Disney Parks Ban Large Strollers, Smoking and Vaping, and Ice in Coolers

Carlye Wisel
Updated
This summer Disney Parks are banning smoking and vaping in the parks as well as ice in coolers. There are also new restrictions to stroller sizes families will need to know about.

Disney Parks' new policy updates are now in effect.

Large-scale stroller wagons, which were previously permitted, will no longer be allowed into Disneyland and Disney World theme parks. That means popular Keenz stroller wagons, forward push wagons, and even themed Cinderella Carriage strollers will soon be banned from parks including Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Only strollers that are 31” inches wide and 52” inches long or smaller will be allowed inside Disneyland and Disney World. Some double-wide strollers don’t fit the new dimensions — the previously allowed width was 36” — so be sure to check your items prior to visiting.

Starting May 1, guests who arrive to Disney World or Disneyland parks with bigger strollers and stroller wagons will not be able to bring them inside, and according to Theme Park Insider, will have them checked if unable to return to their hotel or vehicles.

With packed crowds year-round and even more guests expected to visit Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge this summer, it’s a shift that could make travel more difficult, but will undoubtedly improve crowd flow within Disney theme parks. Pedestrian traffic inside Disney’s theme parks — most notably at Disneyland Park, even on not-so-busy days — has been overwhelming, so much so that Disneyland has enacted a wide range of changes, like lowering curb heights and removing planters, to accommodate this summer’s expanded crowds.

Disney World will continue to offer strollers and tandem strollers for rent along with third-party companies throughout Orlando, and Disneyland will introduce tandem strollers to their rental options. (Only collapsible strollers are allowed on Walt Disney World transportation buses.)

It’s just one of the significant changes announced this week for parks like Disney California Adventure and Epcot. Also starting May 1, all Disney World and Disneyland theme parks will ban smoking and vaping. Each park previously had designated smoking sections, but now guests will have to exit the park — and travel beyond security at Disneyland — to smoke.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon water parks in Florida and Downtown Disney in California will all become no-smoking areas as well, while Disney Springs and Disney resort hotels will retain smoking sections.

Guests are able to bring food and drink into the parks — unlike many other amusement parks, Disney is quite lenient on the matter — but loose ice and dry ice can no longer be brought into Disney parks effective immediately, in an effort to restrict guests from using large-scale coolers. (Reusable ice packs will still be allowed.)