Guests Share Disappointment As Disney Gives Out Plastic Bags Despite Sustainability Efforts

The Walt Disney World Resort is not only a leader in terms of Guest service and creativity in the hospitality industry, but it is also one of the prime examples that other tourism businesses look toward for best practices in sustainability.

From the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, largely focused in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, to sustainable housekeeping measures at Disney Resort hotels, and efforts to recycle around the theme parks, you might be surprised to learn about the latest “free” souvenir Guests are receiving at one Magic Kingdom attraction.

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Called “Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Safari Sacks,” the plastic bags are available as Guests enter the Jungle Cruise attraction in Adventureland at both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, with multiple locations to pick one up as Guests move through the ride’s queue, and even a stand with bags after they exit.

While the bags are themed to the Jungle Cruise, and the information on the bag is packed with jokes and puns, “mostly back-side-of-water resistant” for instance, they are still plastic bags. Receptacles with bags around the Jungle Cruise even notes that the bags are reusable, but realistically how many people are going to re-use a plastic Ziploc bag?

Jungle Cruise is now giving out Ziploc bags pic.twitter.com/0YgX0eBDwb

— Lexis (@LexisH0546) November 26, 2022

 

As Guests have quickly noted on social media, giving out individual single-use plastics, that will likely end up thrown away, seems inconsistent with the company’s other sustainability messaging.

The new “Safari Sacks” are not the first time Ziploc has stepped in to give out free plastic bags at Walt Disney World. A few years ago, Guests reported receiving similar bags as they entered the queue for Splash Mountain in Frontierland. The case of Splash Mountain at least comes with the logic that items are more likely to get wet, but Disney received similar backlash at the time over handing out so many plastic bags.

Of course, taking a Ziploc bag outside of the Jungle Cruise is not required, and we can assure you that unless you put your hands over the boat (which you should not do anyway) your small items will be perfectly safe without using the extra plastic.