Food allergies and new ice policy :)

[Dashzap]

We bring a few food items to the parks for my son with food allergies, typically in a lunch box in a backpack. I was concerned about the new policy of no loose ice allowed through security.

So I spoke to Guest Services and was told it was okay to put ice cubes in a ziplock (up to a 1 gallon size) and bring it into the parks.

An ice pack would be better, but Disney resort room fridges don't have freezers.

 

[gap2368]

My guess is the new rule is that people are filling cooler so full of ice severity can not check them well enough. Ice in a ziplock back is something security can pick up and tell it is only ice would be my guess on why it is allowed. Thanks for sharing

 

[lanejudy]

I think the new “loose ice” policy is for the safety of the security/bag-check staff, as well as to help that process move along quicker. WDW does seem to be implying ice in a ziplock bag is ok - actually reports are that phone CMs are instructing this, though we all know they aren’t necessarily accurate. But an FAQ on WDW’s website mentions free cups of ice are available at counter service locations. If non-perishable foods aren’t an option, I would try ziplock bsg(s) filled with ice from the resort; if necessary, dump the ice and reload in the park at a CS.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[DisneyOma]

When did Disney get rid of the little freezer part in the refrigerators?

 

[gap2368]

When did Disney get rid of the little freezer part in the refrigerators?

I have never had one with the little freezer part. The old ones in the value room if you put things in one part of it would freeze sometimes the new ones with the glass door are just fridges

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We bring a few food items to the parks for my son with food allergies, typically in a lunch box in a backpack. I was concerned about the new policy of no loose ice allowed through security.

So I spoke to Guest Services and was told it was okay to put ice cubes in a ziplock (up to a 1 gallon size) and bring it into the parks.

An ice pack would be better, but Disney resort room fridges don't have freezers.

if you can do it look at the cabins at Fort Wilderness as they have a full size refrig with freezer like at home. then you could 2 sets of freezer blocks one for in the park and second I n the freezer for next day.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I've never stayed on site, but do they have ice machines at the Disney hotels/motels? I think that if you filled an ice bucket and placed your lunchbox ice packs in it, they would freeze.

 

[gap2368]

I've never stayed on site, but do they have ice machines at the Disney hotels/motels? I think that if you filled an ice bucket and placed your lunchbox ice packs in it, they would freeze.

I have tried this and it never work for me.

 

[DisneyOma]

I have never had one with the little freezer part. The old ones in the value room if you put things in one part of it would freeze sometimes the new ones with the glass door are just fridges

We have in the past - a little shelf up at the top, sometimes without a door. On the bright side, the fridges we have had always manage to freeze our water bottles overnight even if we didn't put them in the freezer part, LOL!

OP, try making the fridge in your room as cold as possible, and see if it will freeze the reusable icepaks for you?

 

[gap2368]

We have in the past - a little shelf up at the top, sometimes without a door. On the bright side, the fridges we have had always manage to freeze our water bottles overnight even if we didn't put them in the freezer part, LOL!

OP, try making the fridge in your room as cold as possible, and see if it will freeze the reusable icepaks for you?

Not the new ones you can not even make them colder as their is nothing to even change the setting to make them colder

 

[DisneyOma]

Not the new ones you can not even make them colder as their is nothing to even change the setting to make them colder

Did you check the back or lower trim?

 

[gap2368]

Did you check the back or lower trim?

Yes thier was none

 

[Tia1977]

We bring a few food items to the parks for my son with food allergies, typically in a lunch box in a backpack. I was concerned about the new policy of no loose ice allowed through security.

So I spoke to Guest Services and was told it was okay to put ice cubes in a ziplock (up to a 1 gallon size) and bring it into the parks.

An ice pack would be better, but Disney resort room fridges don't have freezers.

Oh thank you so very much!!! We’ve always used baggies with a towel lining the bottom of our cooler backpack anyway (to conveniently throw baggies away when melted/prevent leaks), but the announcement had me very concerned it prohibits this option too-BIG sigh of relief!

We have found it 100% impossible to freeze the reusable options in any of our onsite resort mini fridges regardless of how cold the setting. We’ve also found it a HUGE pain to count on ice from CS...anywhere...in any park...they might say no line but we’ve always had to (would feel bad not doing so anyway when busy & not buying anything) We make a trip to the closest ice machine before we head out to the parks.

While all we need to keep cold is bottled water, this saves us TONS as my entire family drinks like fish all day...and lukewarm does nothing for thirst, making $5 for cold ones more tempting as the day goes on.

It takes til midday or later for all the ice to melt in a good cooler backpack, just throw the baggies quickly away, move on, & at least bottled water will stay cold for hours later.

 

[HaphazarMe]

For what it's worth, I asked about ice in reusable water bottles, and received the following response from WDWToday:

 

[Dis703]

I also heard back from guest services and was told that ice contained in a ziploc bag is still fine. Hopefully, we will get more confirmation from people who are actually doing it and going through security soon as I know information over the phone/email can differ from actual experiences sometimes.

 

[cmwade77]

Oh thank you so very much!!! We’ve always used baggies with a towel lining the bottom of our cooler backpack anyway (to conveniently throw baggies away when melted/prevent leaks), but the announcement had me very concerned it prohibits this option too-BIG sigh of relief!

We have found it 100% impossible to freeze the reusable options in any of our onsite resort mini fridges regardless of how cold the setting. We’ve also found it a HUGE pain to count on ice from CS...anywhere...in any park...they might say no line but we’ve always had to (would feel bad not doing so anyway when busy & not buying anything) We make a trip to the closest ice machine before we head out to the parks.

While all we need to keep cold is bottled water, this saves us TONS as my entire family drinks like fish all day...and lukewarm does nothing for thirst, making $5 for cold ones more tempting as the day goes on.

It takes til midday or later for all the ice to melt in a good cooler backpack, just throw the baggies quickly away, move on, & at least bottled water will stay cold for hours later.

We just ask for large cups of ice water from counter service locations, it is free and filtered (usually better filtered than most water bottle brands), no need lug water around all day. At Disneyland, this usually means they give the medium sized cups, at Disney World, they usually give us the large cups.

Also, at Disney World, they have plenty of water stations with ice water, especially on hotter days and you can use one of their cups to refill your own water bottle, etc.

 

[North of Mouse]

We just ask for large cups of ice water from counter service locations, it is free and filtered (usually better filtered than most water bottle brands), no need lug water around all day. At Disneyland, this usually means they give the medium sized cups, at Disney World, they usually give us the large cups.

Also, at Disney World, they have plenty of water stations with ice water, especially on hotter days and you can use one of their cups to refill your own water bottle, etc.

This! Can't imagine why anyone would want to lug water bottles around when you can get it at CSs at any time. We've never had to wait long at all - usually it's off to the side of the lines. It's also filtered and tastes great.

 

[MinnieMSue]

We just ask for large cups of ice water from counter service locations, it is free and filtered (usually better filtered than most water bottle brands), no need lug water around all day. At Disneyland, this usually means they give the medium sized cups, at Disney World, they usually give us the large cups.

Also, at Disney World, they have plenty of water stations with ice water, especially on hotter days and you can use one of their cups to refill your own water bottle, etc.

So they will give large cups if asked. We always got large cups in the past but last summer they just gave us kid sizes cups which aren’t big enough even when I once asked for a large ice water. I didn’t press for a bigger one when they handed me the small one though

 

[cmwade77]

So they will give large cups if asked. We always got large cups in the past but last summer they just gave us kid sizes cups which aren’t big enough even when I once asked for a large ice water. I didn’t press for a bigger one when they handed me the small one though

Disney world is usually pretty good about it, Disneyland can be different

 

[OurBigTrip]

This! Can't imagine why anyone would want to lug water bottles around when you can get it at CSs at any time. We've never had to wait long at all - usually it's off to the side of the lines. It's also filtered and tastes great.

It all depends on what is important to people. We bring water in because when I want to sip it, I don’t want to have to go somewhere else to get it. I can take a drink, put the cap back on, and move on. When I want it, it’s there.

To each their own - I don’t see why people would want to go to a CS location, wait (even ifs a short wait), and then carry around a cup of water when they could throw a bottle in a backpack, but they have their reasons just like I have mine.