4 ms·

I encountered this system at a Disney resort hotel a long time ago. The explanation I read back then was that they used to sell souvenir mugs with free refills

I encountered this system at a Disney resort hotel a long time ago. The explanation I read back then was that they used to sell souvenir mugs with free refills for the duration of the stay. But guests would come back the next year with their mugs and abuse the system by taking more refills without paying for another visit. So the RFID mug system enables the dispenser for the time duration of the guest visit (day, week, whatever). But now that means the dispenser also has to able to fill paper cups with single servings since the dispenser can't tell what is under the nozzle - a mug or a one-shot cup. So now the paper cups have RFID in them and that's how we got to where we are.

jdmichal 7y ago
Interesting. My experience at UO was that the only place where you could get paper cups, the dispensers were behind the counter. So there was no need for the open dispensers to accept anything other than a validated chip. And same on the cruise ship; if you didn't have a beverage package, you go to a vendor to get a drink. (And if you did have a package, but just not your cup, they would see it on your ship ID.)
im3w1l 7y ago
Change the design of the souvenir mug every year, and you'll have solved the problem and created a neat collectible.
- joezydeco 7y ago
  I'm sure that was considered, probably even done before this radical change. But when exactly does a year start and end? =)
  - brewdad 7y ago
    Change designs on Jan 1st. Grandfather the old mugs until Feb 1st. If you somehow have a guest staying for 5 consecutive weeks, deliver the new mugs to their hotel room sometime during their stay.
tw04 7y ago
Because the insane price of parking and getting into the park isn't going to cover the $0.50 of soda a family of 5 will consume in a day?
- joezydeco 7y ago
  If you've visited a Disney park recently, you'll understand that the cost of entry is a mere fraction of the money they expect to extract from you during your stay. I'm not qualified at all to say this, but I'd say the park ticket is a loss leader. The entire park is a shopping mall now. Mobile product carts and gift shops around every turn - not just at the exits anymore. The RFID MagicBands exist to eliminate any hesitation in purchasing something. The FastPasses were built to keep you walking around and buying stuff instead of waiting in a line for an hour. The hotels are full of upsells and overmarketed dining plans (if they saved you money, why would they be selling it?). I could go on and on.
  - ansible 7y ago
    I know some people going on a Disney trip soon. The cost and regimentation was staggering to me when described. You have to schedule everything. And it is all expensive as heck. I'd rather spend that money on flying to Europe or somewhere else. I live with schedules every day at work. I go on vacation to get away from schedules... My favorite thing to do is to just go to a forest preserve or other park and just walk around looking at the trees and the clouds.
    - lisper 7y ago
      > You have to schedule everything. I actually like that. Less waiting in lines.

jdmichal 7y ago

Interesting. My experience at UO was that the only place where you could get paper cups, the dispensers were behind the counter. So there was no need for the open dispensers to accept anything other than a validated chip. And same on the cruise ship; if you didn't have a beverage package, you go to a vendor to get a drink. (And if you did have a package, but just not your cup, they would see it on your ship ID.)

im3w1l 7y ago

Change the design of the souvenir mug every year, and you'll have solved the problem and created a neat collectible.

joezydeco 7y ago
I'm sure that was considered, probably even done before this radical change. But when exactly does a year start and end? =)
- brewdad 7y ago
  Change designs on Jan 1st. Grandfather the old mugs until Feb 1st. If you somehow have a guest staying for 5 consecutive weeks, deliver the new mugs to their hotel room sometime during their stay.

tw04 7y ago

Because the insane price of parking and getting into the park isn't going to cover the $0.50 of soda a family of 5 will consume in a day?

joezydeco 7y ago
If you've visited a Disney park recently, you'll understand that the cost of entry is a mere fraction of the money they expect to extract from you during your stay. I'm not qualified at all to say this, but I'd say the park ticket is a loss leader. The entire park is a shopping mall now. Mobile product carts and gift shops around every turn - not just at the exits anymore. The RFID MagicBands exist to eliminate any hesitation in purchasing something. The FastPasses were built to keep you walking around and buying stuff instead of waiting in a line for an hour. The hotels are full of upsells and overmarketed dining plans (if they saved you money, why would they be selling it?). I could go on and on.
- ansible 7y ago
  I know some people going on a Disney trip soon. The cost and regimentation was staggering to me when described. You have to schedule everything. And it is all expensive as heck. I'd rather spend that money on flying to Europe or somewhere else. I live with schedules every day at work. I go on vacation to get away from schedules... My favorite thing to do is to just go to a forest preserve or other park and just walk around looking at the trees and the clouds.
  - lisper 7y ago
    > You have to schedule everything. I actually like that. Less waiting in lines.