Shanghai Disney visitors to be allowed bring their own food

Shanghai Disney Resort will soon allow visitors to bring their own food into the theme park, one of many upcoming policies to ensure a "safe and enjoyable" guest experience.

Food that isn't in containers that can be reheated, doesn't require preparation and is for personal consumption will be allowed into the park, the company said in a statement sent to China Daily on Friday, quoting Johnny Xue, director of security, safety, fire and health at Shanghai Disney Resort.

Alcoholic beverages, cans and glassware will still be denied access, while bottled beverages will be allowed, according to the statement.

The resort meanwhile said it will continue to expand the variety of food inside the park and encourage guests to use over 50 drinking water fountains and over 20 hot water dispensers for free.

The resort also pledged to change its security screening procedures, through notifications ahead of ticket purchases via all sales platforms and a friendlier and less intrusive screening process.

Guests will be encouraged to open their bags, remove any banned items and return items themselves when security screening is completed, the statement said.

With support from local government, the resort team is also looking to use new technologies and equipment to improve screening procedures in the longer term.

"We understand that our guests may feel uncomfortable when undertaking security screenings," Xue said.

He said the adjustments are to serve two goals: ensuring safety and security for guests and Disney employees, as well as,providing a more guest-friendly experience.

"The resort team has been working closely with various government departments to finalize these improvements and we aim to start the implementation immediately," he said, adding that the resort will continue to listen and respond quickly to visitor feedback.

The Shanghai Disney Resort, the latest addition to Disney's global theme park portfolio, came under public scrutiny after a college student in Shanghai sued the park banning food from outside its boundaries.

The park had banned food and drinks from outside its services since November 2017, more than a year after its opening.

Stringent security screening upon entrance is applied throughout all six Disney resorts worldwide.