My MIL said bringing food to park is not allowed

[mom2nickntink]

She said a friend said you can't bring food into the park. Is this true? What is and isn't allowed? There is no where I go without having snacks and drinks (my 15 mo old is still on bottles). Don't know if this is just her way so we don't bring food or if she misunderstood. I figues between PB & J, deli and buy a turkey leg or two and then make turkey sandwiches we have lunch covered for the 4 park days.

Our hotel offers free breakfast and if we bring our lunchs (bottles of water, sandwich and fruit) then we can spend freely on a snack and dinners at parks and not kill ourselves financially.

The Mousesavers website had an idea to carry a cooler as one of your checked luggage (instead of a suitcase), does anyone know if this is still allowed? Don't know if this hinders any security issues. We have both styrfoam and plastic ones. I guess we could also pack some stuff with our clothes or in a suitcase as long as we don't overpack on clothes.

Thank you all for ideas.

Mara

 

[BCV23]

It is the official policy not to bring in food but I think it is to discourage people having picnics instead of buying food. We have a son with diabetes and we always bring in a piece of fruit for him. Bottles and babyfood are to be expected and I bet a majority of people with toddlers bring in snacks.

We've never carried in our lunch but I doubt very much that security would even bat an eye.

 

[Gillian]

I think you are officially allowed to bring baby food or special food for medical conditions. But most people bring in snacks anyway and security doesn't care.

I don't think you could check a styrofoam cooler. I would bring a hardisded plastic one if you plan to check it. you can also buy a styrofoam one at a grocery store for ~ $3. We packed a small folding soft-sided one in our luggage. we had a refrigerator in our room, so we didn't need a cooler to store food.

 

[WDW2002]

Like the others of said, officially food is not allowed to be brought into the parks, with the exception of the water parks. You can bring water and baby food, formula etc. However, they will not likely confiscate it if you do. I wouldn't try bringing in a hardsided cooler to the parks, but a small softsided cooler or diaper bag would be okay.

 

[travelitis]

You can check in a cooler with or without food in it. Don't even attempt the styrofoam. Until Feb. I was an airline ticket agent, and I saw many people going to Mexico, Disney, etc. with coolers full of food. We opened all coolers, though, so I wouldn't bother taping it until you get to check-in. Airlines have tape, but I'd carry duct tape anyway.

Don't worry about taking snacks and baby food in the parks. I've done it with no problems the last 3 trips. I took a small soft sided cooler with juice, milk, pb sandwich, cheese sticks, and a soda or 2 for dh. My kids carry fanny packs with small snacks. Although we have plenty of Disney dining planned, we'll also probably take sandwiches in our little cooler some days. If you're park hopping you can also pack a picnic lunch, leave it in your car and eat it while you park hop.

 

[sha_lyn]

we actually have a cooler that zips. IT is like a soft cooler but has a plastic insert. I think it came from Wal Mart. I think that would work better than taping one up.

 

[travelitis]

When I mentioned taping, I was referring to checking the cooler through as a piece of luggage. For that purpose you wouldn't want to use a soft sided cooler. Soft sides would be fine as carry on or inside other luggage.

 

[B3LM]

We've always taken snacks with us into the parks and it's never been a problem.

 

[sha_lyn]

Originally posted by travelitis
When I mentioned taping, I was referring to checking the cooler through as a piece of luggage. For that purpose you wouldn't want to use a soft sided cooler. Soft sides would be fine as carry on or inside other luggage.

I don't see how a soft side with a hard plastic insert like I mentioned would be a problem.

 

[travelitis]

Well, I would've had you sign a limited release meaning the airline wasn't liable for ANY damage to the container or contents, because the packaging was inadequate. That's how it is for soft-sided golf club bags as well. I'm not saying they won't take it, but as a passenger I wouldn't check it. In 3 years I not once saw a soft sided cooler on the bag belt. Would your cooler withstand a 70 lb. suitcase, or several of them, riding on top of it? There's also the danger of soft sides getting ripped. They are just not as likely to stand up to being hefted around as a hard side. Perhaps the plastic insert in your cooler is thicker than the ones I've seen, but having seen luggage handling first-hand I would check only hard side coolers.

Another option is to gate check a soft sided cooler so it will ride in a separate compartment of the luggage hold. That's what we do with our soft sided bag of snorkel equipment and stroller.

Having said that I will add that many passengers were surprised when we told them they should remove prescription meds and cameras from checked luggage. I even had a passenger almost not get to take his vacation because after I checked his I.D., he PUT HIS PASSPORT IN HIS BAG AND CHECKED IT.

 

[Erikarate]

Our kids are 6 and 8 years old and we still cram them into our beat-up stroller (DD's legs are hanging out, it's so funny) with our cooler (one of those soft, portable ones) strapped to the back. We carry PB & J's, bottles of half-frozen waters, and snacks such as goldfish crackers. This saves us quite a bit of money.

We have NEVER been given a hard time about this, even since security checks have been implemented. So I wouldn't worry about it. Disney seems to be pretty understanding about the needs of small (or in our case not-so-small) children. I wonder if it would be different if it were just me and DH.

 

[honeymom]

I don't think they want people doing picnics in the park, but they won't stop you from bringing in snacks, especially for the kids.

 

[crisi]

My original thought was if you bring in a picnic basket with a roast chicken, potato salad, a thermos of lemonade, a watermelon and brownies for dessert - they will probably stop you - at least to confiscate the knife you were going to use to cut the watermelon.

We don't bring in sandwiches, but we do bring in fruit snacks, raisins, granola bars and sippy cups or sport bottles filled with something. For us, it isn't about saving money as much as it is about keeping everyone's blood sugar up and hydrated without resorting to Mickey Bars and a constant flow of pop because that's what we are standing next to when we get hungry (or we have time invested in a line when "Miss Low Blood Sugar" needs to get fed NOW!).

We have taken to making a stop at a store, rather than packing it all. You can buy a small cooler there, and the prices won't be much different than home rather, than packing.

Just remember you have to carry and keep track of whatever you bring into the parks all day (or stuff it in a locker) - so either plan on stashing your stuff when you go into the park, or pack light.

 

[idontknow]

We were at the MK last Wed and I about fainted twice at what I saw. One family brought in a styrofoam cooler with a plastic handle. It was HUGE! The Dad had to lug it all over the park. We saw him a few times and he still had it. Then, I saw a couple of women hauling around a large softsided cooler on wheels and no one said a word to her. She opened it and there must have been 6 bottles of water and a bunch of plastic grocery bags in it. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that.