Can You Bring Food Into The Park

[speck]

Both my husband and I are diabetic.

We really don't need to eat fast food at the park. Are you allowed to bring food of any kind in?

TIA

 

[momma leaps]

Yes. I've brought in snacks every trip that we've gone. My kids are constant snackers. You are not allowed to bring alcohol and I think glass. But other than that I'm sure it won't be a problem.

 

[TaraPA]

Don't forget no straws in AK - even the little juice box ones. We always took snacks & little juice boxes in for the kids when they were younger & a CM kindly reminded us once that we couldn't have the straws on the juiceboxes. You can ask for a courtesy cup at most places that serve drinks in AK so you can open up the juice box & pour it in. Better yet just take juice with a twist off cap!

When I was a kid & my parents were on a major budget (aka being cheap) my mom would pack entire meals for us in her tote bag. We'd sit at any outdoor restaraunt seating area & pull out the food & eat. No one ever said a word.

 

[ducklite]

Don't forget no straws in AK - even the little juice box ones. We always took snacks & little juice boxes in for the kids when they were younger & a CM kindly reminded us once that we couldn't have the straws on the juiceboxes. You can ask for a courtesy cup at most places that serve drinks in AK so you can open up the juice box & pour it in. Better yet just take juice with a twist off cap!

When I was a kid & my parents were on a major budget (aka being cheap) my mom would pack entire meals for us in her tote bag. We'd sit at any outdoor restaraunt seating area & pull out the food & eat. No one ever said a word.

I don't think this is appropriate. I can't tell you how many times we got out counter service meal and walked around with it getting cold looking for a table, and noticing tables full of families and their picnic lunches. Really pissed me off that the tables meant for restaurant patrons were being taken by those who weren't patrons, when there are other places that those people could have gone to eat.

Anne

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

Absolutley! Bring whatever you like, they don't mind. Besides, like pp stated straws(AK) and glass of course. We always bring in food for hungry toddlers.

 

[Earstou]

I don't think this is appropriate...tables meant for restaurant patrons were being taken by those who weren't patrons, when there are other places that those people could have gone to eat.
Anne

For those of us not in the know, could you possibly point out where these other places are?
That would have been a much kinder response in the first place!

 

[mrsklamc]

It does have to be in a small, soft sided cooler, though, if it's something that has to be chilled.

 

[TaraPA]

For those of us not in the know, could you possibly point out where these other places are?
That would have been a much kinder response in the first place!

I agree! Geez Ducklite - lighten up! First of all way back in the 70's Disney was MUCH less crowded than it is now, so seating for everyone was never an issue. My family, now or then, would never take away seats from other patrons, buying or non-buying ones. I have never seen any signage that states that seating is for patrons only. And yes, please DO enlighten us inappropriate folks where additional seating is located.

 

[ducklite]

For those of us not in the know, could you possibly point out where these other places are?
That would have been a much kinder response in the first place!

I'm not sure how my response was unkind--it was truthful. Blunt perhaps, but not mean.

There are benches in every single park. Many of them are in out of the way places, you just have to keep your eyes open for them.

At the MK you can sit down by the old swan boat loading area in front of the castle, there's never anyone down there. Also on Tom Sawyer's Island there are several great places for a picnic lunch.

At Epcot there are benches back in the gardens behind the UK.

At the AK there are benches here and there, back at Rafiki's Planet Watch there are some nice shaded areas.

At MGM there are benches along Mickey Avenue in teh back of the park, which seems to be a path less traveled on all but the businest days.

Restaurant seating is designed to accomodate the maximum load that the kitchen can handle. When the kitchen is working at full capacity, they will be serving more people than there are seats
if people who haven't bought food from the kitchen take seats. Until you've been frustrated by watching your food grow cold while 20 seats were being taken by people who didn't purcahse food there, I guess you won't understand why it's so bothersome to those that have.

Anne

 

[mommybunnyof2]

We live about an hour away and try to go at least once a month. We often have packed a picnic lunch in a softsided lunchbag. We also bring in drinks (water/juice). Lately we've been adding the lemonade to-go packets to the water. No one has ever said anything about bringing food into the parks.

And, yes, we've actually ate our picnic lunch at a table. In our defense we did eat early (around 11:00) and we sat in the back of the seating area. There were plenty of tables so we didn't feel uncomfortable about using one. I think that if the counter service area was crowded we would have found a bench somewhere else, though. We wanted have wanted to get "cheapskate" stares from folks.

We are going over this Thursday and will be celebrating our daughter's 7th birthday by having lunch with the Epcot Princesses. So, we are not always cheapskates, but we can afford to go more often if we bring our lunch.

Enjoy your trip!

MommyBunnyof2

 

[Earstou]

Saying someones actions "pissed" you off, while you might see it as being blunt, is often taken as being unkind by those it is directed at. Tactfulness is always appreciated!
So you are saying there are no actual tables, just benches? I haven't been down to the swan boat landing in some time, so don't know if there are benches or tables there.

 

[ducklite]

Saying someones actions "pissed" you off, while you might see it as being blunt, is often taken as being unkind by those it is directed at. Tactfulness is always appreciated!

You're entitled to your opinion as I"m entitled to mine. I call it like I see it.

So you are saying there are no actual tables, just benches? I haven't been down to the swan boat landing in some time, so don't know if there are benches or tables there.

Just benches. You might find tables over at the now closed Aunt Polly's on Tom Sawyers though--I haven't been over there in years. Frankly if WDW really condoned people bringing in thier own lunch, they would provide picnic areas. They don't, so while security turns a blind eye, they obviously really don't want people bringing outside food.

If they provided a picnic area, then of course bringing a meal and eating there--not rushing thorugh your meal even if others were waiting--would be entirely appropriate.

Anne

 

[lpandorf]

We've been a few times the past three years and each time we've brought in food and drinks. I've brought mostly snacky stuff like granola bars and apples. Also bring in a few bottles of water.

 

[T. Lynn]

We've brought sandwhiches, drinks and snacks before with no problems.

 

[perdidochas]

Both my husband and I are diabetic.

We really don't need to eat fast food at the park. Are you allowed to bring food of any kind in?

TIA

The rules say that you can't UNLESS it is for special dietary needs. That said, I've brought in a backpack full of sandwiches, snacks, and bottled water. They never said anything about it when inspecting my bags.

 

[ducklite]

Just as an FYI to the OP, not all of the counter service is fried food.

At the AK you can get a baked chicken meal at the Tusker House. At Epcot there are numerous healthy possibilities. At the MK, Cosmic Rays has salads, and the Columbia Harbour House has chowder. MGM would probably be the most difficult.

Anne

 

[speck]

Thanks for the replies.

We can't eat a lot of carbs so therefore we need a protein(meat) and veggies unless we want our blood sugars to sky rocket. Then later we have fruit with a protein for a snack and that would be hard to find at the parks.

 

[ducklite]

Thanks for the replies.

We can't eat a lot of carbs so therefore we need a protein(meat) and veggies unless we want our blood sugars to sky rocket. Then later we have fruit with a protein for a snack and that would be hard to find at the parks.

Actually there is fresh fruit for sale in every park. You could bring some nuts for your protein and have that with your fruit. And like I pointed out, you can get counter service foods that would suit your needs in each park except maybe MGM. And that chicken at the TUsler House is EXCELLENT!

Anne

 

[perdidochas]

I don't think this is appropriate. I can't tell you how many times we got out counter service meal and walked around with it getting cold looking for a table, and noticing tables full of families and their picnic lunches. Really pissed me off that the tables meant for restaurant patrons were being taken by those who weren't patrons, when there are other places that those people could have gone to eat.

Anne

I agree with you. I have carried lunch into the parks. However, we never sat at a table close to a counter service restaurant unless there were many empty tables around. Generally, we sit at park benches.

 

[perdidochas]

I'm not sure how my response was unkind--it was truthful. Blunt perhaps, but not mean.

There are benches in every single park. Many of them are in out of the way places, you just have to keep your eyes open for them.

Yes. They are all over the place.

At the MK you can sit down by the old swan boat loading area in front of the castle, there's never anyone down there. Also on Tom Sawyer's Island there are several great places for a picnic lunch.

Last time at MK, we at at the tables for Aunt Polly's restaurant (it did happen to be closed at the time).

At Epcot there are benches back in the gardens behind the UK.

I've eaten in the Innoventions area, which is towards The Land, and at some of the benches in that same general vicinity.

At the AK there are benches here and there, back at Rafiki's Planet Watch there are some nice shaded areas.

At MGM there are benches along Mickey Avenue in teh back of the park, which seems to be a path less traveled on all but the businest days.

Restaurant seating is designed to accomodate the maximum load that the kitchen can handle. When the kitchen is working at full capacity, they will be serving more people than there are seats
if people who haven't bought food from the kitchen take seats. Until you've been frustrated by watching your food grow cold while 20 seats were being taken by people who didn't purcahse food there, I guess you won't understand why it's so bothersome to those that have.

Anne

I do agree with your point. Us cheapskates need to find alternative seating.