Disney World Could Be Forced To Change Straw Policy in 2027: Should You Pack A Straw?

If you've visited Walt Disney World in the last few years, you'll already know the drill: plastic straws disappeared, paper straws briefly took over, and now...most of the time, you don't get a straw at all unless you ask.

But that familiar set-up could be changing once again.

New proposed legislation in Florida is targeting paper straws, following research suggesting they may contain chemicals linked to health and environmental concerns. If passed, the law would affect Disney World and every major theme park in the state, including Universal, potentially forcing another rethink of how drinks are served across the resort.

So what's actually happening, and how will it affect your upcoming 2027 Disney holiday from the UK? Are you going to need to pack your own reusable straws if you want them?

Why Paper Straws Are Suddenly Under Fire

Over the past decade, single-use plastics have been, and continue to be, a major focus for environmental campaigns. Straws, in particular, have been a high-profile symbol of single-use plastic waste. They were easy to eliminate and a highly visible symbol of positive environmental change.

Like many global companies, Disney removed plastic straws and stirrers from the parks, introducing paper alternatives. They have even gone as far as stopping automatic straw distribution altogether in many locations, such as self-serve soft drink areas.

At the time of these changes, paper straws were widely promoted as the "greener" solution. Although, for consumers these straws didn’t always work and could taint drinks.

However, recent university-led research has complicated that picture. Multiple studies, including a widely cited research paper published in Food Additives and Contaminants by a team from University of Antwerp in 2023, have found that many paper straws contain PFAS chemicals. These are often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they do not easily break down in the environment and they can accumulate in the body.

These chemicals are typically used to make paper straws water-resistant, otherwise they'd fall apart almost instantly. Well faster than they currently do.

The problem is that PFAS exposure has been linked to a range of potential health and environmental risks, raising questions about whether paper straws actually solved the problem they were meant to fix.

Key Details Of Florida's Proposed Straw Ban

In response to these findings, Florida lawmakers introduced bills in December to restrict usage, stating that although people have brought in paper straws to improve public health it is not the case. The bill states:

The bill will, if passed will:

• Prevent local governments from mandating paper straws

• Require any permitted straw alternatives to meet science-based environmental standards

Under the proposals, approved straws would need to be:

• Made from renewable materials

• Certified as home- and industrial-compostable

• Marine biodegradable

• Free from harmful chemical coatings

If passed, the law would come into effect on 1st January 2027, giving businesses time to adjust.

While this isn't Disney-specific legislation, Walt Disney World would be affected, and this will impact all visitors to the parks. Not only that, it is food for thought for current park goers using paper straws.

Disney World's Straw Journey So Far

Disney began removing plastic straws back in 2018 as part of its wider environmental targets, which aim to significantly reduce waste sent to landfill.

Since then plastic straws and stirrers have been eliminated across Disney-owned locations, and paper straws were introduced, then quietly phased back.

Most quick-service locations now don't give out straws unless you ask. Disney has framed this approach as a balance between sustainability and guest choice, even if it occasionally frustrates families juggling drinks, buggies, and Florida heat.

A Likely Alternative: Sugarcane Straws

If paper straws are formally ruled out, Disney already has a ready-made alternative in use at select locations, including Joffrey's Coffee outlets which currently use sugarcane-based straws. Sugar cane straws already have many benefits over their paper counterparts, offering the following usage benefits:

• Biodegradable

• Made from renewable plant material

• Safer, gluten-free option

• Free from the soggy texture people hate about paper straws and they don’t collapse mid-drink

• No cardboard taste.

From a guest experience perspective, they're widely considered better, but there is a reason why they have not be implemented more widely from the beginning. They're more expensive. And to implement throughout the resort would require Disney to scale up supply across hundreds of venues, costing more.

How This Affects UK Travellers

If you're visiting Walt Disney World in 2026, nothing is changing yet. Although, you may want to consider taking your own reusable straw anyway, many UK guests already do and consider it a staple in their park bag. Plus if you’re staying on-site and buying a resort cup, a lot of guests take a reusable straw to place in the cup.

Longer-term, paper straws could be gone. In 2027 Disney could introduce an alternative like the sugar cane option. There could also be a further push to remove the use of straws altogether, although that won’t work for some speciality drinks.

A reusable straw is a unique and quirky item we recommend you do actually pack for your Walt Disney World trip here at Riding the Magic. It’s become something of an essential for a park bag in the last year or so, but this legislative change could take it from quirky to essential.

Packing straws is not going to impact weight or take up much space, but it might be something UK visitors who want to use straws will find they need to do in the near future.

Magic in a Minute

Paper straws at Disney World could be on borrowed time. If Florida's proposed law passes, Disney may switch to sugarcane straws or simply use an "ask if you need one" approach. Either way, future trips could come with better straws...or fewer of them altogether.

If you're planning from the UK, it's one change you can safely put in the "interesting, but not trip-altering" category.