ChrisFL
Premium Member
Probably designed after the 1986 Cleveland "Balloonfest" ecological disaster
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News Walt Disney World to eliminate self-service paper straws and plastic lids
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Probably designed after the 1986 Cleveland "Balloonfest" ecological disaster
SourcererMark79
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Last week they still had plastic-like straws. I always grab a couple every time because they don't become a part of my drink after 10 minutes
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
Probably designed after the 1986 Cleveland "Balloonfest" ecological disaster
Balloonfest '86 - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Dude, it's funny* to think that was a common thing.
Look at old Disney videos of park openings and other celebrations where they'd release balloons in mass, too. (not in those kind of numbers, obviously)
I live in Florida, near-walking distance from the beach and my first year in elementary school we did a balloon release where there were tags attached with plastic ribbon with our first name and grade on postage paid cards. The point was for strangers to write on the card where they found the tags and mail them back to the school.
We were literally releasing non-degradable garbage into the air as part of an annual school project.
Unsurprisingly, most tags from my class never made it back.
I have no idea how many years they'd been doing this but the very next year, it was canceled permanently because someone apparently discovered popped balloons and plastic ribbon aren't good for sea turtles and being right on the water, that's where a lot of these were probably going - go figure.
In retrospect, as an adult I'm glad they ended it but as a little kid, I sure didn't understand.
What I don't get is how any of that seemed like a good idea to adults at the time.
*but also, very much not funny
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Exactly. I can't easily drink something with ice without a straw. Except an Old Fashioned - but that is meant to be sipped slowly. A soft drink is usually drunk more rapidly as a thirst quencher.
BTW, I grew up using paper straws, so you really did have to drink quickly before the straw got soggy. I was so happy when plastic straws came along. If you look up the history of straws you will discover that 1. They have been around for eons 2. The plastic ones were invented right after the lids with an "x" for the straw came along. The paper ones kept collapsing rather than going through.
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
Morrison's Cafeteria - I loved picking everything out as a little kid, especially at the end of the line when we got to the dessert.
The one thing I always hated was that red and white candy-striped straw. One little bend and it stopped working and even if you babied them, they never lasted the whole meal.
I still live with the memory of that repeated trauma, even to this day.
... maybe that's why I seem so triggered about the subject of straws in general.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Which is why the British way is best: ditch straws and the unnecessary ice!
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
Ice is good, it limits your soda intake.
Although I do not drink "pop" as we call it up here.
Although I do not drink "pop" as we call it up here.
JIMINYCR
Well-Known Member
So now that Dis has solved that problem and helped save the world…. Are they going to next address the methane from the tons of animal waste at AK that’s contributing to global warming? There’s lots of animals on property contributing to the destruction of our world. Disney???
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
Which is why the British way is best: ditch straws and the unnecessary ice!
We will have our straws.
We will put them in cups full of ice.
We will fill those cups already full of ice... with tea!
AND WE WILL
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
You've opened the door to another of my gripes, which is the difficulty of getting hot tea with milk in the parks. Thank goodness my love for Disney is sufficient to offset my need for a good cuppa.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
Or, for $4.29 a cup, you can treat me like an adult who is capable of deciding on my own whether or not I need a straw without having to jump back in line when I realize I forgot to ask the Cast Member for one. Alternatively, I'm sure other Guests just love when I cut in front of them so I can ask for a straw.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
Encourages folks to seek out soda in bottles, which earns Disney a lot more money and creates a lot more waste.
I largely dismiss the concept of “virtue signaling,” but corporations and paper straws is about as close to a real example as you can get.
I largely dismiss the concept of “virtue signaling,” but corporations and paper straws is about as close to a real example as you can get.
CuteAsMinnie
Active Member
EXACTLY!! And if dear CM touches anything but the outer rim of the lid, I’ll ask nicely for another. It’s ok to call me crazy
I think Disney should also do away with paper cups, plates and utensils and serve QS on dinnerware also.
It’ll be fun to watch Starbucks folks drink their whipped cream drinks without a lid nor a straw!
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LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Plastic straws, along with single-use plastic bags, are going to be phased out anyway across the board in the years ahead. I understand people's frustration with Disney, but everyone's going to have make the adjustment sooner or later anyway.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
Hey, at least Disney didn't do this. Lol
KeithVH
Well-Known Member
Ah, the old days. Some people will just never understand how real the struggle was . . .Morrison's Cafeteria - I loved picking everything out as a little kid, especially at the end of the line when we got to the dessert.
The one thing I always hated was that red and white candy-striped straw. One little bend and it stopped working and even if you babied them, they never lasted the whole meal.
I still live with the memory of that repeated trauma, even to this day.
... maybe that's why I seem so triggered about the subject of straws in general.
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
So freaking annoying for families with young kids.
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
Do you have children?
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
The burgers they serve are the bigger problem there
…it might be worth it if they were “good burgers”…but alas no
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
No, but I didn't use straws as a child, and the children I know outside the US don't use straws either. As I go on to note in a later post, there are cultural differences at play here.