Patti,
Thanks for your question about coolers!
So Ashley
answered this question, and I think you might find it helpful. But the basic answer is yes, and no. Yes, you can take a small cooler into the Disney theme parks. It is a great way to stay on budget, and in my case it also helps to stay on diet! The cooler specs have to be within the guidelines of 24" x 15" x 18".
The "no" part of it is that you cannot have loose ice or dry ice in the cooler. You can use ice packs, or bagged ice, but no loose ice. Make sure you adhere to this so that you can get in to the park quickly and without delay.
PLANNING TIP: While I like to have my cooler with snacks, I don't care too much to have to lug it around all day long. So I rent one of the
park lockers, so I have somewhere to store the cooler for a day of hands free fun!
I hope that this helps!
Have a Magical Vacation!