Hi Gary,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I see you’ve heard about
Walt Disney World’s recent updates to their Park Rules, and I’m glad you stopped by with this great question.
Loose ice in coolers is indeed now banned at Walt Disney World, and one of the recommended ways to keep coolers frosty-cold is indeed to bring reusable ice packs. I visited Walt Disney World Resort three times last year with a broken foot, and I needed to ice and elevate my foot each time I returned to my resort hotel room. As you note, standard rooms at Walt Disney World Resort have refrigerators, but no ice compartment. My solution, and a solution that works well with coolers, was to bring large resealable bags and fill them with ice from the ice machine. You’ll also be able to refill those bags with fresh ice by visiting any Counter Service restaurant and requesting ice. If you’ll be bringing a cooler, please be sure to take a look at the approved dimensions listed in the
Park Rules.
If having access to a freezer is important, another option is to stay in a
Walt Disney World Resort Deluxe Villa. The one and two bedroom villas have full kitchens, including full-sized refrigerators with freezers. My family loves to stay in these when traveling with extended family, because it’s great to have space to spread out and spend time together, and a great budget benefit is the ability to cook meals in your resort hotel room. I love the layout and relaxed vibes of
Disney's Old Key West Resort, but there are so many great options.
Gary, I see you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World Resort this
holiday season. I hope you have such a magical time in the theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs, which will be decked out in their holiday best. It’s absolutely breathtaking! And while you likely won’t get a chill from the magical snow that falls even in the Florida warmth, I hope your heart is warm as you enjoy a flurry of festive fun in The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn