taking your own food and drinks into parks

[Mount Mayday]

Is this allowed in Disney and Universal? Our youngest is just 12 months and likes to graze throughout the day! Wondering if cool bags are allowed in or not? last time we went was 2013 and I remember taking nibbles in then but things might have changed? Any advice?

 

[Elise79]

Thats no problem however no glass containers are allowed and in AK no straws are allowed.

 

[chelynnah]

Disney yes. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/parks/outside-food-and-drink/

Universal not really, they are much more restrictive https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Policies-and-Restrictions.aspx

 

[pinklotusflower]

we always take bottled water, snacks and sometimes sandwiches and never had a problem at either Disney or Universal

 

[wayneg]

Been visiting since 1993, almost always take in bottles of water & snacks. Just once been stopped and that was Universal at bag check. Had to throw bottles of water they wouldn't allow anyone thru with it on that one occasion.

 

[wifey]

You will need a locker for Universal they have tightened their regulations a lot lately. No drinks in the gates at the front at all and all bags are checked and you can't take anything on the rides any more they must be secured in the lockers which were free for the first hour or so then there was a charge for the rest of the day to use it. worked of fingerprint technology and i think a 4 digit code. It is a health and safety issue for them. Take as little as possible with you in that place! We saw people having to throw away bottled drinks they had just purchased and they were not happy about it.

Disney is much better at handling the situation they still have bag checks and everyone these days gets checked as they go through the main lines via body scanners when necessary, they will pull you out to check you for concealed items for most people it's just they have pockets full of cameras phones and ponchos and stuff like that. they may ask that you allow them to check your stroller at the front gates but they will be quick and discreet about it. All bags are checked just open them up before you get in line. Remember to queue on both sides of the table and just keep on moving along. Wheeled ice coolers are not allowed in but if you need to take a small over the shoulder cooler of medication that's fine just let them know what it's for they can accommodate you and keep it cool somewhere for later in the day.

 

[saintrob]

I've never had a problem with taking bottled water into Universal.

 

[chmurf]

I've never had a problem with taking bottled water into Universal.

This happens a few times a year, for limited period of time. Like for example Mardi Gras and events like this.

They apparently don't want to have guest bring alcohol in water bottles, so for the day, they completely ban water bottles, (sometimes it's only unsealed containers, sometimes it's all bottles, your mileage may vary ...)

but it's not a permanent ban. And (ballpark) 99.5% of the time you're fine entering with water bottles.
(that's an answer for Universal, not WDW, sorry)

 

[wayneg]

This happens a few times a year, for limited period of time. Like for example Mardi Gras and events like this.

They apparently don't want to have guest bring alcohol in water bottles, so for the day, they completely ban water bottles, (sometimes it's only unsealed containers, sometimes it's all bottles, your mileage may vary ...)

but it's not a permanent ban. And (ballpark) 99.5% of the time you're fine entering with water bottles.
(that's an answer for Universal, not WDW, sorry)

When we were told to drink them or bin them and they were sealed, they wouldn't accept any drinks thru that day. Only happened the once when it was Mardi Gras but rest of time never had a problem.

 

[chmurf]

When we were told to drink them or bin them

Lol this just reminds me of the story of that Chinese lady who approached Beijing airport security last August with a Cognac bottle worth $200 in her carry on ...
She was informed she couldn't bring it onboard, and faced with the idea of binning the bottle, she simply drank it all, bottoms up ...
she couldn't hold her liquor and eventually was not allowed onboard her flight ... lol ...

 

[1andrea]

We usually take food and drink and only once had an issue during Mardi Gras at Universal. Upon entering the parking lot they did tell us that no drinks would be allowed in so we left them in the car x