What is the TRUTh about bringing snacks into Disney Park - allowed or NOT allowed??

[OverRunWithSons]

I am leaving in a few weeks, and I am hearing conflicting things about what you are allowed to bring into Magic Kingdom, Epcott and what you are not. I just heard from a guy who brings his family practically every year they don't allow anything and search your every bag. We will have 5 kids, a stroller, adn I had planned to have obvious snacks in my stroller ?? Do they only allow you what you put in a fanny pack,what are the rules ?? Am I allowed to bring Frozen waters into the park ???

Thank you all, I will be very very upset if I have all of this, I get to the gate and they tell me it is not allowed ??

Appreciate all of your help - how bad of a strip search do you get at these gates ??

 

[Be1021]

There is not a problem bringing snacks into the parks. Hard coolers are not allowed or glass bottles or alcohol. They are searching for these items as well as firearms at the bag search. They do not care about your plastic bottles if water, juice boxes, and food.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

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, Mayonaise, Starbucks drinks, Snapple drinks, Tabasco.

At the water parks any type or size cooler is acceptable. I have seen people come through the gate (Typhoon Lagoon) hauling wheeled coolers about 4' x 3' x 2½'. Note that the cooler can be on two wheels or carried, but the way the rules are written you can not have it in a wagon and it cannot have four wheels.

If you show up at the gate with prohibited items we will give you three choices:
(1) Take prohibited items back to your car or resort.
(2) Put prohibited items in the nearby trash can.
(3) (Only for other than alcoholic beverages) If you have plastic bags or cups you can dump the items out of the glass containers and throw away the container.

 

[BrerMama]

There is a search, but it's not for snacks. It takes less than a minute. It's for safety, not to find contraband.

 

[mhsjax]

You can take snacks, and water battles. We go at least 6 times a year, well up until the past 2 years, and always take snacks. The only thing ever said to me while being searched, is "did you bring enough so I can have some?' lol

As far as how bad the search is, it barely qualifies as a search. Some do look deeper into your purse, backpack or whatever you are carrying, most just peak into it and say have a nice day.

 

[LovesTimone]

We take frozen water bottles in all the time, and snacks such as trail mix, breakfast & snack bars, soft drinks ect... I have never seen anyone told that could not take in juice boxes, water, and snacks.

No hard sided cooler's. When dd was little I took a small collapsible cooler (lunch bag size) in with baby food (I did put everything in plastic containers) with water and juice boxes and even a can coke for me.

No adult beverages

During the search -What I have seen is a woman with a knife and the blade was about 6 inches long, trying to take that in the park, she said she was going to cut up fruit? The guard was... not today and confiscated it. I saw two boys (16ish) with a bottle of Grey Goose trying to smuggle it in the park, they confiscated it as well.

I don't mind one bit if they search me or my family, as I am more concerned about our safety. Yes it might take a few extra minutes, but I feel that they are trying to protect us and who knows what they confiscated during the day. I feel that we should never let our guard down and that those searches are for our protection, so you will see me standing in line with a smile on my face, at Disney, in the airport or where it is necessary. I want to make it to my destination. Getting off soap box now.

Take what you had planned with those rule in place and have a magical time.

 

[mrseace711]

Its ALLOWED

 

[KristinU]

Just another post to confirm that there is no problem with snacks, or sandwiches/wraps for that matter. We have been eating low sodium for a couple of years so we take our own lunches into the parks with no issues at all (have never had to mention it is because of sodium). We've carried wraps,sandwiches, fruit, baby carrots, bagels, yogurt, granola bars, we've even done small containers of pasta salad...never an issue other than the occasional "mmm, looks tasty!" or "did you bring enough for me?" from the security folks. Water, juice boxes, etc. are just fine too. And yes, they do check every bag as mentioned. If you have everything oipen and ready for them it makes the process move along a lot smoother.

One exception to the no glass rule is baby food jars - those are OK.

Have a great trip!

 

[hsmamato2]

stupid search. (I've been wanting to say that for years) Don't worry OP we've brought lunches,and snacks in for years- there are no issues.
On the search issue.....yeah....just another way to divert some traffic into useless lines..... it ranges from overzealous creeps who try to fondle things in my purse to those who barely glance and wave you through- it is creepy and a time waster.I assume it's to stop the hordes of families coming into the MK with contraband.

 

[DawnM]

We got one of these:

http://www.target.com/p/Igloo-Black-Soft-Sided-Cooler-18-Can/-/A-13465885

Last I checked, they were sold exclusively at Target (I called Igloo to ask about a replacement bag and they told me Target only has them.)

We can carry snacks, lunch, water bottles, and rain ponchos in there. It has saved us thousands! Each of us takes a turn carrying it during the day.

Dawn

 

[KristinU]

They started doing the searches after 9/11. I assume they're not looking for snacks and glass containers and stuff...at least not ones that have food and beverages in them as opposed to something capable of combustion.

 

[UndercoverMama]

Snacks are fine, like the pp's have said, no glass. I also vaguely remember someone telling me no straws at animal kingdom, so we don't bring juice boxes that day.

 

[KristinU]

We got one of these:

http://www.target.com/p/Igloo-Black-Soft-Sided-Cooler-18-Can/-/A-13465885

Last I checked, they were sold exclusively at Target (I called Igloo to ask about a replacement bag and they told me Target only has them.)

We can carry snacks, lunch, water bottles, and rain ponchos in there. It has saved us thousands! Each of us takes a turn carrying it during the day.

Dawn

LOL, DawnM, I was just thinking to myself "I should post a link to that great backpack cooler that I learned about form DawnM"!!! We use it all the time for day trips, touring, hikes and picnics, etc. It has been to Gettysburg, Washington D.C., Acadia National Park, Cape Cod, Mystic CT, and of course Disney. This summer we decided we're going to collect pins on it for everywhere it goes.

 

[mrsklamc]

stupid search. ...(I assume it's to stop the hordes of families coming into the MK with contraband.

Um, no, it's for safety. Can you imagine the PR nightmare if there was a mass shooting at Disney? Or a terrorist attack?

Disney is first and foremost a business, and something like that would cost them a fortune in lawsuits and lost revenue.

 

[It'sOffToDisneyWeGo]

We brought water bottles and snacks. It is allowed.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

100% allowed!

We have brought all sorts of things.

What you can't bring is your cooler and picnic basket, glass, or alcohol.

The searches have nothing to do with food. It was an immediate response for 9/11 and a concern for safety. You will not find a ban on outside food or drink listed anywhere officially-because they don't ban it.

The search is pretty quick. No TSA screenings.

 

[herdtoDisney]

stupid search. (I've been wanting to say that for years) Don't worry OP we've brought lunches,and snacks in for years- there are no issues.
On the search issue.....yeah....just another way to divert some traffic into useless lines..... it ranges from overzealous creeps who try to fondle things in my purse to those who barely glance and wave you through- it is creepy and a time waster.I assume it's to stop the hordes of families coming into the MK with contraband.

It's to keep people from coming in with WEAPONS!

 

[mrsklamc]

Here's the official moms panel answer:

http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/questions.aspx?sort=views&page=1&qid=25667&pid=80&cid=82

 

[DawnM]

Awesome! We use it everywhere too. Day trips, park days, golfing, sports activities.

Ours has lasted for over 5 years now. The lining did rip once but we got it fixed (well, fixed it as best we could but ours is from back when they had an additional lining in it so it isn't necessary if it rips too much.)

For Disney we put a can of Pringles on the side pocket! We aren't Pringles fans usually, but bags of chips take up too much room.

Dawn

LOL, DawnM, I was just thinking to myself "I should post a link to that great backpack cooler that I learned about form DawnM"!!! We use it all the time for day trips, touring, hikes and picnics, etc. It has been to Gettysburg, Washington D.C., Acadia National Park, Cape Cod, Mystic CT, and of course Disney. This summer we decided we're going to collect pins on it for everywhere it goes.

 

[hsmamato2]

Um, no, it's for safety. Can you imagine the PR nightmare if there was a mass shooting at Disney? Or a terrorist attack?

No, it's not for safety,but PR,yes,that's exactly what it is. If a person wanted to enter a park hiding something dangerous,it would be very easy. PR is all about what people see as a safeguard,these 'searches' are nothing more than that. I've been going for many years, I know what a real search looks like. I have had all kinds of items looked at,and never questioned. I'm a peacable person,and I can imagine many different ways of causing havoc,if I wanted to get it by the 'security' bag checks. I know real Dis security is much more invisible,and real.
BTW, DawnM,that bag rocks! I could've used that on our trip west last month! I think I'm going to get one!