Bringing Food Into the Parks

[henrylovespooh]

I have a 2 and four year old, and my 2 year old DD has a bottomless pit of a stomach. She sees food and she must eat it. Or scream about it. As you all can imagine, I cannot purchase every snack item she might see in the park, as I will go broke my second day there.

I know they search bags upon entry. Do they allow you to bring in outside food like graham crackers, applesauce, pb&j and crackers? That may be the only thing that saves me.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I have a 2 and four year old, and my 2 year old DD has a bottomless pit of a stomach. She sees food and she must eat it. Or scream about it. As you all can imagine, I cannot purchase every snack item she might see in the park, as I will go broke my second day there.

I know they search bags upon entry. Do they allow you to bring in outside food like graham crackers, applesauce, pb&j and crackers? That may be the only thing that saves me.

The official policy is no outside food, but it is not strictly enforced. I cannot imagine a circumstance in which they would deny a parent bringing in favorite foods for a toddler...except if it were in a glass jar! (Those are no-nos.) Our son will be 12 mos. and CANNOT eat any of the food at WDW due to health reasons...so we will be bringing in some items for him to snack on. Shouldn't be a problem for you to bring her beloved munchies!

 

[dcgrumpy]

I don't recall the exact wording, but in one of the brochures in our room in May it said that outside food and beverages were allowed in the parks. I'd guess that 4 out of our last 6 trips one of our kids was under a year and I always brought one or two jars of food a day. Not one person even mentioned them when searching my bags.

 

[annie1995]

We carried a soft sided cooler with snacks and drinks in all of the parks. Security just peeks inside and says have a great day. We never had any problems

 

[We-Luv-Disney]

We always take snacks for our kids also. One year we had a back pack full of juice boxes, graham crackers and chips for my son and two nieces, no one ever said a word. Last year I saw a family eating food that they brought into the parks in a tupperware container. It should not be a problem.

 

[PrincessKitty]

Soft-sided coolers are fine--just no alcohol or glass containers. Food is no longer considered contraband--you don't need to sneak it in! (...remembering going with my best friend and her kids in the 1980s...WDW food was expensive and awful...my friend snuck in lunch for herself and her kids...)

Remember that drinks are very expensive at WDW (although you can get a glass of free ice water at any counter service restaurant, it's not always worth waiting in line for)--if I remember correctly, the last time I bought bottled water at a park it was $2.50. So you would do well to bring your own drinks as well as snacks.

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[mamaprincess]

We always bring in snacks and have never had any trouble about it.

 

[Princess_Minnie]

We went 4 times last year to WDW and all the parks were fine with the snack idea... we never had any trouble with anyone and we brought both snacks and bottled water.

 

[bytheblood]

You can bring it, especially for your kids. My daughter is a picky snacker, so we had to pack goldfish. fruit snacks and such for her. They never questioned us.

 

[cillakat]

it's a non-issue. i brought a backpack full every day.....and saw many people literally wheeling their coolers in and throwing them in the stroller seat while the child walked.


katherinen in atl

 

[henrylovespooh]

Thanks everyone! What a relief. I will probably bring water as well then - save some money and snack credits.