We've used the Brita sports bottles for many outings - but particularly in Florida where we don't like the taste of the water. If we hadn't had them at WDW, we would have spent a fortune on bottled water. The Brita bottles are made of a very sturdy, non-brittle plastic - which serves to provide some insulation to keep water cold. (We've had some of ours for 6 or 7 years, and they still work great. We've replaced a couple of filters, but we found that they worked to make the water taste great for a lot longer than is stated on the package.) They're a little large for small children to handle, but - as someone else suggested - you can squeeze the water out of the bottle into a cup for the little ones.
If you're concerned about weight, you don't have to fill them to the brim. The water gets filtered as it is squeezed (or sucked) out of the spout. When it starts to run low, just fill it from the drinking fountains or restroom faucets - (or you can get free water at any of the counter service eateries at WDW, and pour that into your Brita bottle). Although they don't come with a pouch and strap, we found a couple that will fit them - though we usually stash them in a backpack.
It's okay to add ice to the water. However, don't make the mistake of adding any flavored drink mixes or sodas, etc. Anything but plain water will clog the filter - (and possibly destroy its effectiveness no matter how hard you try to clean it).
It's true that Brita stopped making these bottles about a year ago. Some Wal-Mart stores sold their remaining stock at marked down prices, but that's been a while back. (They were originally $9 or $10, I think, and I didn't hear of them being marked down more than half price.) I was told by Brita that they would continue making the filters, but that no longer seems the case. If you can find them on a dusty shelf of a drugstore or Mom&Pop store, etc., snatch them up, because they're the greatest! Or, check out the auctions on eBay.
We'd be lost without this at the World!
