Question for those who pack a lunch

We use an insulated backpack/slingbag cooler. Frozen water bottles are sufficient to keep the food cool. We'll bring things that are easy to eat, such as sandwiches, cheese, fruit, vegetable sticks, nuts, etc. We do not rent a locker, as we don't want to make a special trip to retrieve the lunch or snacks when we're ready to eat.

On days we don't bring lunch, each kid is responsible for his/her own snacks. Sometimes they carry a bag and sometimes they wear a fanny pack or backpack. We get big boxes of individual bags of Sunchips, pretzels, and peanuts at Costco and each morning they pick what they want. Even little kids can carry their own snacks and water, plus all the little stuff they accumulate as they go through the parks. Why should Mom have to be the Sherpa, right? In my husband's family growing up, they had "the blue bag" and every member of the family had to take a turn carrying it so no one person got stuck doing all the lugging.

As for where we eat, anyplace we can find a table. If a CS location is crowded, we don't sit there, but if it's deserted, we sure do. It can be nice to cool off in the Land's eating area, and there are always plenty of seats. In AK, we usually sit in the pavilions behind Flame Tree BBQ, which are quiet and out of the way. At MK, any bench will do for us (we don't usually pack lunch there for some reason, though). At DHS, there are tons of tables on the way to Tower of Terror (is that Sunset Blvd.?). Another at Epcot would be the outdoor tables at Morocco. Very pleasant.

I know sometimes debates break out about whether it is OK to eat at tables near a CS location. My opinion is, yes, it's OK. It's all Disney property, and we bought a ticket like anybody else. As long as there is no server that we'd be taking up a tipping table from, I consider it fair game. If the place is wall-to-wall people, though, we move along to another place. I don't necessarily feel we are obligated to do so, but just to be nice.
 
You need to double check the cost :-) It's been years since we had to rent a locker! I want to say 2008.


Also, the lockers are all at the front of the parks. Bring a gallon sized ziplock bag, put the camera in that, and then the bag+camera in the storage in the middle of Kali. Don't rely on that storage to be dry :-) Use the added protection of the ziplock
There are free lockers right by Kali, no need to traipse all the way to the front of the park.
 
There are free lockers right by Kali, no need to traipse all the way to the front of the park.
I had never noticed them! Lockables ones or shelves? I swear I never noticed locking storage near KRR!
 

Kali-River-Rapids-072013-2.jpg
 
Stroller or backpack/shoulder bag.
We have never rented a locker.

As to what would happen if our lunch is stolen? We hope the thief enjoys it and we would just deal. I don't consider PB&J to be a valuable in the grand scheme.

As for squirrels--that is kind of gross. But our food is in a zipped soft sided carrier. It would be obvious if our stuff would have been rummaged through.

:) Definitely. Though, apparently they can get into those. DH always used to take his lunch in a zipped soft side. And one day at break time he walked out to the area where he had left his bag, only to find a squirrel sitting there with the cooler open, eating his Oreos.
 
As for where we eat, anyplace we can find a table. If a CS location is crowded, we don't sit there, but if it's deserted, we sure do. It can be nice to cool off in the Land's eating area, and there are always plenty of seats. In AK, we usually sit in the pavilions behind Flame Tree BBQ, which are quiet and out of the way. At MK, any bench will do for us (we don't usually pack lunch there for some reason, though). At DHS, there are tons of tables on the way to Tower of Terror (is that Sunset Blvd.?). Another at Epcot would be the outdoor tables at Morocco. Very pleasant.

I know sometimes debates break out about whether it is OK to eat at tables near a CS location. My opinion is, yes, it's OK. It's all Disney property, and we bought a ticket like anybody else. As long as there is no server that we'd be taking up a tipping table from, I consider it fair game. If the place is wall-to-wall people, though, we move along to another place. I don't necessarily feel we are obligated to do so, but just to be nice.

We also will eat at Counter Service tables IF the restaurant is not crowded. I also feel that we paid to get in we can use all facilities of the park open to the public. Typically it isn't a huge issue, because we don't normally all pack lunches. My mom only packs at the water parks, otherwise she buys her own lunch so we usually just eat wherever she wants lunch. So usually we are purchasing something from the establishment but I still wouldn't feel bad even if we weren't. People sit at the tables all the time for various reasons besides eating. Different feelings for the very small or packed Counter Service locations, but we usually avoid those anyways.
 
I have a lunch bag like this. Since it's soft-sided, we fold it up and carry in the backpack after lunch: http://totroia.blogspot.com/2013/01/koko-urban-lunch-tote-black.html
Last trip, I brought:
coconut water
hard-boiled eggs
veggies/hummus
string cheese
power bar
apple
sometimes a sandwich for DH
We usually buy a lunch for DD, so I don't feel guilty sitting at a CS table sharing our meal. My goal last time was just to supplement park food with some healthy choices from the condo, but we saved a ton of $$$ doing so.
 
Speaking from experience here, what happens if the stuff from your stroller is taken? What if your stroller is taken? What then?

If my stroller was stolen, my missing lunch would not be among my concerns. The stroller itself is definitely the most valuable item. Other than that, I don't leave valuables in the stroller, and by valuables I'm talking about cell phones, wallets, etc. My lunch stays in the stroller. I go to Disney A LOT, and I'm not going to inconvenience myself every time I go on the very rare chance that someone is going to steal my stroller. If it happens, I'll just consider it a lesson learned and a chance to go shopping for a new stroller. :)
 
:) Definitely. Though, apparently they can get into those. DH always used to take his lunch in a zipped soft side. And one day at break time he walked out to the area where he had left his bag, only to find a squirrel sitting there with the cooler open, eating his Oreos.
Yeah, I once watched a squirrel unroll a big full size bag of Doritos and proceed to basically get in and eat. So if his little squirrelly hands could unroll that bag, I can see them working a zipper. I've also seen many a squirrel and bird snacking on popcorn or goldfish that have been left in stroller cups.....uggggh. If you leave it unattended, do NOT go back and eat out of it! As a guy at work says, "it's been compromised." :)
 
According to your signature, you were last at WDW in 2012, and I think the lockers by KRR have only been there a couple years.

Yep, August 2012. We were supposed to go back last year but the trip got postponed one. Thanks for the info. I don't feel so bad now.
 
I use the PackIt picnic bag. It's basically a giant freezer pack and it always keeps our food cold until we're ready to eat it (it doesn't look very big but holds lunch and snacks for 5 of us).
This is our first time bringing lunch into the park but we're planning on eating at:
MK: Tom Sawyer Island & the hub
Epcot: Back of the Canada pavillion
DHS: Somewhere near the HISTK playground
AK: I believe there are tables by the water on the Asia side... somewhere around there

We'll be leaving the bag in the bottom of the stroller.
91BBKBqRTpL._SX425_.jpg
 
I didn't realize they actually let you take your own food into the parks. I knew you could bring bottled water.
 
I use the PackIt picnic bag. It's basically a giant freezer pack and it always keeps our food cold until we're ready to eat it (it doesn't look very big but holds lunch and snacks for 5 of us).
This is our first time bringing lunch into the park but we're planning on eating at:
MK: Tom Sawyer Island & the hub
Epcot: Back of the Canada pavillion
DHS: Somewhere near the HISTK playground
AK: I believe there are tables by the water on the Asia side... somewhere around there

We'll be leaving the bag in the bottom of the stroller.
View attachment 89674

I LOVE this bag! Where did you get it from?
 
We always store a soft sided cooler in the bottom of our double stroller. We generally don't pack for the adults, just the kids. We pack PBJs, usually the Uncrustables just for ease, along with snacks like fruit, granola bars, crackers. We have found the kids often prefer to eat the PBJs for lunch over the purchased options plus it saves a lot of money. My husband and I usually pick up a quick service lunch and we all eat together.
 
We had a small soft-side cooler than hung from the handlebars of the stroller. We just left it with the stroller when going on rides.

We kept in it a few sandwiches and a few cool drinks (only 3 of us).
 


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