Refillable Cups at Universal Orlando Resort: Complete Guide

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The only thing I buy on every single visit to Universal Orlando is a refillable cup, because they are incredible value for money.

There are three different cups available and it’s important you know the difference because they work in different places and cost different prices:

The right cup depends on how you’re visiting Universal Orlando:

Universal Orlando Freestyle Cups

This is the refillable cup I always buy when visiting Universal Orlando. It can be refilled at:

• Universal Studios Florida
• Universal Islands of Adventure
• Epic Universe
• Volcano Bay

You cannot buy or use a Universal Orlando Freestyle cup at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel.

A Universal Orlando Freestyle cup currently costs $19.99 plus tax. However, the price drops if you buy more than one in the same transaction (ideal for families):

• One Refillable Cup: $19.99 plus tax
• Two Refillable Cups: $17.99 each plus tax
• Three to Six Refillable Cups: $15.99 each plus tax

Universal charges about $4.79 for a single soda, so a Freestyle cup pays for itself fast. Here is how many drinks you need to break even over your trip.

This is based on $19.99 for day one plus $12.99 for each extra day, against $4.79 a soda. On our own four-day trip we refilled 28 times and paid $51.96, at the $10.99 reactivation rate in place at the time, instead of $120.12 buying single sodas. That is a saving of about $68.

The $19.99 gets you the Universal Orlando Freestyle cup and unlimited drinks for the day. *Unlimited being one drink every ten minutes.

You can then reactivate your cup on a future visit (either the next day or months or years later) for $12.99 plus tax.

Where to Find Freestyle Machines in Each Park

Coca-Cola Freestyle machines are dotted around every park, though not inside every land. The table below is grouped by park, so you can scan straight to the one you are visiting.

Universal Studios Souvenir Cups

Universal also sells souvenir cups and to make things even more complicated, these are available in two formats:

1. Tumbler souvenir cups
2. Character souvenir cup

Tumbler souvenir cups are structurally similar to the Freestyle cup, but made from thicker plastic, designed to last longer, and with a range of themed designs. They cost $28.99 plus tax.

The difference is that the tumbler has no RFID chip, so you cannot use it at the self-serve Freestyle machines.

Instead, you take it to a counter and show the cup for a discounted refill, at about $1.69 a drink.

Character souvenir cups are 3D cups designed to look like popular Universal characters. Some of the characters featured include:

• Minions
• Bart Simpson
• Jurassic Park Dinosaurs

Character souvenir cups start from $18 plus tax. However, souvenir cups only include one free drink. After this, you must pay to refill your character souvenir cup at the full menu price. Character cups make fantastic Universal souvenirs but they aren’t great if you’re buying one to save money on food and drink at Universal Orlando.

Universal Orlando Resort Refillable Cups

Freestyle cups do not work at Universal Orlando hotels. Instead the on-site hotels operate on a different refillable cup system (that doesn’t work at the Universal theme parks). These cups cost:

• $16.50 for one day
• $19.00 for three days
• $25.00 for the length of your stay

These cups can be good value for money for those staying in a Universal Orlando hotel. However, the drink fountains are only in the hotel lobby and hold only 24oz. So, you may often find yourself going from your room to the lobby to refill your cup during your trip.

How Do Universal Orlando Refillable Cups Work?

Refillable cups at Universal Orlando use an RFID chip embedded within the plastic of the cup.

When you buy or reactivate a refillable cup, the cashier will place the cup on the RFID reader at the checkout. This RFID reader will activate the RFID chip inside your Universal refillable cup.

When you get a drink from a food vendor or a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, your cup will be placed on an RFID reader. Once the chip is verified, you can select/order your drink.

Using Refillable Cups for Butterbeer & Other Themed Drinks

Sadly, you can not use a Universal Orlando refillable cup for Butterbeer or other ‘themed drinks’. Instead, these drinks come in their own specially designed plastic cups.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is also the one area with no Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, since it sells its own themed drinks instead, so fill up before you head in.

Tips for Getting the Most From Your Refillable Cup

Here’s a couple of hints and tips that I’ve learnt from buying a refillable cup on every trip to Universal Orlando:

• Buy your cup early in the day, so you get the most refills out of it.
• Keep the receipt for your cup or reactivation. That way, if the RFID chip doesn’t work or the cup breaks (I had this on my last visit) you can get it replaced.
• Annual passholders can use their discount on refillable cups.
• You’re not supposed to share a Freestyle cup, but I always buy one for the family and share it, and we’ve never had a problem (just remember there’s a ten minute cap between drinks).

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers ask me most often about the refillable cups at Universal Orlando: