Can I Bring Outside Food or Drink Into Disney’s Theme Parks?
For those visiting Disney on a budget, a great way to cut down on costs is to try to monitor your spending on all those little items that add up like snacks and souvenirs. Therefore it’s not surprising that a question I get asked quite a bit is whether or not it’s okay to bring outside food or drink into the theme parks. The answer is yes but with restrictions. These policies differ slightly between Walt Disney World and Disneyland. You can check out both below.
Walt Disney World:
At Walt Disney World in Orlando outside food and drink is allowed into the parks. The only exceptions are alcohol and glass containers. Families with infants are however allowed to bring in small jars with baby food. In the Florida heat, you’ll want a way to keep your food and drink nice and cold. Luckily coolers are allowed into the parks but cannot be larger than 24 by 15 by 18 inches. These dimensions coincide with the largest lockers you can rent at Walt Disney World. This is great news for those that don’t want to carry your picnic lunch around with you all day.
The only exception to Walt Disney World’s cooler policy is Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park where restrictions are more stringent. If visiting this park you must bring your food in soft-shelled bags like backpacks or diaper bags. The only exceptions will be for those with special medical needs. In these instances, the coolers will need to be stored in a locker or held by Guest Services. This is done for the protection of the animals. This is also the reason why juice boxes with plastic straws and wrappers are not permitted in the park.
Disneyland:
At Disneyland and Disney California, Adventure Park visitors are able to bring food and drink into the parks with a few exceptions. All items must be snack items or pre-made. This means sandwiches, sliced vegetables, fruit etc. can be brought in with you. You can also bring your own beverages provided that they are non-alcoholic and not in glass bottles. However, Disney will not allow you to bring in any items that require food preparation. Disneyland has designated picnic areas outside the main entrance to both parks which should be used for larger Tupperware items or items that need prepping. That means if you’re lugging enough pasta salad to feed your whole family or want to make sandwiches you’ll need to do this outside of the parks. You’ll find lockers conveniently located near picnic areas which make them perfect for stowing away those leftovers!
Exceptions may be made for guests with dietary restrictions. If visitors need to bring meals that have to be prepped or refrigerated for medical purposes you can do so provided that the items fit in a small collapsible cooler.
This provides a general rule of thumb for guests looking to bring in outside food and beverage items on both coasts. It should be noted that there are varying reports of guests entering the parks with items that historically haven’t been permissible and similarly guests being turned away with items that should make the cut. Though our guidelines above may not prepare you for every eventuality we hope they serve as a quick reference guide for those looking to cut costs by bringing pack lunches, snacks and beverages with you on your Disney adventure.
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