Beer mug issue

[SuperDry]

On my last Fantasy cruise, I redeemed a beer mug token from a previous cruise immediately at Bon Voyage immediately upon boarding. The bartender did ask about it, since he knew I could not have purchased it on that cruise (since the bar had just opened). He seemed satisfied that I had brought it with me from a previous cruise. I guess the only other possibility was that I had found it on the ground. I doubt that he was trying to catch people doing that, and was probably just caught off guard.

 

[Jack & Monica]

Dear Disney, the rich and the retired middle class will not care too much about this. This will matter a great deal for the working middle class who are worrying about the cost of college and somehow putting money away for retirement. This is your targeted growth population. Fix this ASAP; it is stupid and annoying. Inconsistency affects the pixie dust in a very negative way. You of all companies should realize the value of reputation. Make sure to weigh the "pixie dust" factor when making decisions regarding the bottom line. Thank you.

 

[barbarossa_hoosier]

Dear Disney, the rich and the retired middle class will not care too much about this. This will matter a great deal for the working middle class who are worrying about the cost of college and somehow putting money away for retirement. This is your targeted growth population. Fix this ASAP; it is stupid and annoying. Inconsistency affects the pixie dust in a very negative way. You of all companies should realize the value of reputation. Make sure to weigh the "pixie dust" factor when making decisions regarding the bottom line. Thank you.

Eh, the beer's already expensive. To me, it would be less about the marginal cost of 4oz of beer (or cider, in my case), and more about the principle.

Maybe Disney should have different mugs for each of the 4 (soon to be 7) ships? Or perhaps different mugs for different itineraries? I'd be down for re-purchasing mugs, even if that little bit of extra value were a factor.

 

[belac]

this reminds me of when WDW changed their souvenir cup to the ones with the electronic chips on the bottom. People were bringing their old cups back for free soda. You get a cup for staying at the resort, that you could refill; at all the resorts for your stay. There were some so old you couldn't see most of the printing on the outside. So WDW chipped them and they expire your last day of your resort stay.

 

[phinz]

Well, they can't say this policy change is "for the safety of the children" like their alcohol policy money grab was couched. I'm taking my token back in October. We'll see what they say.

 

[bcwife76]

Our beer mug is already packed in our luggage for our Alaskan cruise next week; guess we'll see what happens when my hubby goes to get his first beer. He had no problems 'reusing' his mug on the Fantasy this past January.

 

[apathetic]

this reminds me of when WDW changed their souvenir cup to the ones with the electronic chips on the bottom. People were bringing their old cups back for free soda. You get a cup for staying at the resort, that you could refill; at all the resorts for your stay. There were some so old you couldn't see most of the printing on the outside. So WDW chipped them and they expire your last day of your resort stay.

It's not like that at all. Nobody is bringing back a mug for free refills. They are getting slightly more beer for an already ridiculous price. Disney prices are close to double what you would get at most bars and restaurants, minus the inflated cruise fare. The mug was like a frequent drinker reward. But there are few beers in the world that are worth $9 per pint.

Also, I don't remember the resort "giving" you a cup. Probably 15 years ago I bought one for like $10. That was a little pricey, most people aren't drinking $10 in soda in a week or less. Now the mug is like $17. You need to drink a lot of soda/coffee to get $17. From a value standpoint, I guess the beer mug is similar in that aspect.

 

[belac]

Yes they gave you a mug as part of your Magic Your Way Pass (??), it was an incentive to book everything through Disney and last time I actually stayed on property with that MYWP was 7 years ago when I noticed the chip change- they also gave the mini golf passes and some other stuff like discounts here and there shops/restaurants. You don't get it for just booking room. You had to book the room, park passes etc.. to get that deal as part of your Magic Your Way Pass vacation. They gave little vouchers with your ressies where you go to resort restaurant (breakfast place) and get your mug - free refills the rest of your stay.
I know others that have brought that mug back every time (as old and yucky as they were) and stayed off property and would go to a resort to fill up before heading to Parks. So it was a thing.

About 10 years ago they chipped them so you could only use the mug for the duration of your stay, it had some expiration date chipped in so when you pay, it would ring up soda, Also you could buy them but you paid for how many days you were there - but you keep mug. They still gave them out with MYWP with chip back then (or what ever they called it Magic your way something....)

They never used to have a chip so people would book outside property bring old mug and fill up in resorts, or get tix elsewhere etc.. Bottom Line Disney wanted to save money and stop people from refilling and sell mugs to those who didn't book through them.

Reminded me of the way Disney loosely writes their perks and leaves it up to interpretation. So perhaps they are trying the same on boat with beer mug.... only good for your cruise, thus they are starting with we don't accept tokens have to buy a mug... and testing the waters so to speak. Kinda like that thread on the coffee cards...

It all points to they are looking to save $$$$ by getting rid of perks that may not have the incentives spelled out clearly:

"Carry this Disney Cruise Line-branded beer mug to any onboard bar and get a 21 oz. refill of beer for the price of a 16 oz. size! If you find the mug too heavy to carry while onboard, then take advantage of the beer mug token."

See it says "while onboard"; could they now take that loosely translated perk and say while you are onboard ...this cruise..... Sure they can and we lose another perk but it was always written while on board. So they could say it was always their intention to be the specific cruise and they have been nice all these 19 years and let it slide, but it is time to implement the rule that was always written.

 

[jrapps]

Just boarded the Dream and brought my token with me... haven't tried to get a beer yet but once I do I will report back on my experience.

For what it is worth they have changed the beer mug it is no longer clear glass but instead a translucent blue plastic so even if you brought your old mug, it will be obvious it is not from the current cruise.

 

[jrapps]

So I just got a beer in the 687 sports bar. No issue whatsoever. They took the token and gave me the mug without question.

I can also report that it IS the same glass mug...the plastic blue ones I saw were on top deck and must just be pool deck safe versions. I've never seen that before...

 

[barbarossa_hoosier]

Interesting. I think a "pool safe" version is a very good idea!

 

[andeesings]

It's not like that at all. Nobody is bringing back a mug for free refills. They are getting slightly more beer for an already ridiculous price. Disney prices are close to double what you would get at most bars and restaurants, minus the inflated cruise fare. The mug was like a frequent drinker reward. But there are few beers in the world that are worth $9 per pint.

HAHA This is hilarious. We're from Long Island and my friends were all saying, "WOW these drinks are SO CHEAP!!"

 

[Dug720]

HAHA This is hilarious. We're from Long Island and my friends were all saying, "WOW these drinks are SO CHEAP!!"

I was going to say... Compared to NYC bar prices they are cheap!! It all depends on where you live.

 

[bumbershoot]

this reminds me of when WDW changed their souvenir cup to the ones with the electronic chips on the bottom. People were bringing their old cups back for free soda. You get a cup for staying at the resort, that you could refill; at all the resorts for your stay. There were some so old you couldn't see most of the printing on the outside. So WDW chipped them and they expire your last day of your resort stay.

A serious amount of time ago, when the mugs were branded to each resort, they were *sold as* forever mugs. People weren't just being jerks. That's what they had been told to do.

And the mugs are now good for at least 14 days and can be extended for free if the stay is longer than that. And as long as the chip works you can pay to renew it on future trips.

About 10 years ago they chipped them so you could only use the mug for the duration of your stay

10 years ago? I only started going to wdw 7 years ago and they weren't chipped.

Yes they gave you a mug as part of your Magic Your Way Pass

I believe it was with the dining plan. Those who got myw packages withOUT the dining plan weren't given mugs.

 

[belac]

Oh yes it was 10 years ago and not with dining plan it was a perk with that pass and I know that because it was just after DS was born and he is going on 11 soon so it was 10 years ago.
It was a less than stellar stay bc of 4 mo old and extended family. We had WDW break between 2003 and 2006. That's why we noticed and also because of the coupon thing in the MYW book. We had long convo with the staff at WL about it, regarding the chip. It was good for your stay, and if that's 14 days now I don't know, they just said for your stay. You could also buy one for x days and pay. We spent most of our time at the resort bc of DS.

They may have had something with dining plan but this wasn't it. We didn't have dining plan. We only ever did the dining plan in 2012 and this was before that. DP doesn't really work for us.

And yes ... we do have the resort mugs, they were different than the MYW mugs- we have several from contemporary, GF and Poly from the 1990s; they are wider and shorter but again all 90s mugs. Yes they were forever at only that resort.
These were not the ones people were bringing back. They were bringing the thinner cups with the narrow cup holder bottoms. As far as I know the WL CM told us it was because of the old refill cups. People use them and then give to others etc. but who knows and all I know for sure it was to cut costs for Disney.

Regardless if the ships do that now that would be sad. Since so many have enjoyed that perk.

 

[mathgeek]

A serious amount of time ago, when the mugs were branded to each resort, they were *sold as* forever mugs. People weren't just being jerks. That's what they had been told to do.

And the mugs are now good for at least 14 days and can be extended for free if the stay is longer than that. And as long as the chip works you can pay to renew it on future trips.

10 years ago? I only started going to wdw 7 years ago and they weren't chipped.

I believe it was with the dining plan. Those who got myw packages withOUT the dining plan weren't given mugs.

I really debated commenting since this is OT from the beer mug discussion, but after I saw bumbershoot's more accurate reply I couldn't help myself from adding to it...

WDW switched over from the specific resort mugs to a generic mug across property around 2007. Even though the fine print on the side said they were good for length of stay at the resort purchased, people did bring both these and the resort specific mugs back for free refills (some of which were sold early on as "forever mugs.") Then in August 2013 they transitioned to the RFID chip in the mug. I've never gotten a straight answer on being able to reactivate the chip in the mug, and since I don't need 3 plastic mugs of the same design each year, I stopped buying them. And I've never gotten one included in a resort stay since I've never gotten a dining plan (they added the mug to dining plans in 2012).

Sorry. Back to your discussion about the DCL beer mugs...I hope you can still use the token b/c those mugs are heavy and take up a lot of space in luggage!

 

[belac]

Thanks for that maybe that is the disconnect the chip and wording on the mug. Perhaps that is what we noticed. I can't recall positively. I just know what CM said but thanks.

Yes we never brought mugs back because of packing and DCL tokens so much easier.

 

[Bonnie1222]

I remember one cruise on the magic that they had plastic clear beer mugs (2006 maybe? I can't remember which cruise/year) I have a set of those and the glass from past cruises. The following cruise when they had switched back to glass we asked a bartender about the switch and he said they couldn't keep the plastic ones clean like the glass.

 

[FamilyHolidayPlanner]

We just got off the Magic and were able to use our old beer mug token with no problems .

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Sounds similar to the new coffee card conspiracy. Apparently thousands of dollars in charges isn't enough to let you get a few more cents worth of beer.

Not to derail, but Interesting note about this. I didn't get my coffee card until near the end of my last cruise a couple weeks ago. The barista told me to bring it back on my next cruise! I even clarified that I COULD bring it back. Said yes. I didn't see anything on it anymore about it being length of cruise nor did it have a spot for a date.