Alcohol in the Magic Kingdom

[21stamps]

WDW doesn't need "a lot" just a little more than it currently has. I have a hard time putting the days of PI behind me, but that offered a great option for adult nightlife without impacting families in any way.

I agree with you there. I could see Disney Springs limiting a few places in the future, I think there's a want and need for that.

 

[SorcererMC]

That's awesome! I think that makes kids feel a little extra special sometimes too. I'm sure your son thouroughly enjoyed it!

Most, not all, but the majority of times that we have been to Morton's, Shula's, or similar for dinner the server is usually extra cute with my kid. We had one once that "recommended" a drink for him to pair with his food.. he got a kick out of it. At Disney Trader Sam's is definitely lacking in the service department in general so nothing special there, but he loved his drink w/ an umbrella so much that it doesn't matter. Our server at the GV Lounge was AMAZING!! (Maybe bc we were his only table lol), but he was completely doting on kiddo.. called him "Mr. [first name]" the entire time, and generally came across very sincere in his interactions with my son. IMO that helps them behave even better..don't know if that makes sense.. but I feel like I notice him sitting a little straighter, paying more attention to the napkin on his lap, and just speaking a little more propper, face beaming with a "I'm a big boy" look.

Kids can enjoy adult like settings, they don't always need crayons and paper to entertain them at a dinner table...sometimes they just want to talk with their parents. There may come a time when he may not enjoy dinner out with me, I hope that never happens, but who knows what the teenage years will bring.. I'm going to eat it up while I can.

Yes, that is very similar to our experience - children like being allowed to 'play grown-up', or get treated with respect instead of patronized, and they learn behavior appropriate to the setting. It's like Walt Disney's philosophy that you don't need to talk down to children or dumb it down for them, rather make it 'age-appropriate'. (That's also probably why it irks me that a lot of the WDW changes are aimed towards little kids when it wasn't always like that).

 

[21stamps]

Yes, that is very similar to our experience - children like being allowed to 'play grown-up', or get treated with respect instead of patronized, and they learn behavior appropriate to the setting. It's like Walt Disney's philosophy that you don't need to talk down to children or dumb it down for them, rather make it 'age-appropriate'. (That's also probably why it irks me that a lot of the WDW changes are aimed towards little kids when it wasn't always like that).

I don't want to destroy this love fest by debating with your sentence in quotations.. so I'll just "like" it..because I whole heartedly agree with the rest of your statement. .

 

[BuddyThomas]

I don't have a problem with alcohol being served at MK and even though you a vacationing drunk like Buddy Thomas making a fool out of himself once in a while, the real problem lies with the young locals who fashion the park into their own little beer fest a' la F&W. TDO needs to raise one-day ticket prices through the roof to keep these local drunkards at bay!

Wait, what the ----?!?!?!?!? Err, well, I'm sure you said it with love......or something.
Happy holidays!

 

[SorcererMC]

I don't want to destroy this love fest by debating with your sentence in quotations.. so I'll just "like" it..because I whole heartedly agree with the rest of your statement. .

lol. When I wrote that I was oblivious to the 'raging' debate in another thread. It was an off the cuff comment and I'm not trying to open that can of worms! Actually I was trying to keep my comments vaguely on-topic/ Disney-related. #Fail

ETA: Mostly I was thinking of 'Enchanted Tales with Belle', more for ages 5 and under.

 

[Luxe]

I'm not sure what's worse, alcohol in the Kingdom or obnoxious DJ dance parties in AK...

 

[BuddyThomas]

I'm not sure what's worse, alcohol in the Kingdom or obnoxious DJ dance parties in AK...

Get over it.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I'm not sure what's worse, alcohol in the Kingdom or obnoxious DJ dance parties in AK...

 

[Luxe]

Get over it.

Nice to see you too.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Nice to see you too.

Cheers!

 

[King Panda 77]

Now that the thread has come back around to this unruly children issue I have a couple of thoughts. Like yours my kid was rather mature for his age (being the first grandkid), so quite often he was the only kid in a group of adults at restaurant celebrations that included alcohol. He was about 10 when we were wine-tasting in Napa; in the tasting room, there was a kids' table with coloring books (and he also got the best tasting grape juice he'll ever have). I think WDW could have more adults only options, but failing that, there's an easy fix - signs to this effect.
View attachment 180546

 

[Jon81uk]

It is the same thing as the restaurant is in an amusement park. Is alcohol really that important, really?

Then should Disney stop serving across the whole of their property? If alcohol isn't important then why do people drink next tot their hotel pool? (Yes I'm being flippant)

Also, more seriously, food tastes better with wine. For me having a steak and a Coke isn't the same as a steak with beer or wine. And there is a huge difference between me enjoying a glass of wine at the California Grill with my food and drinking four cocktails next to the pool. The first one is fine in the MK, a nice glass of wine or beer will go with the food. Sitting on the kerb with a vodka and Coke is not appropriate.

 

[Jon81uk]

I agree with you there. I could see Disney Springs limiting a few places in the future, I think there's a want and need for that.

I am expecting the Edison to fill the gap. It wouldn't surprise me if it was 18+ or even 21+ after 8pm or similar. There are also strong rumours that a dance floor will feature in the Edison as well as bars and food.

 

[King Panda 77]

Then should Disney stop serving across the whole of their property? If alcohol isn't important then why do people drink next tot their hotel pool? (Yes I'm being flippant)

Also, more seriously, food tastes better with wine. For me having a steak and a Coke isn't the same as a steak with beer or wine. And there is a huge difference between me enjoying a glass of wine at the California Grill with my food and drinking four cocktails next to the pool. The first one is fine in the MK, a nice glass of wine or beer will go with the food. Sitting on the kerb with a vodka and Coke is not appropriate.[/QUOTE]

In your opinion

 

[IMFearless]

The issue in Walt's day and I believe today comes down to one issue: behaviour

The reason Walt restricted alcohol sales was that he feared the possible resulting bad behaviour.

I believe this will again be the issue that ultimately decides how far alcohol sales will spread in MK. Disney will continue to increase alcohol sales as long as it is profitable to do so, once the resulting alcohol sales begin to detract from profit they will likely be curtailed. The issue will come down to behaviour.

The worrying thing is management's ability to identify and respond to issues caused by alcohol sales. The problem again is behaviour - alcohol may be a contributing factor to problems, rather than the only cause to a person's behaviour.

I would feel far more comfortable with this if Disney viewed some of the issues at Epcot as problematic - the fact is Disney could restrict alcohol sales very easily if they wished to do so - for instance linking alcohol sales to ticket media or to a person's MDX profile - they have decided that it is more profitable in Epcot to allow alcohol sales to the point that we currently have.

I would argue that currently some guests (or groups of guests) are displeased with other guest's (or groups of guest's) behaviour in Epcot. Disney have (by not changing their response to the situation) decided that it is more profitable to leave things the way they are in Epcot - this is obviously their right to decide.

The truth is the current Disney management is okay with some guests being displeased as long as this is the more profitable scenario than any alternative - for me this is the bigger issue in a nutshell. Disney of the past put the four keys to the Kingdom in order of: Safety, Courtesy, Show, Efficiency

Time has shown that this formula works - profit is a bi-product of it working - it is not the reason that it works in the first place. Does the management still realise this?

 

[Jon81uk]

In your opinion

Maybe I should have specified not appropriate in the Magic Kingdom

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The truth is the current Disney management is okay with some guests being displeased as long as this is the more profitable scenario than any alternative -

That's how business works. You can't please everyone so you go with the formula that displeases the least.

 

[Bocabear]

I'm not claiming to be a good parent..or saying others are bad. I'm saying we raise our children according to how we want them to grow up.. we decide what they are exposed to. not all of us make the same decisions. We try to make an educated guess on how that exposure will benefit them or harm them. A child, being well behaved, eating a few appetitizers in a lounge at WDW shouldn't be harming anyone. The child, or the other adults in the same establishment.

If there's a handbook that exists, please pass it to me.

I think you read the handbook already You seem to be doing a great job.

 

[Bocabear]

Actually wouldn't it be amazing if they just created a restaurant that had all the style and effects of Trader Sam's... then the Adults Only Trader Sams would not be an issue... there would be a wonderfully themed all ages eatery nearby...

 

[ford91exploder]

That's awesome! I think that makes kids feel a little extra special sometimes too. I'm sure your son thouroughly enjoyed it!

Most, not all, but the majority of times that we have been to Morton's, Shula's, or similar for dinner the server is usually extra cute with my kid. We had one once that "recommended" a drink for him to pair with his food.. he got a kick out of it. At Disney Trader Sam's is definitely lacking in the service department in general so nothing special there, but he loved his drink w/ an umbrella so much that it doesn't matter. Our server at the GV Lounge was AMAZING!! (Maybe bc we were his only table lol), but he was completely doting on kiddo.. called him "Mr. [first name]" the entire time, and generally came across very sincere in his interactions with my son. IMO that helps them behave even better..don't know if that makes sense.. but I feel like I notice him sitting a little straighter, paying more attention to the napkin on his lap, and just speaking a little more propper, face beaming with a "I'm a big boy" look.

Kids can enjoy adult like settings, they don't always need crayons and paper to entertain them at a dinner table...sometimes they just want to talk with their parents. There may come a time when he may not enjoy dinner out with me, I hope that never happens, but who knows what the teenage years will bring.. I'm going to eat it up while I can.

Kids DO enjoy playing grown up and opportunities like you describe are ideal venues for doing so. I'm glad your kids have the opportunity to do so.