No outside food and drink in WDW parks?

[Brad Bishop]

Dollywood doesn't allow outside food and drinks
SeaWorld and Busch Gardens doesn't allow outside food and drinks

while not popular for some that have done it over the years... this is not all that uncommon in theme parks

While I've never brought in outside food, I have brought in outside bottles of water in a backpack. I'd just freeze them and store them in a locker during the day along with my other stuff and, especially in the Summer, as the day wore on, I'd have cool refreshing water handy.

I know other parks don't allow it but I always thought it was nice Disney did.

My only complaint with it is that if you do it then you need to be considerate of others. Don't spread out your "buffet" across a bunch of tables and clean up when you're done. It's not too appealing to see chicken bones and other random refuse on the ground where it just happened to drop and you didn't pick it up (this kind of goes for those eating in, too).

 

[jaklgreen]

Really...
I don't believe they are going to frisk us and confiscate a Nature Valley bar from ones cargo shorts.
Let's be realistic here.

That was not even close to what I meant. I meant if people were not bringing even small coolers into the park with food, then there will be less for them to search. Thus making things go a bit faster. I have no issue with anyone bringing snacks and such especially granola bars in your pocket and I do not think they will search you for any. But I do see people bring in little soft sided coolers(usually in the stroller). Less bags to check= faster security check.

 

[Incomudro]

That was not even close to what I meant. I meant if people were not bringing even small coolers into the park with food, then there will be less for them to search. Thus making things go a bit faster. I have no issue with anyone bringing snacks and such especially granola bars in your pocket and I do not think they will search you for any. But I do see people bring in little soft sided coolers(usually in the stroller). Less bags to check= faster security check.

I agree 100%.

 

[Nj4mwc]

Dollywood doesn't allow outside food and drinks
SeaWorld and Busch Gardens doesn't allow outside food and drinks

while not popular for some that have done it over the years... this is not all that uncommon in theme parks

Those are 1 day visits maybe 2 at most, If Disney wants me to stay all week in their park then id better be able to throw goldfish type snacks in my bag for my little ones

 

[DisneyChik17]

I am curious how much food allergies play into this, too. I have a friend with a peanut allergy and even the slightest contact with peanuts/peanut butter/peanut oil can send her into anaphylaxis. By eliminating outside food, Disney can protect the contamination of hard and soft surfaces and make it a more controlled environment. I know if I had a child or was a person that dealt with this, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[alissafalco]

While I am in no way an advocate for bringing in outside food or beverage into the parks, and I completely support Disney for this policy, what about miniature portable ovens to use for the purpose of reheating leftovers already purchased on park grounds?

Considering the outrageous prices for most if not all of Disney's food offerings, it can be a major blow financially to let any uneaten food go to waste. Any of us who have traveled with small children know all too well that their eyes can be bigger than their stomachs when ordering food, and sometimes they simply will not complete a meal in one sitting. So rather than scold or punish our child like in years past for not cleaning her plate, it would be much more feasible to carry leftovers in our pack, and locate an outlet to reheat later when she is ready for round 2.
Most of these mini portable ovens cost anywhere from $40 to $50, and certainly pay for themselves over time considering the much higher cost of throwing out a half-eaten cheeseburger, plus having to cut a day at the parks short because your ungrateful 4-yr-old refuses to finish her meal.

Lmao

 

[dreamfinder912]

What about food purchased at Disney? Families with their RFID rip of mugs filled with hardly 8oz of 'free' resort soda? Lunchables are available at the resorts now too. On property but still outside the park itself.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: if you can't go to Disney without being able to afford all aspects of it from the start, you probably can't afford to go at all. Disney is a privilege, not some God-given right that you and your children are entitled to. If the lack of outside food and drink is what makes or breaks your vacation your have far bigger problems to worry about than your next Disney vacation.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: if you can't go to Disney without being able to afford all aspects of it from the start, you probably can't afford to go at all. Disney is a privilege, not some God-given right that you and your children are entitled to. If the lack of outside food and drink is what makes or breaks your vacation your have far bigger problems to worry about than your next Disney vacation.

So does that include people who stay offsite instead of onsite too? Because if you can't afford the full Disney experience.. maybe you can't afford to go at all? Or what about those who camp for 2hrs vs buying that desert party??

Or the parents who bought their kids the Walmart Mickey T-Shirt instead of the $30 one from the emporium?

How dare they.. that riff raff probably should have stayed home!

 

[alissafalco]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: if you can't go to Disney without being able to afford all aspects of it from the start, you probably can't afford to go at all. Disney is a privilege, not some God-given right that you and your children are entitled to. If the lack of outside food and drink is what makes or breaks your vacation your have far bigger problems to worry about than your next Disney vacation.

There are other reasons why people bring their own food that has nothing to do with income. Severe allergies/health concerns/dietary needs etc.

 

[NearTheEars]

Does anyone realize how much money Disney loses on people bringing water into the parks? Easily $1,000,000 on a busy day. The younger folks have been taught that all water that doesn't come out of a bottle is bad and you need to drink gallons of water a day.

1 million / $3 a bottle = let's round that off to 300,000 bottles a day. Busy day you can get what 100,000 people in all the parks? That's only 3 bottles per person per day. How can you survive on 3 bottles of water a day at the park? Drink out of a drinking fountain? Might as drink out of the moat in front of the castle.

I could be wrong 100,000 people may be low for all 4 parks. I think there is a million dollar a day market for water and Disney isn't capitalizing on it, I'm sure the Disney accountants are thinking that. Same with food, another $5 a head in food better yet $10 a head in food is another million a day. I'm sure a Disney accountant has already laid out the $2 million a day Disney just leaves on the table by letting people bring food and beverages in the parks.

Come on Disney do it, squeeze the life out of these people till less people show up then market WDW as less crowded. If you lose 10% of the people and gain 20% on the gross then you are still a head 10% money wise.

I anecdotally think that water is not, or would not be the biggest seller at the parks.
I think people are more likely to buy soda.
I know I won't pay for water at the parks. I opt for the free cup at QS.
But when I happen to have a craving for a fountain or bottle of Coke I'll pay up.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Those are 1 day visits maybe 2 at most, If Disney wants me to stay all week in their park then id better be able to throw goldfish type snacks in my bag for my little ones

I doubt they will ever make someone throw away a bag of goldfish for their kid. My guess is this would be to keep from people bringing in full meals I don't know

 

[IMFearless]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but does Florida law stipulate that free water must be provided by certain designations of restaurants or food outlets. I'm not sure of the specifics but I'm pretty certain I read somewhere that anywhere that has sit down tables and serves food is legally obliged to provide free water.

 

[DisneyCane]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but does Florida law stipulate that free water must be provided by certain designations of restaurants or food outlets. I'm not sure of the specifics but I'm pretty certain I read somewhere that anywhere that has sit down tables and serves food is legally obliged to provide free water.

I don't know if it is law but I think Disney does have water fountains. I personally am a germophobe and think water fountains are disgusting.

Hopefully if they do this, they 'll do what most stadiums do and allow water in. They probably will just to avoid lawsuits over people collapsing of dehydration. I'm sure that's why the stadiums do it.

 

[IMFearless]

I believe the law is in addition to the fact that there are water fountains, as I understood it previously it was related to an individual eatery providing water if they had sit down areas for food, regardless if there are water fountains outside or nearby their establishment.

Obviously Disney do provide water currently, but it would be interesting to get clarification if this is something that they could stop doing if they chose to do so or whether it is not up to Disney because it is law in Florida.

As I say, I am not an expert and I forget the circumstances in which I heard this information, however at the time I obviously felt it was a credible source; I was not on a Disney bus or Watercraft at the time!

 

[xdan0920]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: if you can't go to Disney without being able to afford all aspects of it from the start, you probably can't afford to go at all. Disney is a privilege, not some God-given right that you and your children are entitled to. If the lack of outside food and drink is what makes or breaks your vacation your have far bigger problems to worry about than your next Disney vacation.

I agree. We need to keep out the rabble. The parks are so crowded these days, and mostly filled with poories and obese. Something must be done!!! I, for one, applaud this as a mediocre first step in eliminating both those undesirable groups. Step 2 is to ban "rascals" aka fatty mobiles. Step 3 is....well....I'll keep step 3 under my hat for now, delicate hearts around here.

 

[Prince-1]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: if you can't go to Disney without being able to afford all aspects of it from the start, you probably can't afford to go at all. Disney is a privilege, not some God-given right that you and your children are entitled to. If the lack of outside food and drink is what makes or breaks your vacation your have far bigger problems to worry about than your next Disney vacation.

And the winner of this years Masengill Award goes to....BigThunderMatt!!! Take a bow.

 

[asianway]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but does Florida law stipulate that free water must be provided by certain designations of restaurants or food outlets. I'm not sure of the specifics but I'm pretty certain I read somewhere that anywhere that has sit down tables and serves food is legally obliged to provide free water.

No one has ever been able to provide proof a such a statute

 

[DisneyCane]

No one has ever been able to provide proof a such a statute

In my very quick research, it does not appear that any such statute exists. Potable water must be available for sanitary reasons but I can't find any requirement that a customer must be provided a glass or cup of water for free. Disney has to provide a way for you to wash your hands but they do not have to provide a way to drink water for free. If you want to drink out of the bathroom sink or fill a bottle from it, that is your prerogative.

 

[erasure fan1]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: if you can't go to Disney without being able to afford all aspects of it from the start, you probably can't afford to go at all. Disney is a privilege, not some God-given right that you and your children are entitled to. If the lack of outside food and drink is what makes or breaks your vacation your have far bigger problems to worry about than your next Disney vacation.

First off, WOW. 2nd, it's not always about being able to afford but wanting to afford. I would personally rather put that money into an extra experience for my family, not bottles of water. Remember that when a company keeps giving less and charging more and brings in record profit, but keeps doing things to gouge its customers, people will have issues with it. I guess because I have a budget for vacation, and want to stretch it as far as I can, I am some undeserving peasant who shouldn't go. Oh well, shorter lines for you.