Refillable mugs may sound like a fantastic option if you’re heading to Disney World, but whether or not they make sense depends on several different things.
Thinking about purchasing some for your next trip?
Check out the answers to some of the most frequent questions we receive about using a Disney refillable mug in 2023!
How much do the refillable mugs cost at Disney World?
If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you’ll get a mug included with your plan
For those paying out of pocket, refillable mugs at Walt Disney World cost $21.99 plus tax each. This is an increase from the former $19.99 price they had been for several years.
In addition to the “basic” versions that are $21.99, Disney also often offers “upgraded” versions which are a little bit nicer and cost around $29.99. We’ve seen special Skyliner and Star Wars versions.
Plus, you can also often find holiday-themed ones (Halloween & Christmas) during those times of the year.
The average cost of a fountain beverage is around $4.29, so if you think you’ll be purchasing at least 5 fountain drinks from a resort food court, a mug might be a good idea.
Where do I buy a refillable mug at Disney World?
You can only buy refillable mugs at the Disney Resorts and not in the parks.
At the resorts, mugs are available in some of the gift shops and in most of the food courts (Value and Moderate resorts only) and at the Quick Service locations at the Moderate, and Deluxe Disney Resorts.
And, if the resort Quick Service location you are dining at has it available, you can even add them to your Mobile Order, too!
How do I activate my mug?
When you take your mug to the cash register, the Cast Member will check to see if you are part of the Disney Dining Plan or if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket for your mug, and then they’ll activate them. The entire process is very quick.
Does Magic Kingdom (or Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom) have refillable mugs?
The Disney World theme parks do not have any refillable mugs, and your resort refillable mugs will not work in the parks. Both water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon) do, however, have a refillable mug option.
How does the refillable mug program work?
Magic and Pixie Dust.
Just kidding. It is by special technology branded “Rapid Fill”.
The cups have a small RFID chip in them (the same technology that runs MagicBands) that tells sensors in the beverage machines whether the cup is activated or not.
If your cup is activated, you’ll simply follow the directions on the screen by placing your cup on the tray (it needs to touch the tray in order to work) and then filling it up with the beverage of your choice.
Most of the machines will also tell you how long your mug will be activated, too.
If your cup isn’t activated, nothing will happen, and you’ll have to walk away as lights flash and sirens blare.
I’m kidding.
I mean, nothing will happen (no beverage will dispense) but there aren’t any lights or sirens. Usually.
There is a small waiting period between refills – 2 to 3 minutes, so if your plan is to buy one mug and then use it to fill up a giant jug to haul around the parks, your plan has been foiled!
2 minutes may not seem like a long time, but if you’ve slammed your drink because you ate something too spicy, and you really need a refill, it’s an eternity.
Do Disney refillable mugs expire?
Disney refillable mugs are only good for a set number of days after they are activated. Disney used to sell different mug “plans” but now the only option is to buy a mug that is good for 14 days.
After that, your mug will no longer work at the Rapid Refill stations.
What happens if my stay is longer than 14 days?
If your length of stay is longer than 14 days, a Cast Member can extend it for you, but you’ll have to ask; it doesn’t happen automatically.
What kinds of beverages are included?
All the regular fountain beverages (Coca-Cola products), iced tea, wine, hot tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.
Premium beverages like milk and real fruit juices are not included. Nor is any alcohol. BUT, nothing is stopping you from buying an adult beverage and pouring it into your mug to keep it chilled.
Where do I refill my refillable cup?
Resort Quick Service locations and food courts will have dispensers where you can refill your mug, but many resorts will have secondary stations, oftentimes around the pools.
How do I clean my mug on vacation?
The refill stations all have a spot where you can wash (or rinse) out your mug before refilling.
Another tip that we’ve used in the past is to purchase a new sponge and cut it into smaller pieces, and then add some soap to those pieces before setting them out to dry.
Add those mini sponges to your suitcase and when you need to wash your mugs, you can just add some water (to activate the soap) and scrub away.
How much do the mugs hold?
In my opinion, not enough. They are kind of small, BUT that makes them easier to handle and schlep around, I guess.
16 ounces is about what they will hold – but that is without any ice. For reference, a can of pop is 12 ounces.
I bought one of the “forever” mugs, can I still use it?
Alas, nothing is really “forever”.
Yes, way back when Disney used to say the mugs they sold would be good “forever” but that was a long time ago, and now they have all this fancy technology, so you’ll need to buy a new mug.
Can I reactivate an old mug?
That’s a negative. If you want refillable beverages, you have to buy a new mug each trip, which means you’ll end up with a cabinet of happiness at home.
Of course, if you travel to Disney World frequently or if you have a large family you may quickly run out of places to store lesser needed items like “plates” or “food” but who needs those when you have a brightly colored display-o-mugs to remind you of your happy place?!
Seriously – there are days when opening up a cabinet to see brightly colored Disney mugs would spark a lot more joy in my heart than seeing a cabinet of canned beans.
I am planning a split stay. Can I use them at more than 1 resort?
Yes! Your mug can be used at any of the Disney World resorts, regardless of where you are staying.
Are the Disney refillable mugs a good deal?
If you are thinking about buying a refillable mug, make sure you do the math and think the process through.
First, you’ll need to be confident that you’d be buying at least 5 beverages from your resort over your stay.
If that is a “yes”, there are some other things to think about – like, how convenient will it be to go refill your mug?
Some rooms can be far away from the refill stations. Will you REALLY want to walk all the way over to fill up your mug each day?
Some people like to fill their mugs up on the way to the parks, or they like to fill them up as they get back from the parks.
The problem with that is that then you’re carrying your mug with you all day. It is doable (especially if you have a stroller) but it can be a hassle.
An alternative to that plan would be to order some groceries or beverages to keep in your room. That way you can grab something as you leave and recycle the container when it is empty.
Are refillable mugs dishwasher safe?
The refillable mugs you get at Disney World are dishwasher safe, but you should be warned that some designs can wear off pretty quickly if you are washing them a lot in the dishwasher.
If the design is important to you, you should probably hand wash them just to be safe.
Do children under 3 get a mug with the Dining Plan?
Nope. If your child is under the age of 3 they won’t get a mug. You can buy them one out of pocket, but since a child under the age of 3 doesn’t need to buy the Dining Plan, they don’t get a mug.
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Jessica
Thursday 12th of September 2019
I brought my mug back 6 months later, I explained to the woman at The Yacht Club I didn’t want to waste another mug and I would pay the $18.99 to reactivate it. I had a “Disney Magic” moment and she reactivated it for me at no charge. I highly doubt I will ever be that lucky again but it is technically possible to have them reactivated.
Wendi
Tuesday 11th of June 2019
Do the mugs have different designs at different resorts? Or, are they the same options offered everywhere.
Vickie
Wednesday 5th of June 2019
Does Animal Kingdom open the entry gate early on Magic Hours days (8am)so guests can get in line for the que at Avatar Flight of Passage? We're going in July. Thanks
Kay Mead
Saturday 18th of May 2019
Fabulous article! I have a query about length of validity. We will be staying on-site for 5 nights with DDP, then off-site after that, but are likely to be visiting resorts during the off-site time. Will our mugs be valid for the same 14 day period as if we’d paid for them out of pocket or just while we’re in the resort? Many thanks ?
Laura
Friday 17th of May 2019
oh, the "forever" mugs. those of us who had them are still ticked. it's different than the leave a legacy group and the brick group, who all had contracts that lasted beyond the stated number of years (though i feel for them too, to a point). but they never stated anywhere that the forever mugs would/could be changed when you bought them. it was marketed as "forever" and frankly the mugs can last close to that if you really take care of them properly, so it really was a fantastic deal if you knew you'd visit again. so imagine our surprise when one day "forever" was no more. are there bigger problems in life? of course, but it still stings ever so slightly whenever it gets brought up, lol.
Milagros
Thursday 3rd of September 2020
Can it be purchased and delivered on-line?
Julie T
Sunday 6th of October 2019
Laura, along the same line... back in 2007 we paid extra to have non-expiring added to our 10 day tickets and we only used 5 days. We still have 5 days left. We had them verified this summer and now they put an expiration date of 2030 on them. Yes, I know, that is still a long time to use them but it's the point that they were supposed to be non-expiring.
We were going to use them this December but decided to just hang on to them for a few more years and pay for tickets for this trip since we know we want to go back again in a few year and those ticket prices are just going to keep going up.