Refillable Mugs at Aulani

[Corsetopia]

Good morning!

We went ahead and added the pre-paid meals from Ulu Cafe to our resort package and I'm wondering if that includes the refillable mugs for each person in our party - does anyone know?

Anyone else going to be there in December?! It's coming up! So excited

 

[Gorechick]

This thread from May has info about the plan but does not mention refillable mugs. I'm thinking they are not included. https://disboards.com/threads/new-dining-meal-plan-at-aulani.3602764/

 

[cgattis]

I'm pretty sure it does not.

 

[jeepfreak]

We didn't do the pe pay but bid get the refillable mugs . They were $19.

 

[oakleycat]

Not included. They are purchase once and good for your entire stay.

 

[Figment91]

If you are planning on spending many days at the pools then the refillable mugs will definitely pay for themselves. Twenty dollars seems like a lot, but the cost of drinks is expensive. If you spend more than a couple of days by the pools in the hot sun then you will need to hydrate. I would say ours pay for themselves the first day, about the 4th round of iced tea. Enjoy your stay

 

[alohamom]

My teen son LOVES hot chocolate so he used his for this almost every day. He would get chilled from all the swimming so he would go to Ulu and they keep it at the front cash. He just had to show his mug and they would give him as many dry packets as he wanted. Then off to the coffee station to get the hot water and he was good to go. He took it to the movie night and to Uncles fire pit story telling. It was kind of cute to see this semi-tough teen wrapped in towels sipping on a mug of hot chocolate!

 

[spacecanada]

What beverages are included with the refillable mugs? And, how do they work? Do you have to scan your room key or something fill them? (Otherwise, what stops someone from transferring their mug to someone else after they leave?)

 

[Figment91]

What beverages are included with the refillable mugs? And, how do they work? Do you have to scan your room key or something fill them? (Otherwise, what stops someone from transferring their mug to someone else after they leave?)

The drinks included are various sodas (Coke, Root Beer, Sprite), Lemonade, Iced Tea, Fruit Punch, Water, hot chocolate, and at least a couple of other choices I can't remember right now. The refill stations are located outside various food establishments (if I remember right there are 4, but we used the one at Ulu almost exclusively) and there is no checking that was done (at least when we were there). You could give your mug to someone else if you wanted, I suppose. But really there is no reason to even do that, as anyone could fill up their own cup/glass if they wanted. It's sort of the honor system, if you want to look at it that way. But I think most people get the mugs so that they can take them home as souvenirs (several of the cups have Disney characters on them).

 

[spacecanada]

Thank you for the details! We don't drink fizzy drinks, so we've never bought a refillable mug at any other Disney resort (plus the resort restrictions at WDW), but the hot cocoa may be enough of a lure for my husband to make it worthwhile this trip.

 

[alohamom]

Thank you for the details! We don't drink fizzy drinks, so we've never bought a refillable mug at any other Disney resort (plus the resort restrictions at WDW), but the hot cocoa may be enough of a lure for my husband to make it worthwhile this trip.

The other thing we did with ours was fill them with ice water before we left the resort as they are sort of insulated so the kids had a cold drink that stayed colder than a plastic bottle of water for the drive to wherever we were going that day

 

[BlazeisMyActualName]

You could give your mug to someone else if you wanted, I suppose. But really there is no reason to even do that, as anyone could fill up their own cup/glass if they wanted. It's sort of the honor system, if you want to look at it that way. But I think most people get the mugs so that they can take them home as souvenirs (several of the cups have Disney characters on them).

They have an NFC code tags in the bottom of the cup, so yeah someone else can use your cup, but not just any cup. It has to have been activated at the register or else the machines won't dispense anything when you try it.

 

[alohamom]

They have an NFC code tags in the bottom of the cup, so yeah someone else can use your cup, but not just any cup. It has to have been activated at the register or else the machines won't dispense anything when you try it.

When we were there in August two years ago they were not the NFC mugs like at WDW. They look like it but it was an honor system at Aulani

 

[Figment91]

When we were there a couple of weeks ago I saw at least one person using the beverage station to fill a cup that was not a refillable mug, so I don't think there is anything preventing it. And there were no cast members looking over the stations. But virtually everyone I saw using the stations had refillable mugs. The cost really isn't that much compared to how much you save.

 

[cruisingmom1977]

They have an NFC code tags in the bottom of the cup, so yeah someone else can use your cup, but not just any cup. It has to have been activated at the register or else the machines won't dispense anything when you try it.

The ones at Aulani don't have this technology. It is definitely an honor system.
I do recommend purchasing the refillable popcorn bucket. I think it was like $6.00 and refills are $1.00. My kids ate their weight in popcorn when we were there. lol
oh!! And the coffee was DELISH!! Def not that gross stuff they sell at WDW and on the cruises.

 

[Painter63]

Ok, so we are at Aulani right now Oct. 15 2017 and the beverage dispensers are not, not, chip enabled none of them, so the cup you bought last year will still work. Also we have walked down to the other 3 lagoons and checked out the (Atlantis) land next to Aulani, contrary to other reports the property is not being worked on yet. The grass has been let go brown but no soil has been moved and there is only one tanker type truck on the property. The wedding chapel next to Aulani has not been demolished, but it is closed and fenced off. The wedding chapel at the far end of the property has been demolished. Will there be upcoming construction, absolutely, but when is anyone’s guess. There are also plans to construct a new timeshare tower at The 4 Seasons on the other side of Aulani in place of the ballroom there, but again a start date is anyone’s guess. So if you are concerned about construction noise, best to check out the local Ko Olina business news before making your res. Anyone wishing to see photos, please let me know.

 

[WardFam]

Ok, so we are at Aulani right now Oct. 15 2017 and the beverage dispensers are not, not, chip enabled none of them, so the cup you bought last year will still work. Also we have walked down to the other 3 lagoons and checked out the (Atlantis) land next to Aulani, contrary to other reports the property is not being worked on yet. The grass has been let go brown but no soil has been moved and there is only one tanker type truck on the property. The wedding chapel next to Aulani has not been demolished, but it is closed and fenced off. The wedding chapel at the far end of the property has been demolished. Will there be upcoming construction, absolutely, but when is anyone’s guess. There are also plans to construct a new timeshare tower at The 4 Seasons on the other side of Aulani in place of the ballroom there, but again a start date is anyone’s guess. So if you are concerned about construction noise, best to check out the local Ko Olina business news before making your res. Anyone wishing to see photos, please let me know.

This is our first visit so we will be buying new mugs but do you think it would be frowned upon to carry 2 cups the refillable mug and a mug from home to fill our coffee in the morning? I'm not sure I want my soda cup and my coffee cup to be the same!

 

[Painter63]

Hi, the setup is just like the beverage stations at any of the Disney Resorts, with a cup wash station next to the dispensers, and of course there will be a sink in your room or studio. But if you want to bring your own cup for coffee i don't think anyone will say anything to you, but you may get a raised eyebrow from someone. The coffee urns are across the way from the dispensers anyway at the Ulu Cafe and there is one urn in the morning at the Wailana Pool Bar across the way from the Ulu Cafe. Mug stations are also at The Lava Shack, and behind Ama Ama, I have not seen coffee urns at the Shack or Ama Ama, but i may have missed them. I prefer a room on the first floor of the The Wai'anae Tower an island facing room because it is only about 50 steps from the Adult Pool and the Ulu Cafe. It has no view but also no use of the elevators for the most part. Also the buffet Restaurant and the Ama Ama restaurant, and the main pool and the lazy river and the grotto pool are all outside this first floor and one of the bars. Again no view from the room, but little use of the elevators.