News Walt Disney World to eliminate self-service paper straws and plastic lids

MrPromey

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
GabeP said:
At a recent visit to DL, I ordered a milkshake at Flo's, in which the paper straw quickly disintegrated (it was a bulky one to boot). I went through 3 of them to finish the milkshake, so I'd argue I generated more waste than if I'd been given a plastic straw at the outset.
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We eat at the Captain America Diner (IOA) frequently because my son likes to get the chicken strips with milkshake meal. The first time we went his straw went to crap immediately and when I went up to get another one, they gave it to me but suggested a spoon because it was a known problem on their end.

One of those things where the employees knew the straws didn't work and a spoon would be better but they were supposed to serve it with the crappy straw and not the spoon - since the spoons are in the self-serve area.

... So to be fair, Disney's not the only one.
 
MrPromey

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
The Mom said:
I use a tea ball (sometimes sold as a spice infuser) filled with loose tea when at home. I rarely order tea at restaurants because it just isn't very good most of the time.

If I use a teabag, I also put it into the cup and then add boiling water. I didn't start drinking coffee until I after I was married, but had tea all of the time. I couldn't visit one of my aunt's without her making a pot of tea with a couple of "biscuits" on a plate. I also drank iced tea - but only during the summer.
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Little known fact - I met Mom once. (no joke)

Besides overflowing with patience, she's also a very classy lady. Not only does she drink loose leaf tea, she puts her pinky out while doing it. ;)
 
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MrPromey

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
jaklgreen said:
LOL Clearly you have not had to put your kids through college yet if you think that you will have more money when they are older. You are in for a bit of a shock. Carry your cup if you want, as you said, plenty do. Put plenty more do not want to have to deal with carrying around a nasty cup all day. Who in their right mind would want to use the same cup all day, in the heat, when you can not properly wash it in between uses? Using it for water is one thing, but putting anything with sugar in the cups is going to turn it nasty.
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Not the problem you imagine it to be.

While not a soap station, a quick rinse from water at the freestyle machines works perfectly fine.

And the advantage to having that cup with you all day is that when there are a dozen or more places to get refills, that insulated cup usually always has something cold to drink in it.

I'm well past the stage of pushing a stroller. My son carries his own cup around in one of these around his neck or over his shoulder:

71gbNXx2pHL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

I have to assume the people coming up with these horrific scenarios have either never done it or are looking for excuses to explain why Disney doesn't offer it.

Anyway, the awesome thing at all these parks is, if you don't want to carry that "nasty"* cup, you can still overspend to your heart's desire on the alternative in the same places - it's called choice. 👍


*not sure I want to know what you're doing with your cups that gets them so nasty but to each their own.
 
MrPromey

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
donaldtoo said:
But, you’re killing waaayyyyy more trees with paper straws…oh, the treemanity…!!!!! :eek:o_O:cry:;)
There’s always a trade-off, isn’t there…?!
Way back in the day, friends of ours were getting ready to start a family. Initially, they were very intent on using cloth diapers instead of disposable, because of all the disposable diapers going into landfills. But, after doing some research, they realized that with the cloth diapers they’d be using a lot more power, water, and putting too much waste into the system (their words).
They opted for disposable diapers.
Again, there’s always a trade-off.
Still amazing to me how so many folks knee-jerk without taking a pause to think and research before they “REACT”.
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They also may have discovered how $h!tty* dealing with cloth diapers is and started looking for more reasons to rationalize the disposables in their own minds.

Even with a service, it's still unpleasant work.

Washing them yourself? :oops:

I remember my mom talking about how she used them with me and how much better they were and cheaper and yada, yada, yada. I told her when she was watching my son, if she wanted to use them and take care of them, fine but I wasn't going to.

She did it once and I never heard another word out of her about it. She was also sure to grab the diaper bag when picking him up on subsequent visits. 😏

*pun fully intended
 
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Tony the Tigger

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
Wait… you mean like when used to put lids and straws in every order? :) and they filled drink orders for you???

This isn’t for hygiene or frivolous waste - it’s to discourage use so they can eliminate their use.

There are better ways to get efficiency and hygiene. Recognize it for what it is.
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drizgirl said:
They don't staff high enough for this. They want you to wait trying to get someone's attention then give up.
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This is specifically for quick service and snack areas.

That means when you’re checking out, if it’s important to you, you say “lids & straws, please.”

Or maybe some or all CMs will ask you, I don’t know.

For many of us, we’ll take our tray over to a table and won’t need lids or straws. We’ll eat, drink, trash, and go about our day.

Those who do need them, do.

The simple math is the company will waste fewer straws and lids because some percentage of people at a QS location don’t want one or both; and because they aren’t left out. When you leave stuff out like that, people devalue it in their minds. They’re less likely to be careful, more likely to take more than they need.

This is all really basic. Yes, it will reduce waste. So yes, it will both save money and reduce use of plastics. That’s a win-win, however small.

You’ll get used to asking for them if you need them, and that’s that. Voila! Easy peasy. #nodrama
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Tony the Tigger said:
The simple math is the company will waste fewer straws and lids because some percentage of people at a QS location don’t want one or both; and because they aren’t left out. When you leave stuff out like that, people devalue it in their minds. They’re less likely to be careful, more likely to take more than they need.
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So they devalued the experience by allowing you to have the lid and straw if you ask but otherwise just a "thank you have a magical day"

One more brick in the wall....
 
Tony the Tigger

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
JoeCamel said:
So they devalued the experience by allowing you to have the lid and straw if you ask but otherwise just a "thank you have a magical day"

One more brick in the wall....
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If that’s how you choose to look at it, then that’s what your experience will be.

More and more I’m convinced the difference between complainers and pixie dusters is just perspective.

I don’t know how I’d get through life if I made such a big deal over such things.
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Tony the Tigger said:
If that’s how you choose to look at it, then that’s what your experience will be.

More and more I’m convinced the difference between complainers and pixie dusters is just perspective.

I don’t know how I’d get through life if I made such a big deal over such things.
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Pointing out there are different perspectives and personal experiences. There are always two views to a subject , makes for a discussion board don't ja know. Being rigid or one sided just limits your view not the actual facts.
 
jaklgreen

jaklgreen

Well-Known Member
I personally travel with my own straws when I go to WDW. I have very sensitive teeth and the cold drinks hurt them so I kind of need to use a straw. It would be nice to not have to carry them around because I like to travel light when in the parks, but it is what it is. The problem that I have is that they try to sell it as them doing this for the environment when we all know that it is just a cost saving ploy.
Now if they let us bring back our old refillable mugs and reuse them, that would be great.

They are never going to sell refillable mugs in the parks, they would lose too much money doing so. They make a fortune selling those bottles of water and soda.
 
jaklgreen

jaklgreen

Well-Known Member
TrainsOfDisney said:
It’s possible they will. Some parks do. Holiday World gives them away and they still make money lol.
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I think that if they were going to then they would have already. I am sure that the numbers have been crunched many, many times. You have seen the price of the bottled drinks, haven't you? There is no way that selling a refillable mug for the parks would make nearly as much in revenue as the bottles do. No way.
 
GladToBeHear

GladToBeHear

Well-Known Member
I just can't see this lasting long. Quick service lines are already crazy enough. As a parent of a large family -- if I had to cut back in line to ask for tops and straws for my kids (yes, they need them) because I forgot to ask -- in the middle of August in the FL heat -- I'd get frustrated very quickly. And the people I'd be cutting in front of would get frustrated also. And rightfully so. This policy just seems like it's going to generate more complaints. Especially at quick serves that are popular with kids/families.

I could see this getting tweaked where they ask the customer if they need any straws or lids when picking up. Probably a better solution.
 

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