Policy - ok to bring food into WDW, not DL

[mom*3]

A blog today on another site claimed bringing food into the parks was a form of cheating. An infrequent visitor to WDW, I never noticed any signs at the front gates stating this. Had I missed something? So I went to the official Disney website.

Under Disney World FAQ - Dining it states:

"Can food be brought into Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Theme Parks?

Guests are allowed to bring food items-such as snacks or foods that do not require heating-into any Walt Disney World Resort hotel. If you have food items that need to be refrigerated, please ask the front desk at your hotel to have a refrigerator placed in your room. Refrigerator may require an additional charge. Guests are allowed to bring food items-such as snacks or foods that do not require heating-into any Walt Disney World Theme Park. Inform a Security Cast Member of any food items when you enter the Theme Park."

So apparently the only restriction is that the items "not require heating."

But not so for Disney Land which states under FAQ- Dining: "Can I bring food into Disneyland® Park or Disney's California Adventure® Park?
With the exception of food items for Guests with specific dietary restrictions, food or beverage items are not permitted into either of the Disneyland® Resort theme parks."

So the blogger was correct, but only for DL. Why the different policies I wonder?

[scoot241]

Maybe it has to do with the proximity to non-Disney restaurants. At DL, for example, you can walk across the street to IHOP (and as you go down the street, other restaurants). At WDW, it's not quite so simple. Since the immediate threat of bringing your leftovers is not as high, maybe WDW feels that snack food and such is okay.

[snuggs30]

:pizza:We do it all the time! Pop, chips, breakfest items! They have never said a thing to us.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

At DL though? That is the question. At MK, it's no problem at all. The OP is unsure if they enforce it at DL.

Although it seems WDW has stopped enforcing 90% of their own rules anyways.

[murphy1]

Seriously, I would laugh at someone telling me I couldn't!!

[BrerGnat]

I go to Disneyland practically every week.

I ALWAYS bring in food of some sort with me. It's never been a problem. And YES, the security guards have seen it, acknowledged it, and never said a word. I've even asked if it's okay, and I've been told several times that it's fine.

I have preschool aged children. They are always munching on goldfish, pretzels, fruit snacks, granola bars, pb&j sandwiches, m&m's, cookies, etc. WHILE we are entering the park, going through security, etc.

We have even brought in insulated bags containing: applesauce cups, yogurt, wrapped sandwiches (for the kids), yogurt tubes, chocolate milk, cheese sticks, etc. We do this frequently, since we go so often and our kids are young and fairly picky eaters (plus, we'd go broke if we paid for DL food EVERY time we visited the parks). Also, a lot of times, we only go for a couple of hours, and we aren't there during mealtime, but we do need snacks.

DH and I eat in the parks if we will be there for a mealtime, and usually we get at least one kid's meal and sometimes two, but we always bring snacks as well, for in between meal times.

I have witnessed entire families sitting on benches inside Disneyland with a bag of sandwich bread, a container of lunchmeat, a HUGE bag of chips, and a 2 liter of soda, plus paper plates, and plastic cups, LITERALLY having a picnic. I see this all the time. In my opinion, that is crossing the line. There is a picnic area RIGHT outside the gates at Disneyland, and that type of thing should be done there, not inside the park. I think security probably told those families as much, but the problem is that the security checkpoint is BEFORE the picnic area and the gates, and once through the security checkpoint, the people at the gates do NO sort of checking, since it's already been "done".