Ice Packing Tips??

[DonoMoose]

Hey guys, wasn't sure what exact forum to post this on so here goes..

Wondering it there are any "mom hacks" anyone can share, when it comes to bringing water into the parks with ice??
I'll be at a suite @ AOA and I don't think the mini fridges freeze ice so, I can't really bring packaged re-freezable ice from home. I've filled Zip lock bags in the past with ice (to keep our waters cold throughout the day) but they end up leaking everywhere!

Any tips on what anyone has used or tried in the past? Please feel free. Tia!

 

[Klayfish]

Best tip I can offer is to get free ice water from any QS place. It's filtered, and it's free.

But if you're going to bring your own in anyway and don't have access to a freezer, it's going to be tough. Best I'd suggest is an insulated bottle. Not sure exactly what to call it, but we have one. It holds about 1/2 gallon of water, hard sided plastic bottle. Has an insulated layer around it. Got it from WalMart for about $10. Go to an ice vending machine and fill it to the brim with ice. Then add water (can you put small 16oz bottles of water in the mini-fridge that you can then poor into the larger bottle full of ice?

We stay off property, so we have a full size fridge/freezer. When we brought our own water in, we would fill the big bottle about 1/3 with water and put it in the freezer before we went to bed. Get up in the morning and fill it the rest of the way with cold water and it lasted for hours, even in July heat. But we've pretty much stopped now, QS is so much better.

 

[DonoMoose]

Some of the lines at the qs locations can be long, that's why I prefer my own. Plus the taste is much better lol.

I never thought of bringing a big insulated bottle. I'll have to go check out my local walmart for sure. Thank you!

 

[china mom]

I put a quart sized ziplock bag of ice into a gallon sized and then into my cooler. Leaky bags make for soggy sandwiches

 

[DWillowBay]

I just fill our insulated water bottles with ice from our hotel. It melts, stays cold for a good amount of time and then I just ask for a cup of ice in the parks and refill. Like the PP said, the water at the parks is filtered and free. Is there something better than that?

 

[Alesia]

Some of the lines at the qs locations can be long, that's why I prefer my own. Plus the taste is much better lol.

I never thought of bringing a big insulated bottle. I'll have to go check out my local walmart for sure. Thank you!

You don't wait in line if you're just getting water. You just walk up to the pickup counter and ask for some. They usually have them ready to go. I've never had to wait. It's filtered and tastes just like bottled water.

 

[Klayfish]

Some of the lines at the qs locations can be long, that's why I prefer my own. Plus the taste is much better lol.

I never thought of bringing a big insulated bottle. I'll have to go check out my local walmart for sure. Thank you!

You don't have to wait in line at the QS places, just walk up and ask for ice water. Nobody will complain.

The insulated bottles really work great...frankly I had to start reducing the amount of ice I put in it because we'd run out of water and have a big block of ice sitting in it.

 

[jsternad]

Funtainers are AWESOME and keep ice and water all day. I'd get a few 16oz ones and fill it all the way with ice and then water and just ask for refills in those when you need it.

 

[Smittolis]

Depending on how much you wanted to spend, there are a few options...

We use all of the following:

Ozark trail insulated tumbler:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...5035&wl11=online&wl12=171452737&wl13=&veh=sem

Keeps ice all day! it's actually quite mind blowing actually.

Ice mule soft ice cooler:
http://www.icemulecooler.com/icemule-classic-cooler-small-10l/

This will keep ice in it for a couple of days! This think rocks! As its soft sided and leak proof you can put it anywhere, once its empty you can dump the ice out and roll it up. We love it.

 

[PRomano]

Depending on how much you wanted to spend, there are a few options...

We use all of the following:

Ozark trail insulated tumbler:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...5035&wl11=online&wl12=171452737&wl13=&veh=sem

Keeps ice all day! it's actually quite mind blowing actually.

Ice mule soft ice cooler:
http://www.icemulecooler.com/icemule-classic-cooler-small-10l/

This will keep ice in it for a couple of days! This think rocks! As its soft sided and leak proof you can put it anywhere, once its empty you can dump the ice out and roll it up. We love it.

How is the cover on the cup, I can't tell from the picture. Does it stay closed

 

[Smittolis]

The covers are the traditional 'always open' coffee mug style, however, I purchased a closeable 'spill resistant' lid that allows it to be closed from Amazon for a few bucks. Even with the open lid, ice stays in there for most of the day!

 

[Tink_83]

Klean Kanteen gets good reviews and is reasonably priced, you can get it from amazon (https://smile.amazon.com/Klean-Kant...r=8-1&keywords=klean+kanteen+insulated&th=1); I'm looking at getting it but will probably stick with my non-insulated Brita water bottle; at least I get filtered water during the day. The other option is to freeze water bottles so that you have a few that are ready to go and a few that melt through the day. If your going to get water from QS you may want to consider bringing something to flavor the water (I like nuun electrolyte tablets, flavor and electrolytes I personally avoid just bringing in ice, there is no dual use like with a frozen water bottle and at some point it will melt.

 

[Smittolis]

The Klean Kanteen isn't bad, but buying 2 or 3 for the kids gets expensive!

Here is a quick video review of the ozark for reference:

 

[PRomano]

I bought a Kleen canteen and returned it, it didn't keep my water cold enough. I do love my thermos. I will look at the ozark on my next trip to walmart. Thanks for the video! We like ice water so the large opening is great.

 

[PRomano]

I apologize it wasn't a kleen canteen that I returned it was a hydroflask. The ice melted before I left the gym and believe me I wasn't at the gym long.

 

[DonoMoose]

I just fill our insulated water bottles with ice from our hotel. It melts, stays cold for a good amount of time and then I just ask for a cup of ice in the parks and refill. Like the PP said, the water at the parks is filtered and free. Is there something better than that?

Just wanted to comment Back on this for others to keep in mind. We just got back from our trip and although the water is filtered from all QS locations I want to warn people reading this that a lot of the places tasted like toilet water and that's putting it kindly. Best place taste wise were the Starbucks locations in my opinion. However if you're at one end of the park and Starbucks is at another than you'd have to take your chances with scoring a decent filtered water. I believe Gastons wasn't too bad if I remember correctly. So, for anyone reading. It's totally your call when it comes to bringing your own or not.

 

[phil1914]

We fill our Camelback with nothing but ice. Not as big as a backpack but enough pockets to hold random bits. It cools you slightly so kids willing to carry it. Refill at QS throughout the day.

 

[Smittolis]

My wife concurs with the 'water' comment, she simply won't drink it there unless it comes out of a bottle.... Bouji to some, but she and the kids can tell the difference and my kids lurrrrrve fresh water. So just be prepped for that if you are a big water drinker in the parks.