No outside food and drink in WDW parks?

[Mike S]

If you can't afford to buy food when you are on vacation then you should probably choose somewhere else to vacation.

It's not that certain people can't afford to. It's that they would like to spend a little less on an already expensive trip. I still buy breakfast at the resort and dinner in the parks but for lunch or a snack I'd like to just reach in my bag for something quick.

 

[Tigger1988]

I save hundreds every trip by having a case of water shipped to my resort. Going on an expensive vacation doesn't mean I have to pay insane prices with zero thought. I'll save where I can.

But feel free to pay more for no reason.

 

[Prince-1]

I don't have much feeling about this since nothing has, you know, actually changed yet. Now maybe bringing in a picnic basket and acting like Yogi Bear might border on excessive but I could really care less since it doesn't affect me at all. And for those who have posted that you have seen families bringing in a full buffet to feed their family I would say either a) you may be exaggerating so you have something to add to your post or b) you truly did see heinous acts that people have committed such as bringing in contraband, I mean food, which I will simply say that you spend WAAAAAYY to much time looking at other people in WDW and even worse..you commit it to memory.

 

[Incomudro]

Having only read the first 2 pages, I am wondering...
Those of you that are saying as long as they allow water bottles it is okay, I ask WHY? I am guessing it is because you bring in water bottles. Well others bring in bags of snacks and sandwiches. If they would implement this, I hope it is across the board. They sell water for you to buy, just like they sell snack and sandwiches for others to buy. People bringing in food and/or water does not ruin guest experiences.

Since it is Florida, and often hot - one is often carrying a bottle of water on their way to the park.
My family is usually carrying one a piece purchased at the hotel.
Honestly, if Disney asked us to dump or drink (if there's anything left anyway) the remaining contents of the bottle at the gate I would do so.
We're going to be getting more anyway.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Im talking about now, today, not 30 years ago.

Thanks for your vote of confidence, however, today is constantly compared to 30 years ago. That is what makes people say that it wasn't like that before, that it is modern times that and current high prices that have caused more people to bring in food. I was saying that not only is that not true, but that 30 years ago it was more prevalent then today. Surprising as it may seem due to the fact that mega-backpacks are everywhere today. George Carlin summed it up quite well in his routine about "stuff". We have to have all our stuff with us. We will lug 30 lbs of bottled water all day in the Florida heat rather then pay $3.00 for a bottle of cold water. There really is no way to equate logic with today's visitor. They spend thousands of dollars for this visit and yet a $3.00 charge will make them pack mules for a day. Sorry, I don't see that logic. But, to each his own. I don't pretend to know what causes people to be so strange in their ways of doing things. I did, however, want to dispel the thought this is a new thing and strictly caused by higher prices... it was not that way at all.

 

[Goofyernmost]

you criticize everybodys memory as being selective, then you immediately follow it with a story from your own memory which I assume we are to take as accurate? (you know I luv ya, Goof, Im just sayin...)

The difference is that I was 35 years old at the time. My sights and memories were not obscured by glitter and bright lights. I loved the place at first sight, but, I was mature enough to see through the shine and also see the less then shiny things and also as a parent of young children I did have an up close vision of what was happening at the time. So, I got that going for me!

 

[jaklgreen]

So I have to run a Fortune 500 business to have an opinion. Interesting.

And thanks for enlightening us that Disney is a business. Seriously, I had no idea. You bring such knowledge to this forum- we are eternally grateful for your contributions.

Keep drinking that koolaid and sprinkling that pixie dust- because Disney is infallable, immune to criticism, magical, and lest not forget the most important point- they a bizzzzznessssss

You seem to enjoy putting other people down. Please share your opinion on whether or not you agree with the change in policy. But do not bash others for their opinion just because you do not agree with them. I have been nice and respectful in sharing my views and all you are doing is personally attacking others.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

I don't have much feeling about this since nothing has, you know, actually changed yet. Now maybe bringing in a picnic basket and acting like Yogi Bear might border on excessive but I could really care less since it doesn't affect me at all.

So you're saying "you do care, at least a little."

While I agree with the general premise of not worrying about what others are doing, in this case, I do have to disagree with you that people bringing in outside meals doesn't affect you or anyone else.

It's not a secret Disney is supremely concerned with maximizing per guest spending. They budget around a certain level of expected revenue, and if they're not earning the margins they planned for, we all end up paying to cover that gap through higher prices and service cuts.

Now, I'm not saying this practice is responsible for thr recent price hikes or cuts, and I can't opine to the exact magnitude bringing in outside meals has. But to say it has no affect on others is ignoring reality. In the same way years of soda stealing finally added up to the point we got the Rapid Refill system, I'm sure quantitatively they determined the outside food and drink policy had to change.

 

[NeonNinja]

When I was a CM at WDW when I went into the park I would always bring pretzals in my back pack always works and gets me through 3 days of not spending anything for food except for lunch and dinner.

 

[disreport]

So as dumb as it sounds....this might be a deal breaker for me family. The idea that we couldn't bring in pre-packaged snacks for my 2 year old seems ridiculous. I just can't imagine this becoming a reality though. Or, If it does, I don't see it being enforced.

 

[dupac]

Is this really a problem in the parks? I've never even noticed anyone with their own food besides the usual baby milk/baby food for a baby.

Confession... my last trip (2015) was with extended family (in-laws) who wanted to bring in food to save money. Not because they couldn't afford it, just because they wanted to save money. So snacks were packed and eaten in the parks.

It was not my idea, and I was a silent dissenter. Lol

 

[smgisseman]

I don't think there's anything ridiculous about wanting to save money on an expensive vacation. Regardless of the type of vacations my family takes, we look at ways to save money. We always bring our own snacks and bottled water into the park -- trail mix, granola bars, pretzels, etc. It doesn't mean we don't buy Disney's snacks and food -- we certainly do -- we eat lunch and dinner in the parks every day when we're there, and often stop at the resort food court for something for breakfast. We love to get Mickey ice cream bars and Dole Whips. But we also want to have more healthy, inexpensive options that are available to us whenever we happen to want them without having to stand in line and pay a ridiculous mark-up plus tax for snack items at Disney. What's so ridiculous about that? We're not going to bring in our own meals -- but I don't see anything at all wrong with bringing in small snacks and drinks. I can afford to pay $5 for a handful of grapes but I choose not to do so -- I'd rather use that $5 for something else. The fact that I want to bring my own snacks shouldn't impact anyone else's enjoyment of their vacation.

 

[jaklgreen]

So as dumb as it sounds....this might be a deal breaker for me family. The idea that we couldn't bring in pre-packaged snacks for my 2 year old seems ridiculous. I just can't imagine this becoming a reality though. Or, If it does, I don't see it being enforced.

I honestly do not think that Disney would ban all snacks, especially for the kids. If anything it would be just the full picnic type meals in coolers. I would hope that the less that people brought into the park, the faster and easier it would be to get through security.

 

[DisneyChik17]

I guess that puts a stop to this then http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/11/26/thanksgiving-magic-kingdom/

SAVAGE! I love when people push things to an extreme limit like this. I just love seeing where the boundary really is.

But, between new costume rules and the potential food rules, no more Pilgrim Thanksgivings.

 

[Mawg]

If they go forward with this then what will be next is to raise the price of food and lower the quality even more. It seems like Disney is really trying to find the breaking point right now. How much can they charge and continue to have attendance growth? Gotta make up for the failures of ESPN somewhere.

 

[rob0519]

What's the big effing deal? When we visit the parks, we often come with a small lunchbox in the backpack with a ham and cheese sandwich we made at the resort. Sorry, but we're not idiotic enough to pay $15 for a mediocre burger from Cosmic Rays or $10 for an even more undeniable hot dog from Casey's. I see nothing wrong with bringing in light snacks of this sort. Only you high and mighty folks feel that way. If Disney implements this, they can suck my you know what. Idiotic as always.

I'm not on the side of restricting outside food and drink. I was not on the side of raising ticket prices. I was not on the side of raising food prices and lowering the selection and quality, etc., etc. However, it's Iger and Company's sandbox. They make the rules. We just get to play in it if we're willing to pay the prices. Judging by record attendance, there are more than enough people willing to pay. So if this food ban becomes policy will you still go or is this the last straw to keep you away from WDW forever?

 

[WildcatDen]

I've never seen anyone roll up in Magic Kingdom

I have seen it and smelled it. Some things you cannot hide, and doobage smell is one of them. . .

 

[Mike S]

I guess that puts a stop to this then http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/11/26/thanksgiving-magic-kingdom/

And this.

 

[Incomudro]

I honestly do not think that Disney would ban all snacks, especially for the kids. If anything it would be just the full picnic type meals in coolers. I would hope that the less that people brought into the park, the faster and easier it would be to get through security.

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.

 

[WildcatDen]

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

Interesting thought. I keep my Summer Sausage in my cargo shorts. . .