Can you bring your own can soda to the food court ASM?

[Rosanne]

We are trying to do an ultra budget trip this April. We are staying at ASMovies and will bring our own breakfasty stuff and some snack items (We're driving). Usually when we do ultra budget w/o meal plan we also bring our own canned sodas and if we go to the food court we bring the food back to the room so as not to be tacky or possibly breaking a rule of some sort by buying food from the food court but bringing our own sodas. I was thinking it would be nice to eat in the food court instead so the girls could enjoy the atmosphere and space. We would be buying food there but it just kills me to spend 2 bucks each for a drink. We won't be staying there long enough to make the mugs worthwhile since we are bound to eat at least one meal in the park per day for our four nights.

We do actually have the most recent mugs from our August trip but I'm not going there with that one at all.

So, we can live with bringing the food back to our room but if it is acceptable to buy dinner itself at the food court but have brought our own sodas I would like that better. I tried to search this question but I didn't come up with any results that addressed it.

Thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Mark your cans. I realize Disney soda comes in bottles, but just so there's NO confusion (over paying), mark your cans

If you're buying food court food? I don't see anything wrong with bringing a can of soda each. A case would be a different story

 

[disneydreamin247]

Mark your cans. I realize Disney soda comes in bottles, but just so there's NO confusion (over paying), mark your cans

If you're buying food court food? I don't see anything wrong with bringing a can of soda each. A case would be a different story

Agreed 100%. People bring their own food to eat there, so you can definitely bring your own soda for your meal. There's no rule that says you must buy food to use the tables. You're a paying guest of the resort, and as such are entitled to use of the common areas.

 

[PKWallaby]

If you are worried about what looks you may get by BYO drinks, why not bring the mugs from the August trip and pour your sodas into the mugs when you dine in? That way you are not violating any "mug rules" and would not need to worry about drawing any stares while drinking soda from home.

Crazy Diet Pepsi addict that I am, I always find a way to slip in a can or 20 oz bottle purchased from outside the confines of WDW into a park or food court. This actually reminds me of someone...oh yea, Nebo and Smidgy and their "fuzzy cups" but that's a whole nother story (look for them in the Trip Report forum..great stuff, BTW)

 

[monarchsfan16]

If you're uncomfortable with it, there are most likely tables right outside the foodcourt (outdoors). That would give you even more space, and at meal times, a less chaotic atmosphere.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Agreed 100%. People bring their own food to eat there, so you can definitely bring your own soda for your meal. There's no rule that says you must buy food to use the tables. You're a paying guest of the resort, and as such are entitled to use of the common areas.

On the other hand, it's probably best not to take up a table with one's own food and drink during peak periods - i.e. while others who bought food at the food court search in vain for tables!

 

[Rosanne]

Thanks so much for the replies. It helps. I was wondering what perception would be. Truthfully, even if we weren't watching our money so closely we would prefer bringing our own drinks because 2 of us don't care for the non-caffeinated options at the food court and would prefer to bring our own caffeine-free drinks. None of us can handle caffeine after about 2 pm (we have trouble sleeping).

It's not so much that I would be uncomfortable, just that I wouldn't want to be breaking any rules. I would prefer to eat inside for the convenience and it will be nice to not have to run our tray back to the food court from our room to throw away stuff and stack the tray.

Just talking about it makes me excited for our trip!!!

 

[disneydreamin247]

On the other hand, it's probably best not to take up a table with one's own food and drink during peak periods - i.e. while others who bought food at the food court search in vain for tables!

Oh absolutely, although in all my trips I've never been to the food court when there were no tables to be had. Clearly I don't eat with the masses.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, I know - you dine at exclusive times

 

[bicker]

It surely isn't what the food court was intended for, but they're not going to do anything against a specific individual until after they determine that they want to put a specific prohibition in place, and I doubt that they will do that unless the situation gets very disruptive to their fulfilling their objectives, such as if people started bringing both food and drink, and not buying anything from the food court itself, and that causing a problem finding tables for those who do.

 

[Rosanne]

It surely isn't what the food court was intended for, but they're not going to do anything against a specific individual until after they determine that they want to put a specific prohibition in place, and I doubt that they will do that unless the situation gets very disruptive to their fulfilling their objectives, such as if people started bringing both food and drink, and not buying anything from the food court itself, and that causing a problem finding tables for those who do.

I wasn't sure if you were replying to my question or someone else's post. I do intend to buy food for all three of us from the food court. If by bringing your own drinks then that is not what the food court was intended for even if you bought three meals there then I guess we can just drink ice water or carry our food back to our room. It's not the end of the world and we do buy milk from the food court.

I didn't want to be thought of as trying to get away with something. We don't drink more than a few sips of soda at a meal anyway so if we were at home we would probably drink water or milk and split a can three ways.

 

[bicker]

It was a reply to your message. I'll try to explain a bit better... Generally (of course), restaurants provide dining rooms for consumption of the food and beverages that they sell. There are exceptions, such as restaurants without liquor licenses, but they generally post that exception and are explicit (i.e., that folks are invited to bring their own wine, rather than their own beverages in general). The nature of the food court seems to evoke an impression in guests that it's in some way a community dining room, instead of a dining room for the food court food. I think Disney lets that erroneous impression prevail (even turning a blind eye to the scenario more extreme than yours, i.e., folks bringing both food and beverages into the food court dining room) but it is an exploitation of sorts, one that is condoned in the interest of avoiding eminently avoidable and unnecessary customer dissatisfaction.

The short answer is, yeah, you can do that; the long answer is a bit more nuanced. I hope this clarified that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If by bringing your own drinks then that is not what the food court was intended for even if you bought three meals there then I guess we can just drink ice water

Nope, bring your soda. I prefer Diet Dr Pepper, or flavored soda water - neither of which is easy to find at any restaurant. If I had a can with me (and right now I have five cases of Coke Zero in the car), I would bring it to a food court.

 

[Rosanne]

Well, then, I'll bring my food court food and milk back to my room and we'll have our can of soda as usual. Still can't bring myself to spend $6 on soda when we've already spent $20-$30 on food and milk. One could say we could all split one soda three ways but we aren't good with sharing backwash .

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I wasn't sure if you were replying to my question or someone else's post. I do intend to buy food for all three of us from the food court. If by bringing your own drinks then that is not what the food court was intended for even if you bought three meals there then I guess we can just drink ice water or carry our food back to our room. It's not the end of the world and we do buy milk from the food court.

I didn't want to be thought of as trying to get away with something. We don't drink more than a few sips of soda at a meal anyway so if we were at home we would probably drink water or milk and split a can three ways.

To save money we always bring our own bottled water, and I've carried the bottles into the food court line at moderates and had them on my food trays before, and the cast member checking me out has never had any issues, just said "the bottle is yours?" and that's that. (on the rare occasion I've had the Dasani bottles disney sells, you just show them on the label where it says "12 pack" or "Not labeled for individual sale" and it's never been a big deal)

 

[Rosanne]

Nope, bring your soda. I prefer Diet Dr Pepper, or flavored soda water - neither of which is easy to find at any restaurant. If I had a can with me (and right now I have five cases of Coke Zero in the car), I would bring it to a food court.

Thanks for your input. I probably won't if I am somehow causing someone agitation. I have had enough confrontation from my ex and I try to avoid it when I can. We prefer Wild Cherry Pepsi and Caffeine Free Pepsi ourselves. I have three cans of WCP in the car, LOL.

 

[Disneyadore]

Well, then, I'll bring my food court food and milk back to my room and we'll have our can of soda as usual. Still can't bring myself to spend $6 on soda when we've already spent $20-$30 on food and milk. One could say we could all split one soda three ways but we aren't good with sharing backwash .

Why don't you buy a mug?
You can drink as much as you like during your stay.

 

[Rosanne]

To save money we always bring our own bottled water, and I've carried the bottles into the food court line at moderates and had them on my food trays before, and the cast member checking me out has never had any issues, just said "the bottle is yours?" and that's that. (on the rare occasion I've had the Dasani bottles disney sells, you just show them on the label where it says "12 pack" or "Not labeled for individual sale" and it's never been a big deal)

Now that I think of it, I do bring my own bottled water to the parks and around the resort all the time. If I am thirsty I probably have taken one out of the stroller to drink from it even at the food court. I never even thought of that. Since I carry them everywhere I just used them naturally.

 

[Rosanne]

Why don't you buy a mug?
You can drink as much as you like during your stay.

On my original post I mentioned we are only staying four nights and eating in the parks during the day and in our room in the morning. It's not cost effective to buy mugs and we already own the current design so we aren't interested in them for souveneirs.

 

[Rosanne]

What I'll probably do, after reading all the replies (thanks!) is ... if they are still using August's mug design I'll put my own soda in it and take it with me to supper. That way, I'm not stealing their product (soda), I'm still buying milk and food and I won't be disturbing others. We were only able to use our mugs three times in our August trip since we were only there four nights.

Sounds like a plan. If they change the mug design I'll go to my room or skip the soda.