If you’ve been keeping up with what’s happening at Walt Disney World, you may have noticed that things are shifting in a more guest-friendly direction. After several years, when it felt like more was being taken away than added, Disney seems to be loosening up again.
They’ve started bringing back some perks that long-time guests missed and even added some new ones worth celebrating.
Progress in the Right Direction
Free overnight parking at Disney resort hotels has finally returned. For many families, this was a pain point—no one liked paying to park at a hotel they were already shelling out hundreds of dollars for. Now that parking is free again, there is one less fee on the bill.
Disney has also rolled out limited-time offers, including up to 30% off select resorts. Those kinds of savings can really take the edge off the overall cost of a trip. And for summer visitors, Disney’s added a bonus: free admission to a water park on your check-in day when staying at a Disney hotel. That’s a fantastic way to kick off your trip—without burning a theme park ticket.
These changes make it seem like Disney is finally paying attention to what fans want. But despite all the steps forward, one outdated policy just won’t change—the infamous resort refillable mug rule.
Let’s Talk About the Mug
You buy the mug for around $23. It gives you unlimited soft drinks, coffee, and tea refills for two weeks. But there’s a catch: it only works at Disney resort hotels. You can’t use it in the parks at all.
That’s frustrating for families who spend most of their day in the parks, not lounging at the resort food court. Carrying the mug around doesn’t do much good when there’s nowhere to refill it after breakfast.
And let’s not ignore the size—it’s only 16 ounces. That’s not a lot when you’re walking around in the Florida heat, sweating your way through EPCOT’s World Showcase.
What Could Be Done (Without Reinventing the Wheel)
This isn’t a problem that requires a massive overhaul—just some thoughtful updates.
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Introduce refill stations inside the parks for guests with the mugs. Even just one or two options per park would do the trick.
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Offer a bigger size—because let’s face it, 16 ounces won’t cut it when it’s 90 degrees and sunny. Even most of Universal’s souvenir cups hold around 24 ounces. Do better, Disney.
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Allow discounted park refills for mug holders, even if it’s not “free.”
Disney has made significant progress this year in bringing back the magic. Updating this one policy would go a long way toward showing guests that they’re truly putting people first again.
