No outside food and drink in WDW parks?

[FigmentPigments]

I see people carrying their resort mugs coming back from the park. Did they really carry those all day long, so they don't have to go back to their room to grab it if they want to get a drink before "retiring" for the night? I so like being hands free all day. I confess I've gone back to a small ***** pack for extra camera batteries and cell phone. Then I wear a belt to loop my camera and sun glasses case.

I'm probably one of those people you see. I carry my cup to the parks since I like to have a drink while I wait for the parks to open. However, I usually have to carry a back pack any way to carry around the aspirin, my Dad's allergy meds, sunblock, mints, the extra camera battery, the autograph book, and any other little souvenirs I don't want to send back to the resort or to the front of the park. I probably could climb K2 with all the stuff I feel I need to carry.

 

[SoccerMickey]

Sorry -- I have to jump in here. It's not a privilege either. That's skewing things a good bit in a direct that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

What it is, is a product that is purchased. Nothing more, nothing less.

Guests pay for the product and most have a reasonable expectation on what the product is supposed to provide. Unfortunately, there are guests that, out of either selfishness, greed or pure insanity, have blurred the lines between reasonable expectation and unreasonable expectation.

It is a product intended to be purchased but by the people lucky enough to be able to afford to go. It's always been that way. If you went to Walt Disney World when you were little, I'm sure if you look back at the people around you, you would notice that not many kids in your school or playgroups had that privilege to go and most of their vacations were spent on road trips less than two hours away from home. Me, personally, I was always jealous of those kids that got to see these roadside attractions up in New Hampshire like Story Land and Santa's Village because we were the Disney World family in my neighborhood.
It's also because we got to see Disney during this Golden Era (which admittedly, I wasn't paying for then, my parents were) we started to hold Disney accountable for the standard they set. And whether or not that standard is being upheld is debated endless times and there probably is no right or wrong answers but the only thing Disney is responsible for making sure the parks provide an immersive environment with attractions, merchandise, food, and entertainment offerings that make you feel like you got your money's worth. When that starts to decline, or becomes stale THEN it's the consumer's responsibility to decide if it is worth spending the money (and time) to go. To blindly keep returning because its "your happy place" or because you liked it when you were 12 is not doing Disney or yourself any service. It doesn't give Disney the incentive to keep pushing itself to be better, and it just sends you home disappointed, aggravated, and with a much lighter wallet than when you left your home.

 

[Timekeeper]

My perspective on this issue is somewhat simple (as it applies to me personally): If I consider bringing something to eat or drink into the park, it's typically something that's not readily available in the park. If I'm in the mood for orange soda and heading to MK, I'm not going to be packing a 2L bottle of orange soda because it's readily available in the park, and because my day is much more comfortable not having to carry a 2L bottle of soda around.

I've always appreciated having the option to bring those items into the parks because I bring items that I can't otherwise purchase once I'm in the park (or items that are higher in quality than the items available in the parks). My preferences add to my comfort, which directly impacts my mood (and potentially being in a better mood increases my likelihood of spending more money on other park offerings, who knows?).

Aside from the extreme examples previously discussed, like a backpack full of KFC chicken, I imagine that a significant number of guests are either justifiably picky about their food/drink (and let's face it, virtually all quick serve theme park food offerings are not known for health and quality), OR they have legitimate dietary restrictions that are beyond their control. I imagine that a blanket policy would create problems for guests with legitimate dietary needs. And that will just add yet another issue for Disney to have to figure out where in the sand to draw the line (how to police those who would get an exception, the reasons for why, what actually constitutes "food," etc.)

 

[ford91exploder]

correct....but there will always be that ebb and flow struggle to determine what "the highest level of service" is and costs.

But here's the deal...You don't own a theme park...and neither does Bob Iger....those shareholders who want bonuses do.

What is "Highest level of serve" anyway? that is an opinion that changes person to person, income level to income level. I'm sure an average lower to middle class family will find the service and amenities at a WDW resort much higher then they are accustomed to. However, to a more richer family who is use to butlers and private jets, WDW is like a HoJo to them.

In general, "highest level of service" costs money—staff, maintenance, consumables, etc. And while it is partially funded by the consumers, it is also funded (and accountable) to the shareholders. Public companies will always toe the line b/t giving the shareholders positive returns while keeping expensed at razor thin margins w/o completely disrupting the customer facing service.

And as long as the turnstyle is turning, there is no incentive for Disney to change.

You do know that 'Maximizing Shareholder Value' as being the ONLY metric for a public company came from the junk bond king Michael Milliken in the 80's you know the one who went to jail, Back when public joint stock companies got started in Lloyds Coffeehouse in London in the 1600's there was a worry that the concentration of capital would lead to the situation seen today.

Back in my management classes we were taught that business is a three legged stool, i.e. Customers, Stakeholders and Shareholders and all were EQUALLY important,

Because American business in large part is following the model of a convicted criminal we are having unprecedented damage done to the overall economy at the macro level because instead of a three legged stool business is now based on the unicycle act of 'Maximizing Shareholder Value'. This of course is caused by what insurance companies call 'Moral Hazard' i.e. executive compensation is stock based so executives spend much time manipulating stock values as it directly benefits them rather than the hard work of actually running the business.

Fortunately this is beginning to change as companies like the Blackstone group realize that short term profit != long term profitability.

 

[draybook]

NEWSFLASH PEOPLE: Disney isn't a right, it's a privilege. This is what is wrong with the self-righteous attitude this country has, sorry you can't get a free handout at Disney now. Disney doesn't care if you are poor, and why should they? If I owned my own theme park I sure wouldn't let people bring their own food. Why you may ask? Because I enjoy making money too much and I'm not stupid, much like Disney!

Bringing your own food isn't a "handout". But getting a free cup of ice water at any of their quick service spots IS a "handout"........

 

[bethymouse]

If it's important enough to you to bring your own meals to the parks, you could still do so and walk to your car for your lunch (or dinner or whatever).
They're not going to stop anyone from picnicking out of their car.

And I would imagine small snack items for little ones will be allowed.

Are you sure about that?

 

[bethymouse]

I have been coming to WDW since 1989. I was shocked they started allowing the coolers and mass amounts of food to come into the parks Of course they want the food revenue, duh. I've been over 50 times since then and yes the food prices are going up and up. What I've learned is share meals. Cosmic Rays burgers and fries easily can feed 2 and then share a mickey bar later. You can save on food at WDW if you are smart about it without feeling like you've been cheated or deprived. I work for a large hotel chain. If you dont think we try to pinch every penny and make every penny we can you're mistaken. It's business. And if your company isnt trying to make money and save money you wont have a job for long. I'm from Ohio. If you want to go to Cedar Point or Kings Island with your own food you go back out to the car and tailgate with your cooler. You never go into a park anywhere and take stuff in. And maybe this will make the wait time for bag check into the park a little faster.

That's what I was thinking!

 

[bethymouse]

A couple of years ago in Tomorrowland I saw a family eating Chef Boyardee Ravioli from cans

 

[bethymouse]

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.

We do bring bottled water, just because you need to stay hydrated in the hot Florida sun! But, it would be better to have a reusable bottle for ice and such too. I do like how Disney offers free ice water on those very hot summer months. We put them in our mugs and drink all day. We usually do the dining plan... yeah I know but a snack here or there isn't too bad to purchase. I just don't like having to worry about any extra "baggage" when I'm riding rides and having fun!

 

[bethymouse]

I remember my mother saying that she remembered years and years ago when Disneyland started when they first banned outside food and drink. Walt was alive when this happened. I mention this in an attempt to be fair.

But my thinking that in 2016, with 2016 prices (and 2016 quality, service, etc...)

Is the homemade bologna sandwich really competition for the Cosmic Ray burger? If it isn't now, could it be in the future?

When $DIS raises prices, it isn't to get guests to 'redistribute' how they get money from them. It is to get more $$$ from them. They don't want guests to skimp on food costs to make up for higher admission & rooming costs. They want you to pay more there, too. Margins, precious margins.

But if homemade bologna sandwiches really are competition, eliminating that increases the leverage that $DIS has on all guests, and that potentially is a negative for all guests.

The swamps don't have Harbor Drive steps away from the main gates (which may explain why the food I've had at DL was always good and didn't feel super bloated price wise).

If $DIS food becomes the only game in town, what will this do to Prices? Quality? Lines? Amount of QS eateries they have open? How aggressive they are in turning away walk-ins at TS eateries that have empty tables?

In the end, will they take the condiment bars out? So you instead of you eating the Cosmic Ray burger because you can make that thing taste good after loading it up with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and bbq sauce packets, you eat a basically plain burger (with perhaps some wilted iceberg lettuce) because of TINA (There Is No Alternative).

Those who support this, be careful what you wish for....

Not sure if I'd want a bologna sandwich when ay Disney, especially in that hot and humid air, even with a cooler!

 

[msteel]

I'm not interested in getting in a heated debate, but here are my thoughts:

1. Disney has every right to change the policy if they want. Many places have similar policies so it is by no means unprecedented. It is almost surprising that Disney has their current policy.

2. I am strongly against changing the policy. It may not make a difference to some but it WILL make a difference for my family in terms of affordability. We are in the category that does not currently buy any food in the parks.

3. In my specific case I do not see that a policy change will benefit Disney at all. I do not think we would respond by buying our food in the parks. Instead we would adjust other ways. We might push the new policy to the limit and bring in as much as possible and be hungry by the end of the day. We might leave the park for meals - we do some of that anyway. But that lost park time lessens the value for us, and there would come a point where the value is low enough that we come less often or not at all. None of these reactions is good for Disney.

(Edit to fix double negative)

 

[Timekeeper]

On a related note, if Disney offered something like Universal with the Coke Freestyle machines, that's something I'd opt into on every visit. They would make more money from me on the refill cup and each subsequent reactivation fee (as I typically don't purchase more than one soft drink beverage on any given half-day visit), and I would feel like I'm getting a better value if I refill it 3 times or more. And I'd be happier because my favorite soft drinks are not sold in parks but are available in the Freestyle menu.

 

[Mike S]

On a related note, if Disney offered something like Universal with the Coke Freestyle machines, that's something I'd opt into on every visit. They would make more money from me on the refill cup and each subsequent reactivation fee (as I typically don't purchase more than one soft drink beverage on any given half-day visit), and I would feel like I'm getting a better value if I refill it 3 times or more. And I'd be happier because my favorite soft drinks are not sold in parks but are available in the Freestyle menu.

Love that Vanilla Coke

 

[J_Carioca]

Ugh. This is the first I've heard of it and it really bothers me. I have dietary issues - I have to be very careful about sodium content in my food and also follow a migraine diet which means avoiding processed, overly-seasoned food. I also like to snack frequently All of this makes dining at Disney a challenge at the best of times.

As a result, I often take snacks (an apple, a juice box) and definitely a bottle of water so that I don't have to rely on eating Disney food 100 % of the time, thereby lessening the chance that I'll get sick. Bear in mind, when I go it's usually for a week, and we stay on-property, so we're really relying on Disney food for our main meals. It's nice to have control over what I'm eating some of the time.

I've had many, many trips to Disney and I've never seen anything really egregious in terms of people bringing their own food into the park. For the most part, what I see is a mom handing out baggies of carrots to her kids, or the much-mentioned goldfish crackers.

This goes beyond questions of money - it's also a question of convenience. If you have three kids who are about to go into meltdown because they need a snack, it's not always practical to line up and buy something. At busy times, the line-ups for quick-service can be really long. I don't blame parents for packing snacks for their kids, partly to save money but just as importantly for the sake of time and convenience. And I don't think I'm doing anything wrong by taking snacks that I know fit my dietary needs.

If Disney actually enforces this policy, they're really going backwards in terms of offering the best experience to their customers. The overall experience is not just about what Disney offers (attractions, dining, etc...) but also about what flexibility guests can have. This is especially true if you're there for more than a one-day trip.

 

[ford91exploder]

On a related note, if Disney offered something like Universal with the Coke Freestyle machines, that's something I'd opt into on every visit. They would make more money from me on the refill cup and each subsequent reactivation fee (as I typically don't purchase more than one soft drink beverage on any given half-day visit), and I would feel like I'm getting a better value if I refill it 3 times or more. And I'd be happier because my favorite soft drinks are not sold in parks but are available in the Freestyle menu.

Just another example of stooping for pennies while letting dollars fly overhead, Freestyle machines would be an INVESTMENT and WDW no longer seems to invest in the park. But up I-4 you see lots of people carrying their mugs and for the price it's not a bad deal once you have your mug it's under ten bucks to reactivate it for a day and you can now consume all the water OR soft drinks you can hold.

But all Disney sees is people NOT buying overpriced bottles of water and soft drinks

 

[Goofyernmost]

Ugh. This is the first I've heard of it and it really bothers me. I have dietary issues - I have to be very careful about sodium content in my food and also follow a migraine diet which means avoiding processed, overly-seasoned food. I also like to snack frequently All of this makes dining at Disney a challenge at the best of times.

As a result, I often take snacks (an apple, a juice box) and definitely a bottle of water so that I don't have to rely on eating Disney food 100 % of the time, thereby lessening the chance that I'll get sick. Bear in mind, when I go it's usually for a week, and we stay on-property, so we're really relying on Disney food for our main meals. It's nice to have control over what I'm eating some of the time.

I've had many, many trips to Disney and I've never seen anything really egregious in terms of people bringing their own food into the park. For the most part, what I see is a mom handing out baggies of carrots to her kids, or the much-mentioned goldfish crackers.

This goes beyond questions of money - it's also a question of convenience. If you have three kids who are about to go into meltdown because they need a snack, it's not always practical to line up and buy something. At busy times, the line-ups for quick-service can be really long. I don't blame parents for packing snacks for their kids, partly to save money but just as importantly for the sake of time and convenience. And I don't think I'm doing anything wrong by taking snacks that I know fit my dietary needs.

If Disney actually enforces this policy, they're really going backwards in terms of offering the best experience to their customers. The overall experience is not just about what Disney offers (attractions, dining, etc...) but also about what flexibility guests can have. This is especially true if you're there for more than a one-day trip.

Just don't worry about it. You will not be restricted in bringing in medically required foods. No matter how macho Disney talks about it. They cannot risk a lawsuit by depriving someone of a needed requirement. Just like with handicaps it will not go any further then saying that it is special that I need for my health. ADA has made all companies gun shy to a large degree, so there will be no real attempt to stop you other then asking.

 

[punkabella]

I have to admit that after reading this post I noticed many strollers holding up full size coolers at the parks. Mostly an issue at Magic Kingdom, it looked like some people were tailgating and not actually just packing a few sandwiches and drinks. I can't even remember if I saw kids in the same stroller... But definitely noticed the huge coolers.

 

[flynnibus]

Just another example of stooping for pennies while letting dollars fly overhead, Freestyle machines would be an INVESTMENT and WDW no longer seems to invest in the park. But up I-4 you see lots of people carrying their mugs and for the price it's not a bad deal once you have your mug it's under ten bucks to reactivate it for a day and you can now consume all the water OR soft drinks you can hold.

But all Disney sees is people NOT buying overpriced bottles of water and soft drinks

freestyle coke tastes aweful

 

[ford91exploder]

freestyle coke tastes aweful

Depends on the machine and how its calibrated, I was at Five Guys the other day and the maintenance menu was up on one of the machines from the maintenance display (machine was out of HFCS yes the machine adds it separately) the seller has full control over every ingredient, I guess this is so that the movie theaters can continue to sell watered down soft drinks, At least at my local Five Guys the stuff from the machine tastes the same as it does out of the bottle.

As I understand Coke intended these machines to be miniature on-demand soda factories with 'adjustments for regional taste' (ie water the beverages down)

 

[Timekeeper]

I was happy with the Freestyle beverages at the AMC theater at Disney Springs. They didn't seem "watered down" at all. I don't get straight Coke, though, I usually go for something that I can't get anywhere else, like Peach Mellow Yellow