The "Snacks with Character" collection will offer 11 types of bars, cookies, and trail mixes, with relatively subtle Disney character branding. Disney said in a press release that it developed this new line for "guests looking for dietary alternatives related to food allergies or lifestyle choices."
"To create these treats, Disney Theme Park Merchandise teamed up with well-known specialty suppliers such as Ocean Spray, Enjoy Life Foods, Way Better Snacks and WOW Baking Company. Several of the dietary needs addressed in the new assortment products include gluten-free, nut-free, and other allergy-friendly products," the company announced.
Note that while Disney is calling these snacks "better for you," it's also taking great care to avoid the word "healthy." While new allergen-free alternatives are always welcomed, and many believe that these types of snacks are better for them than traditional prepackaged fare, let's not forget that they still are processed snacks. They're not natural food items, such as piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. Nor are they freshly made — they're shelf-stabilized just like the chips, crackers and bars you'd find at your local grocery.
Which brings up a point — we haven't seen the prices for these items yet, but we will take a moment to remind you that one of our top items of advice for theme park visitors is "Don't buy anything inside a theme park that you can get for less outside the park." Disney's theme parks do allow visitors to bring pre-packaged food into the park, so if you've got a brand of snacks that you like from your local grocery (or that you can pick up on your way into the park), bringing them in might be a better deal than buying pre-packaged snacks at Disney, no matter what the brand.
If I were running either the Hilton Lake Buena Vista or Buena Vista Palace, I'd look into converting the ground floor guest rooms closest to Disney Springs into a CVS or Walgreens. Both of those locations are basically across the street from the Disney bus depot. Guests could go to Disney Springs and then run into the convenience store for supplies before going back to their Disney resort. As long as things were priced reasonably, that'd be a gold mine. Of course, I'm sure Disney would find a way to block it.
You can also buy snacks and drinks at OIA after the plane lands or the Speedway gas station across from Downtown Disney.
No way am I paying $4 for a bottled water or a soda
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