What's the current lid/straw situation?

[DumboDash2006]

I don't like this. I can deal with the straw thing by bringing my own, but not the lid. I'm slow to finish drinks and like to carry them with me until I'm done. Plus I need water with ice with me most of the time as I hate lukewarm water.

I had hoped to carry a really small purse this time but I guess I'll have to have a larger with so I can carry around a big honking water bottle that can hold ice water and not spill.

 

[KenHutch]

My solution is not very elegant. On our next trip I am not planning on eating at any Counter Service restaurants. I do not think this is political as in going green. I think its greed. Now Disney isn't buying straws or lids. They obviously just do not want my money/

 

[Tess]

We're taking our own reusable straws.

The festival kiosks at Epcot no longer had drink lids last time I asked. The lack of lids led a nice lady to accidentally spill her drink on my clothes as she passed by. Back when lids were available at these kiosks, they were great for minimizing such unnecessary stains on clothing, and for minimizing extra use of soap and water to try to clean the stains out of the clothing.

My greatest fear--white shorts and a strawberry frozen concoction all down the front simply because there are no lids/straws.

Last fall I packed my own plastic straws to enjoy my frozen adult beverages and didn't need them because all of those kiosks had straws. I noticed on F&G videos from opening day that people were trying to drink the frozen concoctions with no straw--not an easy feat! Like the poster first quoted above, I will be bringing my straws back although they will not be reusable.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I don't like this. I can deal with the straw thing by bringing my own, but not the lid. I'm slow to finish drinks and like to carry them with me until I'm done. Plus I need water with ice with me most of the time as I hate lukewarm water.

I had hoped to carry a really small purse this time but I guess I'll have to have a larger with so I can carry around a big honking water bottle that can hold ice water and not spill.

You can still carry a small purse and a refillable mug by attaching the mug to a water clip that hangs from a belt loop or similar.

I gave up on carrying water when I realized that the parks have set up separate water stations with ice water and of course you can get cold water from any QS restaurant. When it's really hot some QS set up an area where you can just pick up and not wait on line.

 

[Minniemoo15]

It was annoying last week... very hard to carry 2+ drinks with no lids on a tray full of food.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Walking around AK with lidless cups in a stroller is an instant mess (as is a kid walking with a lidless cup in general). You don't realize how uneven the walkways are until you try it. With the heat and all the walking, it's not feasible to only drink while sitting at a CS (especially with kids). And with all the birds, bugs, squirrels,...

Taking refillable water bottles is ok but if you put anything besides water in them, they get gross fast. And it's another thing to carry/store in a stroller all day.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

You can still carry a small purse and a refillable mug by attaching the mug to a water clip that hangs from a belt loop or similar.

And for the thousands of us who go to WDW with multiple kids who WON'T carry a refillable mug (or who would but then lose them a couple times per day?)? We should carry 5+ on our purses?

 

[UncleMike101]

Walking around AK with lidless cups in a stroller is an instant mess (as is a kid walking with a lidless cup in general). You don't realize how uneven the walkways are until you try it. With the heat and all the walking, it's not feasible to only drink while sitting at a CS (especially with kids). And with all the birds, bugs, squirrels,...

Taking refillable water bottles is ok but if you put anything besides water in them, they get gross fast. And it's another thing to carry/store in a stroller all day.

Aaahhhh............
But the SJW's at Disney think that we should just shut up and "Save the planet" (My posterior.......!!!)
Or in this case put more money in Poor Bobby Igers pockets by making all of us put up with slopping drinks around the parks.
BTW..
It's impossible to put a drink in the cup holder of an ECV and drive it without spilling the contents on yourself, the vehicle, and the walkways.
I speak from experience on this subject.................

 

[NYCgrrl]

And for the thousands of us who go to WDW with multiple kids who WON'T carry a refillable mug (or who would but then lose them a couple times per day?)? We should carry 5+ on our purses?

Of course not!
We go to WDW with from 1 to 3 kiddos. Like I said earlier we just drink water from the QS restaurants or water stands.
Why? Because they don't want to carry them and I wont carry them. I'm sure if I chose to be a human pack horse they'd be happy to command me to stop when they want to but but nope......wrong caretaker, LOL.
Now if you have quintuplets who are under the age of 3 or 4 that's a different story that I've never experienced and I bow my hat to you.

 

[jo-jo]

Wish I knew which lid would fit the drinks. I'd buy some and bring them along. Like others, we like to get a drink and walk along with it. My other choice would be not to buy soda with meals and bring bottled soda into the parks with us.

 

[gwynne]

Wish I knew which lid would fit the drinks. I'd buy some and bring them along. Like others, we like to get a drink and walk along with it. My other choice would be not to buy soda with meals and bring bottled soda into the parks with us.

I agree that a lid that fits is ideal. We've found a second best is to just bring straws. While using a straw, we can grasp and hold the cup lower and it's much less "squishy".

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Of course not!
We go to WDW with from 1 to 3 kiddos. Like I said earlier we just drink water from the QS restaurants or water stands.
Why? Because they don't want to carry them and I wont carry them. I'm sure if I chose to be a human pack horse they'd be happy to command me to stop when they want to but but nope......wrong caretaker, LOL.
Now if you have quintuplets who are under the age of 3 or 4 that's a different story that I've never experienced and I bow my hat to you.

Moody preteen (who drops - and someone shatters - EVERYTHING) and 3 toddler boys.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Moody preteen (who drops - and someone shatters - EVERYTHING) and 3 toddler boys.

I feel your pain. DGD is 13.5 and starting to be "always right" complete with muttering under her breath. Laughingly told her father about it and he related his experiences with me and that kind of behavior to her; she got off the phone with saucer eyes and apologized for "talking to herself". Uh huh like I haven't been to this rodeo before. Day before yesterday's 'tude will be back by next week. Sigh.
Three toddlers?! You are a saint!

 

[Lady Hiss]

Does the no-lid, no straw policy apply to the Starbucks in each park as well? If that's the case I'll be bringing my own.

 

[Moliphino]

Aaahhhh............
But the SJW's at Disney think that we should just shut up and "Save the planet" (My posterior.......!!!)
Or in this case put more money in Poor Bobby Igers pockets by making all of us put up with slopping drinks around the parks.
BTW..
It's impossible to put a drink in the cup holder of an ECV and drive it without spilling the contents on yourself, the vehicle, and the walkways.
I speak from experience on this subject.................

The AK has never had straws or lids, though, for the safety of the animals in the park.

 

[DisLiss]

We are a 95% water drinking family (and the other 5% is typically hot tea, which is really just water, too, huh? ), both at home and away from home, so I find these conversations interesting. We just have no investment at all in whether the park has lids or straws. We'll just have to keep a close eye on folks with trays full of open cups, I guess. Seriously, though...water's really good when you're walking miles around the parks, especially if it's hot. Maybe this will get people switching over some of their sweet drinks to water instead. Then folks could replenish their body's hydration in a healthier way and they can save money on the other drinks. Disney will love that, I'm sure. So there's your solution folks...switch to the free water and watch Disney go looking for ways to get you to start buying the more expensive drinks again!

 

[NYCgrrl]

We are a 95% water drinking family (and the other 5% is typically hot tea, which is really just water, too, huh? ), both at home and away from home, so I find these conversations interesting. We just have no investment at all in whether the park has lids or straws. We'll just have to keep a close eye on folks with trays full of open cups, I guess. Seriously, though...water's really good when you're walking miles around the parks, especially if it's hot. Maybe this will get people switching over some of their sweet drinks to water instead. Then folks could replenish their body's hydration in a healthier way and they can save money on the other drinks. Disney will love that, I'm sure. So there's your solution folks...switch to the free water and watch Disney go looking for ways to get you to start buying the more expensive drinks again!

Same thing here for the water and the tea but unlike my mother, I drink unsweetened hot tea in the morning and unsweetened iced tea in the evening with lots of cold water on demand in the parks; Mother drank hot tea all day long.

In the interest of being lenient since we're in the bubble my traveling kiddos are allowed one sweetened drink a day and it can be anytime except breakfast (that's just a bridge too far, LOL). Mostly they opt for the "sugah" at dinner time. Have no whining/revolts etc since most of their parents subscribe to the same thoughts.

 

[UncleMike101]

The AK has never had straws or lids, though, for the safety of the animals in the park.

AK has always had straws.
They are made of paper and I have used dozens of them.

 

[NYCgrrl]

The AK has never had straws or lids, though, for the safety of the animals in the park.

AK has always had straws.
They are made of paper and I have used dozens of them.

In the last 2 years we have not received plastic straws of any kind at the 2 QS eateries we've eaten at in AK: Mr. Harambe's and one near Kali Rapids but I don't recall the name. Perhaps paper straws are available on request? Pretty sure no lids either but don't hold me to that.
I do recall that we were told that the improper disposal of straws made life difficult for the numerous animals which is why it was the only park at that time with a plastic straw ban.

 

[UncleMike101]

In the last 2 years we have not received plastic straws of any kind at the 2 QS eateries we've eaten at in AK: Mr. Harambe's and one near Kali Rapids but I don't recall the name. Perhaps paper straws are available on request? Pretty sure no lids either but don't hold me to that.
I do recall that we were told that the improper disposal of straws made life difficult for the numerous animals which is why it was the only park at that time with a plastic straw ban.

Like I said.
The AK has paper straws and I have used them dozens of times.
I always ask for a straw if there are none visible.
For our next trip we're taking reusable straws.