Can You Bring Food Into The Park

[perdidochas]

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



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.

It would be extremely easy for security to stop it--heck, they go through every bag, and it would take no time to stop this practice, if it bothered the management. Hence, the management must condone it or at least semi-officially tell the security to ignore it.

 

[phillybeth]

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

I agree- great chicken at Tusker House!

OP, all Disney is not 'junk food'. There are plenty of healthy dining options. Every counter-service restaurant serves a salad, wrap, or other low-carb option. You can order a la carte and not have to be tempted by french fries. Each park has at least one stand that sells fresh fruits and veggies. And each park has at least one stand that sells smoked turkey legs- low carb and low fat!

 

[ducklite]

It would be extremely easy for security to stop it--heck, they go through every bag, and it would take no time to stop this practice, if it bothered the management. Hence, the management must condone it or at least semi-officially tell the security to ignore it.

I don't think they condone it but just haven't addressed it. Just because you d'ont agree or allow something doesn't mean you always proactively enforce the rules.

I don't think security feels that they are the ones to make the rules, and until WDW tells them they have to stop people from bringin in outside food, they're not going to.

Anne

 

[perdidochas]

I don't think they condone it but just haven't addressed it. Just because you d'ont agree or allow something doesn't mean you always proactively enforce the rules.

I don't think security feels that they are the ones to make the rules, and until WDW tells them they have to stop people from bringin in outside food, they're not going to.

Anne

Just to be an English nazi, condone is exactly what they do.
(from dictionary.com)
con·done
To overlook, forgive, or disregard (an offense) without protest or censure.

That is exactly what is being done. Condone doesn't mean approve of or encourage, it means to overlook or disregard.

 

[all4fun]

While the intent of the tables near the counter service restaurants is obviously for people to consume food from that restaurant, I disagree with ducklite's assertion that everyone else is relegated to the benches.

I don't bring in food because I'm too lazy, and the food I can get in the park tends to be better than what I would prepare.

That said, there is no signage around the restaurant or seating areas that reserves the tables specifcally for those who purchased food there. Disney has the right and ability to restrict this seating, but has not chosen to do so.

As someone who purchased admission to the park, the persons bringing in food have just as much right to a seat / table as anyone else. Whether or not another person is "pissed off" about it isn't really part of the equation.

 

[imsayin]

I don't think security feels that they are the ones to make the rules, and until WDW tells them they have to stop people from bringin in outside food, they're not going to.

I went to Cub's Spring training in Arizona a few years ago. I can't remember the ballpark's name, but their rule was no food could be brought in from outside and they enforced it. They took my granola bars from my purse and tossed them into a giant box filled with other confiscated items. The food prices in the ballpark were really high and the choice was limited! This policy is very restricting when you have kids with you. You need to be able to pull something out of your bag when you need it. Excluding any cost issues, it can be difficult and time consuming to track down the right snack or even a snack your kid will eat. Anyway, the rule can be enforced, but it creates a lot of problems.

 

[dawnball]

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.

Personally, I bring food every day. However, we have fairly complex dietary restrictions and I got tired of WDW taking 30 minutes to screw them up. I also don't really care where you eat food that you brought with you or purchased onsite since in the great scheme of things it isn't very relevant.

However - I've spent a *long* time perusing Disney menus in the hunt for things I can eat. If you'd like to eat something from an on property CS I can suggest:

MK, Cosmic Ray's - half a chicken, double veggie
MK, Cosmic Ray's - Country Vegetable soup
MK, Cosmic Ray's - Caesar Salad with Chicken (omit the bread)
MK, Pecos Bill's - Chicken Salad
MK, Columbia Harbour House - Chicken Salad

Fruit is available at a cart in liberty square, a cart in toontown and I think a cart in frontierland. You could have turkey leg with it - but I find those disgusting. I'd bring in cheese instead or nuts.

Epcot:
Liberty Inn does a chicken salad
Tangerine Cafe does assorted meats with hummus or lentil salad
Sunshine Seasons has some interesting salads (with beets and goat cheese or seared tuna for example) and (usually low-carb) soups
Back at the bakery in France you can get a nice cheese plate with fresh fruit

MGM is the armpit of WDW, and I haven't ever found much edible there.

AK:
There's a cart near Safari that does cheese and fruit plates.
Tusker House is a great call and they're happy to do double cooked veggie or cooked veggie plus carrot sticks (the cooked veg is usually green beans)
Flame tree does a half chicken that's tasty and not sweet, but the sides leave something to be desired carb-wise. I'd go with slaw or ask for a small side-salad.


There are options. The options get really boring over the course of the trip, because they're all really the same few options. I just thought I'd list some of them because it's handy to know where you can eat *something* that's safe.

 

[DMRick]

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.

Whick rules are these? I have a park map and nothing is said on it. I have a bunch of papers with faq's from last months visit, and not a mention of food.. There is no signage, and when other's have written, they have been told no glass, and they could bring a cooler in that will fit in the lockers with snacks (one mans snack is another man's diner)..although most put them in their backbacks and under strollers. I've brought food in, in many of the 35 or so trips, and not a thing is ever said. We usually buy a sandwich at DTD and bring it to that evening's concert, at Epcot during the spring flower or fall food/wine shows.

 

[DMRick]

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

The commisary has some great stuff, as does that place that is all cement..in the back...they have wraps.

The chicken at the Tusker House..how do they bake it and get it so greasy LOL?

 

[daughtersrus]

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 just wanted to point out that unless a time limit is in place, it's possible that you may not be able to find a seat even if the people sitting at the tables all purchased food. The kitchen can probably cook the food faster than the guests eat.

It's also possible that the 20 seats are being used by someone that purchased some food or drink but maybe they decided to sit a bit longer while the rest of their party went to another attraction.

This kind of reminds me about the GAC. People make judgments on what they "see" without knowing the truth.

Just my opinion.

 

[ducklite]

I just wanted to point out that unless a time limit is in place, it's possible that you may not be able to find a seat even if the people sitting at the tables all purchased food. The kitchen can probably cook the food faster than the guests eat.

It's also possible that the 20 seats are being used by someone that purchased some food or drink but maybe they decided to sit a bit longer while the rest of their party went to another attraction.

This kind of reminds me about the GAC. People make judgments on what they "see" without knowing the truth.

Just my opinion.

I'm talking about people who have unpacked a soft-sided cooler with home made sandwiches and are sitting at the table eating them and drinking juice boxes while others are walking around with their food getting cold. About six months ago this was the scene at the Tusker House at the AK. There were at least four families taking up a total of six tables with their home made food while several parties were walking around with trays of food getting cold looking for a table. Frankly if it ever happens again I'll get a manger involved to ask the people who didn't buy anything from the restaurant to vacate the tables so those who did can have a place to sit.

When the place is all but empty I don't see a problem with it. But when a restaurant is overflowing and people are obviously walking around with trays of food getting cold looking for a table, IMHO it's beyond rude to take a table with the food you've brought in "from home."

Anne

 

[daughtersrus]

I'm talking about people who have unpacked a soft-sided cooler with home made sandwiches and are sitting at the table eating them and drinking juice boxes while others are walking around with their food getting cold. About six months ago this was the scene at the Tusker House at the AK. There were at least four families taking up a total of six tables with their home made food while several parties were walking around with trays of food getting cold looking for a table. Frankly if it ever happens again I'll get a manger involved to ask the people who didn't buy anything from the restaurant to vacate the tables so those who did can have a place to sit.

When the place is all but empty I don't see a problem with it. But when a restaurant is overflowing and people are obviously walking around with trays of food getting cold looking for a table, IMHO it's beyond rude to take a table with the food you've brought in "from home."

Anne

Since this isn't a debate board, I don't really want to get into it.

Since Disney does not have any rules that prohibit guests from bringing in food and there are no signs posted that reserve the areas that you're talking about, the other guests are not doing anything wrong. You don't have to like or agree with what they are doing but it doesn't mean that they don't have a right to do it. What exactly do you think that the manager will do? Will you ask the manager to make other guests leave as well if they have finished their food but are still sitting at the table?

All of the guests paid the same price that you did to use the facilities at the park, including the tables. I don't believe that you have any more right to use those tables than anyone else. If there are no tables available, you could find a seat on a bench or any of the other areas that you mentioned.

For the record, the only food that we have ever brought in the parks are some snacks and frozen juice boxes and water bottles. We purchase our meals at the various restaurants but I don't have a problem with anyone sitting at the tables even if they want to sit down and cool off without eating or drinking anything(from home or purchased at the establishment).

 

[ducklite]

Since this isn't a debate board, I don't really want to get into it.

Since Disney does not have any rules that prohibit guests from bringing in food and there are no signs posted that reserve the areas that you're talking about, the other guests are not doing anything wrong. You don't have to like or agree with what they are doing but it doesn't mean that they don't have a right to do it. What exactly do you think that the manager will do? Will you ask the manager to make other guests leave as well if they have finished their food but are still sitting at the table?

All of the guests paid the same price that you did to use the facilities at the park, including the tables. I don't believe that you have any more right to use those tables than anyone else. If there are no tables available, you could find a seat on a bench or any of the other areas that you mentioned.

For the record, the only food that we have ever brought in the parks are some snacks and frozen juice boxes and water bottles. We purchase our meals at the various restaurants but I don't have a problem with anyone sitting at the tables even if they want to sit down and cool off without eating or drinking anything(from home or purchased at the establishment).

I disagree. I look at it this way. You pay to stay at a resort, that doesn't give you the right to sit in their restaurants and eat the food you brought from home. Why would you think it's any different at a park restaurant.

And yes, I hope that the restaurant manager would ask those who were eating the picnic they had brought in with them to vacate tables in a CS restaurant when those who had bought food there were waiting for a table. If s/he didn't I'd be complaining to guest services. If I buy food at a restaurant, I expect to be able to eat it there, not on a bench outside while someone who hadn't bought food there sat inside and ate.

If I buy a room at a resort I expect to be able to get a chair at the pool, not have to sit on the ground because people from another resort--or off-site were using the chairs. IMHO it's the same principal.

And just because there are no signs posted saying "Don't Jump Off the Bridge" it doesn't mean it's OK to do.

Anne

 

[C.Ann]

Since this isn't a debate board, I don't really want to get into it.

Since Disney does not have any rules that prohibit guests from bringing in food and there are no signs posted that reserve the areas that you're talking about, the other guests are not doing anything wrong. You don't have to like or agree with what they are doing but it doesn't mean that they don't have a right to do it. What exactly do you think that the manager will do? Will you ask the manager to make other guests leave as well if they have finished their food but are still sitting at the table?

All of the guests paid the same price that you did to use the facilities at the park, including the tables. I don't believe that you have any more right to use those tables than anyone else. If there are no tables available, you could find a seat on a bench or any of the other areas that you mentioned.

For the record, the only food that we have ever brought in the parks are some snacks and frozen juice boxes and water bottles. We purchase our meals at the various restaurants but I don't have a problem with anyone sitting at the tables even if they want to sit down and cool off without eating or drinking anything(from home or purchased at the establishment).

------------------------------

Last year there was quite a debate about this so I emailed Guest Services to find out exactly where they stood in terms of bringing food into the parks.. The response was that they had no problems with bringing food in, but they specifically stated that there was no seating available for those who bring food from outside of the park.. I took that to mean that the tables were reserved for those who purchased food and/or drinks at the restaurants and counter service areas..

 

[BethR]

Ladies and gentlemen. The OP asked a question that pretty much could be answered with one word -yes or no. (And the answer IS yes.)

There is not the long-departed Debate Board. There is no reason to be debating information that the OP was not even looking for.

Why don't we leave the answer as this?

Yes you can bring in your own food. There are lots of benches and open areas around the parks in which you can sit and enjoy your snack or meal.

Thank you.

 

[Genieklone]

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.

My dad made me drag in the cooler filled with sandwiches soda and even stand in line with it! At 13, I was mortified. It is much easier if you saty on site, you can keep your food in your hotel and only bring small things to hold you over in a little fanny pack.