Bringing Food into Florida’s Theme Parks

A few years ago, Florida’s theme parks were very strict about allowing food or drinks in.

These rules have been relaxed a bit recently, and most parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld, now allow you to bring a reasonable amount of food and drink into the park with you.

If you turn up with a full blown picnic basket don’t be surprised if you are stopped

Remember that all bags and containers will be inspected at the gate in today’s heightened security world. I’ve seen people have cans of soda “confiscated” at security checkpoints before, so they enforce their policies.

Generally, most parks will allow you to bring in the following items:

• a small soft-sided cooler, typically no larger than 8.5″ wide x 6″ high x 6″ deep (big enough for a drink six-pack)
• bottled drinking water
• juice boxes (without straws)
• single servings of snacks that do not require heating
• baby food, formula, bottles, jars, and other baby-related items
• special dietary food, including health, nutrition, and medical-related foodstuffs
• opened single-serving soda drinks

Most parks still ban the following items:

• alcoholic beverages
• glass containers (except baby food jars)
• straws and other plastic items like lids that could endanger animals
• hard-sided ice chests or large coolers, bags on wheels, suitcases
• fast-food
• unopened soda, sports, and energy drinks
• picnic baskets, sandwiches, loaves of bread and meals
• large servings of snacks

If you bring your drinks or snacks, you are not expected to consume them in any of the park’s restaurants. Finding other seating areas to eat snacks would be best, but that is usually not a problem.

Also, bear in mind the daytime temperatures, so make sure any food you bring with you is adequately cooled. The last thing you need is food poisoning!!