Disney ‘Star Wars’ Coke Bombs Make Great Souvenirs, But Don’t Try Taking Them On The Plane Home, TSA Warns
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is warning visitors to Disney parks that a popular new souvenir can’t be brought home onboard the plane, Yahoo Lifestyle reports.
Whenever the Walt Disney Company brings something big to their parks, they go all-in — the restrooms, the landscaping, and even the souvenirs, food, and beverages are tied to thematic elements of the attraction. Such is the case with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a section of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, that is already open, and a section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida that will be opening in a few days. At both parks, guests are immersed in the universe of the Lucasfilm movies.
Of course, those guests will want to bring home souvenirs for their friends and family back home. Unfortunately, one well-loved souvenir is not welcome on any aircraft flying into or out of any airport in the United States — the Star Wars Coke Bomb.
The souvenirs are basically bottles of a Coke product that are globe-shaped, and with a plastic cap on top. They’re supposed to recall the “thermal detonator” used by characters in the franchise. Or, if you’re not familiar with the Star Wars universe, they also resemble the more classic cartoon bomb, such as the ones that Yosemite Sam or Bugs Bunny might have used in a Looney Tunes short.
Thanks for asking! Replica and inert explosives aren't allowed in either carry-on or checked bags.
— AskTSA (@AskTSA) August 13, 2019
Unfortunately, they can’t be brought on-board an airplane — not in a carry-on, not even in checked baggage. That’s because, according to the TSA, “replica” and inert explosives are forbidden. That means that even though the souvenirs only resemble a bomb in the most superficial sense, they do resemble a bomb — and the word “bomb” is right there in the name.
“Even with a normal bottle cap, this item is still considered a replica and is not allowed in carry-on or checked bags. If our officers discover a replica item during screening and believes it’s real, the item will be treated as such until advised otherwise by law enforcement,” said the agency.
You could mail the souvenirs home to yourself, however, if you are willing to jump through some extra hoops. According to the Post Office, there’s a whole category of mailed goods, and attendant regulations, relating to artificial and inert explosives. A 2010 report shared on the Government Publishing Office website noted that there have been instances where post offices had to be evacuated because of bomb scares over fake or inert “bombs” being sent through the mail. But rather than prohibiting them all together, the United States Postal Service allows users to send them via Registered Mail.
