Disney RFID in your drinks

Surprised this flew under the radar here so far, but Disney is rolling out a drink system at resorts replacing the unlimited refill mugs. You can now purchase mugs for one day @ $9, up to the length of your stay for $18. The cups have RFID chips in them and let you get a refill once every 15 minutes or so.

They also will update the self-serve drink stations in the parks so you can only get three refills and can't get any after a designated amount of time (I heard 2 hours after purchase.)

Because of this, all the paper cups will now have RFID in them also... and all their drink prices coincidentally just went up.

Wait, so you're telling me I can't bring my Hersheypark souvenir mug from 9 years ago and get free refills?

On a more serious note, $18 isn't that much more than what it always was for the resort mugs (I think it was $15). The only pain now is that I often switch resorts, thus eliminating my ability to use one mug for an entire Disney vacation. Clearly they've got my number.

Well-played, Mickey. Well-played.

I think this is interesting for two reasons.

1. Seems to me the industry trend has been toward cheaper and cheaper drink options. It's a far cry from the mid-00's and the $5 drink as the only option. I'm honestly surprised a big park/chain hasn't pulled a Holiday World and just tossed out the F-word (free) yet. Some are awfully close if you play you options correctly.

2. When Disney makes a move, people watch. Higher prices? Limits on self-serve refills? Is this a sign of the pendulum about to swing back?

I just hope all of the laws and regulations concerning RFID cups aren't nearly as complicated as those governing RFID wristbands. I hear that can be a real bitch. Oh, wait....

Lord Gonchar said:

I'm honestly surprised a big park/chain hasn't pulled a Holiday World and just tossed out the F-word (free) yet

Considering 16oz of carbonated sugar water is worth less than the paper cup they serve it to you in, so am I.

I'd rather have an RFID in my drink than GHB in my drink!

I wonder when the first "RFID caused my gum cancer" lawsuit gets filed..

I don't know about cancer, but every time I drink a soda at Disney, I pick up transmissions for Orlando Approach.

It's so confusing when the messages from the RFID chip get mixed up with the messages I get through the fillings in my teeth.

Man, all I wanted was a drink, and look where I wound up.

Today, whenever I visit a park, I walk in with a pocket full of Flavor Packets. I'll purchase ONE bottle of water, then refill it at the drinking fountains whenever I need to.

That's what I love about Disney. They don't care what you bring in.

^I feel that places like parks or movie theaters are getting more lenient about what you can bring in. My friend was allowed to bring an entire McDonalds meal into a theater recently and I've never actually been prevented from bringing in drinks either. SFNE has never had a problem with me bringing in drinks either (though I've never tried bringing food in).