An aerial view of the Enchanted Storybook Castle in Shanghai Disneyland at Shanghai Disney Resort in Pudong, Shanghai, China on June 4 Photo: IC

Some netizens suggested that Shanghai Disneyland had missed the crucial point of the handbag-inspection controversy, after it rolled out new regulations on Wednesday forbidding visitors from carrying certain types of food into the amusement park. 

According to the new regulations, visitors are now allowed to bring food into Shanghai Disneyland except food with a pungent smell or that needs to be frozen, heated or processed. The prohibited foods include instant noodles, whole watermelons, durians and fermented tofu. 

However, some netizens argued that the real controversy lies in whether Disneyland has the right to check the inside of visitors' handbags (to make sure they don't bring in inappropriate food). 

"It's reasonable that Disneyland has made some changes. But handbag checks are related to privacy and we deserve an explanation from Disneyland," one netizen named Jinribaozang commented in a Weibo post.

Another netizen, Ajianzj, also said that food is not the key problem: "Handbag checking is illegal and discriminative."

Disneyland rolled out the new food entry regulations after controversy was aroused over whether or not it had the right to check visitors' handbags to prevent them from bringing food into the park, particularly as its own restaurants often provide food at well-above-average prices. 

Disneyland later lifted its food entry ban amid public pressure. However, pictures began to circulate on the internet showing people bringing bizarre foods into the park, such as a whole watermelon along with a knife, again igniting heated discussions on the internet. 

The Global Times observed that some netizens accepted Disneyland's ban on foods like watermelons. "At least they have solved the food question," one netizen said. 

A Shanghai resident surnamed Lu told the Global Times that she agrees with Disneyland that odorous food can't be brought into the park because, "the park is often densely populated and smelly food would affect others in such public places." 

Global Times