At Disney Food Blog, we are obviously HUGE fans of dining at the Walt Disney World restaurants. But there may be times when, due to budgetary, medical, religious, or other restrictions, you may want or need to bring your own food into the parks with you.
You Can Bring Snacks!
Here are 13 typical questions and answers about having non-Disney food at Disney.
Am I allowed to bring my own food and/or beverage into the parks?
Yes, with limited exceptions.
Exceptions? What exceptions?
The Walt Disney World website states that you are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages or glass containers into the parks. Glass baby food jars are allowed. Guests also may not bring loose ice or dry ice in their coolers.
©️Disney
Food that requires heating, reheating, processing, refrigeration, or temperature control is not allowed. Now, they won’t make you toss out that cold slice of pizza because that doesn’t require heating — but you might not have luck trying to get a pack of raw ground beef in (not that you would). Items with “pungent odors” are also prohibited.
But what about the security checkpoints?
They’re looking for weapons and things of that nature. They will not question your consumables unless they’re alcohol or in a glass container. Note, however, that the Disney website does say “Inform a Security Cast Member of any food items when you enter the park.”
Magic Kingdom Security
In our many hundreds of park admissions, the item we’ve personally seen confiscated at the security checkpoint was a bottle of Heineken, which obviously failed both the alcohol and glass tests.
There are no limits on the quantity of food I can bring to the parks? Really?
It’s correct that there are no specific limits on how much food you can bring with you into the parks. You’re not limited to just snacks or just a water bottle; a full lunch of sandwiches, fruit, dessert, etc. is fine.
However (and this is a big however), there ARE limits on the size of the container you can use to carry your food into the park. No box, cooler, bag, or other containers larger than 24″ long x 15″ wide x 18″ high are allowed into the parks as a food receptacle, or for any other purpose. This means that you’ll have to leave that giant Coleman you use for tailgates at home.
Mandalorian Goldfish!
Also, other than strollers, you may not bring any wheeled conveyances into the parks. This means no rolling coolers or wagons to transport lots of smaller coolers. And effective May 1, 2019, strollers can not be larger than 31″ (79cm) wide and 52″ (132cm) long.
Click here to see everything you need to know about stroller rentals in Disney World
What types of food have you brought into the parks?
In terms of beverages, you can bring in a variety of things including water bottles, sodas, juice boxes for the kids (and adults!), and more — again, as long as they fall within the regulations noted above. When it comes to little kiddos, you can fill bags with their favorite munchables like Goldfish and Cheerios.
Mickey Goldfish
In the case of someone with severe allergies; you could consider bringing entire meals when visiting the parks.
Have you ever had any problems with this?
Nope. Not once. Really.
Any ideas about what I should use to carry my food in?
In our experience, we’ve seen guests have the most success with soft-sided insulated bags. These could be either the single lunch, six-pack-size for individuals, or backpack or diaper-bag-size for families.
Hard-sided coolers, even small ones, add extra weight and are more difficult to maneuver. A quick spin on Amazon shows the smaller size soft coolers starting at about $20.00 and the larger ones starting at about $30.00. There are also inexpensive cooler backpacks that are a great option as well.
©Amazon
Another bonus if you’re flying is that you can fold soft coolers for transport or use them to corral wet swimsuits for the trip home.
Do I have to haul my food around with me all day?
You have two options: carry your food with you or leave it in a locker. If you’re just toting drinks and snacks, then you’ll want to keep those with you in your personal purse or backpack. You never know when hunger will strike.
However, a full meal can get a bit heavy to haul around in the heat all day. If you have a stroller, you could leave your cooler there (take valuables with you!). If you don’t have a stroller, then your best bet is to store your lunch in a locker.
Lockers in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Lockers are available at the front of all four Disney theme parks and both water parks. Additional lockers are available at the back International Gateway entrance at EPCOT. Bear in mind that lockers are not free. Prices do change, but currently, lockers at theme parks and water parks start at $10 per day and go up to $15 per day.
Another caveat about lockers is that you may be faaaaaar away from your food when it’s time to eat. It’s a long, long walk from EPCOT’s World Showcase when you’re starving and your food is at the front of the park.
How do I prevent my food from spoiling?
It’s no secret that Walt Disney World can be hot, hot, hot. If you have anything perishable, you’ll want to make sure that you have the means to keep it cool under challenging circumstances.
Start with cold ingredients and the insulated bag or container. If you’re staying at accommodations with a freezer, you can freeze gel packs, water bottles, or juice boxes and pack them in with the perishables. Loose ice is not permitted to be carried into the theme parks or water parks.
©Amazon
On a related note, all of the Disney hotels include a dorm-sized refrigerator. In many cases, these refrigerators contain a small freezer compartment — just about big enough to hold a box of frozen waffles or a few freezer gel packs. However, there have been rare instances where the mini-fridge at our resort didn’t have a freezer compartment, so don’t count on it. And even if you have a freezer in your mini-fridge, it may not be cold enough to freeze anything.
Fridge at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
By law, Disney restaurants are not allowed to handle food given to them by outside parties. This means that they won’t warm your baby’s bottle or heat his strained peas. Nor can Disney restaurants puree guest-provided food, even for medical reasons.
There are a few workarounds to this. Each park has a baby care center where you can use a microwave or hot water to warm food for little ones. If you have more substantial heating needs, head to a nearby resort. Each of the Disney-owned resorts has a counter service restaurant equipped with a microwave and toasters. You are welcome to use these devices to heat your own food.
Microwave at Spyglass Grill
For example, if you’re at the Magic Kingdom and you want to heat up a can of soup that you’ve provided yourself, go to any of the monorail resorts (you can even walk to the Contemporary Resort), and use the counter-service facilities there.
Where can I eat the food I’ve brought?
Anywhere you like! Stop on a bench and pull out your snack. Or if you have a full meal, you’re welcome to eat at any table at a counter service restaurant, indoors or out.
Casey’s Corner
Some good spots in Magic Kingdom include the outdoor tables near Casey’s Corner or Plaza Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. These are great for people-watching with a view of the Castle.
Will bringing my own food really save me money?
In a word, yes. Certainly, you’ll save money on water, soda, and snacks if you bring your own. Again, prices can change, but Disney is currently charging somewhere in the neighborhood of $3.50 for a bottle of water or Coke. You can often get five or six bottles of water for this same price if you’re shopping “off-campus.”
Bottled sodas are pricey in Disney World
Similarly, a counter-service sandwich at most in-park restaurants will run about $10+. For that price, you can make PB&J for the entire gang.
Click here to see 9 of the best budget-friendly lunches in Disney World
Will my kids feel deprived/disappointed if they’re not eating Disney food?
My philosophy here is “what they don’t know won’t hurt them.” If you don’t talk about dining with the princesses in the Castle, then chances are that your kiddos won’t even be aware that this exists. If they don’t know it’s there, then they won’t be disappointed.
Southwestern Burger at Connections Eatery
Check the park maps and steer them away from the pricey restaurants. However, it’s all but impossible to keep kids from seeing the in-park snack items. Mickey bar carts and popcorn are on every corner. My personal approach here would be to let the kids share an in-park snack item or let them have one item of their choosing over the course of the stay. With any luck, this will keep the whines to a minimum.
Click here to see our list of cheap but filling Disney World snacks for when you’re ballin’ on a budget!
NOTE: This information is for the Disney World theme parks in Orlando, Florida. Information is subject to change so be sure to check and see what the rules are like ahead of your trip.
Have you had any experiences with bringing your own food into the parks? Let us know your tips and tricks in the comments section below!
And, as always, stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Have you had any experiences with bringing your own food into the parks? Let us know your tips and tricks in the comments section below!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
For me it’s not about the money, it’s about the quality of food. I work super hard to have my family eat whole, healthy foods and the thought of going to WDW and having to spend the 2 weeks eating junk because that’s what they serve at quick service (and let’s be real most table service), is not appealing to me anymore. I have been to disney enough now to know that what they brand as healthy is often overly processed and makes you feel like junk when you’re used to a whole foods diet. Last time we went we all felt so sluggish and for lack of a better term “icky”. Sadly, my IBS got real bad by the end of the trip and so I was actually sick, sick. So, I am going to try packing our lunches into the park for the first time this trip to hopefully help keep us all from getting as sick as we did last time. Still plan on eating a few nicer meals at Morimoto’s Asia, Cali Grill, the Wave, etc, but overall just can’t bear the thought of non-stop restaurant/processed food.
Are the flea market type shopping carts permitted in the parks? The type some people would use for groceries if they are walking to/from the store. We are planning a trip in April and had planned on bringing one with us to hold our cooler bag & other personal items. Hopefully this link works to give you an idea of what I’m talking about.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61CgCQ9kWYL._SL1047_.jpg
Adrian — Based upon these General Disney Park Rules, I would say no. Specifically, I’m thinking of the following: “[No] trailer-like object that is pushed or towed by an Electronic Conveyance Vehicle, wheelchair, or stroller, or pulled by a person, including wagons.” However, I would definitely suggest calling Disney or asking once you are there to confirm.
What’s to keep someone from emptying your cart of all your stuff while you are on one of the attractions? It’s better to keep your cooler small (like a six pack size) and store it in a locker when you aren’t using it. Along with jackets or whatever.
Make sure you use strong containers! We brought a can on mixed nuts, never opened, so sealed in a tin container and plastic lid. We left it in my zipped back pack, hanging on our stroller. Came back from the ride to find a squirrel had chewed through the back pack and container!
Rachel — Good grief! Those Disney squirrels are persistent!
I know you can bring in your own food/drinks into Disneyworld, but according to the Disney land website you can’t bring in outside drinks/food. Disneyland has picnic areas outside the park and lockers to store items.
Can I bring a small backpack cooler with wheels
Just wanted to say thank you for this site. Information you provided is so helpful. Looking forward to my WDW trip
I have a tip for using ice in your cooler. I picked it up from a flight attendant I saw who had this in his cooler. Get one of the “old time” ice packs. They’re lined so they won’t leak, have a screw top that can accommodate ice cubes, and is flexible depending in how much ice you out in, so you can shape it around your food. When the ice melts, dump out the water & put in more ice. It works great!
I have one like this: Relief Pak English Ice Cap Reusable Ice Bag, 11″ Diameter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFG3CKA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_usPvAbYCPCRXJ
A question – if you bring a cooler into DisneyWorld full of goodies with the family, what do you do with it when you’re on a ride? Can you safely leave it somewhere? The allowable cooler size is larger than the lockers, so you can’t put a large one in a locker. How is everyone handling this? Thanks so much for your time and expertise! 🙂
JLM, good question! If you bring a large cooler, you would most likely have to leave it outside of the ride — probably in a stroller parking area so that it’s out of the way of foot traffic. You could always ask a cast member where the best place to ‘park’ it is. 🙂
We went several years ago and are planning a trip this fall. We took a bag of flour tortillas, bought a turkey drumstick at the park, shredded the meat amd uses the
Can you bring a dog stroller into Disney to carry your lunch cooler and jackets…etc?
Judith, sure!
I always take water in a cooler. I put the cooler in a stroller and leave it out side the rides. I have never had any trouble and no one has ever messed with it.
We travel with kids and grandkids 21 people. Everyone has their own Disney lunchbox. I do a menu sheet ahead of trip and everyone picks out their sandwich chip and fruit choice A special dessert gets put in each lunch box along with frozen bottle water. We rent a stroller for the day and to put all the lunches in We Park it in the area we are having lunch and off we all go until 12 when we all have are lunches. In 15 min we are all finished and on our way to enjoy parks I get a dvc unit and garden grocer order plus a cooler packed from home that I check as luggage. It takes me an hour in the morn to do the lunches. We do this for lunch every Disney trip and everyone loves it !
Most juice boxes have straws attached to them. Will they be allowed in the park?
Adrian: Yup!
If I make my own ice tea (I hate plain water) and put it in cold/ hot metal thermos’ are they allowed in the park?
Andrea, yes, they should be!
My family are bring drawstring backpacks. Can we take them on rides with us? If not, where can we safely leave them while riding?
TDB, you can certainly bring them! On rides like Expedition Everest and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, there’s a provided space right in front of your knees for the bags to be placed during the ride. On Soarin’, there’s a space under the seat. If you want to remove the bags on other rides, you can keep them in your lap or on the floor between your feet. The only ride where you might not want to keep them with you is Kali River Rapids, and they provide free lockers near the ride!
My mom like to bring ramen in cups and get hot water from the Quick service locations. For her it’s not about saving money, it’s that she doesn’t like the food at the parks.
If I put Crystal Light or a pre workout supplement in a bottle of water, making it pink or blue, would they confiscate that thinking it could be alcohol? I admit a pink bottle of water probably looks sketchy? Or do they not mess with your personal drinks too much?
Melanie, you should be fine! Lots of people use flavorings like that. 🙂
Are there new rules for bringing in your food since COVID? Can you still sit and eat anywhere you want?
Callie, I don’t believe these rules have changed. I think as long as you’re following the distancing rules — seated, distanced, masks on until you’re actively eating/drinking — you can find an open, available seat/table to eat.
Bringing Your Own Food to Disney Theme Parks: A savvy and satisfying way to make the most of your magical adventure! By bringing your own delectable treats, you not only save time and money but also add a personal touch to your Disney experience. Whether it’s a scrumptious homemade sandwich or a delightful assortment of snacks, packing your favorite goodies ensures that you have the perfect fuel to keep the excitement going all day long. Plus, you can cater to your dietary preferences and create unique meal options, making the trip even more special for you and your loved ones. So, grab your picnic basket, unleash your culinary creativity, and embark on a journey filled with unforgettable memories, enchanted flavors, and the joy of savoring your own delicious delights amidst the enchantment of Disney’s magical kingdom