Refillable Mugs are one of the most beloved Disney World souvenirs for many fans. However, there’s one thing the vast majority would change.
Resort Refillable Mug
So, what exactly do SO MANY of you want to see change? Well, it has to do with where these mugs can be refilled.
We reached out to our followers on Facebook to ask: “Do you think Disney should allow refillable mugs to be used in the parks?” We had quite a few people leave their opinions in the comments!
What do you think?
How Do Mugs Work Again?
Disney’s Refillable mugs are 16 oz. insulated coffee mugs that are sold for about $22 at Disney hotels in the primary Counter Service location. Those on the Disney Dining Plan also receive a mug as part of their package. Guests are entitled to unlimited free refills on fountain drinks, coffee, and tea from participating beverage locations at Disney resort hotels (both the one they’re staying at as well as others on property) for their length of stay up to 14 days. Each mug features an RFID barcode, which enables the mug to deactivate when the designated time is complete. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s dive into some of your responses!
3 Disney World Refillable Mug Rules You Should Break
The “Yes” Team
First up, a whopping 89% of you want to see a change that would allow you to use your refillable mugs at designated spots in the parks, and honestly, we’re totally here for it!
Resort Refillable Mug
To this point, DFB reader Eva summed it up perfectly with, “Yes — even if only at quick-service locations that already have the self-serve fountains to start. It’s so cheap for Disney but will increase value for guests.” Pamela chimed in, “Yes, at designated locations, that would be awesome. Wouldn’t even need to be a huge selection.” T.j. added, “Yes when you are staying at their property, you are already spending a ton of money. It would be a small price to pay to keep people hydrated and made to feel like they matter.”
Refillable Mug
Then we’ve got Taylor, who added, “I think they should. I love going and getting my cup when I’m in universal. It’s so convenient.” Speaking of Universal, Lynn shared, “YES! I love the way Universal does it. I love the Freestyle machines everywhere (except Wizarding World). Most days we activate them. When we do a half day we bring them and just get ice & water.” In the same vein, Lori shared, “Absolutely even if it costs more. Other major parks like Cedar Point and Hershey have souvenir cups — pay a flat fee per day and unlimited refills but you can only refill once every hour or some timeframe like that. I’d like a format like that but payable upfront.”
Drink Station at Drop Off Pool Bar
Laura took it a step further, saying, “Good God, yes, Disney should allow Resort Refillable Mugs to be used in the parks. We used them at the water refill stations, especially at Animal Kingdom. We simply packed one mug in our Loungefly (I carried), then filled the mug with water and each took sips until it was empty. This is a perk Disney Parks could definitely afford. They are already making quite a bit of money on the mugs, why not let us use them in the parks. And the upshot for them is this — the more hydrated we are in the parks, the better we feel, so we stay longer and spend more money in the shops.”
CONFIRMED: 7 Refillable Mug RULES Disney Is Enforcing in 2025
Those in the “No”
As you can imagine, not everyone is thrilled about the idea of using your refillable mugs at designated spots in the parks (11% of you responded this way).
Refillable Mug
First up, DFB reader Heather shared, “I don’t really need a refillable mug for the parks – I prefer water to help stay hydrated. I like the refills at the resort, so I can get caffeine in the morning and then something with flavor if I go back for a mid-day break as well as when I get back at night.”
Karen raised concerns about hygiene, saying, “No! Having everyone’s germy cup at the soda fountains is gross in the first place… maybe if they gave it out in a paper cup, but at the end of the day seems like it’s just going to make park tickets even more expensive.”
Drink Station at Caribbean Beach Resort’s Banana Cabana Pool Bar
Then, to wrap things up, some, like Christa, simply prefer to “bring your own water bottle,” while others, like Rita, would rather Disney focus on bringing back FastPass than adding another thing to carry around the parks.
Refillable Resort Mugs
Those were just some of your thoughts on whether Disney should allow refillable mugs to be used in the parks, and we want to hear more from you! Until then, keep it right here for all the latest Disney news! Also, follow us on Facebook to join in on the next discussion.
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What are your thoughts on whether Disney should allow refillable mugs to be used in the parks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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I have mixed feelings about it. We usually don’t get a refillable mug unless we’re on a Dining Plan that includes one. In the past several years, we have stayed at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, and rarely if ever gone to the quick service location there (such a sad replacement for what Trail’s End used to be). In the parks, not only do we mostly enjoy table service locations, we are also visitors who like to drink only water outside of meals (and even with meals, it’s x and a water). I also agree that somehow, using refillable mugs in the parks seems ‘germier’ than at the resorts. We also wouldn’t want to feel the need to carry around the mugs in addition to refillable water bottles. But, on those trips when we do have the mugs, it does sting to pay the prices for the drinks at the quick service locations. I always feel bad when I see the folks with all their cups on the caribiners in the parks, thinking that maybe they think the refills transfer to the parks. Maybe those are just THEIR answer to refillable water bottles, but dangling from their bags always makes me think that they’re not. It would be an inexpensive way for Disney to help make people feel like they’re getting more value for what they’ve paid. As others have noted, other theme parks manage to do this particular perk better in the parks, even if there is a small charge for refills.
I would love to be able to fill the mugs in the parks, even if it means paying a little more for the mug. Maybe they could have 2 different mug designs: one that can only be used at the resort and one that can be used at both the resorts and the parks. That way everyone can decide which one they want and how much they are willing to spend.
I am with the person who said bring back FastPass. The cups are messy, they spill, they don’t hold much. They dont fit in the water bottle pockets on your backpack or purse, stroller or scooter. I fill water bottle with soda that I brought for husband and one with water & ice. If they are going to invest time, research & money, bring back the fastpass “project”.
Zero chance this happens. Zero. LL, turkey legs, and drinks…..just build it it to your budget.
And let’s face it….the poor FL locals who pay $300 on the installment plan to have an AP would do the Chi chis salsa trick (Google it).
Honestly this would be nice. As you pay over $20 for one of those cups and can only use it at the hotels.
Side note, I wish they would do extended evening hours to all resort guests. Seems like they would be able to make a little more cash with all resort guests enjoying a later night.
I think, allowing the refillable mugs to be used in the parks would be amazing. But more importantly, I wish that you could reactivate the mugs For a smaller fee. Even $10 -half the price of what the cup costs originally. I can’t tell you how many times I don’t actually buy the cup because I already have so many at home. We take numerous trips Per year and I really really don’t need 4, 6 or 8 cups
Just the fact that the one complainer is named Karen makes me laugh 😂
Good lord they absolutely should.
I don’t think the worries about hygiene are sound. Any germs aren’t going to jump off a cup and contaminate the spigot .
I will say though I brought a refillable water bottle and used it once. Sorry Florida but your fountain water tastes terrible for someone coming from the Great Lakes area. So the ability to get a drink with some flavour would be a huge plus.
If they went with this they could even put a daily limit. I’d say 6 fountain drink refills
I say yes you should be able to get a couple of additional drinks in the parks per day with a purchased cup, but I say only if you have the meal plan no matter if the qs or sit down dinning plan’s
Nah, we don’t need refillable mugs in the parks. You can get free water at any quick service place anyway. Plus, the nearest resort from each park isn’t that far away. Besides, it would just result in more price increases for tickets. And if they did introduce refillable mugs for the parks, then I wouldn’t have a good excuse to visit the nearest resort to whichever park I’m visiting on each day. In short, no we don’t need mugs for the parks, just stick with the resort ones
Yes, please! I love sparkling water and struggle to find it in the parks. The freestyle machines are a good option (plus the Powerade option!) Plus, I think I would buy the mug more often, currently I only buy it if I have a lot of non-park days.
I think once you have purchased a mug, even in the past, you should be able to pay a nominal fee like $10 to be able to reuse the same mug. Now, you have to purchase a whole new mug to get refillable drinks at the resorts. That is not environmentally friendly.
How about making them leakproof & insulated! Then you wouldn’t need to refill then as much. Just my opinion. 🙂
I think it woild be nice for people who ar not staying on resort to have in the parks. Even if they just use it to get water. Especially for people wbo have mexical isdues and need to keep hydrated like diabites. Though the water is better in MN. They raise the proce and take things away iys time they started giving things back, without using them to ticket prices. Out of state Ap is getting really expensive but its cheeper the any other ticket when your in orlando for over 3 weeks.
Yes.
Do the same as Universal.
Sell a reasonably sealed insulated cup just like Universal and install freestyle machines.
The filtration for water tends to be much better in them anyway.
As for $$ making, I hardly think UO is doing it to loose money.
We get the mugs even if we don’t have a dining plan and get plenty of use out of them at our resort. We take them with us when we know we are going to visit another resort for a QS meal or to just look around as you can use them at any resort beverage station. Disney is good about giving you free ice water (add a flavor packet if you don’t like the taste) and their new water filling stations have filtered water. I’d rather have a clean disposable paper cup in the parks, so I am not dealing with a wet/sticky mug all day long.
No to refills in the parks. Long lines to get them refilled. People are dirty and it would be a mess. I’d rather have free fast pass.
For those that say universal has them
They have one that you pay for at hotel
And a different one you pay for at the parks the park one you have to pay daily to reactivate it
And the hotel one is only for hotel
Disney will just in raise the price of the mug. No thank you.
No….can’t imagine the price of the cup then!
Those mugs are an absolutely ridiculous price. Being able to refill them in the parks is the ONLY way it even starts to be worthwhile.
Disney Refillable cups that can be used at bars…..Now we have a plan! LOL
You can refill them in Epcot at Seasons and in AK Dino bites and Satu’li Canteen. In MK Be Our Guest (technically no but the don’t say anything), Hollywood The Commissary. Plus you can always get coffee (iced or hot) and tea without a new cup.
I’d rather they put in more refill stations around the larger resorts, we stayed in Coronado Springs and if we came back to the room and wanted a refill it’s a 10 minute round trip to do that and usually by the time we got back to the room we’d drank the contents!
We used to get them on the free DDP they give to UK visitors so when we became DVC members, we still bought the mugs as they are excellent value. The DDP is not good value for us though so we don’t have that.
On Friday we came back from a 3 week stay so the value per refill was even better. We use them at breakfast, if we resort hop, we’ll use them, after a park day we’ll down a cupful immediately and then refill to rake back to the room. Maybe even go back for a couple more during the evening before the final hot chocolate run before bed. Resort days we’re continually using them.
Would I like free refills in the parks? Yes, because that’s better value again. But also, no, because I don’t want to carry the cups nor any water bottles around. Fluid is heavy and I’d rather have a paper cup of water, drink it, then dispose of. Each day we decide whether we need to take the rucksack. (Will we hotel hop and use the cups? Will we need to refill the popcorn bucket?) because although the rucksack isn’t that heavy, whoever carries it is getting a sweaty back.
Like Dan R says, the big resorts need more stations. Coronado Springs was a 10 minute round trip for his family but it was a 30 minute round trip for our family back in 2008. We never stayed there again. Also, some stations are in the resort shop like at Kidani Village so as soon as the shop closes, there go your refills. The shop closes before you can get back from some of the parks.
Also, I would be happy to have my cup reactivated for a lesser fee each year, first to help the environment and secondly because I have about a billion here at home.