Balloons - Do the parks really need to sell them?

You're right of course. We should all go out and get a bunch of latex balloons and release them all to the sky, because after all, things are paved, people travel, toothpaste tubes get thrown out, someone will use a single use plastic fork today, and the Pacific has a patch of garbage twice the size of the state of Texas. May as well not make any effort unless we can take care of it all at once. Good plan.

That's an awful lot of vitriol over balloons - I'd say the same about straws, etc. - any one particular issue. No one is suggesting that balloons be released willy nilly and WDW doesn't even sell latex balloons. We should all try to do what we can, absolutely, but pick your battles, right?
 
That's an awful lot of vitriol over balloons - I'd say the same about straws, etc. - any one particular issue. No one is suggesting that balloons be released willy nilly and WDW doesn't even sell latex balloons. We should all try to do what we can, absolutely, but pick your battles, right?
But for some, this is their battle, and it’s better to be part of the solution than part of the problem. There was a long period of time when most people had no idea how harmful some everyday items were to animals and the environment. But why turn a blind eye if you are made aware?

Many years ago, I bought a puppy from a puppy store - before internet existed, had never heard of a puppy mill or backyard breeder. Knowing what I know now, there is no way I’d ever support that industry financially.
 
But for some, this is their battle, and it’s better to be part of the solution than part of the problem. There was a long period of time when most people had no idea how harmful some everyday items were to animals and the environment. But why turn a blind eye if you are made aware?

Many years ago, I bought a puppy from a puppy store - before internet existed, had never heard of a puppy mill or backyard breeder. Knowing what I know now, there is no way I’d ever support that industry financially.

I am responsible for myself. I don't buy balloons and release them, and I don't throw them on the ground. They are disposed of properly. Now sure they may sit in a landfill but like you said we can pick our battles. I do not scrutinize every single piece of trash I throw out,(do you, do all the posters here?) but I recycle everything that can be and I try to re-use/ re-purpose what I can. Those are my battles, but I'm not going to try to shame people with extreme hyperbole if they don't have the same ones. Like amberpi said- pick YOUR battles.
 


I am responsible for myself. I don't buy balloons and release them, and I don't throw them on the ground. They are disposed of properly. Now sure they may sit in a landfill but like you said we can pick our battles. I do not scrutinize every single piece of trash I throw out,(do you, do all the posters here?) but I recycle everything that can be and I try to re-use/ re-purpose what I can. Those are my battles, but I'm not going to try to shame people with extreme hyperbole if they don't have the same ones. Like amberpi said- pick YOUR battles.
And she was responding to jalapeno_pretzel, maybe that’s her battle?
 
That's an awful lot of vitriol over balloons - I'd say the same about straws, etc. - any one particular issue. No one is suggesting that balloons be released willy nilly and WDW doesn't even sell latex balloons. We should all try to do what we can, absolutely, but pick your battles, right?

Haha, actually no, balloons is not even my battle, nor are straws, or even plastic grocery bags or disposable utensils.

I was just responding to the idea that doing something beneficial isn't worthwhile if it's only a small part of a bigger issue. That's what I disagreed with.

Yes, I would love to see bigger changes, but that doesn't make small changes totally irrelevant or unimportant. Sure one less balloon is not that big an impact (though it might be a big impact to the bird or turtle that's going to choke on it). Sounds like Hikergirl does plenty with paying attention to what can be reused and recycled. That's a pretty small drop in the bucket too ... so why even do it according to some of these opinions?


Let's face it, almost nothing about any theme park is environmentally friendly. DL paved over 85 acres of orange groves, and often packs 70,000 people a day into that space. DW paved over 7,100 acres of swampland and displaced all kinds of wildlife. So not selling balloons could certainly be good for the environment, but would be a needle in a haystack when it comes to protecting the environment.
And you have no idea if those people buying the balloons are doing other things that are environmentally friendly in their every day lives.
As far as Disney is concerned, getting rid of balloons in their parks isn't going to make any difference when 99% of the stuff they sell is not really environmentally friendly. Get rid of it all and really make an impact, otherwise it would just be virtue signalling and that really accomplishes nothing.

I'd rather people take responsibility for themselves and dispose of things properly, but It seems that is too much to ask.
 
But for some, this is their battle, and it’s better to be part of the solution than part of the problem. There was a long period of time when most people had no idea how harmful some everyday items were to animals and the environment. But why turn a blind eye if you are made aware?

ETA: I thought I posted this like an hour ago. It’s what happens when you dis while waiting for the next step in the recipe!
That's fair, but I have a hard time not rolling my eyes at people who get up in arms about 1 single issue. I see it more as a totality of how we are all impacting the environment. Getting bogged down in 1 thing seems silly. We actually give our balloons at the parks away our last day. Balloons here at the house last and give pleasure until they're dead and then we throw them out appropriately, otoh, we recycle, we buy from farmer's markets, we can what my mom grows on her farm, reusable straws, bags, and any other products we can. If I responsibly throw away some balloons that have given the kids such delight I'm not sweating it. And I'm sure no one here is picking this as their hill to die on, just a thought from someone who does try to environmentally conscious but keeps some flexiblity within that paradigm.

All that said - thanks again to the poster who advised on the latex balloon choking issue. Now I'm thinking of all the water balloons (I'm a mean, evil stepmom and deny them water balloons) I see at the pool. Yikes.
 


@jalapeno_pretzel - I think we are actually of like minds. I give myself a buy on balloons because I'm not an animal and can dispose of things appropriately. We do try though and believe the small things matter. I've got to look into this helium issue though.
 
In all of my trips to Disney, I believe I am close to 30, I have never seen a kid with a balloon. I often wonder why they sell them. You can't buy them when you 1st arrive in the park, because what are you going to do with a balloon on the rides? You might think that the buses heading back to the resorts at the end of the day would have a ton of balloons on them, but nope. Lots of kids with the light up twirlies, but no balloons. Maybe it's the local day trip families buying the balloons?
 
Interesting that you dismiss the environmental impact of actually getting to WDW, but focus on one teeny, tiny, very minor souvenir instead.

I dont disagree with what you are saying, but as a society we need to make some changes. Some things are easier, convince me not to travel and see the world, not going to happen, but convince me not to use straws, plastic lids for cups, balloons etc They are relatively insignificant to my life and happiness but if we all do it will make significant changes to the amount of waste we are producing.

I don't believe in purposing releasing balloons, to me that is really no different than throwing a plastic bag on the ground, but I have no problem with kids having them in the parks, and throwing them away when they are done with them.
I have a real issue with purposely releasing balloons. Our council does it every Anzac Day. I understand it looks beautiful, but one of their stated missions is to protect out harbor 😡😡😡
We went after plastic draws but said nothing about the plastic cups
And this is why so many people dont want to change anything, if we dont also do x then its pointless. It's not pointless, taking away straws makes a large impact on the amount of plastic being used, then once people have come to grips with that then maybe the cups will be next.
For most people straws are a convenience rather than a requirement, it is easy for most of us to live without them. For a place like Disney what would the alternate for cups be? Paper (I thought they were actually) Everyine brings a cup with them? Possible but not nearly as easy as just getting rid of straws.

No, they don't need to sell them but apparently they're a big money maker so despite any environmental concerns Disney is unlikely to ban them.

In 8th grade science class we released balloons with attached clear Glad sandwich bags containing postcards. This was from Pennsylvania north of Philadelphia. In a few weeks I got a reply from someone in Nova Scotia, Canada.
In the one hand that is a neat experiment, on the other hand that is so bad for the environment. It's like permitted littering.
 
In all of my trips to Disney, I believe I am close to 30, I have never seen a kid with a balloon. I often wonder why they sell them. You can't buy them when you 1st arrive in the park, because what are you going to do with a balloon on the rides? You might think that the buses heading back to the resorts at the end of the day would have a ton of balloons on them, but nope. Lots of kids with the light up twirlies, but no balloons. Maybe it's the local day trip families buying the balloons?

We're that family. We can't move past the balloon guy. They get tied to the stroller. This may change after we abandon it. DH (the stroller pusher) loves them because then he can easily locate the stroller in stroller parking. DH almost gagged the first time they charged him for 2 balloons, but man, those kids loved the crap out of them.
 
I think bigger things would have more of an environmental impact. Switching the speedway cars to electric would be huge. Stopping all the DVC construction would be huge. Producing less merchandise overall would be huge. Limiting attendance, thereby reducing the amount of resources required would be huge. Balloons? A very small drop in the bucket.
 
That's an awful lot of vitriol over balloons - I'd say the same about straws, etc. - any one particular issue. No one is suggesting that balloons be released willy nilly and WDW doesn't even sell latex balloons. We should all try to do what we can, absolutely, but pick your battles, right?
Yeah, pick your battles, but to that I would tale it as do the easiest first. Cutting out single use plastic bags, straws, plastic lids on drink cups, straws balloons. There are all so easy to do, with limited impact on people (unlike things that would make a bigger impact on the environment but also have a huge impact on our lives)
In saying that I am not judging anyone buying a balloon.
I think bigger things would have more of an environmental impact. Switching the speedway cars to electric would be huge. Stopping all the DVC construction would be huge. Producing less merchandise overall would be huge. Limiting attendance, thereby reducing the amount of resources required would be huge. Balloons? A very small drop in the bucket.

A small drop in the bucket, with another drop for bags, and another for straws, and another plastic lids etc, the sum total of all of these simple a tins together makes a huge difference.

Dont forget that these "insignificant" items are not only damaging the environment he really by being unnecessary waste that lasts forever, but also directly cause damage to marine life, and in that way every one avoided is a win.
 
In all of my trips to Disney, I believe I am close to 30, I have never seen a kid with a balloon. I often wonder why they sell them. You can't buy them when you 1st arrive in the park, because what are you going to do with a balloon on the rides? You might think that the buses heading back to the resorts at the end of the day would have a ton of balloons on them, but nope. Lots of kids with the light up twirlies, but no balloons. Maybe it's the local day trip families buying the balloons?

Like amberpi said, we used to buy them when we had a stroller - makes a great beacon, but I think they're really used the most for pictures. People like to take photos of the big bunches:

Disney Balloons.png

(None of these are mine - just a few thumbnails from a Google search knitted together.)
 
I'm not a big fan of balloons, and hate when people release them to remember a loved one. All they're doing is passing onto someone else trash, plus an animal can choke on the pieces.

When my kids were younger they did enjoy getting a balloon for their birthday. It was a treat that we rarely did. Only once that I can recall did we ever buy one at the parks. Too costly. Especially when you have to leave it behind or pop it to bring the deflated thing home.
 
Yeah, pick your battles, but to that I would tale it as do the easiest first. Cutting out single use plastic bags, straws, plastic lids on drink cups, straws balloons. There are all so easy to do, with limited impact on people (unlike things that would make a bigger impact on the environment but also have a huge impact on our lives)
In saying that I am not judging anyone buying a balloon.


A small drop in the bucket, with another drop for bags, and another for straws, and another plastic lids etc, the sum total of all of these simple a tins together makes a huge difference.

Dont forget that these "insignificant" items are not only damaging the environment he really by being unnecessary waste that lasts forever, but also directly cause damage to marine life, and in that way every one avoided is a win.

I mean, why are we so focused on the things that bring people joy and enhance experience? Why not focus on the things that make no difference to experience? And furthermore, why are we more concerned with the animals than the people. All the gasoline used is damaging to the kids around. All the radio and cellular signals are causing subtle damage to our cell structure. Construction releases lots of toxic particles into the air. Deep fried food and soda are literally killing us and causing cancer. These are all much more damaging to animals and the environment than a straw. BTW- a woman recently died because she fell and impaled herself on a metal straw. I wonder what the metal straw waste will do to the animals?


I'm not saying that we shouldn't be conscious of our waste and the resources we use, but I do think we should try to look at the bigger picture instead of the smaller one, and remember that life is for enjoying and if we take away the small things that make us happy, is it worth the change?
 

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