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View Full Version : Paying for water at DLR...



bduff
10-05-2004, 02:27 PM
Lots of food carts and restaurants in DLR will sell you ice cold bottled water. Not so easy to find cold water for free. Yes, there are quite a few drinking fountains scattered in the parks, but the water temperature in those was never satisfyingly cold. Intentional? I believe we could get a glass of ice water at no charge at the sit down restaurants, but everywhere else they professed to not have water as an option, unless you were buying it by the bottle. Now we were in the mood to splurge while we were there, so we probably would have ordered beverages most of the time anyway. Still, it would have been nice to have been able to save a few dollars now and again. Was I just missing a trick (wouldn’t be the first time!) in not finding places that would have given me ice cold water at no charge?

cstephens
10-05-2004, 02:28 PM
There are a few places for sure where you can get water, including Refreshment (Coke) Corner and the bakery on Main Street. I've never had a problem at either place.

Christiii
10-05-2004, 02:44 PM
that is bizarre..Ive never had a problem ordering a glass of water (for free) anywhere at DL or DCA..I NEVER ORDER Nything else to drink either..Im a big water girl..especially when you are running around all daY..I think I would freak out if they told me I couldnt order water....sheesh!! I think Ive eaten everywhere at the park too..hehe :D

Arnie
10-05-2004, 02:52 PM
When we went in August, we asked for a cup of ice at several places and always got one. Then just found a water fountain and filled it up.

Andrew
10-05-2004, 03:12 PM
The problem with water fountains is you're drinking icky stinky Anaheim water. Anaheim water that is more opaque than transparent, has a bitter aftertaste, and, I've determined, tends to give me a headache if I drink it all day. Water from soda fountains (from the restaurants) is at least filtered, but there's no denying bottled water is better than what you can get for free in the park.

Personally I don't know how Anaheim residents deal with it. Does everyone have a Brita filter in their house?

RStar
10-05-2004, 03:51 PM
I'm in Garden Grove only a few miles away but I do use a carbon filter for my water despinser built into my fridge. I like it just fine, but my wife and mother will only drink bottled water.

The water in any city can vary from one place to another in the city as sources often change (and even from day to day as what they dump into the supply can change from where it is purchased and then mixed into the supply). Some places have well water added, ect. But they also have different quality standards in each city that can affect the taste.

PapiBear
10-05-2004, 03:56 PM
If you want water, just bend over the railing and stick your head in the Rivers of America or the Submarine Lagoon or the moat around Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

Or use one of the drinking fountains. Sheesh.

CoasterChickie
10-05-2004, 04:02 PM
If you want water, just bend over the railing and stick your head in the Rivers of America or the Submarine Lagoon or the moat around Sleeping Beauty's Castle.




Are you going to be in DL this weekend? If so, can I take a picture of you doing that? Can I also take a picture of you when the CM's escort you out of the park? :~D


P.S. We always take a case of water into our hotel room, put them in ice overnight, then load them in our backpacks in the morning. The CM's always let us take the water inside the park.

DCAWhites
10-05-2004, 08:14 PM
I was reading the guide book for guests with diabilities and I could have sworn it said that any walk up resturant will provide a complimentary cup of ice water (pretty big too compared to what other theme parks will give, usually 20 oz), meaning the policy is official. Can anyone confirm that it is in the guide book for guests with disabilities. Anyways, more than likely they will give you a glass of ice water, even if you don't buy anything. If they don't then you might want to go speak at city hall.

bassett1976
10-05-2004, 09:10 PM
For water you can ask for a "cup of water" at any place that has the fountain drinks. The problem is that when you ask for "water" they charge you for the bottled water. My wife and I have gotten a cup of water at the Plaza Pavilion, Pizza Port, the place next to POTC, Mint Julip Bar, Hungry Bear and the place to eat in Fantasyland.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
10-05-2004, 10:30 PM
I was reading the guide book for guests with diabilities and I could have sworn it said that any walk up resturant will provide a complimentary cup of ice water (pretty big too compared to what other theme parks will give, usually 20 oz), meaning the policy is official. Can anyone confirm that it is in the guide book for guests with disabilities. Anyways, more than likely they will give you a glass of ice water, even if you don't buy anything. If they don't then you might want to go speak at city hall.

Is this policy only for guests with disabilities? If so, why?

DCAWhites
10-06-2004, 09:52 AM
I just recall seeing it in there. Perhaps it is detailed in the book due to the fact that not all of disneyland's water fountains are wheelchair accessible. However, I am sure that they will give anyone a cup of water if they give disabled guests water.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
10-06-2004, 01:42 PM
Oh ok, that makes sense. :fez:

Disney Vault
10-06-2004, 03:26 PM
I dont think they are even allowed to ask you if you have a disablity so everyone could ask for water.

disneyperson
10-06-2004, 03:46 PM
Any palce that sells drinks in cups will give you a free cup of ice. Restaurants in Ca. cannot leagally refuse free water to patrons, but they can just give you the cup of ice and point you at the neartest water fountain. The ice comes from the soda machines so it's filterd, not icky tap water. We always bring water with us for use in Dl and in the hotel room. Off the subject, but does anyone else play the see how many ice cube rings you can get on your straw game when they're in DL ?

Susan L
10-06-2004, 03:56 PM
We are use to some of the cleanest tap water in the state of CA, it comes from a natural mountain spring, we can't drink the water down south or for that matter anywhere else. We usually end up get sick from if we do. We always take our own water with us where ever we go, especially Anaheim.

DCAWhites
10-06-2004, 09:11 PM
Any palce that sells drinks in cups will give you a free cup of ice. Restaurants in Ca. cannot leagally refuse free water to patrons, but they can just give you the cup of ice and point you at the neartest water fountain.

Well we went to Six Flags marine world once and they refused us a cup of water, and we even bought something. ARGHHH. Then we tried asking an employee cleaning the tables where there was a drinking fountain, and she did not speak english :eek: (that would never happen at disneyland, ever). Wow was that a bad park or what. There was a simulator ride that had an entire queue themed to some dinosaur simulation ride, signage etc, but then when we got inside it was some sort of comic book simulator ride :eek: :confused: Only theme park i have ever been to where i left before 1pm.

Germboy
10-06-2004, 11:10 PM
Bottled water is regulated by the FDA, while tap water is regulated by the EPA.

In other words, bottled water is treated as a food. How often have you bought food, milk, coke, or any food product at the store and got it home and it was spoiled (or spoiled before the expiration date?) Just because water can be made to taste good, has nothing to do with if it is good for you. The best tasting water anywhere can kill you with one drink if it contains enough arsenic. On the flipside, foul tasting water that smells like something died in it can be the healthiest. If a water utility has a routine sample come back that even REMOTELY SUGGESTS that that utility has exceeded FEDERALLY MANDATED (EPA) maximum contaminant limits, that utility must stop everything. All production stops. Boil orders are immediately issued. Most importantly, the utility MUST (on its own dime) advertise their mistake--this includes in the newspaper, on the television news, door-to-door, etc.

If the person at the utility in charge of reporting to the Feds does not show up for work and no one else takes up the slack (and the report is not sent in on time), the utility is also REQUIRED to announce their "mistake" to the public in the newspaper, on television, etc etc. EVEN IF THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WATER.

When was the last time you heard of a bottled water recall? Negative public disclosure by the bottled water industry? Or better yet: When was the last time the bottled water industry was forced to mail (at their expense), a list of potential contaminants, the maximum contaminant level for hundreds of lethal substances, AND the results of actual tests performed by the bottled water companies on their own products? Every water utility does just that annually. It is a requirement.

Bottled water does not contain fluoride (which is REQUIRED by water utilities, at great expense).

Lastly, if that doesn't rattle your cage, consider this: Think about how much you pay for a bottle of bottled water. For the same price as a liter bottle of bottled water, you could drink 4,000 glasses of tap water. FOUR THOUSAND.

Off topic, I know. But I just had to say this.

And on topic: every place at Disneyland that serves food can give you a cup for water. Not necessarily the water itself, but a cup yes. :)

Germboy
10-06-2004, 11:32 PM
One thing I forgot to mention regarding filters that folks install on their sink:

If a water utility sends in a sample for analysis that was taken from a tap that has a simple screen on it (like those sold with the average kitchen faucet) there is a good chance that the sample will come back positive (from the bacteria growing on the screen) and the utility will be in deep doo doo. Just imagine what a complex filtration system (especially an unmaintained filter) would do to that sample!

Water filters normally consist of granular activated carbon (GAC). GAC removes tastes and odors. Period. It does nothing to bacteria, viruses, poisons (arsenic, mercury, or nitrates for example) or other undesirable substances in the water.

To conclude my tirade, anyone desiring to work anywhere NEAR water at a utility must be certified by the State Department of Health to do so (and can only perform those tasks which their certification allows). What certification is required for someone working at a bottled water plant?

sdfilmcritic
10-07-2004, 06:55 AM
(Disclaimer: Personal opinion does not gaurantee to be a fact.)

I just can't beleive they have more carts selling water than they have water fountains. It would be cheaper to bring in a water bottle and refill it at the water fountains throughout the day.

Andrew
10-07-2004, 09:41 AM
Germboy, that's all very interesting--seriously. But why, then, is Anaheim water so disgusting?

disneyperson
10-07-2004, 01:50 PM
Well we went to Six Flags marine world once and they refused us a cup of water, and we even bought something. ARGHHH. Then we tried asking an employee cleaning the tables where there was a drinking fountain, and she did not speak english :eek: (that would never happen at disneyland, ever). Wow was that a bad park or what. There was a simulator ride that had an entire queue themed to some dinosaur simulation ride, signage etc, but then when we got inside it was some sort of comic book simulator ride :eek: :confused: Only theme park i have ever been to where i left before 1pm.
Yeah, it is a really bad park now. It used not to be so. we had annual passes there once upon a time. We once went on the dino 3-d ride only to find out that on that day they were showing it in 2-D! (they actually had a sign that said today in 2_D) When I asked why, the girl said it was a problem with the three day effect machinery. I said, what, did you run out of the 3-d glasses? She hung her head and muttered, well, yeah. As for water, they should have done as you asked, but the employees there are nortoriously rude and clueless. we never go there anymore.

Austrinken
10-07-2004, 05:03 PM
Then we tried asking an employee cleaning the tables where there was a drinking fountain, and she did not speak english :eek: (that would never happen at disneyland, ever).

Actually...I work at DL (in attractions), and I have worked with people who have almost zero English skills...far less than those required to have a conversation. In addition, off the top of my head I can think of a few people I currently work with who are illiterate. Sad, I know.

Bruce Bergman
10-07-2004, 08:49 PM
Germboy, that's all very interesting--seriously. But why, then, is Anaheim water so disgusting?

I think Anaheim uses a lot of Colorado River water in it's system, and it's got a high dissolved mineral content - it's "crunchy" and has 'iron' and 'sulfur' notes. Not disgusting, but very obvious - you can notice some of those things into the 'parts per billion' range...

There are ways to treat the water, and get the excess minerals to flocculate into larger particles that will settle out into the reservoirs or can be filtered out of the water. But that takes a lot of extra effort, and costs money that many public utilities don't want to spend.

For those of us used to water systems that use less Colorado River water or local well water, and more from mountain watersheds you notice the difference immediately. (Los Angeles gets a lot of our water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Owens Valley, and taste-wise it's darned near perfect in comparison.)

:fez: --<< Bruce >>--