No more bags

[SCSteve]

I am happy to report that the demise of plastic straws and free plastic shopping bags in WDW were greatly exaggerated. I was at the Magic Kingdom a couple of days ago, and straws were freely accessible in the typical guest accessible plastic straw dispensers. Also present was the beautiful, glorious, free plastic shopping bags..


I also notice that the larger plastic shopping bags now have an additional handle instead of the oval holes it the top like the smaller bags have. Very nice.

 

[AurumPunzel]

I am happy to report that the demise of plastic straws and free plastic shopping bags in WDW were greatly exaggerated. I was at the Magic Kingdom a couple of days ago, and straws were freely accessible in the typical guest accessible plastic straw dispensers. Also present was the beautiful, glorious, free plastic shopping bags..


I also notice that the larger plastic shopping bags now have an additional handle instead of the oval holes it the top like the smaller bags have. Very nice.

Are you referring to the tall bags that one would normally get with even just one t-shirt or the wide XL bags? The wide bags have always had the loop handles, which are extremely useful for maximising the capacity of the bags. However, seeing as reducing the amount of bags given out (not eliminating them entirely) are on the cards, it would make sense to make the tall bags deeper and with the loop handles so that guests are encouraged to amalgamate more purchases inside them.

 

[JenSop]

I live most of the year in Europe, where you usually have to pay for plastic bags. (I come back to the States for three months a year, and always have to be reminded that we're not paying for bags at the grocery store - haha!)

Seriously, it's not a big deal. It's a few cents.
And some companies makes those re-usable bags out of that light-weight parachute type material - most fold really small into tiny pouches. Might just be worth bringing one of those along and clipping it to my purse in case I go shopping!

 

[AurumPunzel]

I live most of the year in Europe, where you usually have to pay for plastic bags. (I come back to the States for three months a year, and always have to be reminded that we're not paying for bags at the grocery store - haha!)

Seriously, it's not a big deal. It's a few cents.
And some companies makes those re-usable bags out of that light-weight parachute type material - most fold really small into tiny pouches. Might just be worth bringing one of those along and clipping it to my purse in case I go shopping!

It kind of is when they’re the only store in the mall that’s forcing people to pay almost a dollar for bags, and when the bags are smaller. And that’s coming from someone who lives in a country that charges for bags (I only bring my own to supermarkets as I prefer to pay for bags when in a mall, I’m used to it, but I try to reduce the number I buy by amalgamating small purchases into an existing bag), but often shops in the US, and especially during the Spring sales. My biggest gripe is the material of their reusable bags being cheap and nasty (and thus an even greater environmental risk when disposed of) and the fact the largest is now significantly smaller, so I’d struggle to safely accommodate my traditional Spring Event splurge without having to purchase a second bag, and as a photographer, the straps are incompatible with my backpack, so I’d have a hard time carrying them around, particularly when I’m in NYC, which is where I usually go for my shopping every year. This year, I’m going to be in WDW instead so I wouldn’t have that problem as I’ll be in the bubble 90% of the time.

 

[beercity]

Fine with me. They give out too many bags in the shops at the parks. Before I even get a chance to say anything they have stuffed my purchase into a bag. At least ask first, I likely have some place to put the purchase without needing another bag.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Fine with me. They give out too many bags in the shops at the parks. Before I even get a chance to say anything they have stuffed my purchase into a bag. At least ask first, I likely have some place to put the purchase without needing another bag.

That reminds me went out of town right after Christmas. Ended up at an outdoor outlet mall and got a new ID case from Vera Bradley to replace mine that was really dirty and several years old. Tiny product but wayyyyyyy too large of a bag. It's likely they just didn't really have anything smaller. I already had an Eddie Bauer bag so I just said "oh I can put it in here", she gave it to me with my receipt and I just put it in the bag I already had.

*Oh while I wasn't at my local mall I can attest that I saw no one on a fairly busy (even though it was cold) outlet mall (after Christmas sales--the Vera Bradley store was crazy, they had a huge line for the Kate Spade location as they were only letting in X number of people at one time, busy at the Michael Kors, etc) carrying around a reusable bag. Everyone I saw with a bag was a bag from the stores there. I did go into the Disney store location but as I didn't buy anything I didn't happen to notice if they were giving normal bags away or reusable ones. Sadly I didn't pay attention to anyone leaving the store/cash register to see what they had (sorry on that) but I didn't notice anyone with a reusable bag in there. Obviously though people could have been carrying it in their own bags/purses. Now granted this wasn't my local mall just mentioning what I saw . I was in another very busy mall while still out of town but didn't have enough time to discern enough people. We pretty much only went into Bath & Body Works (75% sale) and got the heck out of dodge lol.

 

[AurumPunzel]

That reminds me went out of town right after Christmas. Ended up at an outdoor outlet mall and got a new ID case from Vera Bradley to replace mine that was really dirty and several years old. Tiny product but wayyyyyyy too large of a bag. It's likely they just didn't really have anything smaller. I already had an Eddie Bauer bag so I just said "oh I can put it in here", she gave it to me with my receipt and I just put it in the bag I already had.

*Oh while I wasn't at my local mall I can attest that I saw no one on a fairly busy (even though it was cold) outlet mall (after Christmas sales--the Vera Bradley store was crazy, they had a huge line for the Kate Spade location as they were only letting in X number of people at one time, busy at the Michael Kors, etc) carrying around a reusable bag. Everyone I saw with a bag was a bag from the stores there. I did go into the Disney store location but as I didn't buy anything I didn't happen to notice if they were giving normal bags away or reusable ones. Sadly I didn't pay attention to anyone leaving the store/cash register to see what they had (sorry on that) but I didn't notice anyone with a reusable bag in there. Obviously though people could have been carrying it in their own bags/purses. Now granted this wasn't my local mall just mentioning what I saw . I was in another very busy mall while still out of town but didn't have enough time to discern enough people. We pretty much only went into Bath & Body Works (75% sale) and got the heck out of dodge lol.

In the UK, it's easy to amalgamate small purchases into an existing bag, and our bag tax is incentive to do just that, even though the Disney Stores here have no plans to phase out bags anytime soon, and they still even have those gargantuan-sized bags for those huge castle-sized dollhouses or large amounts of plushies, and that's got me wondering about how on earth people on the other side of the Pond would be able to safely haul such purchases between the store and the car, pre and post-'going green'. The former I'd imagine that they'd have to top-and-tail the sets with the largest bags they had (and I have both the largest bags from the UK and US Disney Stores in my bag collection so I can easily compare sizes), and the plushies they'd put them into two of those bags. However, I could imagine the latter being a massive frustration, given that one would have to be careful hauling the set out without any protection, while the plushies you'd have to purchase multiple large 99c bags or even that giant $5 holiday tote, and to pay to ensure you have your purchases protected, especially when the Disney Stores aren't like Costco or IKEA, is primary reason why I still think this move is a stupid idea.

 

[Alynw]

I am happy to report that the demise of plastic straws and free plastic shopping bags in WDW were greatly exaggerated. I was at the Magic Kingdom a couple of days ago, and straws were freely accessible in the typical guest accessible plastic straw dispensers. Also present was the beautiful, glorious, free plastic shopping bags..


I also notice that the larger plastic shopping bags now have an additional handle instead of the oval holes it the top like the smaller bags have. Very nice.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. It seems as some hear or read about it and then they all of a sudden experience it and is left walking out carring all their merchandise and no bag. I just personally finished a 2 week venture at wdw and disney springs and they are handing out bags and straws as usual. If in fact someone was actually denied a bag it def wasnt at wdw or any disney affiliated stores in florida.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes, my thoughts exactly. It seems as some hear or read about it and then they all of a sudden experience it and is left walking out carring all their merchandise and no bag. I just personally finished a 2 week venture at wdw and disney springs and they are handing out bags and straws as usual. If in fact someone was actually denied a bag it def wasnt at wdw or any disney affiliated stores in florida.

I think that was all a set up so we'd all be happy when we found out they were "only" denying us lids.

 

[Alynw]

So i had to jump in here! I went to the Disney Store yesterday - i typically order online. I purchased $300 in PJs and sneakers and princess dresses - and walked out of the store carrying it all in my hands as they wouldnt give me a bag! I had to buy one, on top of the $300 I spent. I wholeheartedly agree with “green”! Dont use plastic - but this is NOT my local discount store where i have to bring my own boxes / bags. I am paying premium prices and expect better customer service from Disney. You should have seen the looks i received walking through Macys and Boscovs and the mall carrying kids clothers on hangers.

Just curious where this happened at cause Disney is still handing out bags like normal. Only asking cause it sounds like u were in a mall and im wandering if this was something the mall was making all the vendors do or maybe a local rule. The Disney store in our local mall is also still handing out bags, in Indiana.

 

[Skippyboo]

My local Disney Store at the mall in Kennesaw, GA outside Atlanta stopped giving out free bags. You can a buy a blue canvas bag for I think a buck.

 

[AurumPunzel]

Just curious where this happened at cause Disney is still handing out bags like normal. Only asking cause it sounds like u were in a mall and im wandering if this was something the mall was making all the vendors do or maybe a local rule. The Disney store in our local mall is also still handing out bags, in Indiana.

It's in the retail stores. The problem is that the reaction to the phaseout in many stores has been rather mixed, with more recent comments I've seen having been rather negative, especially over Black Friday. Yours is either holding out or they're finally coming to their senses and reversing it, which is what I'd rather see happening because a compromise really needs to be reached before they lose more sales to online, and even in most ordinance areas, they still allow thicker plastic bags - Disney could have easily made them thicker rather than switch to those Gap Blue bags which are significantly smaller, and charge around a dollar for them with the expectation the guest might bring it back, which is not always going to be practical in many cases except the supermarket or Costco.

My local Disney Store at the mall in Kennesaw, GA outside Atlanta stopped giving out free bags. You can a buy a blue canvas bag for I think a buck.

The material isn't canvas. It's actually a synthetic faux-canvas material called non-woven polypropylene, which is environmentally-worse because it sheds microplastic over time, and especially when wet or when disposed of in landfill. They also take 100s of years to degrade, which is significantly more than both densities of polyethylene, not to mention that they require a significant number of reuses before they can actually be better than a plastic bag, assuming that 50% of them are reused at least once (source: UK Environment Agency). Also, they don't contain any recycled materials at all (look on the inside label and see if it makes any mention of containing any recycled material, because mine don't), so the Disney Stores are literally greenwashing the reusable bags as being 'environmentally-friendly', which is misleading because I still hear about people throwing them away, which suggests that when landfills start to see more of those NWPP bags being disposed of, they'll become an even bigger environmental disaster, wheras the environmental risk of a H/LDPE bag can easily be mitigated through better recycling infrastructure and education on reducing and reusing existing bags.

 

[Alynw]

Could it b possible that some stores just have such a massive surplus of bags that their still giving em out...i dont think disney will ever get rid of bags in their parks...buyn at the parks is different than buyn at a brick n mortar...when u go to a regular store ur goin specifically to buy something, therefore ur better prepared, u either bring ur own or carry it out...the parks on the other hand is more of a spontaneous buy...hell, u might even have plans to NOT buy any merchandise at all but once ur there we all know how that goes...point being, if u go to the park and didnt really plan on buying but then u were on the fence, the simple fact of having to carry it could have big impact on whether or not u purchase...i know if there were something i wanted but didnt really want to spend the money, if i knew i had to carry it without a bag i def would not buy but if i got a bag to make carrying it through the park alot easier, chances are id buy...im sure disney knows this so i dont think we'll ever see bags go away at the actual parks

 

[AurumPunzel]

Could it b possible that some stores just have such a massive surplus of bags that their still giving em out...i dont think disney will ever get rid of bags in their parks...buyn at the parks is different than buyn at a brick n mortar...when u go to a regular store ur goin specifically to buy something, therefore ur better prepared, u either bring ur own or carry it out...the parks on the other hand is more of a spontaneous buy...hell, u might even have plans to NOT buy any merchandise at all but once ur there we all know how that goes...point being, if u go to the park and didnt really plan on buying but then u were on the fence, the simple fact of having to carry it could have big impact on whether or not u purchase...i know if there were something i wanted but didnt really want to spend the money, if i knew i had to carry it without a bag i def would not buy but if i got a bag to make carrying it through the park alot easier, chances are id buy...im sure disney knows this so i dont think we'll ever see bags go away at the actual parks

Not necessarily. People make spontaneous trips to Disney Stores too, and while other stores still give out bags, and especially when there’s a sale on, it's common sense to still have the convenience because you certainly don't want to be struggling with the purchases sans-bag. Even if it's a planned spree trip, it's impractical to lug around a hefty tote before buying something, and even if you did bring along the largest reusable you've got, chances are you'd have to purchase another one, and the cost will add up so quickly. When I was in NYC last year, because my backpack was full of photography gear, I was so glad they still gave out bags up until that point, and if I went back today and splurged in the sale like I did previously, I'd have to purchase more than one bag because clearly the largest reusable bag they have is significantly smaller, and I can't sling both of them on my shoulders because my backpack doesn't allow that.

However, I do agree with the Parks scenario. My photography backpack definitely won't be able to accommodate any reusables so hypothetically-speaking, the amount I'd be spending on bags would almost equal one plush.

 

[Alynw]

Fact is, disney merchandise isnt cheap so most people that do shop there can fit their entire purchase in 1-2 bags. So as long as they at least offer bags to buy at .10c i cant see this being a big issue. The biggest issue i got is if ur goin to go green, then go green, not just create the perception ur goin green. And Disney is just tryn to create the perception of goin green. Imo of coarse

 

[AurumPunzel]

Fact is, disney merchandise isnt cheap so most people that do shop there can fit their entire purchase in 1-2 bags. So as long as they at least offer bags to buy at .10c i cant see this being a big issue. The biggest issue i got is if ur goin to go green, then go green, not just create the perception ur goin green. And Disney is just tryn to create the perception of goin green. Imo of coarse

This is what they could have done. Simply charged 10c for plastic bags and made them thicker so that they can meet any existing and future bag ordinances. Instead, they virtue signal and greenwash at the expense of the guest, yet there's still no commitment to reducing plastic in packaging. It really grinds my gears.

 

[pooh2001]

No bags at our BJ's - we bring our own reusable bags to put our purchases in

 

[AurumPunzel]

No bags at our BJ's - we bring our own reusable bags to put our purchases in

Discount membership warehouses are different. They've always required one to bring their own bags, although it's also easy to cart purchases out if one doesn't.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No bags at our BJ's - we bring our own reusable bags to put our purchases in

I'm sure they are similar to Costco where they have a cart and cardboard boxes.

I haven't been to a BJs but my husband has and he said it's similar to Costco or Sam's.

The way those places are they are not the same as what Disney Stores are doing.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I'm sure they are similar to Costco where they have a cart and cardboard boxes.

I haven't been to a BJs but my husband has and he said it's similar to Costco or Sam's.

The way those places are they are not the same as what Disney Stores are doing.

They are.

Those places have never offered bags.