What counts as a soft sided cooler?

[Janir]

I'm looking to get a cooler to bring into the WDW Parks but was curios as to what WDW defines as a soft sided cooler?
I'm looking at a "soft sided cooler" ( as advertised) with a hard insert inside of it so it will hold ice with out leaking all over me as I carry it or store it. Planning to stay in a Deluxe Studio so I won't have a full on freezer for freezer pack to use so was planning on using ice machine ice as needed to keep cold water and other drinks for in the parks. Yeah we get free water at various restaurants but many are hit or miss as to the water taste quality and $4 for a soda gets old fast. Wife and I have spent too much money on just water and soda in a park that we could have another dinner somewhere when you start adding things up or get some Mickey treats to take back.
If anyone has any experience with a soft sided cooler in the parks with a hard insert and was ok with it, I'd lve to know. I've got a email out to WDW Customer Service but haven't heard back yet.

 

[LAKid53]

Maybe I'm a wuss. Carrying the equivalent of a bowling bowl sounds awful. I'm sure my DH would do it though. I've never had an issue with the WDW water. (And if I do, maybe I'll just eat Dole Whips instead.)

Sounds like the best plan....more Dole Whips.

 

[KenW]

Those small freezers in the dorm fridges don't freeze 2-3 water bottles well at all. Let alone any freezer packs. Been there done that and didn't bother with the tee shirt.

We were last there in 2014 and 2015, so maybe it’s not the case anymore. If you pull those fridges out, there is a pot on the back. Each time we have gone, it was set to the warmest setting.

If you crank the pot and make the freezer actually cold? We packed our fridge and fridge door with water and it would get cold enough to freeze or come out as slush overnight.

 

[DisAl]

Why not just freeze your water bottles in the room and use them? That’s what we did years ago when we were there in the summer. We carried them in a normal backpack and I don’t recall there being any problem with leaking. If that is a concern, you could put them inside a plastic bag first.

Because most of the refrigerators DO NOT have freezer compartments.

 

[BethG]

I put water bottles in the refrigerator. So, they are cold, but not frozen. I use an insulated pouch w/o anything else (mine is Thirty-One brand, but I don't think they make it anymore). The pouch fits 4 water bottles, slides right into a backpack, and doesn't add extra weight (aside from the bottles). When we drink them, the water is at least cool. It tastes very refreshing in the August Florida heat.

I can't imagine carrying the bottles, ice, and a heavier cooler too! (Although my husband does the actual carrying. It already seemed heavy when I picked the backpack up from the floor to hand it to him).

 

[Bigmoe]

I'm interested in an answer to the op's original question. We too have a small wheeled soft sided cooler tote that has a hard plastic liner. We want to bring some food and drink to avoid paying inflated prices. Wondering if this cooler is considered "soft sided" to pass the rules.

 

[MissingDisney]

I've actually got one of these. Ice doesn't stay frozen for too long, as the coolers aren't as well insulted as the hard shell ones. If you are going to bring it into the park, get a rolling one.

BTW, some of the fridges in the DVC studios have little freezer compartments.

https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Fusion...673&sr=8-4&keywords=rolling+soft+sided+cooler

We have this but purchased it at Costco a few years ago for like $25. It’s been awesome. It fits way more than it appears, has a ton of pockets for odds and ends and you can stack bags, backpacks, purchases, whatever on the top and strap it down. It’s super easy to pull and the wheels are smooth and rugged. It’s been to Wyndham Bonnet Creek pools dozens of times, Disney resort pools, various amusement parks, beaches, zoos, block parties, tons of sporting events..... It’s small but mighty!

 

[Janir]

I'm interested in an answer to the op's original question. We too have a small wheeled soft sided cooler tote that has a hard plastic liner. We want to bring some food and drink to avoid paying inflated prices. Wondering if this cooler is considered "soft sided" to pass the rules.

See my post #14 of this thread. I got a Coleman cooler with OUT hard insert in the cooler that will function similarly by containing the ice melt drippage. Never got a answer about rigid inserts, but between WDW Customer Service and Mom's Panel, no one wanted to speak for Security. They didn't THINK it would be an issue, but... When I found the other cooler, that satisfied my requirements so I was happy. Easier to pack and take on an airplane as well as I don't have to use it as a carry on nor check it separately.

 

[DiSnEyF@n]

Why not just freeze your water bottles in the room and use them? That’s what we did years ago when we were there in the summer. We carried them in a normal backpack and I don’t recall there being any problem with leaking. If that is a concern, you could put them inside a plastic bag first.

I second the plastic bag. Helps keep everything dry.

 

[John park hopper]

Plan on taking a small cooler also with frozen bottles of water and snacks. Our last stay at CBR the refrigerator had a small freezer compartment. Will be driving so will freeze water and put it in an igloo cooler --then transfer to park cooler

 

[larryz]

I'm interested in an answer to the op's original question. We too have a small wheeled soft sided cooler tote that has a hard plastic liner. We want to bring some food and drink to avoid paying inflated prices. Wondering if this cooler is considered "soft sided" to pass the rules.

If it's smaller than the size listed in this page, it should be OK.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

FWIW, I had a small cooler bag like this one (I'm pretty sure it was 12 can size) with a hard liner. I didn't bring the liner to the parks, because I knew about the hard-sided ban. I asked a friendly-looking security guard one time, and he said that if you could take the liner out, it was OK.