Free Ice Water Question

[100acreHiker]

I have read on several blogs about asking for free ice water in the parks. I realize they can't fill our refillable mugs, as that's only for use at the resort. But my friend asked if it's only counter service restaurants in the parks or also snack vendors/stands that can give you free ice water. It occured to me that maybe the restaurant/vendor would need to have a soda fountain to provide ice water. Does anyone know? Do you have to stand in line at a CS restaurant or are there other places in the parks, as well? Do they give you a soda cup with a lid and straw (so a little kid can drink out of it), or is it just an open cup?

Thanks!

 

[DopeyDame]

I don't think the stand alone carts have any access to water, so they won't be able to give you anything (other than selling the bottled water, obviously)

We've only ever asked for water when ordering food so we did stand in line. I suspect if you approached a CM from the side that they'd be happy to get oyu a cup if things weren't too busy at the moment.

 

[yulilin3]

anywhere with a soda fountain will give you free water, the carts don't have soda machines.
This is everywhere, it's a law here in Fl
As for a lid or not, most will give you with a lid other that AK they don't have lids there.
I usually go up to the counter to ask for water but if there's a huge line I wait my turn

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes, they must have a fountain. The carts will not be able to give you free water since they only have bottled water and they will not give you free bottled water.

If you let a CM know and it's not really busy they will help you to get a cup of water without going through the whole ordering process.

 

[Indio]

You can get free ice water at any location that has a fountain (no carts). It is full sized cups, not just those little "Dixie cups". We've done this a lot. AND, I've gone up and asked for 5 cups of water for my entire family and they gave them to me with a smile!

 

[BrianL]

On really hot days a lot of places will have several cups of ice water already made up on a tray. Just ask and they will hand you one. They have lids already on them too, though sometimes I have gotten the small cup, sometimes the larger ones.

 

[msmama]

I usually find that I'm generally asking for water at off meal times (because I get a drink with my meal) so I've never had to wait in line (maybe behind 1 person often also getting water).

 

[Mrsjvb]

You can get free ice water at any location that has a fountain (no carts). It is full sized cups, not just those little "Dixie cups". We've done this a lot. AND, I've gone up and asked for 5 cups of water for my entire family and they gave them to me with a smile!

It was either Prime Time or Sci Fi( we ate at both that day and I do not remember which one it was) while waiting to be seated we noticed a large dispenser set on a table behind the reservation check in podium that had the small (smaller than kid size drinks) cups, no lids that was self serve.

of course it was also so packed in there with people waiting to be seated it was difficult to force your way in to actually grab.. plus it didn't help that one large family( at least 6) stood there refilling their cups multiple times

 

[bookgirl]

I usually bypass most places with a line. I just checked at every place I passed and if there was no line I grabbed a water. The trick to hydration is to drink slowly and steadily. If you wait until you're thirsty it's usually too late.

I also use a refillable water bottle. It's a lightweight 14 oz Nalgene with a screw top lid and a neoprene sleeve. It's secure enough to go in my bag without leaking or I use the clip on the sleeve to attatch it to my belt loop. I just poured my cups of water in there.

I would also go up to anyplace with a stand alone soda fountain (either at the resort or in the parks) and refill. However to do this you need to have a wide mouth bottle. It's more sanitary as you can refill without your rim touching the spout and the ice dispensers release multiple ice cubes at a time so it's easier to catch the ice in your bottle.

The water tab is usually a small button on the side of the lemonade or powerade. Water and ice are not controlled by RFID.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Camelbacks.

Fill with ice from the resort ice machine and top off with cold water. handy storage for your ponchos/umbrella, storage for your hand carried lunch and room for your stuffed Olaf that you had to buy.

also gets lighter as the day goes on. okay so you have to contend with a sweaty/damp back but it's a small price to pay for water on demand. you can always trade off wearing it.

 

[nkereina]

Most will give you a large soda cup size, with lid and straw. I have had a few give me a small plastic cup size - the kind you'd get if you asked for water at say Panera, or something like that. You could always take this cup and pour it into your mugs, if its easier for you or your kids to use the mugs.

 

[muenginerd]

On really hot days a lot of places will have several cups of ice water already made up on a tray. Just ask and they will hand you one. They have lids already on them too, though sometimes I have gotten the small cup, sometimes the larger ones.

We also found last week that some of the restauraunts with longer waits had ice water jugs outside for everyone waiting. We carried water bottles and filled them at water foutains by the restrooms or at these locations. It's not ice water but it was quick and worked great for us.

 

[Tink575]

We were at Cosmic Rays the other day at about 2:30. I ordered a snack and asked for a cup of ice and a cup of water. They had a tray of prefilled small cups with lids behind the counter, no medium/large cups.