Coolers in the parks

[Tink575]

We've been to the parks in June and July and it seems the coolers being allowed are larger by the week, everything from large rolling coolers and backpacks to a giant family picnic size igloo being pushed in it's own wheelchair in Epcot. In MK I saw a woman sitting in a full size camp chair complete with arms containing cup holders behind the Christmas shop next to another huge hard side cooler. These alarm me especially the rolling coolers because I'm legally blind and afraid they'll trip me up. Have the rules changed? With increased security you'd think they would stop this.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I totally agree with you. I didn't think the riles changed but seems there are several larger ones, and I too am worried about tripping over them.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

The best thing I've seen recently is a big rolling cooler with a kid's car seat attached to the top with a bungee cord so they didn't need a stroller.

Security didn't stop them, so I didn't either.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

We noticed this as well earlier this month. We saw several large rolling hardsided coolers each day we were in MK, much larger than we have seen in the past. Seems like this rule isn't really enforced anymore.

 

[Jennasis]

While I blame security/Disney for letting these people slip through, I also blame people who think the rules don't apply to thand just bring whatever they heck they darn well please. I've even seen a kid in a wagon being towed through the parks.

 

[Klayfish]

As I've stated before, my wife and I are into fitness and very picky about nutrition, so we pack all of our own food, as well as that of our kids. Packing lunch, drinks and a bunch of snacks for a family of 5 just doesn't fit in a small brown paper bag. When our kids were younger, we used to hang it on the back of our double wide stroller (it made for one heavy stroller with two kids and a heavy lunch bag in it). Last year, we tried getting a cooler on wheels. We got in for a few days, until a CM stopped us at Epcot and said wheeled coolers weren't allowed because you can't have things that you drag behind you. Anything on wheels must be pushed in front of you, so you can see where it's going and not have someone trip over it. After thinking about it a minute, my wife and I agreed that made sense. So now we have a "gear stroller". It's a small folding umbrella stroller we got at Costco. We have a very large soft sided cooler bag (it's probably 24" long, 12" wide and 12" deep) that we pack all of our food in. We sit it in the seat and the handles of the cooler bag slide nicely over the stroller handles to "lock" the bag into place so it can't fall off the seat. We push that stroller with us just as anyone else would push a child in the stroller. Never once had an issue, and have received several surprised but positive comments from CMs and a few guests. More often than not, we'll park it somewhere where we know we'll be returning for lunch and walk around without it. For example, in Epcot, we park it at the Electric Umbrella and leave it there until lunch. We also will strap my wife's carry bag where we keep our ponchos, suntan lotion, autograph books, etc.. That way nobody is really carrying anything except for our phone and money. Works like a charm.

I will say that in our trip to WDW last month, we saw a number of people bringing in wheeled coolers that we had been previously told were not allowed. We thought about bringing ours back in, but agreed that the gear stroller is actually much more convenient than dragging something behind us.

 

[tessiesevin]

We just returned from a great two week trip. There was a family with an ice chest on wheels trying to board the tram. The cast member did not allow him on the tram. He was told they were not allow on the tram or into the parks. So he didn't board the tram and walked to the park entrance where security just looked in it and allowed him through.

 

[wilkeliza]

Such a lapse in security and in enforcing the rules. I honestly can't believe people are getting away with it. I have seen it all though including a child on a hard plastic scooter zipping around the tomorrowland bridge. There is no way they snuck that thing in as it was the type that doesn't collapse and I often see kids here in NYC use instead of just walking.

Unfortunately it is going to take someone doing something bad or someone getting seriously hurt getting trip with a ice chest or getting struck by a kid on a scooter before rules start getting enforced. Or it'll take many people writing into Disney with proof of rules not being enforced.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I can't believe anyone would want to tote a full size cooler around with them all day!!!! I hate carrying a smallish backpack with just our ponchos, phones and camera in it.

 

[brooke789]

I noticed a lot of coolers on wheels during our June trip. In fact, I believe this was the rule I saw broken most often.

 

[DisneyOma]

As I've stated before, my wife and I are into fitness and very picky about nutrition, so we pack all of our own food, as well as that of our kids. Packing lunch, drinks and a bunch of snacks for a family of 5 just doesn't fit in a small brown paper bag. When our kids were younger, we used to hang it on the back of our double wide stroller (it made for one heavy stroller with two kids and a heavy lunch bag in it). Last year, we tried getting a cooler on wheels. We got in for a few days, until a CM stopped us at Epcot and said wheeled coolers weren't allowed because you can't have things that you drag behind you. Anything on wheels must be pushed in front of you, so you can see where it's going and not have someone trip over it. After thinking about it a minute, my wife and I agreed that made sense. So now we have a "gear stroller". It's a small folding umbrella stroller we got at Costco. We have a very large soft sided cooler bag (it's probably 24" long, 12" wide and 12" deep) that we pack all of our food in. We sit it in the seat and the handles of the cooler bag slide nicely over the stroller handles to "lock" the bag into place so it can't fall off the seat. We push that stroller with us just as anyone else would push a child in the stroller. Never once had an issue, and have received several surprised but positive comments from CMs and a few guests. More often than not, we'll park it somewhere where we know we'll be returning for lunch and walk around without it. For example, in Epcot, we park it at the Electric Umbrella and leave it there until lunch. We also will strap my wife's carry bag where we keep our ponchos, suntan lotion, autograph books, etc.. That way nobody is really carrying anything except for our phone and money. Works like a charm.

I will say that in our trip to WDW last month, we saw a number of people bringing in wheeled coolers that we had been previously told were not allowed. We thought about bringing ours back in, but agreed that the gear stroller is actually much more convenient than dragging something behind us.

Thanks, now I know where to look to get a healthy snack!

 

[mrzrich]

While I blame security/Disney for letting these people slip through, I also blame people who think the rules don't apply to thand just bring whatever they heck they darn well please. I've even seen a kid in a wagon being towed through the parks.

Eh it may just be a knowledge thing. People who come from other parts of the country may be used to their regional amusement park. Water park or local zoo. Some of those smaller parks allow coolers and wagons.

 

[labattblue]

I'm very surprised reading about the "coolers with wheels" being allowed in the parks. I didn't see any during two most recent trips over the last 18 months. Reminds of a trip 5-10 years ago, when I had a backpack that had wheels and an extended handle if you didn't want to wear it on your back. Within an hour of being in the park with it, I was told I could carry it, but not wheel it.

 

[redsbe]

They are not permitted and I am guessing that for every one that you see that managed to get into the park there are dozens that do not - so you are taking the risk of going to all the effort and cost to prepare and bring food in a cooler only to have the hassle and delay if refused at the gate. You can easily pack lunch food/snacks and water bottles for a family into 1-2 standard backpacks if preferred.

 

[disnut8]

For the coolers on wheels, we just assumed the guest wasn't pulling it behind him/her when entering the park. Just push down the handle and carry it in and then pull out the handle when you get inside. For the wagon sighting, was it possibly the child needed it for medical purposes? I ask because when we went on the Safari earlier this month, one child in a stroller was pushed right past the stroller drop off place and another parent was very upset until it was explain to her that the child needed the stroller for a medical reason and then I noticed the tag on the stroller.

I figure if someone wants to push/pull a huge cooler around with them all day to save money or have the food they need/want to eat, that's their business and not mine. Now, if they run me over with a huge cooler, then it is my business but it hasn't happened yet so I don't let it concern me.

 

[Yesenia Gonzalez]

We go every summer to WDW and my son is 12 and my daughter is 5. I purchased a sit and stand stroller, my daughter will sit in the front seat and I place a small cooler in the back seat that fits perfectly just for the drinks (it fit enough for the day). For security purposes, this year at MK I was told to pack the ice in bags so the security guy can search better. No problem for me to pack the ice in bags as long as I can bring my cooler in. I save a lot of $ in drinks as my kids love to drink water all day. I also carry a back up that I place in the stroller with a few chips, sunblock and ponchos.

 

[DisneyOma]

For the coolers on wheels, we just assumed the guest wasn't pulling it behind him/her when entering the park. Just push down the handle and carry it in and then pull out the handle when you get inside. For the wagon sighting, was it possibly the child needed it for medical purposes? I ask because when we went on the Safari earlier this month, one child in a stroller was pushed right past the stroller drop off place and another parent was very upset until it was explain to her that the child needed the stroller for a medical reason and then I noticed the tag on the stroller.

I figure if someone wants to push/pull a huge cooler around with them all day to save money or have the food they need/want to eat, that's their business and not mine. Now, if they run me over with a huge cooler, then it is my business but it hasn't happened yet so I don't let it concern me.

There are some wagon-like strollers that can be pushed or pulled, so perhaps someone pushed it in, then switched to pulling. It's so unsafe in such a crowded place to pull something behind you. And it would be even more unsafe to pull a child with such a medical issue that requires a wagon to transport that child.

 

[danielocha30]

I respect the choice of having so specific diets and large families on a budget, but there are plenty of big collapsible coolers on the market to avois bringing a hardsided to the park

 

[hiroMYhero]

***This thread began over a year ago.

You may not want to respond to a year-old post.

 

[amberpi]

As I've stated before, my wife and I are into fitness and very picky about nutrition, so we pack all of our own food, as well as that of our kids. Packing lunch, drinks and a bunch of snacks for a family of 5 just doesn't fit in a small brown paper bag. When our kids were younger, we used to hang it on the back of our double wide stroller (it made for one heavy stroller with two kids and a heavy lunch bag in it). Last year, we tried getting a cooler on wheels. We got in for a few days, until a CM stopped us at Epcot and said wheeled coolers weren't allowed because you can't have things that you drag behind you. Anything on wheels must be pushed in front of you, so you can see where it's going and not have someone trip over it. After thinking about it a minute, my wife and I agreed that made sense. So now we have a "gear stroller". It's a small folding umbrella stroller we got at Costco. We have a very large soft sided cooler bag (it's probably 24" long, 12" wide and 12" deep) that we pack all of our food in. We sit it in the seat and the handles of the cooler bag slide nicely over the stroller handles to "lock" the bag into place so it can't fall off the seat. We push that stroller with us just as anyone else would push a child in the stroller. Never once had an issue, and have received several surprised but positive comments from CMs and a few guests.

That is actually a really good system! Sounds like you're barely using it and keeping it out of the way in the majority.