Raise your hand if a stop at Starbucks is one of the FIRST things you do as soon as you enter the Disney World Parks.
🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️ Anyone else? Well, from our frequent stops at the Starbucks at the Disney Parks, we’ve learned a thing or two about a thing or two. The Disney World Starbucks are… different. While, yes, they are a bit more magical than your average Starbies locations, they also come with an extra set of rules. They’ve thrown us off in the past, and they’ve throw off some of our readers, but we’re here to help prevent that from happening again.
Here are six weird things that happen when you go to Starbucks in Disney World.
You can’t mobile order Starbucks.
We know, we know. Mobile Order is the first thing you’ll search for as soon as you see those long lines for a cup of Joe.
However, this isn’t your typical Starbucks location or quick service eatery. You won’t be able to mobile order your coffee or food, and will have to wait in line.
You can’t use a reusable cup.
At a lot of Starbucks locations, you can bring your own cup with you to get your drink at a discount. Plus, it’s pretty helpful to have a cup on hand that you can just take back home and wash!
However, the Disney World Starbucks locations don’t allow this. You must get your drink in one of the to-go cups. And no, you can’t buy a reusable cup there that’s never been used for them to fill, either.
You can’t get a “real” straw.
Many Starbucks locations switched to a biodegradable straw a while ago. You know — the brown or green ones that have a bit of a weird texture that are super fun to chew?
Well, Disney World is super strict with the straws. You won’t find any sort of plastic straws, not even the “fake” plastic that Starbucks uses. Nope, at Disney World Starbucks, you’ll have to use a paper straw! The texture of these isn’t great once it’s gotten wet, so we typically opt for no straw and just use the sippy lid.
You can’t use a normal giftcard if you’re using the app.
If you use the Starbucks app to pay for your purchase at Disney World Starbucks locations, you’ll only be able to do so if your gift card has a QR code.
Most of the gift cards that are on the app have a bar code, which can’t be scanned for payment on your app at these locations. However, if you have your debit or credit card linked to the Starbucks app, that will show up as a QR code, so you can use it. There have also been some instances where our reporters have gotten a gift card to show up with a QR code, and that worked for them!
You can’t redeem stars.
Stars are Starbucks points! You can earn them with each purchase, and then you can redeem them for free coffee, snacks, and even merchandise.
If you scan your app at Disney World Starbucks, you’ll be able to earn points with your purchases, but you won’t be able to use those points for freebies.
You can’t get a free birthday drink.
At most Starbucks locations, you can show a form of ID to prove it’s your birthday, and you’ll be able to grab a free drink!
At Disney World, you’ll have to pay for that drink — even on your birthday.
So… the good news? Well, this ONLY pertains to the Starbucks locations IN the parks. At Disney Springs and nearby Flamingo Crossings, you’ll be able to do all these things, just like at a regular Starbucks location.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more Disney news, so make sure to follow along for more so that you never miss a thing.
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Do you typically head to Starbucks at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
brandon says
Same rules apply to most in store starbucks. Like the ones at Target and Barnes and Noble.
LB says
I always use my Starbucks app to pay with a gift card in Disney World. I have never had the issue with the scanning that you’ve described here. I hope this isn’t something that has changed since December! I’m going back in a few days.
brandon says
LB,
I’m right there with you. I’ve never had an issue either.
If I buy a Starbucks giftcard, I just load it into the app. When it’s time to pay a QR code pops up.