Water fountains

[Jonell]

We're visiting 2 1/2 weeks this summer. I know it will be HOT and CROWDED with lines for everything including CS place and probably even the drink stands. So, I am thinking of taking along some Brita water bottles with the filters to fill up from the water fountains in the parks when we can't easily get a drink. Has anyone ever done this? Does the water taste ok to drink and it it cold/cool? I've never drank from the fountains because they always seem gross to me but, in the June/July heat water is water. Thanks

 

[BrianL]

The water tastes fine, not always cold though, actually usually kinda warm. You'll read stories on here though about the gross things people do in the water fountains. I figure though that as long as they don't touch the actual water spigot, and I don't touch any surface, then the water's okay.

 

[jrjankowski8]

We call it "fart water" if that helps the explanation... haha

 

[DrHfuhruhurr]

Different strokes and all, but I've always thought water fountains are disgusting. I'll cop to being a bit of a germaphobe, but all you really need to do is stand around a busy water fountain for 10-15 minutes to see that it's not the cleanest place to drink from. People spit in them, kids cover the entire spigot with their mouths, etc. It's not much different from sharing a glass with a hundred random strangers, imo.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I did that on our last trip. There was only once I filled up at the water fountains. It was because we were extremely thirsty and right around dinner time so the lines at the QS restaurants were long. I'd let our Brita bottles get empty. The water was lukewarm and not great tasting, even when using the Brita bottles. We drank it because we were thirsty, but after that I was more diligent about keeping our bottles filled with cups from the CS restaurants.

 

[yulilin3]

You can always get free ice water from any of the quick service restaurants.

 

[HM]

There is a really bad tasting fountain in Epcot near Club Cool. Yuck. Other than that I've found them to be OK elsewhere on property. However, we just ask for a cup of ice water at a CS location or kiosk that has water attached and get it for free. We don't like carrying around a water bottle, so this works for when we need a drink.

 

[mm1971]

We're visiting 2 1/2 weeks this summer. I know it will be HOT and CROWDED with lines for everything including CS place and probably even the drink stands. So, I am thinking of taking along some Brita water bottles with the filters to fill up from the water fountains in the parks when we can't easily get a drink. Has anyone ever done this? Does the water taste ok to drink and it it cold/cool? I've never drank from the fountains because they always seem gross to me but, in the June/July heat water is water. Thanks

I would just plan on asking for ice water at the QS places and avoid the fountains. Too many chances of picking up a virus or illness. If you plan it properly, the lines are not bad. Just hit them before the standard 11:30 lunch period starts and avoid the dinner rush. That way you get the ice and the water to have it cold.

We avoid the water fountains as you never know how many people have used them and the old "don't put your mouth on it" instructions are not adhered to by the little ones.

 

[ucfknight]

I prefer not to get trench mouth, so I avoid public drinking fountains at all costs. I'd much rather lug around a few pounds of bottled water in my backpack.

 

[noahdove]

The water from the fountains is warm, I ask for ice or ice water from any of the counter service places. They give it willingly...I carry crystal light packets with me and I use that to flavor the ice water..

 

[MouseMomx2]

We bring our Brita bottles on every trip. They have saved us so much money over the bottled water we used to buy. Sometimes we fill them at water fountains and sometimes we get ice water from a quick service location. Both taste fine and we have never gotten sick from drinking fountain water. I will say that the water in the Magic Kingdom does have an off taste, but the Brita filter does a pretty good job removing it.

We wouldn't travel without our Brita bottles!

 

[staceyeileen]

Bring the bottles, but fill them up at the QS places or a self-service soda fountain.

 

[Luv2Run]

If I'm visiting the parks in the summer, then I always just bring a Camelbak backpack. I fill the bladder near full with ice from the hotel ice machine in the morning, and it keeps my back cool in the heat as it melts throughout the day which gives me water to drink.

 

[nancipants]

I work and live in Orlando and drink tap water every day. It's perfectly fine.

I fill up my water bottle from the fountains all the time at Disney. The water isn't super cold, but it's better than being dehydrated. That said, I've learned that the water fountains inside Star Tours as well as near Casey's Corner are pretty cold. My basic rule is if the water fountain is inside or in the shade, it'll be colder than normal.

 

[MouseyMin]

I've been using the Brita bottles for many years now, and they DO get rid of the "water taste" that most people don't like. I usually fill them up at the quick service fountains or ask for a cup of ice water where it isn't self-serve. I have used the fountains in a pinch, however, and have lived to tell the tale!!

 

[ferd]

The water from the fountains is warm, I ask for ice or ice water from any of the counter service places. They give it willingly...I carry crystal light packets with me and I use that to flavor the ice water..

This. I've noticed lately though that they will give you smaller cups at the QS of water than they used to, so you might have to ask for two or three to get enough to quench an adult sized thirst in the Florida heat. But they also will give you just cups of ice if you opt to cool down the water you bring of some fountain water.

I usually freeze some bottled water and it defrosts rather quick so for at least half of the day I have cool water in my backpack.

 

[TinCup]

The water is fine to drink, but it does have that Florida water taste. One bit of advice, don't use the lower water fountains that are for kids, since small kids tend to put their mouths on the water fountain.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

w

 

[disnut8]

For those suggestion just leaving the water bottle behind and depending on the counter service free water, remember the OP is going when he/she has already said they are probably going to encounter lines even at counter service places.

It's not a very nice thing to avoid the line just to go up and ask for a free cup of ice water at a counter service place. What that does is takes the server person out of their routine of filling orders for customers who have already paid for something before you got there.

So, if the OP wants the free counter service water, he/she should go through the regular line, place the order with the cashier and then move ahead as normal to pick up the water at the counter.

My feeling is the OP wants to avoid that and just fill up from a water fountain with no wait at all.

 

[noahdove]

I guess I must have Pixie Dust flying on me anytime that I asked for ice water as I always got a medium or large cup of ice or water. I was asked if I wanted just ice or ice water.. I always wait in line too.