AKA Rapid Fill
One of the opportunities you have if you are staying OP (on property) at Disney, is the chance to purchase a Disney Refillable Mug. (For other Pros and Cons of Staying OP, <— click the preceding link.) If you’re unfamiliar with the Rapid Fill Mug, it is an insulated, 16 ounce mug available to purchase for those staying at a Disney resort or at the Disney Boardwalk.
These mugs will entitle you to unlimited refills of tea, coffee, and fountain drinks at your resort for the length your stay. It’s worth noting that Disney has an exclusive contract with CocaCola so you won’t see any Pepsi products anywhere in the resorts or in the Parks. But they have some non-soda options like a fruit punch and some other options. The other things you won’t find are milk and actual fruit juices (like O.J. or apple juice).
Each mug is RFID enabled to track the dates of your stay, so be warned, they will not work before or after said times. The machines simply won’t work for you if you try. But during your stay, wherever you see a self-serve beverage location, that’s where you’ll be able to fill-er-up!
They currently cost a little under $20 no matter how long your stay. So if you’re considering purchasing one, take that into account when weighing the option of purchasing it. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you will receive a refillable mug with the cost of your plan.
Where to get them and how they work
You can purchase the cups from the quick service and food court locations at your resort, and usually at the poolside bars. Be sure to check with the front desk about locations for refills located around your resort. Now, you can also purchase them on the Disney Boardwalk as well.
You can also use your mugs at other resorts and the water parks but not currently in the theme parks, though there are rumors that they are testing this option. Just remember, the RFID bar code on your cup will only work for the days you are staying at your resort. Otherwise the beverage dispensers simply won’t work.
There are screens that will tell you how long you have left to use your cup. And if you’re thinking about getting one mug and using it to fill other beverage containers think again. The RFID chip will also prohibit you from refilling your mug over and over quickly. It usually makes you wait a couple minutes at least between refills. This is something else to keep in mind.
Convenient mug washing stations are also available at the self-serve beverage locations. But be warned, these beverage locations can sometimes be a long distance away from your room. So if you plan on getting a lot of use out of your mug, request a room that’s close to one of these locations. Disney is usually pretty good about accommodating room requests whenever possible.
A few other things
As a side note, water (and often ice) are available for free throughout the parks. You can bring your mug to the parks to use for free water, but the other drink options will not be available.
Also be warned, some people aren’t at the resorts long enough for the cost to be worth it. You’ll have to make that determination for you and your party.
** Please note, if the cups are in your room and you aren’t on the dining plan, they still are not free. If you take them and use them, you will find a charge for it on your bill when you go to check out.**
If you’ve read all this and think refillable mugs are the way to go, then be sure to pick one up as soon as you arrive at your resort in order to get the most use out of them.
Happy sipping!