Allowed to take snacks/drinks into the park for little kids?

[Traveling_Mom]

I haven't seen this question anywhere, but I apologize if I just missed it!

We'll be in Disney with our constantly-ravenous 2-year old in a few weeks. I was wondering if we'd be allowed to bring in small amounts of kid snacks - goldfish, graham crackers, pretzels, etc. to keep him busy while we're in lines?

We also have a great Camelback backpack - will we be allowed to fill the bladder with water and bring it in?

I know different parks have different policies and also enforce them differently when there are small kids involved...

Thanks!

 

[joanchris]

you are certainly allowed to bring snacks and drinks into the parks, I do believe that you cannot bring wheeled coolers though.

 

[scjo68]

I think the official policy used to be that you couldn't bring snacks in to parks, but even then, they never enforced it. Security always looks through your bags, and we always had snacks, and they never said a thing. You still might read that they have a "no outside food" policy in some guidebooks, though.

But now, they are completely allowed. In fact, in my "welcome to the world" brochure I got at Port Orleans when I checked in, it does say you can bring snacks and nonalcohlic beverages to the parks. So enjoy!

 

[RuthLS]

I think that officially you can NOT bring in snacks. Though I read it wasn't enforced. You can only bring in water.

We have a child with food allergies and were told we COULD bring snacks and if anyone asked...to say we had a child with food allergies.

 

[mary's mom]

As long as it is not a three course meal, I don't see a problem
I always bring snacks. Take in and enjoy

 

[egoldber]

I always take small snacks for all of us and especially for DD. We also bring in 3 half liter bottles of water (and refill them at restautants).

 

[myboysnme]

We also bring snacks in for our children (and ourselves, of course) . Never had a problem in the bag check. I have read in other threads about people fixing sandwiches and taking in one of the small softsided coolers without a problem. We also take in some of the 20 oz drinks.

 

[clonetothebone]

Officially you cannot take in food or drink but from what i've read it isn't enforced. We took stuff in in 2003 without a problem even though they checked our bags.

 

[Chrisypoo]

We've never had a problem bringing in snacks. In fact, last time we went (it was at park opening in Epcot) the security lady looking through my bag saw my banana, "That's a nice, healthy breakfast!"

 

[DisnsyDog]

We have always brought a medium sized "soft" disney cooler filled with snacks and water and juice boxes. I also carry in my resort mug in the morning filled with pop or coffe and then put it away when it empties. We never have any trouble getting it in. I have to add though, we have witnessed several families with rolling coolers setting up a picnic lunch in the middle of tommorowland.

 

[DisneyPhD]

But now, they are completely allowed. In fact, in my "welcome to the world" brochure I got at Port Orleans when I checked in, it does say you can bring snacks and nonalcohlic beverages to the parks. So enjoy!

Sounds offical to me!

I too heard the offical word is small soft coolers and snacks (non alcholic, not glass) are allowd. This was post 911 when they started the bag checks. We have always brought some food and drink with us (young kids) and never had an issue with it. I am talking maybe 50 times in the parks. Sometimes the gurads will ask you to share if the food looks good, and they are in a good mood.

Go, injoy. Bring your own snacks, but we sure to get a few WDW yummies too.

 

[Rainman]

We always bring water, juice boxes, cheerios, Quaker Oat Bars, and gold fish. With so much activity kids get hungry! And it is usually while you are in a line. We try and half freeze a water bottle that ends up keeping the other item cool. We use a simple backpack to keep the items in.

In the end we feel it both saves some money but most important keeps the kids hydrated. Also we can meet the kids demands quickly which is important to keep them happy while they are tired.

We did have some issues on the train at the Magic Kingdom. The definetly do not want you eating while on the train. Our two year old was in the middle of a tantrum, so we endend up sneaking him some cheerios.

 

[flynnmnstr]

Our kids both have food allergies and we have never been questioned when we brought our cooler into the park. I think when security sees that you have little kids they don't bat an eye.

 

[disneymom3]

Officially you cannot take in food or drink but from what i've read it isn't enforced. We took stuff in in 2003 without a problem even though they checked our bags.

In the way of WDW though things have changed. I had sent them an email asking this question a few years ago and the answer I got was that while outside food was not allowed they understood the need of people with special diet needs and families with young children to bring some appropriate snacks into the parks. Now as another poster mentioned, it says right in the onsite info you receive at check in that you may bring snacks and non alcoholic beverages into the parks.

We have had some funny moments with security telling our kids thanks for the treats or asking if we brought any for them. When my oldest was 5 I had a bag of M&Ms in my purse and she was really going to give them to the guard when he asked! Very cute as he had to convince her he was kidding and she was worried about him being sad that we didn't share.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

Officially you cannot take in food or drink but from what i've read it isn't enforced. We took stuff in in 2003 without a problem even though they checked our bags.

That's not the case anymore. Any kind of food or beverage is allowed into ALL Disney World theme parks, unless it is ALCOHOL or GLASS. (unless you're bringing baby food jars. Then you're allowed to bring in glass!)

 

[mjmcca]

I have brough in coolers with sandwiches when I was brining a lot of little kids with me. This summer i went with hubby his cousin our 2 little kids our freinds 2 little kids and her teenaged cousin. We were there all day.Even bringing in snacks ,juice boxes and sanwiches we still spent well over $100 in food for the day in disney.

 

[WisconsinDisneyGirl]

I am a money saver at heart!!! I would rather spend money on the tickets, room and other fun stuff! There is such a HUGE mark up on food! We always take a cooler with us! Last time we went to Disney we had plenty of money budgeted for food in the parks but the budget part of me could not do it!!! I dod bring my cooler and plenty of ziplock bags with me so we packed lunch and lots of healthy snacks. We froze juice boxes and brought a bottle that we filled with ice every chance we got. We like to eat healthy and found that we felt so much better eating what we are used to instead of the park junk food and having a junk food hang over!

 

[CleveRocks]

As long as it is not a three course meal, I don't see a problem

I took in three course meals at least twice during my week there. Sandwiches (sometimes on bagels, sometimes on bread), fruit, junk food. That's 3 all right. Plus drinks.

No one is "getting away with something" by bringing food in. It's totally permitted.

Now, what they SHOULD enforce is people with bagged lunches using up scarce table space at counter service restaurants. RUDE RUDE RUDE. On the days we brown bagged it we sat at benches, etc., NEVER used a table that only paying customers should use.

 

[Rai's Mommy]

We also packed our little cooler with frozen water bottles to keep foods chilled. These were the handiest supplies we had with us in the Florida heat. We brought some of the on the go raspberry ice tea mixes that they sell at Walmart to keep us from getting bored with the plain old water. Definitely no problem taking any food in anyway

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Which collapisble cooler would you recommend? Something that would hold our waters and small snacks, maybe some sandwiches. Then we'd like to be able to fold it up and put it away in a back pack or something when we're finished with it. We won't have a stroller to haul stuff.

I'd like to get a Baggallini Messenger Sling bag, but I'm afraid a collapisble cooler won't fit in it.

Any advice from experienced families?