Cracking down on outside food?

[larryz]

I could see them charging a "corkage/foodage" fee if you insist on bringing in outside food/drink. Let's be honest, WDW has invested a lot of money into their food service options, and they fully expect customers to spend money in those venues. Bringing in your own food reduces their income per revenue unit.

 

[aaarcher86]

No personal impact here, but I can't see how they'd enforce this entirely.

They already have a cooler rule, maybe they'll just ban them all together.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Perhaps Disney will institute an up-charge for bringing in your own food. They could call it the "Domestic Food Processional" and charge $24.99 per person for the privilege of bringing in a bagged lunch. Disney is the master of up-charges so I'm thinking that no grilled cheese will be left unturned in the never ending quest for profits from the guest.

~NM

 

[larryz]

Perhaps Disney will institute an up-charge for bringing in your own food. They could call it the "Domestic Food Processional" and charge $24.99 per person for the privilege of bringing in a bagged lunch. Disney is the master of up-charges so I'm thinking that no grilled cheese will be left unturned in the never ending quest for profits from the guest.

~NM

If they do that, they'll have to introduce two new characters to lead the processional: "Nickle" and "Dime."

 

[mshanson3121]

Take this with a grain of salt, as always, but according to this article there is speculation that Disney will be cracking down on food and drink brought into the parks. Thoughts on this? Do you bring a lot of food in? We usually only bring in bottled water, but we don't have kiddos. Will this have a major impact on your family's vacation?

This would potentially be a deal breaker for us, yes. Since one of the only ways we're able to afford Disney is by staying off site and making/packing our own food. If we're required to purchase all our food from them, yeah, it could be the difference between going or not.

 

[mshanson3121]

Take this with a grain of salt, as always, but according to this article there is speculation that Disney will be cracking down on food and drink brought into the parks. Thoughts on this? Do you bring a lot of food in? We usually only bring in bottled water, but we don't have kiddos. Will this have a major impact on your family's vacation?

What is the website? The link doesn't work.

 

[Dismama2boys]

We never bring anything to eat or drink into the parks. We purchase everything in park as needed. We're on vacation.

I'm not sure of your point. I guess that this doesn't affect you? Plenty of people bring in food for a variety of reasons. We bring in snacks for our kids who have food issues, and water so it's always handy. As a child, the only way we were able to afford to go to WDW was for my mom to pack us a lunch. I found your comment a bit off-putting and elitist.

 

[pmaurer74]

I could see them banning coolers but we bring in gatorade every day and snacks. Usually this is all Disney products anyway but where would the limits be? What about infants? I think this is unlikely and would be tough to enforce. I was always surprised they allowed it though.

 

[Gracie09]

I would just like them to enforce their existing rules. There is already a rule about hard coolers and rolling bags/coolers.

 

[tlmadden73]

I would think it would be a nightmare to enforce unless they went with a policy that NFL stadiums have where you pretty much can't bring ANYTHING in but what is in your pockets and a SMALL bag. For a park that caters towards small children (that require strollers, diaper bags, snacks, water bottles, etc.), I would think they would not want to go to a "can't bring anything in" policy ---- even though that would make the park a LOT less crowded inside (imagine the parks if people actually did the parks like they did we WE were young .. no giant backpacks ... kids in either a small umbrella stroller or NO stroller at all??? the walkways would be easy to get through!)).


On a trip in Ocotober 2014 I was traveling with a 2 year old. Because we had a stroller to pretty much carry stuff, we had a SMALL soft-sided cooler bag for a few sandwiches and snacks for a "brown bag" lunch on some days and then we would just have an early buffet (usually character) dinner. It just hung over the handles of the stroller. Keeping him (and us) fed and watered made us have a much better day. Less cranky people throughout.

1) It wasn't really a financial choice as more of a choice to save time. Sitting down and grabbing a sandwich wherever you happen saves a huge amount of time compared to trying to find a quick service .. waiting in probably a long line .. and THEN eating.

2) Depending on the weather (hot, humid) . .I am really not that hungry come mid-day.

On another trip in August, we chose NOT to brown bag it .. as we felt it would be too warm to keep sandwiches cool .. and we would want the lunchtime break to just sit down and cool off. We instead used that space to bring ponchos and "cooling" gear. (both needed).

 

[MakiraMarlena]

What is the website? The link doesn't work.

That link is blocked, meaning the filter won't allow it to be posted.

When the OP asks the questions "does it affect you" and somebody comes along and says "no, it doesn't affect me" does that make them elitist? If you eat in the park and don't bring in a lunch, you are elitist? It doesn't really affect me either. I don't have to bring in a Coke with me.

Would LOVE to see them enforce the rules about large and rolling coolers though.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

What is the website? The link doesn't work.

Just Google the name of the website.

 

[larryz]

1) It wasn't really a financial choice as more of a choice to save time. Sitting down and grabbing a sandwich wherever you happen saves a huge amount of time compared to trying to find a quick service .. waiting in probably a long line .. and THEN eating.

Ah, but sitting down and eating is part of WDW's "Master Guest Paradigm" -- they expect you, nay, they NEED you to do this to help maximize revenue unit throughput; when you're sitting in a CS or TS having lunch, you're NOT in line at an attraction.

Blocking you from bringing in food means you don't mess up the algorithm.

 

[Disneylover99]

No food allowed in is the next strategy in getting people to eat at Skipper's Canteen.

 

[JudieB]

Can you walk up to any counter service restaurant and ask for a cup for water? Personally, I'd rather get a cup when I'm thirsty and not carry anything (even a bottle of water) around the park. (I have nothing against bottled water but I have nothing against free water from the soda machine either lol.)

Also, semi-related - is there a park entrance line for visitors WITHOUT bags and coolers that need to be checked?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Doubt it. They're going to do what... harass diabetics or people on special diets just to try to sell more overpriced snacks??

If I had a nickel for every story from this source that turned into NOTHING...

 

[monorailrabbit]

What is the website? The link doesn't work.

I had to remove the link. I'm sorry

 

[HM]

There is a water park near us that allows in no food or drink.
You can keep a cooler in their outside the gate picnic area (they have a shack where you give them to a worker to store until you need it). All meals not from in the park must be eaten out there.

Our local zoo, has outside the gate picnic areas at the two entrances. You store you stuff in your car and then picnic out there. Only food and drink from the park can be eaten inside.

Maybe WDW is looking to move in this direction?

 

[Dismama2boys]

That link is blocked, meaning the filter won't allow it to be posted.

When the OP asks the questions "does it affect you" and somebody comes along and says "no, it doesn't affect me" does that make them elitist? If you eat in the park and don't bring in a lunch, you are elitist? It doesn't really affect me either. I don't have to bring in a Coke with me.

Would LOVE to see them enforce the rules about large and rolling coolers though.

I missed the part where the op asked if people brought food it. The reply now makes more sense. However, I find the attitude of "we're on vacation, duh" to be elitist, yes. Do you (the general you) think that those that bring in food are on business trips? What does that even mean?? Yes, we're on vacation too, but my kids still have food issues on vacation. People with allergies still have their allergies on vacation. Some people prefer to eat healthier, even while on vacation. It is not always about money. But many times it is, and that's fine too. Some people can only afford that vacation by bringing in food. It's no less of a vacation for them just because they need to bring in food.

 

[keepswimming76]

I would just like them to enforce their existing rules. There is already a rule about hard coolers and rolling bags/coolers.

I'm guessing this is what they are trying to stop. We bring in a few granola bars, fruit snacks for the kids, and water. We still eat in the park it's just stuff to get us through until the next meal. All that walking makes us hungry!