Which should I bring to the parks... collapsible cup with lid or flat pouch water bottle?

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I usually bring a regular 16oz disposable water bottle and once its gone I keep it in my bag in case I want to refill at a water fountain later in the day.

I'm trying to start traveling as light as I personally can to the parks so I thought either a collapsible cup with a lid and carabiner or a flat pouch water bottle with carabiner would be a good alternative to the traditional water bottle.
I'd hang it from my purse when not in use.

It's hard to decide...
I like that I could have water longer in the water bottle pouch but I also like how easy it would be to put the cup under the water fountain to fill vs the water bottle.

Which would you choose?

 

[Traver Freeman]

I know many people complain about what I'd do, but I don't know why? We just ask for free cups of water from QS places anytime we are thirsty. Then you throw the cup away when you're done and don't have to lug something around all day.

 

[Accident]

eww, avoid the water fountains. Lately people rinse and wet their sweaty cooling towels in them and too lazy to walk the 3 more feet to the restroom.

If I'm bringing in a refillable bottle it's usually some stays cold forever bottle.. there's a few companies that make them. works well in the florida heat and I refill it with the free ice water. Sometimes I'll just carry a couple water bottles in and refill those if I don't think I'll need to carry one around all day (medication reasons) this way I can dispose of it and just continue on with free water. I still end up buying a bottle of water as I leave though, haven't gotten that expense to go away.

 

[Ambehnke]

I would go with the pouch since you wouldn't have to drink it all at once.

 

[davkata]

I use the pouch style. I drink a lot of water and am never without my large water bottle at home, so it's a must for me. I get the free water at QS and use that to fill. I've seen what happens at water fountains (I work with preschoolers, lol!) and would never fill from those, but that's just me. I like that I can still have water while we are walking around. If I need to I dump it out if it's not empty when we board an attraction where it could spill or wouldn't be allowed.

 

[yulilin3]

I go to the parks 4 times a week and always ask for cups of water at quick service restaurants without a problem. No need to make the line you just step up to the counter. They have them ready to go.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I know many people complain about what I'd do, but I don't know why? We just ask for free cups of water from QS places anytime we are thirsty. Then you throw the cup away when you're done and don't have to lug something around all day.

I don't take issue with that at all.
They generally have a ton of cups of ice water ready to go waiting for people to come ask for them.
Problem is we are not always near a QS when we need a quick sip of water and we don't want to go into one when we don't need a whole cup of ice water.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Others may think water fountains are disgusting but we are perfectly fine with them so that's really not an issue for us.
I'm just wondering which option I mentioned would be more convenient in the end.

 

[Klayfish]

I think the answer a lot of people here are trying to give you (and I agree) is that neither one are really the better option. Just go for free water at QS places. It's ice cold and filtered. We used to carry water with us, and occasionally still do, but for the most part, we just use QS too. If you must bring one of your own, I guess I'd go with the flat pouch/water bladder idea.

 

[Tara922c]

For me, the less stuff to carry the better. I just ask a QS restaurant for a large cup of ice water.

 

[IrishNYC]

Option three?

I like a filtered bottle, that way I can fill it with ice and water at the resort before we leave in the morning, and the filter removes the gag-inducing taste. Then I refill from QS cups.

 

[kwdw]

Carabiner on a disposable water bottle. They make these and they are cheap to buy. This is what I do and I love it.

Here's why - the cup is awkward - and even with a lid - they may make you prove its empty and collapse it on rides. Despite being an empty cup - they kept trying to get my significant other to throw it away before boarding rides when it was in his hand. We didn't have another bag to put it in. But it was a "cup" versus a "bottle" and the CM's seemed trained to object to cups pretty strongly. Now - resort mugs hanging off of bags seem to be acceptable - but ours wasn't. It was weird, IMO.

The flat pouch water bottle isn't a BAD idea - I just personally don't care for actually drinking out of them and think they are more awkward to refill. I just use the disposable bottle for as long as I want on a trip - then throw it away for a fresh ones.

 

[bumbershoot]

Option 4. Get bottled spring water (not bottled municipal water like Dasani) and an igloo maxcold cooler backpack and have immediate access to fresh good water all day. Bonus; you know you're hydrating as the backpack gets lighter!

 

[pat fan]

I know many people complain about what I'd do, but I don't know why? We just ask for free cups of water from QS places anytime we are thirsty. Then you throw the cup away when you're done and don't have to lug something around all day.

My next stop was going to be the Dining Board to ask if this was still an option.I hate paying $3 for a bottle of water when a paper cup of water was free. It's been many years since we were not on a DDP, but the thoughts of $3 a pop for water was making me ill. So we can still ask for a cup of water with our meal and it's ok? And free?

 

[IrishNYC]

My next stop was going to be the Dining Board to ask if this was still an option.I hate paying $3 for a bottle of water when a paper cup of water was free. It's been many years since we were not on a DDP, but the thoughts of $3 a pop for water was making me ill. So we can still ask for a cup of water with our meal and it's ok? And free?

Yes. Free, just for asking.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Option 4. Get bottled spring water (not bottled municipal water like Dasani) and an igloo maxcold cooler backpack and have immediate access to fresh good water all day. Bonus; you know you're hydrating as the backpack gets lighter!

Trying to travel LIGHTER not add a backpack full of water to the mix lol.

 

[Moxiepup]

We're bringing flat pouch water bottles. I get thirsty often and don't like the idea of waiting in a long line for a ride without having water. I figure I can refill them with the free ice water as the QS places, and then roll them up small and put them in my waist bag when they're empty or nearly so. When full, they can hang from a caribiner.

 

[Hikergirl]

https://www.amazon.com/Collapsible-...202&sr=1-19&keywords=collapsible+water+bottle

 

[Cinderella94]

Yep, I agree with those who said neither. Go up to a QS and get a free cup of water with ice. I don't want to carry things around for longer than I have to.

 

[Chiz0]

We use a a few Stainless Steel Water Bottle Canteens. Before we head to the park, I fill them up with ice from the machine in the food court. By the time we need to re-hydrate, most of the ice has melted, and if needed will fill at a water fountain. The first day i had them on the outside bottle holder pockets on my backpack, and the ice melted too quickly. The remaining days, I wrapped them up with either a small towel of t-shirt, which helped it from melting to soon.