Yesterday, we told you about Walt Disney World table service restaurants now only offering straws upon request. Today, counter service is following suit and has also started to eliminate the widespread use of plastic straws and lids at numerous locations.
Plastic straws are available at the condiment stations, but ONLY by request can lids be acquired. Most, of not all counter service locations should conform shortly.
Cast members at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe indicated that the number of guests spilling drinks was up exponentially due to the change.
Lids were gone at the Mara at AKL today. Was told they had no lids so upon request didn’t work. They still have plastic lids for hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate). Saw many spills. Giving children drinks with no lids is a recipe for disaster. Some adults too.
Disney should be prepared for lots of spilled drinks. They might want to rethink this policy for kid’s drinks.
I really dislike this. I use a powered wheelchair and no lid means wet nasty clothes. Will plan on bringing my own cup with lid and transferring my drink to it
That’s exactly what they’re trying to encourage – reusable cups rather than creating more garbage. You just demonstrated the policy is working as planned.
I like a lid if only to keep germs from landing in my soda or water. But, since I understand the reason for this change I’ll be bringing my reusable bottle and simply pouring my drink (no ice) into it and washing it out back at the room.
I suggest parents of children also bring their sippy cups or reusable resort mugs to avoid spills.
All the more reason for Disney to start selling refillable mugs within the parks and allowing resort refill mugs to be brought in and used similarly.
Yeah do what universal already does I wish they did this
This and Freestyle Coke machines would be an awesome idea! Doing the machines with Disney reusable cups would reduce the number of paper cups being used. Just doing the Disney reusable cups or bringing your would still have millions of cups being used, since CM are not allowed to fill any cups except the paper ones.
This is a good reason to stick with beer.
ugh. facts are so inconvenient.
Regions responsible for plastic waste in the ocean:
Asia……………..74.9%
Africa…………..16.4%
Rest of world….8.1%
U.S.A……………..0.6%
Straw waste in the U.S. represents 0.02% of the 0.6%. that is pretty small.
You are comparing ENTIRE CONTINENTS vs A COUNTRY. Do the comparison per countries or per population and you will notice totally different results.
Can we compare that with the number of people per CONTINENT listed vs one country of a continent? Comparing all of Asia to the US is absolutely ridiculous! You are comparing the waste of 4 billion people to the waste of 325 million. Let’s not even compare the political and social landscape in many Asian countries to the US. Democracy allows these social and environmental issues to be brought forward because we want to be responsible for OUR impact on the world not the impact of other individuals.
You are aware that the US was sending the bulk of our recyclable plastic TO Asia for processing, yes? That huge number… part of it belongs to us.
Pure. Myth.
Some people (usually Americans) seem to love blaming the U.S. for the faults of the world. Smh
Um, okay? How is that information relevant whatsoever? We are talking about plastic waste in general. I didn’t know Disney World dumped all their plastic into the ocean.
I’m usually on board with new environmentally sound policies…but this one kind of reeks of disaster. There’s a reason why lids were made for these cheap paper cups, especially when being carried around crowded public places…for kids and adults alike.
Something tells me a major uptick in drink spills, in all the wrong places, is going to possibly make them rethink this one.
Disney must have some angle on this. Gonna try to sell you something!!!
Exactly!! This is all about the dollar. Soon the only straw will be able to get is the Mickey one in which you buy!
Disney World ‘management’ stinks. This is all about cost, nothing about environment. The lids are to keep out contaminants. Disney would have you drink out of your hands if they could and save the expense of the cup. Based on 100% of their decisions in the last 5-10 years, and moreso since Chapek is in control, there’s nothing they do that is for the good of ANYONE or ANYTHING other than the bottom line of profit.
Boring. Stop turning everything into cost:profit.
I recommend Go Sili/Sili Kids for y’all to check out as alternatives.
WHAT LUNATIC YHOUGHT THIS UP
I don’t not know but I bet they have a family member or friend that supplies mops in the Orlando area!
A bean counter.
Sorry, but it is rare that the finance department comes up with these ideas. They get all of the blame though as they are the ones who have to carry out the the orders. It isn’t always about saving money. Sometimes it really is to do good for the environment.
A liberal.
This is just dum
* dumb
More spills equals more lawsuits!!!! Wake up Disney! This is stupid!
Great reason to buy bottles of water or soda.
Ugh. Not a good thing. Get ready for gross, sticky floors throughout. Perhaps slip and fall lawsuits.
This whole thing started with some nine year old making a phone call asking how many straws a manufacturer makes. No actual (real) information on (real) impact or (real) benefits. It’s idiotic. Just playing to the emotion of the uninformed.
Can we cut down on unneeded plastic? Yes. Is that a good thing? Probably. Is this the right thing to attack, especially in this park environment? No. It would be more wise to deal with the plastic spacers and containers in packaging that serve no real functional purpose.
Straws and lids actually serve a useful purpose. Especially at a place like the WDW property with crowded, chaotic areas and kids carrying things with minimal attention span, garbage collection and disposal being quite tight… Very few lids and straws actually leave the parks themselves, and are not being thrown on the side of the road. Those lids and straws are very well corralled. Typical of todays thinking. No information or logic, only over reacting to the emotional.
Well stated. I agree.
I am all for protecting the environment and saving animals, BUT… how about saving humans? This really hit me hard the other day when I went to Typhoon Lagoon with my 2 small children. Upon entering Ketchakiddee Creek there is a SMOKING SECTION right upon the entrance of the kids play area!! I was DISGUSTED!!! My small children should not have smoke being polluted into their play area! Heck adults shouldn’t have to smell it either! I personally feel that smoking should be banned from ALL parks! Get rid of straws/lids to save the turtles and prevent ocean trash.. get rid of smoking to save the HUMANS!!!
According to the CDC, more than 41,000 deaths are from second hand smoke exposure. Also, a recent article from NBC news states that cigarette butts are the SINGLE GREATEST SOURCE OF OCEAN TRASH!!! Sorry, if you are a smoker and cannot deal without it, but if you want to endanger yourself… go for it! People that do not smoke should not have to deal with your mistakes and choices! Come on Disney… let’s make another movement- this time for the HUMANS!! Or this wouldn’t do anything for your financial pocket?
It’s funny, no one complains about the straws that don’t come with your beer and wine at EPCOT.
Kids aren’t carrying around beers and wine. You aren’t typically carrying a tray full of beers and wine.
Getting rid of thin flimsy lids will probably not only result in more spills (and slip and fall lawsuits and costs of cleaning staff and dealing with customer complaints for refills when their first drink spills), but probably more plastic waste too as more people oook for bottled water or other high plastic options with twist lids.
Yup. yup. And yup.
No logic. Just over reaction to the overly emotional uninformed.