Whether you’re on the Disney Dining Plan for the first time or just looking for ways to re-fuel while you are at the resorts, chances are you’ll be nabbing one of Disney’s Rapid Fill Resort Mugs to keep you hydrated during your stay at Disney World. The mugs are a great perk for those on the Dining Plan and can also be a good value for those planning on spending a lot of time at their resort. Here’s everything you need to know about the refillable mug system before your next trip to the Mouse.
What are the Rapid Fill Resort Mugs?
They are 16oz insulated mugs available at any of the food courts at a Walt Disney World resort They use an embedded RFID chip that works with the soda stations in the food courts. The chip is pre-programmed with your length of stay and is needed to activate the soda fountains. The technology in your mug will only activate the machines during the days of your package and will only allow you to use the machines once every 2 minutes. The mugs will automatically de-activate when you’ve reached the end of your visit.
How do I get a refillable mug?
If you’re on one of Disney’s dining plans everyone in your party will receive one refillable resort mug as part of your dining package. You just pay a visit to your resort food court, find the refillable mug display and pick the color of your choice. Even though they are free for those on the dining plan, guests should still go to the cashier to have them activated.
What if I’m not on the Dining Plan?
No dining plan? No problem. Resort guests are still able to take advantage of the refillable resort mug system. Mugs are available for purchase at the food court at your resort. When the mugs were first unveiled it was possible to only pay to use them during part of your stay. However, back in 2015 this was changed and now you are only given the option of purchasing a mug for the entire length of your stay. The cost is $18.99 + tax per mug regardless of whether you are staying 2 nights or 10 nights.
What beverages are available as part of the refillable mug system?
The Rapid Fill stations that you will find in each Food Court consist of a soda fountain with Coca-Cola products as well as hot beverages like drip coffee, tea and hot chocolate. I’ve also seen the fountains carry items like Vitamin Water or Powerade but these speciality drinks will vary from resort to resort.
Beverages not available for Rapid Fill would be speciality coffees bought at the food court, juices or milk/chocolate milk for the kids.
Many resorts also have refill stations conveniently located at your pool bar. However, guests shouldn’t get too excited as it is the usual run of soft drinks on offer and not long island ice teas.
Can I take the mugs into the parks with me?
Though the mugs might be a nice addition to your park bag for filling up at water fountains or sharing drinks, rapid refill stations are only available at the resorts. You can not get refills with your mugs at any of the four Disney theme parks, water parks or at any restaurants.
I am going to be resort hopping, do I need to get a new mug when I switch resorts?
No. The mug can be programmed for your entire length of stay. Also, the way the refillable resort mug system works is that the RFID technology in your mug will activate any of the Rapid Fill stations on Disney property. So if you’re staying at Pop Century Resort but spending the afternoon at Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can technically use your mug there.
The exceptions to this would be Shades of Green or Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Hotels.
How do I keep our mugs clean?
At the same stations that you fill your beverages, you will also conveniently find refillable mug rinsing stations so that you can wash your mugs before or after each use. For those staying in a villa, be forewarned, putting your resort mug in the dishwasher may harm the technology used to get you your free beverages. Soap and water works best.
Are resort mugs worth the price?
If resort mugs aren’t coming free with your dining plan, its definitely worth considering whether or not the mugs represent a good value for money. If you’re planning on spending most of your time at the parks, are driving in with a case of water in tow, or are staying for a shorter period, the $18.99 price tag is probably not worth it.
The refillable mug system is better suited to visitors that will be spending ample time at the resort or for those with lengthy stays. In these cases when you factor in the cost of coffees every morning or sodas in the evening, it quickly pays for itself.
If you’re still undecided about whether the resort mugs are for you, my quick tip is that everyone in your party doesn’t need to get one. If you’re a family of four, rather than shelling out the $75.00, you may only want to get two mugs and swap them out as and when family members need them. This is usually my strategy when I’m not travelling on the dining plan and I find in this case that it does represent good value for money.
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