Have you ever wondered if you could bring your own food into the Walt Disney World theme parks? The answer is YES…but there are a few things to know before you pack up your cooler! And, we’re here to help! Follow along for all the information you need about bringing outside food and drink into Disney World.

Why You Should Consider Bringing Food Into Disney World

Over the years, Disney World has become quite the “foodie” hub. Who doesn’t want to eat their way around the World Showcase at EPCOT, after all?

While all that is great, the damper on your wallet might make you think differently — especially if you’re trying to stick to a budget. However, one of the easiest ways to adjust your Disney World vacation budget is to consider different food options. While you can’t change the price of a park ticket, you can make dining adjustments to help with the cost.

Not only is bringing your own food into the theme parks beneficial for a budget, but it can be a game changer if you have food allergies, dietary restrictions, or a picky eater.

What Type of Food is Allowed at Disney World?

Now, it’s important to know that you can’t bring just anything into Disney World to snack on throughout the day — there are a few rules! According to the Walt Disney World website:

“Guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverage items into the park for self-consumption, provided they are not in glass containers and do not require heating, reheating, processing, refrigeration or temperature control and do not have pungent odors. Inform a Security Cast Member of any food items when you enter the park.”

In simple terms, what this means is:

• You can only bring non-alcoholic beverages
• Your food cannot require heating or refrigeration
• No glass containers are allowed (though jarred baby food is an exception)
• There is no limit on how much you can bring in

So, there aren’t too many restrictions. But, you don’t want to get caught up at security by accidentally overlooking the rules.

How to Bring Food and Drink into Disney World

Now it’s time to start planning what food and drink you’re going to bring. And, more importantly, what you’re going to pack it in!

Bags, coolers (soft-sided or hard-sided), and backpacks no larger than 24″ by 18″ by 15″ are allowed in Walt Disney World. Though hard-sided coolers are technically allowed, we don’t suggest bringing them to the parks because they can become cumbersome when navigating the parks. Our favorite way to pack food for the parks? Backpack coolers!

For those wanting to bring just enough supplemental snacks in to squash any cravings between meals, consider a handheld insulated lunch box or small cooler that would fit in your park bag or underneath a stroller. Disney days are long, so avoiding hauling unnecessary weight around all day is important!

When considering bringing in any size cooler, keep in mind that no loose ice is allowed into the Disney Parks. While loose ice on its own is prohibited, guests can bring ice in a sealed container such as a Ziploc bag. Or, just use ice packs! Cups of ice are also given out for free at any quick service restaurant in Disney World, which can be a great alternative.

And, if you have any special circumstances involving food or drink being brought into the parks, be sure to let a Security Cast Member know before you enter the parks.

6 Tips for Bringing Food and Drink into Disney World

Keep Everyone’s Food Items Separate

With the ability to bring in food comes the ability to snack whenever you’d like! We like to keep each person’s snacks in individual gallon-sized bags within the cooler. With this method, when someone wants a snack, you just pull out their bag! This gets rid of the need to pull everything out, rearrange, and repack the bag every time something is needed. Individual lunch boxes would also work!

Consider Florida Weather When Packing Food

Many people travel to Florida for its great weather year-round. But, the heat and humidity is something to take into consideration when packing food and drink.

Stay away from packing food items that will easily melt or rot, such as chocolate-coated snacks or fruits like bananas. Fruit snacks will more than likely melt together into one giant snack. And, while deli sandwiches are a good idea in theory, if you wait too long into the day to eat them they may not hold up well.

Some of our go-to’s when packing lunch or snacks for the parks are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pretzels, hard fruits such as apples and oranges, non-chocolate granola bars, multigrain fruit bars, and honey-roasted almonds.

Stay Away from Fragile Foods

Though foods like individually packed potato chips, muffins, or popcorn might be the first things that come to mind when you think of an on-the-go snack, they aren’t necessarily great for Disney World. You’ll be taking a backpack on and off rides, your bags will potentially be bumped in crowded areas, and the frequent opening and closings of your park bag can lead to crushed chips and crumbled muffins.

When packing individual foods, be sure to keep in mind the item’s stability throughout the day.

Add Food Costs Into Your Budget

Regardless of whether you bring your own food and drink, it’s a good idea to plan a small budget for dining while you’re inside the parks. Yes, bringing food into the theme parks is one of the top ways to cut costs on a Disney vacation, but some Disney snacks and experiences are quintessential to the Disney experience!

Set extra money aside for snacks such as Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars, DOLE Whips, pretzels, and popcorn. These low-cost snacks can make families feel the Disney magic while staying on budget.

And, if you aren’t looking to cut food costs completely, we suggest planning to buy at least one meal a day. Bring snacks for the day, sandwiches for lunch, and then enjoy one of Disney World’s many restaurants for dinner. You’ll still save a good amount of money compared to purchasing three meals a day for the length of your vacation.

Pro Tip: You can share meals at quick service restaurants in Disney World! Plus, guests of any age can also order off the kid’s menu at these locations as well. Both of these strategies can save you money while still letting you enjoy Disney’s tasty eats.

Ditch the Soda, Bring an Insulated Water Bottle

Soda lovers, just hear us out on this one. Though guests can bring any type of non-alcoholic drink into the parks, that doesn’t mean you should. Bottles of water, sodas, or juices are bulky, heavy, and just not practical to lug around for 12 hours a day — even if you do have a backpack cooler.

Secondly, Florida is HOT. Even if you live in a climate that is used to heat, Florida heat is on a different level. One of the main problems for guests within Walt Disney World is heat exhaustion and dehydration, especially in the summer months. So, it is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day compared to soda, which can dehydrate you more.

By bringing an insulated water bottle, you are combating both problems at once! Multiple locations throughout the parks have refillable water stations. And, any quick service dining location will provide guests with free cups of ice and water upon request.

This is the easiest way to stay hydrated, keep your water cold, and (best of all) it’s free!

Take Advantage of Grocery Delivery

For those guests who drive to Disney World or rent a car at the airport, getting outside food and drinks into Disney World is fairly easy. There are grocery stores right outside Disney property for all your shopping needs.

But, don’t worry if you don’t have a vehicle! Walt Disney World makes it easy to get food from outside Disney property. You can get groceries delivered directly to your Disney World Resort using services like InstaCart, Vacation Grocery Delivery, and more. All you have to do is go through the normal ordering processes and meet the delivery service at Bell Services.

So, Should You Bring Outside Food and Drink to Disney World?

There’s no doubt that Disney World vacations can be expensive. For those looking to save a few extra dollars, cutting food costs is one of the easiest ways to reduce your budget. And, if you or someone in your party has dietary restrictions, it can sometimes just be easier to bring your own food. And, bringing your own food and drink is simple!

Even if you plan to bring food into the parks, you don’t have to miss out on the Disney dining experience. Balance the day between personal snacks and Disney dining, leaving something for everyone.

Comments

Have you ever brought outside food and drink into Walt Disney World theme parks? Let us know in the comments what you’d recommend packing!