Free Water at Counter Service?

[kcbutterfly]

I've heard that they will give you free ice water at counter service restaurants. Is this true? What was your experience? Were they happy to do it, or did they give you a "look" when you asked? Does the water taste ok? Thanks!

 

[kmb584]

I've heard that they will give you free ice water at counter service restaurants. Is this true? What was your experience? Were they happy to do it, or did you give you a "look" when you asked? Does the water taste ok? Thanks!

Yes, it's true and it tastes fine (to me anyway). It's dispensed from a filtered source.

 

[GatorMama]

Taste varies by location. But yes, we never had any trouble getting ice water. Some places don't do a regular size cup, so you amass several tiny cups...

 

[JennyDrake]

No funny looks but you can/will wait in long line for I think a 12 ounce cup. _I_ prefer to buy/bring bottled water and refill from fountains.

 

[bsiev1977]

No funny looks but you can/will wait in long line for I think a 12 ounce cup. _I_ prefer to buy/bring bottled water and refill from fountains.

That's the thing. People have to decide if it's worth the time standing in line to get a little cup of free water. Like you, I'd rather bring bottled.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Depending on the location we often don't stand in the long food line. At Backlot Express and Studio Catering for example we'll just walk up to the side of the long counter and ask one of the people for water. Sometimes they already have it in cups and they just hand it off to you. A lot of the time there are CMs back there just standing around waiting for the food to be prepared so you're not slowing anything down.

We've gotten water in all of the parks with no problems. Some locations do taste better than others. Disney does not want you to drop from the heat so the CMs are happy to give you ice, ice water or just water (I recommend asking for ice water and specifying you want mostly ice).

 

[bookgirl]

I usually take in a wide mouth refillable and try to hit up the CS locations that have a walk up fountain dispenser (ice and water do not need a chipped cup to use).

At any other place I actually skip the line and just go to a pick up window (after being to told to do this by CM's multiple times) and ask for an ice water and they hand them right off. Most of them have at least one window where you can walk up to ask for condiments, refils or forgotten items, etc.

I've never had any problems with the taste of the water from a soda dispenser.

Bottled water goes warm in nothing flat, then you have a $2.50 bottle of water that no one wants to drink. I use a neoprene cover that keeps my water cool for a while, or because it's free I pour warm water over a handy plant then go get new cold water.

 

[tink18]

We've had no issues and I've even had CM's give me an extra one as I've only asked for one and they've seen people with me, we were worried about the taste before we went and took little bottles of Squash that you can buy here in the UK, they are tiny and are super concentrated. From plain water to summer berry goodness

 

[zianha]

I don't usually drink much else besides water so I got ice water with each of my counter service meals in March. Never got any funny looks. I think people do it on a regular basis. I got my kids soft drinks and always got myself ice water. Tastes fine to me, although I know everyone's tastes are different but I wouldn't get in the line at a QS JUST to get water. If there is no water fountain nearby, I just get a bottle of water from one of the snack kiosks.

 

[chartle]

No funny looks but you can/will wait in long line for I think a 12 ounce cup. _I_ prefer to buy/bring bottled water and refill from fountains.

That's the thing. People have to decide if it's worth the time standing in line to get a little cup of free water. Like you, I'd rather bring bottled.

We bring Brita bottles, work great, even better than the Brita filter pitcher.

 

[kcbutterfly]

We bring Brita bottles, work great, even better than the Brita filter pitcher.

Which one do you use? I've read some reviews that they leak and are difficult to drink from (have to squeeze, water doesn't want to come out). Do you just fill them up at the water fountains?

 

[atricks]

There are places with refills that you can get, like Tortuga Tavern (MK), Electric Umbrella (Epcot), Backlot Express (DHS) and Restaurantosaurus (DAK) that have the soda fountains out in the seating that you can use to get water without having to go to the counter. If you go to Universal they have free water too like this, but they also have the coke freestyle machines out all over the place that have free ice and water.

Generally any place with a soda fountain.

 

[teachermommy78]

When I was there last summer (5 months pregnant!) I would ask for water in the largest cup possible. Just be aware that if they do not have a water button on the machine, they can't give it out. A couple times I just asked for tap water, and they wouldn't give it to me. So the machine has to have a non carbonated beverage option (lemonade, powerade, iced tea) in order to also have a water button. In Epcot I wandered quite a bit before finally finding one (Tangerine Cafe). The QS in American Pavilion gives HUGE cups. I frequented them.

 

[chartle]

Which one do you use? I've read some reviews that they leak and are difficult to drink from (have to squeeze, water doesn't want to come out). Do you just fill them up at the water fountains?

Yes just fill at the fountains. I also recycle ice from any drinks we get.

As for the leaking, sometimes that's a bonus. But I just removed the grey loop handles they come with. It lets the larger cap screw down tighter and they just got in the way anyway. We have insulated sleeves with hooks we got from Wal-Mart but haven't seen them in a few years.

We have the squeeze type. I think is now a straw type.

With any filter bottle you are going to have to squeeze it. The Bobbles brand, do they still make those, are softer so easier to squeeze but they don't fit in many cup holders.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

We did ask for ice water at CSA locations a few times without any issues. One CM at CHH who was filling all beverage orders actually had a big line of ice water cups filled ready to be handed out as people asked for them. I was waiting there for 10-15 minutes waiting for a gluten free order and I saw quite a few handed out. We always order 2 cases of water from Garden Grocer though and take 4-5 frozen bottles and 2-3 cold bottles into the park each day. They store well under our stroller and they stay cold for a while next to the frozen bottles and the frozen bottles stay cold well into the late afternoon or early evening even on 90+ degree days (we just got back).

 

[100AcreWood]

Am I the only one that thinks filling water bottles from a water fountain is a bad idea? People (especially kids) put their mouths all over those things.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Oh god it tastes awful...truly awful.

I guess since New York City has the best tasting tap/filtered water in the world I wasn't prepared for that great Disney tasting water...yuck.

 

[Elevationist]

I do this all the time. I'll always ask for "A large cup of ice water, please." No tiny cups here. They never say I can't have that, or even so much as look at me funny. In fact, when I was MK last month, at Storybook Treats I ordered a large cup of ice water, and a cup of vanilla ice cream... and the CM didn't even charge me for the ice cream!!! (Yay, pixie dust!)

I think that WDW would rather their guests be well-hydrated and not have them passing out all over the park, than quibble over some free water, honestly. Don't be shy, get your free water on. (And it's always tasted just fine to me, too!)

 

[sleepymouse]

Best place to get water is at the Starbucks in the parks. At DLR, I always ask for a couple cups of water when placing my order. Big cups of filtered ice water with lids and straws. I plan to do the same at WDW.

 

[Disneylover99]

No funny looks but you can/will wait in long line for I think a 12 ounce cup. _I_ prefer to buy/bring bottled water and refill from fountains.

That's the thing. People have to decide if it's worth the time standing in line to get a little cup of free water. Like you, I'd rather bring bottled.

We've never waited in line for water. We just bypass the ordering line and go right up to the counter and ask for ice water. Most cups have been extra large. Tastes great to me!