just because!

 

[Topper]

From February 2003 - Presented without commentary: