Bottled Water - WHY?

[disneysteve]

Since this is the Budget Board, I'll raise an issue that I suspect may get me some negative responses. In quite a few threads, I've seen people discuss how much they spent for bottled water, where to buy it, etc.

My question is this: If you are truly interested in saving money, why not drink FREE tap water? The water in the Disney area is perfectly good.

We just got back from a week in WDW. We have a 24 oz. sport water bottle with an insulated carrier strap. Each nite, we fill the bottle halfway and freeze it. Before leaving for the park each morning, we fill it the rest of the way and off we go. The ice usually lasts into the afternoon and we just keep adding water as we go from drinking fountains. When we stay in a hotel without a freezer, we just get a bucket of ice in the morning and fill the bottle with cubes. When we eat our meals, rather than ordering sodas we order cups of ice water. After we drink the water with our meal, we add the ice to the water bottle.

Our bottle cost us about $10 and we've had it for about 5 years. That sure beats buying bottled water in my opinion.

Steve

 

[patsal]

I don't care for the taste of tap water. I have a Brita refillable filter bottle that I carry with me. I fill my fridge with bottled water that usually costs less than 20 cents per bottle so I have something cold to drink when I return from the parks.

 

[SandraC]

I have read that lots of people do not like the taste of WDW water. I don't mind it at all. We usually buy a case of 12 bottled water for about $2.00 and drink them. When they are done, we just re-fill in the hotel. I think WDW has their own water system. S

 

[Tiggerish]

There are many people whose stomachs are water sensitive. That is, water different from their home area causes unpleasant digestive problems ranging have minor discomforts to severe. diareaha. Drinking bottled water when away from home prevents these side effects.

 

[GEM]

Cause the water at WDW is gross!

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by GEM
Cause the water at WDW is gross!

Ditto!!! And I do not consider myself a "water elitist." But it smells bad and tastes bad too. The ice cubes make soft drinks taste bad too! I discovered this on our first trip when I would be very thirsty, go to a water fountain, and not be able to drink more than a mouthful.

So I have bought bottled water for subsiquent trips. And have gotten the Brita bottles for our most recent trips.

I know that this is a Budget Board - but different people choose to cut corners in different ways. And I choose NOT to give up bottled water!

 

[holycow]

I live in FL. and don't like drinking the water!. The taste is AWFUL .....I always take bottled water with us when we go....
so, so much for the budget!....Now if I was in Co. or Ut...I drink the tap water with no problemo! LOL

HC

 

[DebbieB]

I agree, the water is horrible. We always buy bottled water from a grocery store when we arrive. You can get usually get 6 bottles of Dansani for $2.50 vs 1 bottle for $2.50 at the parks. I remember in May I didn't bring my bottled water with me to MK one evening, I was thirsty so I drank out of a water fountain in Tomorrowland. It was warm and disgusting. So I forked over the $2.50 for 1 bottle.

 

[tink2dw]

1. The water tastes and smells like Sulfur.

2. It makes some folks very sick.

3. These two facts cause an added expense to their budgets.

4. Water can be bought at a cheaper price anywhere else,other than WDW in bigger bottles.

5. That makes WATER a budget subject.


A very good motto;
Live and Let Live!!

 

[WDW2002]

I don't drink tap water at home, so I am certainly not going to do it away from home.

 

[epcotfan]

Florida Water does have a bit of an aftertaste and that is why I prefer the bottled water.

 

[undertheradar]

Bringing your own bottled water not only saves money, but it doesn't go bad like juice and soda do. We stock our cooler with water before we leave home and drink this as we travel. I hate to convienience store and theme park prices for water.

 

[cinmell]

I don't like the water in WDW. I also don't like the tap water here at home, so we drink bottled water all the time.

 

[Lucky4me]

I can't even drink Florida water in a fountain soft drink. I get terribly sick. From past experience I won't drink the water from anywhere unless it's been filtered. You are lucky that you have strong stomachs. If I did, I'd be doing the same as you.

 

[dcfromva]

I am sure that the water at WDW is safe and all that, but I don't care for the taste of it. I have found that since I have switched to bottled water (no matter where I go) that I haven't been sick when traveling. I can't say why for sure--but I was thinking that if the water doesn't taste good, a person may not drink enough of it. Not drinking enough water could definately be a reason for not feeling good.
I think bringing a bottle of water along is a good idea (no matter where the water came from) because I think you drink more water if you have it with you at all times (plus you have an idea as to have much water you have consumed). I think this board is great because a lot of people new to WDW may not realize how important it is to drink plenty of fluids when visiting WDW--and I think this point is made very well on this board. I think, the information that some folks don't care for the taste of the water could be a huge benefit to someone who has never been to WDW--so that bottled water could be planned for, if necessary.
Whatever a person can do to stay healthy while traveling is definately worth it in the long run (saves on missed time at the parks, et'c. ).

-DC

 

[n2mm]

Tried it, it made me sick. I thought, too, why not fill up my bottles at the beverage bar (water) afterall, very cold. After an upset stomach in the evenings several times. Decided it must be the water. Since then, I've never had a problem. So to cut cost, we go to Publix and buy a 6-pack of water (usually about $1.50), then buy several gallon jugs (about $1.40) and fill up the empty bottles in the evening, throw them in the cooler and saved a ton of money on water, and saved my stomach. I carry a couple of bottles in my thermal lunchbag. I put ice in a ziplock bag, then double bag it. I put the bag of ice in the thermal bag and it keeps my water cold for 4-5 hours. We usually go back to the room mid-day and I restock. If I had access to a freezer, freezing the bottles would be the best alternative. I do this before flying. I freeze 2 bottles of water and carry them on the plane in my thermal bag. By the time I get to WDW, they are just starting to melt a little.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I don't care for the taste either. Last year I had a business trip to Stuart, FL. I could swear that there was a direct line from the pool to the hotel room sink.

Also, we are spoiled up here in the land of rain and snow. We get our water from one of the finger lakes. I believe we're one of on several cities in the country whose water is not chemically treated (or is it filtered?). Anyway, I'm sounding like a commercial.

 

[sammi]

There tends to be too much sulpher in the Orlando water and sometimes you smell worse after a shower than when you did before your shower! I do brush my teeth with the tap water though.

We always buy the big jugs of water and then just refill our smaller bottles for the park days.

 

[Gillian]

I guess I'm the only one, but I like the ice water you get at counter service restaurants in WDW We would use it to refill our store-bought water bottles at lunch time.

I didn't care for the water fountain water though.

 

[Dodie]

While we have never had trouble drinking Disney-area tap water before, it was downright nasty at the end of October! It had a funny smell and taste that we just couldn't get past.

We tried fountains in all of the parks, thinking it was just a one-time situation, but it was EVERYWHERE!!! Maybe they were treating something specific in the water this time? It really stunk!