WARNING --- 2007, SPRING, No outside food, strollers or WATER brought into the park!

[sir clinksalot]

I think the WDW policy has to do with big strollers, not with outside food/beverages.

If they do this just get Dasani water. They won't know the difference.

[G.I. Mom]

If they do this just get Dasani water. They won't know the difference.

That's true, I could just say I bought it in the park and I didn't finish drinking it so I'm bringing it back

[Gemini Cricket]

We'll need to have a 'wait and see' attitude about all this before we get all up in arms about it.

But if they are forcing people to leave their strollers, they shouldn't charge people to use theirs.

As for the water, just come in with a Dasani bottle filled with your own home water and say you bought it there the day before or earlier that day...

My 2 cents.

[kcnole]

I'm not sure if this is the rule at WDW, but it certainly isn't enforced. I've seen people bring in whole bags of food and go right through the turnstiles without anyone saying a word to them.

[Mitten]

I think the WDW policy has to do with big strollers, not with outside food/beverages.

If they do this just get Dasani water. They won't know the difference.

Also the sodas too. Goto a retail place and buy the same sized bottles they sell inside the park. The only difference is the sodas have the Disneyland logo on it, but the logo is not obvious.

[sir clinksalot]

^ Exactly. There are ways around all this.

I see that Kevin is reading this thread. Maybe he can shed some light on the WDW policy on Strollers/Outside food.

What about if you buy a pretzel or something at DtD. Is that considered outside food?

[KevinYee]

I'm with cstephens on this one. The Disney theme parks were not meant to be versions of the neighborhood park where you could picnic at will. They are meant to be day-long trips and something special, not routine.

It helps to remember also that Disneyland is a business. Do stadiums let you in with a personal cooler full of beer?

Back in the 80s Disney would actually enforce the policy about outside food and outside drinks. We've seen evidence that Emmer and Ouimet want to return to some older policies that worked, and this would be yet another one.

[Max Fischer]

I'll believe it when I see it, and no sooner. Front-line CMs are fed all sorts of misinformation.

Ding ding ding!!!!!!! Winna Winna, Chicken Dinner!!!!!


What she said.

[KevinYee]

At WDW, personal strollers are pretty prevalent. However, most tend to be the folding "umbrella" strollers that tourists brought with them on the plane. I agree that wagon-type strollers are banned, but most anything else goes.

On the whole, double-long are more common than double-wide.

As to outside food, the policy isn't very clearly enforced. It's pretty easy to bring in a ziplock full of goldfish for a finicky child, and I'm not sure they stop people from bringing in granola bars or an apple.

But a whole meal is less common. That said, I HAVE seen people feasting on giant picnic type lunches. A whole loaf of bread to make sandwiches, a giant bag of Doritos, etc. While I admire the money-saving, I find it somehow lacking in class whenever I see that in the parks. It would be different if they kept the food in the car and ate it outside the main gate (I'd have zero problem with that).

[Chernabog]

Time and time again, the worst people to ask for future park information are front of the line CMs. Whenever I read a thread that starts "I heard from a CM that..." I just roll my eyes.

Morrigoon nailed this one on the head. I doubt Disney wants

a) people going into diabetic comas at Disneyland,
b) more people passing out from heat exhaustion at Disneyland than already do,
c) parents schlepping their strollers to the front gate, only to find out they have to rent a new one, somehow towing their two children back to the parking lot, then back to the front gate, then renting two strollers, then having mom push the two strollers at the same time, which doesn't hold all the things that they need for their children, and their children screaming/passing out from heat exhaustion/going into diabetic comas


When you take a step back, it seems silly not to allow small amounts of food inside, especially since snacks and food can be purchased at DtD and at the hotel. (Just watch them try to stop people waking up in the morning with their La Brea Bakery coffee from bringing said coffee into the park). Back when they originally made the policy, there was DISNEYLAND, the hotel, and the parking lot.

[flynnibus]

WDW (at least) has a very public policy about no outside food

However they allow you to bring 'snacks' in and we've never had any problem with any of the stuff we bring in our bags (including water, food, etc). I've even seen a full sized cooler at BB!

I think you are just a victim of misinformation

Disney has a policy so they can enforce it if needed and limit things to a reasonable level.

.. and about $2.75 for water.. sucks to be DL.. its only $2.00 a bottle for the large sized water bottles in WDW

[AwesomeYzma]

Did you say that this was at WDW or DL or both...I got lost in all the posts. I was at WDW in January and this was most certainly not a problem as I packed in food, water and strollers with no problem whatsoever.

If however, this does become a proven fact I will need a place to email/voice my opinion on this matter. We have 6 in our fam and it takes us about 4 years to save for each trip (airfare, onsite lodging, etc) and something of this magnitude...and it is huge...could really stop us from visiting at all.

[Redsix]

Does this mean I will have to eat my powerbar in the picnic area?

[thejoshualee]

I just called Disneyland and WDW (because I care )

Disneyland said: Outside food is welcome in Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, though they encourage larger, "picnic" type foods to be eaten in the picnic area.
Also, large "wagon" style strollers are discourage. though they said that if it would be a problem for me (I didn't correct them) then they would offer me free rental. I asked if that policy would be changed in the next year or so, they put me on hold for about ten minutes and then came back and said that No it wouldn't

Disney World said that outside food and drink is more than welcome in all the parks except the water parks and Disney's Animal Kingdom, and the only reason they have restrictions is because straws and certian food containers are either harmful to water pump systems or the animals. When asked about picnic areas, they told me that they are available for larger meals, and even family reunion type situations, but you CAN bring and eat food inside the parks.
They said that outside strollers are welcome. When asked about Wagon type strollers, they didn't know what I was talking about. When I explained to them what it was they laughed and said that it would be fine, but suggested to either rent one from them or bring a folding stroller for the trip. I asked them if that would be changed in the next year or so, and they said no. I asked them if they were for sure, and they put me on hold for a bit, then came back and said that there is no change in the works.


So, again, another opinion from another front line CM.

[Soulquarian]

I've always felt that strollers shouldn't be brought in and that Disney should only allow X amount of strollers based on how many guests are in attendance. They should charge a premium to rent them too... Disneyland is just too small for people to have such large strollers.

I worked at a children's day camp for two years and for one summer I worked with little 5 year olds. I had at least 6 of them on trips to Knott's and Disneyland. I didn't need a stroller then so complaining about two kids is not going to fly with me.

If you reply keep it civil!