Hi, Elliott! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel and thanks so much for stopping by with your question. As Walt Disney said, "Conservation isn't just the business of a few people, it's a matter that concerns all of us." Walt Disney World Resort has certainly stepped up its
environmental stewardship in previous years with a focus on reducing single-use plastics and continuing to recycle or responsibly dispose of items that cannot be recycled. This can easily be seen in the use of paper straws all across the Resort and with the use of refillable toiletries in the Disney Resort Hotel guest rooms.
I recently visited the
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival with several of my fellow panelists and learned a little bit of information that can help you plan for your future visit. My older daughter loves to attend this festival and really enjoyed the Maple Boursin Cheesecake from the
Cheese Studio Global Marketplace that was featured last year. I saw that it was making a return to the festival, so I decided to surprise her with her favorite Epcot dish and packed a reusable container to help with its travel home with me. I asked the Cast Members at the booth if they could just place the cheesecake in my container instead of on their plate. They kindly let me know that all dining locations, including food and beverage kiosks, are restricted from accepting any item from across the serving area due to foodservice laws. Once I made the container swap, I was able to dispose of the plate in the nearby area for recyclables.
While you will not be able to use your own containers, I do want to encourage you to bring your own reusable utensils and straws. When purchasing merchandise, do ask about the
reusable shopping bags. I usually toss one of these in my backpack and use it throughout the day as we find must-have Disney souvenirs.
Thank you for stopping by and please let us know if you have any other questions!
Brandy