Best way to take water to the parks?

[MikeP]

We leave in about 2 weeks, we have been before and in retrospect we have decided that we could probably save $30 a day by just bringing in our own bottled water. How do those of you that bring your own bottled water do it? Do you bring a small cooler and put it in a locker?

 

[JenniferW]

Are you bringing bottled water because you do not like regular water or it is fine to chill regular water? Although I like bottled waer I just have 2 or 3 small water bottle and refill with chilled tap water each day.

Jenn

 

[Beverly Lynn]

I take my DH's lunch bag. its the size of a small cooler and its foldable. I bring zip loc baggies and put ice in these to keep on top of the water. this keeps it cool. I also bring my stroller with me so I keep this in the basket. I do have to keep a towel under the cooler however to collect the condensation from the bag but it does help. and is great for when you get thirsty and you cna also keep a few washcloths in the cold too to wipe at your face when it gets really hot!

 

[Disneydenise]

I no longer have a stroller so I purchased the Bita filters and got a small sport bottle. I don't like to lug more around than I have to I hear the filters fit any sport bottle cap and I have one that I am going to keep refilling with free cold water in the parks. I think you can get free ice from the carts selling drinks an ice cream.

 

[FergieTCat]

Your best bet is to get a sports/water bottle with a filter (Brita makes one) and then refill it as you need water. You can fill it from any water fountain or rest room, and then empty it out when you are done drinking. And then refill it again as needed. That way, you are not lugging around a water bottle filled with water, nor do you have to lug around a means to keep it cool.

Donna

 

[Kermit]

We usually take one sport water bottle (about 18 oz) with us in the morning. (It's just DH and me.) It's been in our cooler, so it's cold. When we finish that water, we get a free cup of water from any stand. I carry a zip lock bag with presweetened Kool-aid and a measuring spoon. I figure out how much Kool-aid it takes for our size of water bottle before we go. I put the Kool-aid in the empty bottle, then I fill it with the free ice water, put the cap on and shake. I find it's the easiest way to get free cold drinks and carry the least amount of stuff.

You can get fanny packs and back packs that have a place for the water bottle, or you can get a bottle strap at WDW.

 

[KellyDVC]

We always rent a car and do a shop at one of the local Publix stores near Disney. I should note that we stay in the Disney home away from home properties - full kitchens full-size fridge, etc. If you want to save some real money, eat at least one meal in your room.

Anyway, getting back to the water, we usually buy a couple of 6-packs of the sport-top type and several of the smaller 1/2 liter type, and a couple of gallons for the room. We do love the taste of that spring water, especially while walking around WDW on vacation!! Anyway, both mom and dad have the larger insulated bottle water holders, and each of the three kids have the smaller (1/2 liter) size insulated holders. We put a sport top on all three bottles, and you can even freeze them for the next day (don't forget to take some of the water out first and loosen the top before freezing).

Anyway, the tap water at Disney leaves much to be desired.

 

[Loan]

We purchased cases of water at Publix (another advantage to having a rental car). We froze the bottles.
We each carried one and DH carried an insulated water bottle holder filled also. We just threw the bottles away as they were emptied and shared the water in the insulated holder last thing. This was plenty until 1:00 or so when we left for our afternoon break. We just took more back in the evening. I think, in a week, I maybe had to buy 3 bottles of water total.

 

[PamCo88]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't like the taste of Florida water. In fact, the bottled water they sell in the parks is just that - bottled tap water. I bring my own into the park in the morning and end up drinking soda in the afternoon unless we make it back to our room.

 

[smook2]

DW and I each carry a waist pack that holds 2 water bottles (we have 2 DDs). Each morning we fill up the water bottles with ice from the hotel and finish off with bottled water we buy when we get there. We re-fill them after our afternoon break. Works great! The flavor of the ice (Florida water) doesn't really bother us.

 

[FergieTCat]

I can't stand the taste of Florida water either, but the Brita filters really filter out the taste. The sports bottle was a little expensive (I think I paid $7.99), but it has already paid for itself.

Donna

 

[Riverview]

We used the Brita filters last year. They worked great I'm bringing them again this year.
Riverview

 

[DisneyMom92]

At home and away, we always freeze a water bottle half to three quarters full of water, then top it off before we leave. The ice melts slowly throughout the day and keeps the water ice cold for a whole day sometimes. You can also freeze juice boxes. I keep double the number of bottles I want to carry (we carry 2 a day) so that one set is freezing while the other is with us. It works wonderfully.

If you don't like FL water, tho I don't remember having a problem with it, you could purchase spring water and fill a water bottle from those (gallon jugs would probably be cheaper, but I haven't priced them out).

HTH.

 

[epukane]

Likewise, when we went we just filled our bottles half full the night before and froze them, then refilled them throughout the day from fountains. (If you can find cold water, it helps your ice last longer.) I bought a set of bottle slings at Sam's Club that are insulated and everybody had their own. We also have waist packs with insulated sleeves for water bottles. We were there at the end of May and most of the days the ice never quite melted all the way, even after a full day in the parks.

 

[tink2dw]

DO NOT BUY Zephyrhills IT IS BOTTLED IN FLORIDA AND TASTES IT!!!

AQUAFINA isn't bottled in Florida and Tastes a 1000% BETTER!!!!

 

[WorknFires]

I can sympathize with you not liking the taste of our water cause I can't stand the taste of some of the water systems up north. It has a sulfur taste and smells like rotten eggs. I'm sure most are not like this but I've ran across it enough to know that it is common. Ours must be bland by comparison. But if you're lucky enough to like the water, then like some of the others I start out with a bottle of water that I carry in a backpack. DH complains the fanny pack ones hurt his back (I think it's just a way to make me carry it ) and I refill it at the water fountains or whatever restaurant we have PS for. If you're driving and have room, bring water from home. It'll make it that much easier.

Cheryl