There are a number of problems you may face in Disney World and you probably think you’re prepared for a lot of them, but there’s ONE you might not be thinking about at all.

No, it doesn’t have to do with Genie+ (though that can be complicated), Park Passes (which will get a big change in 2024!), or Dining Reservations (which have seen a big change recently). This one is related specifically to grabbing DRINKS in Disney World, and we’re not even talking about alcoholic ones — just your regular soda or water too.

What’s Happened

Picture it — you’ve just ordered your food at a Quick Service restaurant in Disney World and it includes 5 separate sodas/other drinks for the family. You go to pick it up and what might you be expecting? Well, you might have pictured that your drinks would come in cups with lids and straws. But that typically will NOT be what you’ll encounter!

Generally, you WILL NOT find plastic lids for standard drinks in the parks (though there are some exceptions). Plastic straws are also generally NOT available in Disney World, though you will often find some alternative straw types available (like paper straws or straws made of other materials).

This has been the case for years, though if you haven’t been to Disney World in a while you might not be prepared for it. While it might not seem like a huge deal at first, carrying several drinks WITHOUT lids can lead to a seriously messy situation if you happen to bump into anything! What could have been a tiny spill can suddenly become a big one. And if you simply must have a straw for your drinks (and don’t love paper straws) that could complicate things.

So…what’s going on?

Disney’s Goals

Well, it all has to do with Disney’s environmental goals. Back in 2018, they actually set out a series of commitments to eliminate single-use plastic straws and more from their locations around the world.

In their report of 2030 environmental goals, Disney notes that as a result of these things they “have permanently eliminated more than 200 million plastic straws and stirrers annually.”

Disney has more goals to continue reducing single-use plastics in its food and beverage service areas, among other things.

What’s Happening Now

So, what’s going on now? Well, if you haven’t been to Disney World for a bit you might be wondering what the status of this situation is. So we asked Cast Members at various Disney World locations to see what the restaurants do and don’t offer.

Generally, we found that most locations no longer offer plastic lids with their drinks. At some, you could find straws (though these will generally be made of paper or biodegradable materials — a.k.a. not plastic). In some places, the straws may be more readily available, while other places might ONLY provide you with a straw if you specifically request it.

This can, of course, vary depending on the restaurant you visit, the day you visit, and even the Cast Member you speak with, so just keep that in mind.

Here’s a look at what we found while asking Cast Members about the situation. Again, remember that this is based on what we encountered and the situation can vary, so be sure to ask what things are like during your trip.

Magic Kingdom

• Sleepy Hollow — A Cast Member said they do not offer lids but do have straws
• Friar’s Nook — A Cast Member said they don’t have lids. We did not see any straws available at the condiments station
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe — Lids were not available, but it seems straws can be provided when requested
• Cheshire Cafe — We did not see any lids or straws available
• Pinocchio Village Haus — Lids were not available for standard drinks (keep in mind that the policy may be different for hot coffee drinks)
• Columbia Harbour House — Lids were not available, but straws were available upon request
• Gaston’s Tavern — Lids were not available, but you could get a straw
• Energy Bytes — Straws were out on display and readily available, but lids were not available
• Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies — Lids were not available, but straws were available upon request
• The Lunching Pad — They were offering straws but did not have lids
• Casey’s Corner — Lids were not available, but straws were

Note that this does appear to be more specific to Disney’s more standard food locations. For example, we recently stopped by Main Street Bakery to try Starbucks’ new fall drinks and we were provided with lids for those.

Hollywood Studios

• The Trolley Car Cafe — Straws and lids were available, but again this is a Starbucks location so that could explain the difference
• Baseline Taphouse, PizzeRizzo, Kat Saka’s Kettle, and Ronto Roasters all had straws available
• PizzeRizzo still had lids on request

EPCOT

• We recently grabbed a drink at a Joffrey’s Coffee location and were provided with a plastic lid, along with a straw made of alternative materials (not plastic)

Animal Kingdom

• Note that Disney World’s rules specify “Plastic straws are not permitted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.”

Again, you should generally expect to NOT receive a lid for your drink in Disney World. Generally, you also will NOT find plastic straws. Some locations will have paper straws or straws made of other materials, however.

What You Can Do

Don’t love the idea of having a drink without a lid? Not a fan of paper straws? Here’s what you can do!

First, consider purchasing a souvenir cup/sipper. These typically come with lids and straws of their own that you can clean and reuse throughout your trip. Then, you can grab that strawless and lidless drink and just pour it into your sipper.

You could also bring your own tumbler or water bottle to keep reusing during the trip. There are a whole BUNCH of different options on places like Amazon. One option could be this Brita Filtered Water Bottle which comes with a straw and could totally be used on the go throughout your trip.

You could also opt for something like a drink cover that you can carry with you and use on your cups in the parks.

And you could pair that with some reusable straws of your own!

The key here is to be prepared and just to know what you generally will and won’t find in the parks. Again, note that things can change so you can ask to see what the situation is like during your trip. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates from Disney World!

Check out some more Disney World ESSENTIALS here!

 

What do you usually do when it comes to drinks in Disney World — drink your beverage without a straw or lid? Or bring a special cup? Tell us in the comments.