Hiya John,
Welcome to planDisney! With two little Mouseketeers under 3, I consider bringing a cooler when I visit Walt Disney World Resort. My toddler is a huge snacker, and sometimes the thought of buying her a full meal when she will only nibble has made me consider it even more.
You can bring food with you to the theme parks. I mentioned that we bring snacks for our toddler, but I’ve seen people bring full meals during lunchtime while waiting for the parades and dinner. Whatever you decide to bring with you must also adhere to the
Walt Disney World Resort property rules (so no alcoholic beverages, glass containers (except for baby food jars), or plastic straws). There is also no place to heat outside food within the theme parks, so keep that in mind when selecting your food choices. Lastly, there are no refrigerated spaces within the theme parks for food, but you can bring in a small cooler. The cooler must not be larger than 24” long x 15” wide x 18” high (this is even if they have wheels or not), and you cannot use loose ice in the cooler, so pack reusable ice packs if you want to keep your food cool.
I hope this was helpful, John. I wanted to share a tip for bringing a cooler with you to theme parks. If you don’t want to carry your cooler all day, you should look into
renting a locker. They are always located near the front of the theme parks, so after you enter, you can just drop off your cooler and then stop by the locker when you are ready to enjoy your food! Please come back and see
us if you need anything else.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.