Alcohol in the Magic Kingdom

[Tony the Tigger]

In September we actually started drinking the minute the Tune-in Lounge opened up. Drinking is mandatory at DHS.

My favorite watering hole at WDW!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I don't mind alcohol at TS or even QS. But people walking around with open cups is sleazy looking to me. I went to Great Wolf Lodge a while back and most of the parents had an open Solo cup at the Forest Friends Show. I didn't like it.

With all due respect, if I'm carrying a Solo cup, why should I have to be concerned with whether or not you or anyone likes it?

I find a lot more offensive things at WDW than open cups of (presumably) alcohol.

It is reasonable to have a problem with people who are doing certain things whether or not those things are brought on by drinking alcohol. The actual act of drinking alcohol from a cup is not one of those things.

I think it's important to realize we all have different sensibilities about various things, and neither of us has to be "wrong," we just have to coexist while at a theme park. Simply seeing a cup or a cart and having a problem with that does not seem reasonable to me.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Have you been to DHS? They have CMs walking around selling beer outside some of the queues like they have in baseball stadiums. Stay classy Disney...

Nope, never saw that at all. Except maybe in the Fantasmic amphitheatre.

Spotted them outside of RnR and ToT for sure.

I've never seen this either. Weird.

I have definitely seen them and bought from them. However, I seem to remember it being only at special or peak times - New Year's Eve, etc. Maybe that's the case?

 

[asianway]

They are actually there nightly - they are used because the food stand lines get backed up inside Fantasmic. They come out to the streets when the line is building for the show and the venue hasn't opened yet. More for practicality since the line seems to flux a bit during the load process.

And during busy seasons, they roll out the banquet bars on the other side of the park - from Derby to Star Tours.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Yes, through New Years'. It was the most utterly chaotic, insane, jam-packed time I've seen at the parks, every ride with long long waits, total chaos. Epcot on New Years Eve was shoulder-to-shoulder, crowds like I've never seen before -- I've no desire to experience that ever again. They definitely tried a lot of ways to keep crowds happy, but baseball-stadium-style beer hawkers --- not when I was there.

I've been for New Year's Eve twice - the first time in 1999, and I don't remember anything bad about it (maybe because it was my first WDW trip.)

Went a few years ago and I agree - never again.

 

[Rodan75]

I think Disney has gotten comfortable with 'family space' lounges over the last few years on the cruise ships, Trader Sam's, etc. So I could definitely see this expanding into MK at the Table Service restaurants first to see if this is something the MK can absorb. Which I think it can and I think we can see it successfully branch out to QS and Kiosks without much issue.

However, if they dive into selling Mickey's Yards of Beer while waiting for a parade or promoting Drinking around the Kingdom, I think they have lost their minds. But I think that is unlikely and I don't see MK doing anything that would significantly increase risk at that park.

 

[Nubs70]

All we need now is confirmation that the alcohol is only served in the private cabanas. Then we have a castle park that sells booze in a private club and so Walt would turn in his grave and...wait....

Body might, head not so much.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I was surprised to see how many people were walking around with alcohol in the parks. I am pleased to report that I didn't see any drunk people during our trip. I guess people have their way to have a good time which is cool when they respect the people around them. I was pleased with people's behavior.

 

[Otterhead]

The plastic tray with beers are only in fantasmic or right outside the street that leads to it when busy and they don't hawk like at baseball games. They are basically some young kids being asked to walk around.

Good. There's a huge difference between impromptu vendors supplementing the often-overwhelmed food/drink carts at Fantasmic and guys walking up and down the lines at rides, selling beer like baseball hawkers.

 

[wdisney9000]

I don't mind alcohol at TS or even QS. But people walking around with open cups is sleazy looking to me. I went to Great Wolf Lodge a while back and most of the parents had an open Solo cup at the Forest Friends Show. I didn't like it.

How is the contests of a grown persons cup anybody elses business? Did the solo cup folks cause a disruption? I will venture a guess that they did not as it most certainly would have been the subject of your original post.

 

[golden james]

To be fair Disney are generally strict when it comes to alcohol. Im 35 my wife is 36 and every visit we get ID'd. Another example is last year while waiting for the fireworks at HS in the rain I fancied a beer, so walked down to Tower Of Terror, paid and made my way back to my wife who was waiting with our baby girl. My wife had a sip and decided to keep it so i walked back to where i purchased said beer from (id in hand) and the same cm tried to serve me but said no, explaining i had already purchased a beer within the same 30 min and couldn't serve me.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

I shutter at the thought of individuals with beers in hand standing in front of it's a small world

It truly will be a world of tears.

Could still be a world of laughter too... just depends what kind of drunk you are.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

I can't wait for Marijuana carts to appear.. Nothing screams fun like dropping 50 foot down splash when you're high as a kite..

When it becomes legal for recreational use, I am sure they will grow and sell it over in The Land.

 

[golden james]

When it becomes legal for recreational use, I am sure they will grow and sell it over in The Land.

i can see it now! Another Disney upcharge, space cake cart outside of space mountain. "yeah braaaah"

 

[TheGhostWithTheMost]

I can't wait for Marijuana carts to appear.. Nothing screams fun like dropping 50 foot down splash when you're high as a kite..

That would make the parks way too tolerable to be in, they'd never do it...

 

[JohnD]

The plastic tray with beers are only in fantasmic or right outside the street that leads to it when busy and they don't hawk like at baseball games. They are basically some young kids being asked to walk around. And the place I was referring to has nothing inside for customers to go into. It's basically a carnival trailer with theming outside to match the EE area. So only difference between that and cart is size. And you saying cart is different then a metal tub of beers with a person selling them. There is nothing wrong with grabbing a beer and a pretzel at a cart while getting your kid a churro and soda. You can do it pretty much anywhere else. Broadway shows, concerts, orchestras, sporting events. People that embarrass themselves will find a way regardless. This country always had issues with Alcohol because of it's roots. Thankfully we are finally growing up.

I won't drink in Fantasmic just like I wouldn't make use of the bar at AMC. I want to see what I came to see, not get up frequently to use the bathroom.

 

[csmat99]

I won't drink in Fantasmic just like I wouldn't make use of the bar at AMC. I want to see what I came to see, not get up frequently to use the bathroom.

Well that isn't a problem for most people. I can have a few drinks if I like and not have to go to the bathroom for few hours. I don't think anyone is talking about drinking 8 beers at a football game and the lines are out the door at the bathroom.

 

[ScoutN]

I think Disney has gotten comfortable with 'family space' lounges over the last few years on the cruise ships, Trader Sam's, etc. So I could definitely see this expanding into MK at the Table Service restaurants first to see if this is something the MK can absorb. Which I think it can and I think we can see it successfully branch out to QS and Kiosks without much issue.

However, if they dive into selling Mickey's Yards of Beer while waiting for a parade or promoting Drinking around the Kingdom, I think they have lost their minds. But I think that is unlikely and I don't see MK doing anything that would significantly increase risk at that park.

Sam's was checking ID at the door month before last. That was a welcome change from what we saw in May.

 

[Luxe]

I was surprised to see how many people were walking around with alcohol in the parks. I am pleased to report that I didn't see any drunk people during our trip. I guess people have their way to have a good time which is cool when they respect the people around them. I was pleased with people's behavior.

Tell that to the several mobs of drunk idiots screaming profanity to each other a couple nights ago at FestivalCOT. I'm actually sitting on a bench in the park right now and just watched someone puke their guts out in the bushes.

 

[The_Jobu]

Tell that to the several mobs of drunk idiots screaming profanity to each other a couple nights ago at FestivalCOT. I'm actually sitting on a bench in the park right now and just watched someone puke their guts out in the bushes.

Ah yes, foliage. The public vomit receptacle of choice for the classy, discerning gentleman.