Hello ! I'm new ! Can we pack food to bring into WDW ?

[KLALUV]

I am new here and this is my first time trying to learn this new site. I just had Gastric Bypass Surgery a week ago and have already on my pre diet lost 65 pounds and am down from a size 24 to a 16 and am hoping to get to 150 before we are planning a trip in May. I am wondering if I can pack and bring snacks/healthy choices in with me in my purse or a little bag ? we will be on a tight budget and I will have a small appetite but will need to avoid sugar and carbs and need protien. We havent been in 12 years so any advice is helpful !

 

[minnie mum]

First things first: Welcome to the Dis!

Second: yes, of course you can bring your own food and drinks into both your resort and the parks. The only restrictions in the parks is : small coolers (not on wheels) are allowed. NO glass containers. NO alcohol. Other than that you're good to go.

I'm not sure what you are planning for purchasing CS or TS meals in the parks for the family. You may want to take a look at the menus on allears.net to see the menus there. You may find that there is enough healthy variety that you can share meals with someone in your family. The only thing I will caution you about is regarding the buffets and family style restaurants. This can be a challenge for guests with gastric bypass because the full rate for the meal will be charged for each person seated at the table, whether they eat anything or not. This is of course not a factor at all at any of the a la carte restaurants.

 

[KLALUV]

First things first: Welcome to the Dis!

Second: yes, of course you can bring your own food and drinks into both your resort and the parks. The only restrictions in the parks is : small coolers (not on wheels) are allowed. NO glass containers. NO alcohol. Other than that you're good to go.

I'm not sure what you are planning for purchasing CS or TS meals in the parks for the family. You may want to take a look at the menus on allears.net to see the menus there. You may find that there is enough healthy variety that you can share meals with someone in your family. The only thing I will caution you about is regarding the buffets and family style restaurants. This can be a challenge for guests with gastric bypass because the full rate for the meal will be charged for each person seated at the table, whether they eat anything or not. This is of course not a factor at all at any of the a la carte restaurants.

Thank you do much for the advice! We are going to stay at the new hotel in a Little Mermaid room and I will request a little refrigerator. This trip will just be myself , husband , and 13 year old daughter. I invited her best friend but they aren't sure yet. My daughter is a picky eater so some meals can be at the cafes and kids meals and packed snacks. But we should aim for a nice dinner each day. She loves salad and soup so that's easy.my husband will eat anything e crept seafood but is super cheap. So good luck as I will scour menus to have ideas beforehand. I read the average walk per day in WDW is 8 miles so that is my new daily workout goal.

 

[ttintagel]

Also, no plastic straws in Animal Kingdom (if an animal somehow gets hold of one, it can choke on it).

 

[Tropical Wilds]

And Kindergarten rules apply... If you're bringing some for you, bring enough for everybody because you have to share.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes. No large or wheeled coolers, no glass containers (exception made for baby food I believe) and no alcoholic beverages. Plastic straws and cup lids will not be allowed into Animal Kingdom.

 

[MHSweb79]

I noticed you said your husband is cheap. He may experience severe sticker shock when dining at any table-service restaurant inside WDW.

Go on over to allears.net and take a look at their restaurant reviews and menus, and maybe get him used the idea of spending upwards of $80-$100 for a sit-down meal for three.

OR, consider getting the regular dining plan if you are purchasing a package that includes hotel & admission. This way everyone can order what they want without looking at the prices. It's a lot of food, though, and would likely be wasted on you. No appetizers are included but you get dessert with both lunch and dinner. (Before you ask, no, you can't purchase the dining plan for your DH and DD and not yourself- everyone in the room must be on the same plan.)

And finally, congratulations on your weight loss!

 

[dvcterry]

Congratulations on your weight loss. We always brought baggies of snacks and bottle water or our refill mugs to refill with water for our family to the parks. Sometimes we freeze the grapes or a frozen yogurt for the kiddos for early morning snack. It's just nice to keep the snacks handy when we need them. Hope you have a great time.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. All the Resort rooms now have a dorm-size refrigerator.

2. If you are not on a dining plan you can order children's meals at just about any location. Also, you can not order for yourself but eat from your husband's (or daughter's) plate.

3. Just tell your server that you are sharing, and an extra plate will be brought. Often the entree will be split in the kitchen for you.

4. At the four major parks (AK, DHS, EC, MK) coolers are restricted to "small, soft-sided, which can fit in a locker". And they cannot be rolling bags.

The only restrictions that apply to all parks (theme and water) are nothing in glass containers (other than medicines and baby food) and no alcoholic beverages.

Some things people don't think about (which tend to be in glass) are pickles, salsa, Mayonnaise, Starbucks drinks, Snapple drinks, Tabasco.

5. Not only are there full menus online at allearsnet.com, but also right here in The Dis. Go to the top of the page and you will see two lines of links; the middle of the second line has <DINING> and all menus are available there (and it is searchable).

 

[ChristineNic]

Congrats on your weight loss!

I have had a gastric band for more than a year and have been to WDW four times since my surgery. I believe our eating guidelines are similar. At WDW, I have a protein bar or pre-made shake for breakfast every day, mainly to start my day off with a good amount of protein. I also keep low fat cheese sticks and turkey pepperoni in the fridge in the room. They are tasty boosts of protein for a small meal, and both would be easily portable in a small cooler.

Disney is amazingly accomodating at all of their ala carte restaurants. I usually don't even order a meal of my own, I ask for a plate to share to with my DH. At most restaurants, the waitstaff asked me how much of DH's meal I wanted on a separate plate and they served it to me separately plated.

At the restaurants where I didn't want to have what DH ordered, I was able to order a small portion, for example, I had a single pineapple macadamia pancake at Kona cafe. At CS, I ordered child's meals and saved the grapes for a snack later.

I would not recommend the dining plan. It is simply too much food for us and it is too rigid to meet our nutrition needs. I also avoid buffets and family style restaurants, unless my family really wants try a particular experience/show.

 

[mrsdrake625]

Congrats on the weight loss and YAY for a Disney trip!

My husband and I recently went to WDW; I have a gluten intolerance, and despite the amazing allergy service with Disney, we preferred to pack our own healthier (cheaper!) snacks as well. We saw some healthier snacks for sale in the parks, but for the prices they were asking, we were easily able to pack it in our backpacks for much less money.

We used a camelbak-type backpack with a freezeable gel insert that held about 2L of water. We put the insert in the fridge overnight, filled it with ice in the morning, and put some of the veggies that would benefit from staying cool (carrots, the cheese, etc) next to the gel insert. It was well inside the backpack, so it actually stayed cold - not cool but cold - for a good while. The ice melted slowly, so we could refill the insert at a water fountain during the day. We also carried little 16 oz Nalgenes that fit easily in my backpack.

We also like to split entrees, there was no issue at all when we asked.

For a fun treat, the Dole Whips are pretty lo-cal (and gluten free!), and they're REALLY good You can get them at Aloha Isle in MK or at the Polynesian somewhere, I believe. You gotta try one!

Here is my backpack - it's not a camelbak, so I kept the dry goods in mine. I don't think I paid near as much as the link - try eBags.
http://www.campsaver.com/atom-sling-pack?gclid=COith9_VurMCFQMFnQodnGcAPw

My husband's bag was very similar to this but much older so I don't have a good link.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/ROKK-Spire-Hydration-Pack/16617697

Here is the freezeable "bladder" (that word kinda skeeves me out)
http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Products-Cool-Hydration-Bladder/dp/B003UQFPE2

We both took our bags on rides with no issues.

Have fun!

 

[KLALUV]

Congrats on the weight loss and YAY for a Disney trip!

My husband and I recently went to WDW; I have a gluten intolerance, and despite the amazing allergy service with Disney, we preferred to pack our own healthier (cheaper!) snacks as well. We saw some healthier snacks for sale in the parks, but for the prices they were asking, we were easily able to pack it in our backpacks for much less money.

We used a camelbak-type backpack with a freezeable gel insert that held about 2L of water. We put the insert in the fridge overnight, filled it with ice in the morning, and put some of the veggies that would benefit from staying cool (carrots, the cheese, etc) next to the gel insert. It was well inside the backpack, so it actually stayed cold - not cool but cold - for a good while. The ice melted slowly, so we could refill the insert at a water fountain during the day. We also carried little 16 oz Nalgenes that fit easily in my backpack.

We also like to split entrees, there was no issue at all when we asked.

For a fun treat, the Dole Whips are pretty lo-cal (and gluten free!), and they're REALLY good You can get them at Aloha Isle in MK or at the Polynesian somewhere, I believe.


Wow! Everyone thank you so much for do many responses , tips and well wishes!! These are all great tips! I had never heard of a backpack with a bladder and will get one for sure. There's no way my husband would pay 100 for a meal and never more than once. I will look at the menus and plan carefully. Thank you so much!!

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Living here I go to the parks often but definitely don't want to eat at the restaurants every time I visit. So most of the time I bring my own lunch. Also even if you don't order from a CS location if there are free tables available it is perfectly ok to sit there and enjoy your packed lunch - I do this all the time - a CM at CHH clued me in when he saw a whole family eating PB&J not far from the entrance of the restaurant - he invited them to come inside and find a table. I love Disney!