Zero(ish) Waste Trip?

rodjsr

I don't want to love Disney this much
Joined
Aug 15, 2018
Heading to WDW in a few weeks and want to make sure I keep up my resolve to not use unnecessary plastic/waste.

We'll bring bamboo utensils, a tote bag, cloth napkins, metal straws and our water bottles but I still have a few questions:
  • Are we able to fill out our bottles at restaurants? Will the water taste any better than the water from the fountains? Are there water fountains with a filtration system available?
  • Has anyone tried to use charcoal bamboo sticks as a filtration system for their water bottles and did they improve the taste of the water?
  • Does anyone know if any of the following Quick Service locations serve their food/drinks in reusable dishes/cups?
    • MK: Columbia Harbor House, Pecos Bill, Sleepy Hollow
    • HS: Woody's Lunch Box
    • AK: Satu'li Canteen, Flame Tree BBQ
  • Are there any other quick service or snacks stands in any of the parks that serve zero-waste food?
Thanks!
 
Regarding the water - I looked into this on our last Disney trip, as they do give you free water but in disposable cups, and refilling at a water fountain that thousands and thousands of kids have had their mouth on... hmm, sounds like asking for a cold or virus! I looked into water filtration systems but at some point it just seemed overly complicated - by the time I found something that actually cleaned the water, I was looking at portable systems for campers to be able to drink murky pond water and trying to picture using it at a water fountain, lol! Unfortunately Disney does not, as of the last time I went, have water bottle refill stations of the type you would see at National Parks.


We ended up just taking those metal bottles that keep water cold all day (they really work!) and filling up a few in the morning (we did have a stroller to carry them in, which helped.) Honestly, while you do walk a lot at Disney, it's not like hiking, and we didn't use nearly as much water as I thought - one bottle per person per day was more than enough for our group. So just throwing some lightweight reusable bottles in a backpack might be one way to go.


Also, it never hurts to write an email and let them know how you feel - Disney is trying to 'go greener', but they don't offer reusable mugs in the parks (only the resorts) or have water bottle filling stations, which would be nice to have.
 
I just read somewhere there is a water bottle station in the middle of Na'vi River Journey's queue in AK...of all places. Hopefully the first of many but probably the only one for my vacation...
 
The cups of water given to you at quick service locations is filtered. I have never noticed a bad taste. I avoid public fountains.

The quick service locations don't use reusable dishware. The only way you are going waste free is to bring your own and and ask them to use it. Good luck with that.

I think you might find it more to your liking to know that the waste doesn't go to waste. Disney uses it to create electricity.
 


it's not like hiking, and we didn't use nearly as much water as I thought - one bottle per person per day was more than enough for our group.

you are the exception to the rule. Most people are not use to FL heat and do not drink nearly enough while at WDW. You should be drinking double what you normally drink here. It's easy to become dehydrated and not know it here until it's too late.

Water from any QS location (ones that have the soda fountains) is free and readily available. In severe heat (like now) they have water stations set up through out the world that you can also use to refill. They ask you use a disposable cup to keep it sanitary and they will also give you a cup to keep it sanitary.

Disney recycles just about everything they can. I learned on a behind the scenes tour that the sort their trash daily looking for what can be recycled and what can be burned for energy. They are an extremely green company.
 
you are the exception to the rule. Most people are not use to FL heat and do not drink nearly enough while at WDW. You should be drinking double what you normally drink here. It's easy to become dehydrated and not know it here until it's too late.

That is important to remember - we also did a sit-down restaurant each day we were at the parks and loading up on drinks there probably made a difference. We also planned our route to minimize walking, so some families may need more than a single bottle.

I'm glad to hear that Disney has so many programs in place to reduce waste and recycle. I had no idea, that is awesome!
 


Heading to WDW in a few weeks and want to make sure I keep up my resolve to not use unnecessary plastic/waste.

We'll bring bamboo utensils, a tote bag, cloth napkins, metal straws and our water bottles but I still have a few questions:
  • Are we able to fill out our bottles at restaurants? Will the water taste any better than the water from the fountains? Are there water fountains with a filtration system available?
  • Has anyone tried to use charcoal bamboo sticks as a filtration system for their water bottles and did they improve the taste of the water?
  • Does anyone know if any of the following Quick Service locations serve their food/drinks in reusable dishes/cups?
    • MK: Columbia Harbor House, Pecos Bill, Sleepy Hollow
    • HS: Woody's Lunch Box
    • AK: Satu'li Canteen, Flame Tree BBQ
  • Are there any other quick service or snacks stands in any of the parks that serve zero-waste food?
Thanks!

The part of the parts with most of the things you are looking for are in Pandora, AK. There is at least one dedicated water bottle filler station, and that is in the standby line for NRJ, I've seen that one, I read there is one in the standby line for FoP, but I can't confirm as I've not been through standby there.

Satu'li Canteen does indeed use reusable dishes and silverware (not cups that I can remember). Just as an aside, I know Port Orleans French Quarter's food court also used reusable dishes and silverware last time I was there.

One idea for water would be to use a Life Straw, I've never tried it for something like fountain water, but there's no reason it wouldn't work. You'd fill a bottle with the water and then use the straw to drink with, just make sure the mouth of your bottle is wide enough (they also make life straw bottles). I just get ice water whenever I eat and refill a bottle with that, or I do buy new bottles. If you look, you can see where they have recyclable trash cans esp. for plastic bottles, so if you pitch a bottle just find one of them.

ETA: The main plastic I notice is definitely shopping bags, so that's one thing to consider.
 
rodjsr: I love that your goal is zero waste on your trip. I just started doing this myself (as best as I can). I now use reusable grocery bags and bring them in every store I plan to buy something. When I was thinking about our upcoming trip, I immediately started thinking about what we will use to put our purchases in. I plan on bringing nylon drawstring back packs because folded, they hardly take up any room in my purse.
 
As recommended by commenters I reached out to Disney and received a pretty general response, but still should help others:

"Thank you for considering the environment when visiting our resort. It is always rewarding when we hear from our Guests and learn what they are passionate about. We have the water bottle fill station in the Na'vi River Journey queue and the Flight of Passage queue. There is also one at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge near the children’s play area.

We look for new opportunities to install these stations in new construction areas, however, there are no plans at this time to replace existing water fountains. Please visit Disney.com/Environment to learn more about our environmental commitment."​

The bold is mine.

Also, about recycling...as much as recycling is super important, only a fraction of items sent to be recycled are actually getting recycled because of different issues, contamination, and recent changes in markets being two of them. Not sure if Disney has these issues or if they recycle on site, but it's just something to be aware of because we can all do a little here and there. If for nothing else, to inspire corporations to do better because individuals can't fix this alone. If anyone is interested, you can read more here: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loc...With-Tons-of-Recycled-Material-489971551.html
 
Speaking of not wasting. I hope WDW will start reusing their magic bands and refillable mug. Honestly it's just replacing some chips.
 
Hi OP, just wondering how your trip went? Any tips? I have my zero waste kit ready to go, and low hopes, but that I can at least minimize my impact while there.
 
Hi!
In short: you do what you can do and try not to drive yourself crazy.

We never bought a bottled water (though I did buy one of those fans with a water bottle on our last day in Toy Story Land for my son because I thought he might just get a heatstroke!). I used my reusable utensils and straws everywhere that wasn't a sitdown meal. And definitely never got a plastic bag anywhere (carried my own reusable one). I also brought down my solid shampoo, conditioner and body lotion so we didn't use the ones little bottles the resort (stayed off-site) provided.

But...that's pretty much it. Because if you buy food at any quick service you will have trash since most use single-use plastic or paper products for plates and napkins.

I do think life is about making better choices even if you cannot have zero-waste trip.

Good luck!
 
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Oh, and sure the water doesn't taste as it does in NYC, but it wasn't that bad. But I would make sure to fill out my water bottle before leaving the resort in the morning or many times in the evening before going to bed.
I also never saw the water fountains in the Pandora queues, so not sure exactly where they are (was too excited about riding, tbh).
One tip: At the Sci-fi Diner check-in counter in Hollywood Studios, they have filtered water in a dispenser, so you could fill out your water bottles there.
 
I love this thread and am psyched that your trip did go well!

I do think that Disney is making slow strides to being more environmentally conscious. A lot of the things we see as money saving on their part (and for sure--they are) are also helping them to move in that direction--ie putting multi-use shampoos/conditioners in many of the resorts to replace all the little bottles, reducing housekeeping where possible, etc.

I would agree that the next thing they could do that would have a huge impact is to keep installing those water bottle stations at every opportunity! Fingers crossed they continue to do what they say they will on that front.
 
Thank you so much for the tips! I’m pretty realistic but I do want to do what I can. It’s nice to see others with similar goals!
 
Heading to WDW in a few weeks and want to make sure I keep up my resolve to not use unnecessary plastic/waste.

We'll bring bamboo utensils, a tote bag, cloth napkins, metal straws and our water bottles but I still have a few questions:
  • Are we able to fill out our bottles at restaurants? Will the water taste any better than the water from the fountains? Are there water fountains with a filtration system available?
  • Has anyone tried to use charcoal bamboo sticks as a filtration system for their water bottles and did they improve the taste of the water?
  • Does anyone know if any of the following Quick Service locations serve their food/drinks in reusable dishes/cups?
    • MK: Columbia Harbor House, Pecos Bill, Sleepy Hollow
    • HS: Woody's Lunch Box
    • AK: Satu'li Canteen, Flame Tree BBQ
  • Are there any other quick service or snacks stands in any of the parks that serve zero-waste food?
Thanks!

What you did was admirable, but nothing I'd ever attempt on vacation - sorry to all the green people out there. I do recycle at home, but am not all green by no means. We do not buy bottled water, as we have excellent water from our home well - so don't contribute all those plastic bottles to land fills.

As for Disney going green. They will only do what they do for publicity, and what helps their bottom line. The measures they have taken on the straws and plastic bags are cost savers for them, also the large dispensers vs individual bottles of shampoos, etc. in hotels. They get no great kudos from me on that.

It is in the FoP queue.

Have never gone SB for FOP, but have seen it in the NRJ SB line.
 
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Speaking of not wasting. I hope WDW will start reusing their magic bands and refillable mug. Honestly it's just replacing some chips.
You can reuse your magic bands trip over trip. If you look at MDE you can see any and all Magic Bands associated with your account and "activate/deactivate" any. You can also say you don't want them to send you new Magic Bands when you sign up for your next trip. I have a Haunted Mansion Magic Band I've used on several trips already.
 
Yes, we used our 2016 Magic Bands on our Summer 2018 trip, too.

The issue was that ride photos were hit or miss. Sometimes we got them tied to our account, but most of the time we didn't, so I made a point of adding them manually by getting the code from the screens at the end of coaster rides.
 

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