This is the second in a four part series of guest blog posts on the topic of visiting Walt Disney World with Special Dietary Needs.
Last week I covered (pretty extensively – bonus points for you if you read the whole thing!) the process of eating safely when dining out at Walt Disney World. But, let’s be honest, eating out for every meal can get a touch pricey and I’m often asked what the rules and processes are for bringing and/or making your own, safe Disney Word food when visiting the resort. So, here are your answers!
How can I get food to the Happiest Place on Earth?
Depending on your preferred mode of travel you can either shop at home and bring Disney World food along with you (obviously easier when driving than flying) or procure your food once you hit the Orlando area. If you’re driving, this is a pretty easy call – pack a box of favorite non-perishables and a cooler full of safe chillable snacks and head on down the highway. If you’re flying then you have a tougher decision to make. Baggage fees nowadays make packing a suitcase full of food less appealing that it was a few years ago when I recommended this as a brilliant plan to end up with an empty suitcase suitable for packing all the souvenirs you swore you wouldn’t buy. But, alas, no one wants to shell out the extra cash just to bring some safe and tasty meals. So, you can either pack up a box of non-perishables and mail it to your resort ahead of time (Disney will be glad to hold packages sent for you prior to check-in, just call you resort or Disney Authorized Vacation Planner to verify procedures for your specific resort) or shop once you arrive. If you’re renting a car stopping at a grocery store will be relatively simple. If you’re taking a taxi or shuttle service, inquire about whether or not they provide a stop and if there’s an extra charge for the stop. Your last resort (pun intended – wait for it) is to shop at your resort. The mercantile shops located in the lobby of your Disney Resort will have a very limited selection of Disney World food at prices that will make you wish you had just caved and forked over your trust fund for baggage fees.
Ok, I got my food here, now what do I do with it?
Different resort categories will have different amenities available to assist you in the keeping and preparing of food in your room. Value Resorts will often charge a small fee to have a mini-fridge in your room ($10), but no microwaves or other medium for actual cooking is available. On the other end of the spectrum, Disney’s Home Away from Home Villa accommodations provide full kitchens where you can cook a gourmet meal if you felt so inclined. Somewhere in the middle are the often overlooked Fort Wilderness Cabins. I recommend working closely with your Disney Authorized Vacation Planner to find the accommodations that make the most sense for your family and your budget.
Sure, I can make the Disney World food, but can I bring it into the theme parks?
This is an easy one – yes, you can! Specifically, Disney official policy states, “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 Disney World food items when you enter the Theme Park.” We have had great success bringing a medium sized insulated lunch bag packed with enough food and snacks to feed a hungry toddler right up through lunch time. Be aware that the security personnel at the checkpoint for guests with bags will open and inspect your bag. We have never encountered an issue in all the visits we have made – well, there was one particularly hungry cast member who tried to talk our daughter into sharing her Goldfish crackers. No sale there and he took it well enough.
Great, so I have all this Disney World food in the Theme Park – what now?
You have several options for partaking of your safe snacks while inside the theme parks. Easiest, of course, is to grab a table at a Quick Service (Disney speak for counter service or fast food) location and pull out the food for your special diets family member while the rest of the group enjoys their meal. If the guest in question is on the younger side, allow me to introduce you to three words that will change your Disney life: Baby Care Center. I bet you thought these were just for babies. Or maybe you never heard of them? These are wonderful, little hidden oases of peace, calm and air conditioning. They are free to use and have microwaves for heating up bottles, baby food or, dare I say it, lunch for your food allergic child. They also have nursing rooms, high chairs and child sized tables and chairs with toys, coloring pages and televisions playing Disney programming. And did I mention the air conditioning? Not only are these a great place to sit and enjoy a snack or meal, but they are the tantrum-stoppers. Overheated? Overtired? Over-stimulated? Over pushing the stroller?? Stop in and let the super friendly cast members and wonderful amenities soothe your weary Disney soul.
I hope these tips have helped ease some of your worries about bringing and making your own safe Disney World food. Up next week we talk about precautions you can take to make sure your special needs, food allergic or any kid safe at the parks.
Lissa Critz has been helping Disney travelers make the most of their magical journeys for many years. Lissa has been a Disney guest and enthusiast since her first trip as a baby, up through her experience as a honeymooner at Walt Disney World® Resort and now as the mother of a preschooler with severe food allergies. Lissa is uniquely qualified to help with guests with special dietary needs and has worked with the Disney Special Diets team extensively in the past. As the founder and author of Raising Food Allergic Kids Blog and website resource (www.rfak.org) for parents of children with food allergies, Lissa is passionate about helping parents realize their dreams of providing a safe and magical childhood experience for their own food allergic children.
