refillable mugs - POP

[JoDisney]

My son just left with his friends for POP. I understand the mugs may have barcodes. Honestly, I do not know the policy, as I heard there is a time limit between refills. I had encouraged them to get the mugs, but now I am not sure. They enjoy getting refills when they return from the parks not just meal time. Please explain the new system. Thanks.

[mom2morgan]

a time limit? that's new! I'm sad Disney keeps taking away - in the old days those mugs were good for future trips as well, and I think that considering soda pop costs literally pennies a glass that was a very nice perk for return customers, and pretty inexpensive for Disney. Now they've further restricted them...I feel sometimes like the value is going out of everything.

[AJ Springfield]

I read here (or on another WDW site) that if your cup has a computer chip in it that you will not be able to refill within 5 minutes. This is probably to cut out people who fill and refill their mug until everyone at the table has a drink. If you consider one person per cup, I can't imagine any one person needing another 12 ounces of fluid within 5 minutes.

As for cost, I have heard that Coke provides free fountain drinks to the resorts (not bottled soda, only fountain drinks). Resorts make their money by selling the mugs.

[JoDisney]

Honestly, I need someone to explain the barcodes. Someone told me there was a time limit between refills. I do not know. I am just asking for it to be explained to me. So, please know I am only repeating what was told to me. Thanks.

[JoDisney]

Thank you AJ. Oh, my son will be fine at POP then. He would not need to have a refill in a 5 minute time frame. I see what Disney is doing. That makes sense. I just did not know how the barcodes worked. I have been to POP a lot. I did not have barcodes when I purchased my mugs.

[AJ Springfield]

I have read that the new mugs have a computer chip (or magnetic strip) embedded in the plastic. When you purchase the mug, the chip is activated for the length of your stay. The dispensers are new and are programmed to dispense soda only if they are activated by a mug with a valid chip. The machines will not allow soda to be dispensed within 5 minutes...meaning if you get a drink at 10:00, you cannot refill until 10:05.

You can look here for more info:
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/05/22/patent-no-refillable-mugs/

[JoDisney]

Last time I went to POP, the mugs were a Mickey Mouse beach scene. I did not have a barcode. However it does not matter, my son and his friends should be fine. I think they like the gatorade offered in blue or ice tea. There is no way that they would have to refill in less than 5 minutes.

[Fangorn]

As of the end of January, the food court at POP was NOT using this system, and the mugs did not have the RFID chips in them. There was some discussion that Disney was going to test/implement this idea at POP. If they did, they have gone back to the original unmetered system.

Steve

[vicster]

If I'm not mistaken the mugs are included with the dining plan this year...I'll have to check that out.

[JoDisney]

The mugs did not have a bar code at POP. The boys just got back.