We’re coming to you today from Saratoga Springs Resort, where an updated version of the Refillable Resort Mugs has been spotted at The Artist’s Palette (the Counter Service restaurant for Saratoga Springs).
The Artist’s Palette Sign
Now, typically when we talk about updated Refillable Resort Mugs, we’re referring to new graphics on the mug. For instance, the most recent design change took place last October when the artwork on the mugs was updated to depict the Fab Five driving under the famous Walt Disney World entrance gate.
This time, though, the change is not to the graphics, but to the structure of the mug itself… which might be referred to as a cup or tumbler at this point, since the new cups no longer have handles attached.
Handle-free Refillable Resort Mug
Again, we found this mug at Saratoga Springs; reports vary as to whether or not they’re available at other Resorts at this time.
There is also a limited amount of mugs with handles left at The Artist’s Palette. However, according to a Cast Member we spoke with, all mugs will be strictly handle-free once those are sold out, and it’s anticipated that this will be a change across all Disney World Resorts.
Many guests might enjoy the change, as the cups may now fit easier into things like cup holders in cars or on strollers. Others, though, prefer handles which offer a way to attach the cups to their bags with an added strap or carabiner, or for ease in carrying.
Handle-free Refillable Resort Mug
But we’re curious to know what YOU think. Though guests participating in the Disney Dining Plan automatically receive the Refillable Mugs as part of the plan, they also remain available for individual purchase for Resort guests not utilizing the Plan.
Refillable Resort Mug Purchase Sign
Would this change affect whether or not you would purchase the mug?
What do you think of the handle-free Refillable Resort Mugs? Please let us know with a comment!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
I wonder if they would more easily fit into a backpack pocket?
The lack of a handle would not change my take on the mug/tumbler. I wouldn’t get one if I didn’t get one included in the dining plan. In my experience, it hasn’t been worth the expense. I wouldn’t drink $18 worth of soda in a trip. They are too small and the refilling stations are to scarce (at least where we have stayed). If they were larger (i.e. 20-32 oz rather than 12), it might be a different story, but It often isn’t worth going all the way to the station for the equivalent of just a can of soda. Or.. if there was an option to use them in the parks (maybe not free.. but an inexpensive refill (read, no more than $1)) at QS places perhaps..
I have read elsewhere that people have seen clip on handles being available (for purchase) for these new handle-less ‘mugs’
We have considered getting length-of-stay mugs a few times, but we don’t drink a lot of soda so it would have just been for coffee in the mornings. We decided it was easier to buy a coffee every morning and just carry around a 20oz. water bottle to refill at water fountains. So, the handle/no handle issue probably doesn’t impact us. However, during every trip, we always see one person who was sent to the Boardwalk Bakery to get mugs filled for the whole family. Last trip, one man had about 8 mugs (three of which he spilled all over the floor inside the Bakery) and the only way he or anyone else in that situation could have carried that many at one time was because of the handles. I sense there will be a lot of requests for drink carriers, trays or bags so people to can haul around multiple mugs.
I never cared for the new design last year, and now…no handle? Sorry, that’s 3 mugs I won’t be buying for my family this fall.
I would love this new mug. Not having a handle would make it more user friendly for when we get home (fitting into the car cup holder), and help keep the magic alive!! I am ashamed to say that the price would still work out for me and my son as we love our soda. I wish we didn’t … but we do!! I usually have the mug included in our package as we usually travel when we can get “free dining”, but I would still pay for the mug if we were at WDW.
I love that these will fit into stroller cup holders now!!
I agree that I would never actually buy the mug handle or no. I had it last fall as part of the free dining. I just find them smallish and their usefulness was limited when you are away from your resort all day. And they are too small to be of much use at home. The problem may be my penchant for ENORMOUS amounts of ice. ha! It’s truly one of the most marked up moneymakers Disney has ever invented.
I would still buy it but I would prefer a handle. It’s just easier to carry around.
I really like the handles on the mugs they’ve had. After a Disney trip, I use the mugs to take coffee to work every day. With my small hands, the handle makes them a lot easier to carry. I hope they don’t completely discontinue the mugs with handles.
This can be a test for WDW to see if they indeed listen to their guests. Lately not so sure.
Make half with handles and the rest without. Bingo.
We always get the mugs because we use the Dining Plan, but if we didn’t get them for free, I definitely wouldn’t buy them – handle or no handle. However, I am actually happy to see that they got rid of the handle — it’s now more useful to me after the trip is over (ie, can fit in car cupholders, backpack cupholders, etc). We usually use ours for coffee in the morning, then wash it out and just use it for water all day anyway (we’re not soda drinkers).
Side note — any DVC members here? Do you guys know if we’re getting mugs or some kind of souvenir cup during visits this year for the DVC 25th anniversary? Thanks!
I would rather have the handles. I take my coffee in my cup in the mornings to the park. Then I rinse it out, then hang it through my pack strap to carry it.
I have scores of these mugs in a bag! Handles or not, we don’t use them but they come with the dining plan. I’ve found they are great give aways when we get home. Four mugs, a $15 blanket (that you buy with a $50 purchase) and I have a great silent auction table item for the school fundraiser!
Pat C. – We are DVC, but have not heard anything about 25th anniversary mugs 🙂
We much prefer to have the handles. We enjoy getting morning coffee and taking it with us to the park. However, without the handle the mug would be too hot to hold. I think it would be great to offer both versions.
It won’t affect if I buy a mug or not as I am a huge diet Coke drinker so the mugs have always been a good value to me, but I think them not having handles will not make it easier if one of us goes to the food courts for drinks for all three of us.
The handless mugs would be great when I got back home as they would fit nicely into my cup holder in the car but saying that the old version with the handle still fit as it is quite tall so there is enough at the bottom to fit in the hole and stop it falling over anyway.
Unfortunately the problem will be when trying to carry multiple mugs to get drinks in the morning, I don’t think I could manage more than three of the new version and there is four of us so it looks like the end of the one person trip to the drinks station.
I think the handle less mugs will be easier to make room for in my cupboard. We love the refillable mugs! We always factor in a couple of non park days for our trips and we spend those days at our resort swimming and relaxing and using the refillable mugs. We get them as part of the dining plan and we enjoy them at home as souvenirs. The handles do make them awkward to store. I’m happy they have removed them.
It will make it easier to fit in standard vehicle cup holders (cars / strollers / etc.) and a lot easier in the mesh pouches on most backpacks. I would expect if there is a large enough desire they will produce a handle to add on as you see with most of these type tumblers (like they do for the yeti, rtic, etc.). All in all I like the change.
We get refillable mugs with our dining plan. I think I’ll like this change as they will more easily fit in our stroller cup holder and also in the backpack pocket once empty.
We only get them because they are free with dining plan also, but it will make it extremely hard for my husband to handle since he is disabled after having a stroke. I agree with others that they should have some with and some without. Give us a choice.
Happy to have no handles. Just found the perfect bag to fit four mugs into for carrying back to hotel room from food court for our upcoming trip 🙂
Love!!! The no-handle mug will now fit in my stroller cup holder and the side pockets of my diaper bag!!!
I love this change! I find that the handle makes the cup fall over if it is not filled all the way. It is also nice to have a cup that fits in the cup holder of the stroller. I have seen people clip them by the handle, but if you ask for a rubber band from the front desk, you are back in business!
I much prefer the handles. Easier to carry and attach to bags, strollers and wheelchairs!
I prefer the handle. A handle comes in handy if you have ANY arthritic fingers or hands.
I would like to see the mugs continue to have handles. Much easier to hold onto.
Saw where someone had a great idea of producing both handled and handle free and let people choose.
Pretty sure its “cost”. Must be just a little cheaper to not put a handle on, and money is always the deciding factor!!!
Disney is always looking to do stuff cheaper and make more money! Bottom line
We enjoy the cups due to we only get to go to Disney every couple years. I drink my coffee out of one of them everyday. I would prefer they had handles though to hold unto.
They should be able to offer both, to please everyone. It probably wouldn’t cost Disney any more to have both.
I LOVE my refill mug for at home. I wouldn’t buy usually but I
got with the dining plan and used it even more once I got home and it’s the handle that I love the most. I’m really disappointed about the change. I even pack it on every pool vacation I take because it’s perfect for cold drinks poolside.
We only get them when we do the dining plan, the cost outside of that is way to high for me to buy 4 of them when filling stations are just at the hotels- no way do we drink that much soda while at Disney. We limit ourselves to soda only at meals, water or crystal light the rest of the time yo stay hydrated! Also, we prefer water bottles to refill through the parks- the lids ho on tight and they dont leak. The tops of the mugs leak, so you have to keep them upright at all times when they have fluid in them. Not great for hands free if you dont have a stroller with cup handles, or a stroller at all. Id LOVE to see a waterbottle type option made available!!
I love the handles. It makes it much easier to carry more than one and you can attach it to something when you are not using it. I think we should have a choice!
I came back from my DVC vacation yesterday, stayed at Boardwalk, or should I say the worst hotel in means of customer service I have EVER stayed at and it’s not even close.
I did not see these cups throughout the duration of my vacation and with the horrible journey that I had to travel to get them filled every time I sure am happy they did have handles.
These mugs wold be harder to transport at once for me (travel with wife and 2 daughters) and I ususally go and get mugs filled and breakfast as they are getting ready.
Pat C…We purchased the quick service plan and the mugs came with purchase but I did not see anything related to free for DVC.
Thanks for the responses everyone! @ Mike V, that’s such a bummer to hear! What was so bad about the customer service? We stayed there on our last visit, and they screwed up our check-in process but made up for it by giving us a bunch of managers fast passes. We’ll be at the Beach Club in a month, hopefully we don’t have a similar experience to yours!
Too me it reeks of what Disney seems to be doing too much of, being CHEAP!! It smacks of unnecessary and unneeded cost cutting. Try carrying 5 mugs back to your room sans handles. And as I hang my head in shame I’ll still buy them ’cause I’ll still safe money.
For those who normally use the handles to carry multiple mugs at once, I have an idea for a hack that might work… (I say might because I haven’t tested it yet.) See if your local grocery store has free “wine bags.” I.e. a fabric handled bag with a divider in the middle so that you can carry 4 glass bottles w/o them clanking into each other. Most cup trays/carriers are cardboard, which won’t hold up to spills or FL rainstorms. Having a small, easily cleaned & dried, re-usable bag, or 2, could get you back to 1 person refill runs.
Patricia C….since you asked….Here is the list and I am sure there are things I am missing.
First, let me say that I have stayed at 75% of the current disney resorts both hotels and DVC.
When have you ever passed a Disney employee in the halls and they ignore you? Well that happens here.
How about asking the front desk where the locations are to fill up your refillable mug and being told, when you buy it at store ask them because I do not know.
How about the only place to fill your refillable mug after 11 is a bar that the bartender pours your drink into a plastic cup and makes YOU pour it into your mug.
How about asking for a couple more washcloths only to be told to go and wash the ones you were supplied. Or how about asking for toilet paper and it not get delivered for over 12 hours.
It was a vacation that literally we were amazed how this resort is so beloved and well talked about by so many including friends.
Unfortunately for us, it was a train wreck.
I find the handles make it easier to carry multiple mugs (especially helpful for parents with young children). At a minimum, Disney should at least give you a choice, handle or no handles).
I think the mugs without handles is an awesome change. Much easier to fit in my bag.
I like the handles. I clip it to my bag when I’m at the parks. We often resort hop due to ADRs or just wanting to take a break from the parks. We go in August, when it’s still nice and hot, so it’s nice to be able to get a cold drink in our travels. I’ll also pour drinks I may get in the park into the mug as it doesn’t sweat like the wax cups do.
Disney will produce one style or the other, production wise it would cost too much to do both designs. I think some have mentioned that it’s another way to get money out of us, if we want to buy a handle for these mugs that don’t have them.
It won’t stop me from buying one because I stay for 2 weeks, so I get my money’s worth. If I only visited for 1 week, I think I would lean towards not getting it. Especially without a handle.
I have only gotten the mugs once because they were given free as part of the free dining plan. The dining plan isn’t something that I would ever pay for, as it costs more than what I would eat, and I usually drink bottled water, so I wouldn’t buy one of these mugs separate from the plan. I did use the mug when we ate at our resort (Caribbean Beach), ’cause free drinks, and definitely used the handle when drinking from it and carrying it. I probably would not have used it if it didn’t have a handle because carrying it between the room and food court would have been difficult for me due to my disabilities and hand strength. (I can let the mug semi-dangle from my hand using the handle, so don’t need the strength for a strong grip on that long walk, during which I have use of one hand due to the other being on my mobility dog’s harness to help me balance.) I have seen others carrying their whole family’s set of mugs by the handles (the only way to carry that many) so not everyone had to make the trek to the food court and back. I think it is too bad they got rid of the handles, though it doesn’t really affect me since I would only use one again if I went to free dining time again.
I’m sure that they will come out with a handle that you can add to the cup. Just another expense!
I actually would prefer no handle, but I can see why others don’t like this at all. It seems a fair assumption that this is a cost-savings measure for Disney, but if they are true-to-form, what is now “cost savings” will find a way to be “revenue generating.” I bet they end up designing handles you can purchase for your “tumblers” and everyone will buy them. 🙂 Disney: 145032 Guest: 0.
This change is most likely a cost saving decision on Disney’s part. I seriously doubt Disney made this change due to an overwhelming cry for a mug design change. They simply don’t invest that much into the whims of guests without a cost advantage somewhere. I personally like the mugs with handles because I use them on vacation. Try to carry multiple handle less mugs of hot coffee back to your room. I do see the point of people who buy them primarily for use at home and in a car. It may be the only option the Chinese suppliers are now offering Disney. Not a show stopper by any means, just an unnecessary annoyance for some and pleasant news for others.
We were at a resort in Feb 2016 and have the mugs with handles from that trip. In Sept, we’re staying on site again with dining plan and will get a handle-less mug with dining plan. Does anyone know if we could bring our older ones to reuse since they also have a RFID chip? Can they be reprogrammed?
How about selling separate handles that can be added, like Tervis Tumblers? You need only purchase them once as long as the cup stays the same size. You can then have it both ways.
I think the handled version is better. Easier to carry and I like to attach it to my waist pouch with a strap. What are they thinking? They are hard enough to carry back and forth to your room for refills now it you have more than two to handle.
We have been to disney every year for the past 6 years and we have always used the mugs. I agree with others that without the handles it would make the mugs hard to travel with. I think that we should be given the option to have handles or not.
Is it possible that a company the size of Disney does not poll it’s clients/guests prior to making decisions. Or are they just so large and successful (increasing attendance/profits over time) that it really does not matter? In the latter case all of your comments/opinions will count as zero!
This whole thing makes me really sad. I have RA and my Disney mugs get used every day because they are the right size and easy for me to handle. I would gladly pay a little more to have the handle as a choice. I know I am not the norm but the new mugs are of no use to me. I’ll have to fill up and pour it into something with a handle which is going to be a hassle.
This decision to take away the handles increases my barriers. We are leaving for the River Side soon.
How am I going to push my daughter’s wheelchair up and down the bridges, with a cup in each hand? I simply can’t.
I hope they offer handles for accessibility needs, or I can bring my old cups. Are the cups different sizes (e.g., my daughter’s hands are much smaller then mine, therefore she would require a much smaller cup to successfully hold and navigate her wheelchair). If anyone knows the answer, I would really appreciate the information.