Epcot Food & Wine Festival = Booze Fest

[Bpmorley]

I notice COMPLETELY sober adults at MK acting like fools, being loud, treating CM's horribly, leaving dirty diapers on top of a trash can, ramming through crowds with their stroller, shoving people out of the way and even allowing their child to urinate in the bushes (yes). This behavior is completely unfit for a Disney park. I notice this at MK much more than any of the the other parks and most likely because it is the entitled parent mentality and MK is where the parents with young kids tend be at the most.

Have I seen people at Epcot who have had a few too many drinks? Sure, but they are nowhere near as rude and disturbing as the sober moms and dads who feel they can do whatever feel like since they paid money visit WDW.

I get the loud and acting like fools if it's just in a having fun kind of way. People are on vacation and are allowed to let loose if they want. As long as it's not harming anyone. The other stuff is downright scumbagness(if that is a word). I've seen the dirty diapers and other trash just thrown wherever. I've seen the stroller/wheelchair/ECV ramming. Child urinating, that is a new one and they should all be banned from the park. the parents allowing it is worse than the child doing it.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

but the ones who can't make a big impact on others.

Usually only if the others choose to be “impacted.”

We go to all the Epcot festivals often, typically planning our trips around them.

It’s more for the food, except for the wine/tequila pairing meals, because we can drink normal sized drinks at WDW anytime, and don’t typically go for the more sugary specialty drinks at the festivals.

But we do drink as we walk.

As far as I’m concerned, the only people in the park are the people in my party, the people ahead of us in line, and the people hitting us with strollers or stopping short in the middle of a walkway for no reason.

I am not watching what other people are eating or drinking, how well they are walking, or how loudly they are talking unless they invade my personal space or are right in front of me.

Some would call those who have to watch and chirp about what others are doing “busybodies.”

No one should have to concern themselves with your personal biases while enjoying themselves at a food and alcohol festival unless they actually disturb you, not just offend your sensibilities.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Well, it is not getting any better.

lol see this would not faze me. I'd simply keep walking and just say that's another candidate for the Darwin award for stupidity.

 

[Bpmorley]

Usually only if the others choose to be “impacted.”

We go to all the Epcot festivals often, typically planning our trips around them.

It’s more for the food, except for the wine/tequila pairing meals, because we can drink normal sized drinks at WDW anytime, and don’t typically go for the more sugary specialty drinks at the festivals.

But we do drink as we walk.

As far as I’m concerned, the only people in the park are the people in my party, the people ahead of us in line, and the people hitting us with strollers or stopping short in the middle of a walkway for no reason.

I am not watching what other people are eating or drinking, how well they are walking, or how loudly they are talking unless they invade my personal space or are right in front of me.

Some would call those who have to watch and chirp about what others are doing “busybodies.”

No one should have to concern themselves with your personal biases while enjoying themselves at a food and alcohol festival unless they actually disturb you, not just offend your sensibilities.

Well said. It's kinda what I was eluding to, but I'm not very articulate. I think faster than I can type, so sometime I don't get my point accross or it comes out rude. I hope nobody takes it like that.

 

[wdisney9000]

Usually only if the others choose to be “impacted.”

We go to all the Epcot festivals often, typically planning our trips around them.

It’s more for the food, except for the wine/tequila pairing meals, because we can drink normal sized drinks at WDW anytime, and don’t typically go for the more sugary specialty drinks at the festivals.

But we do drink as we walk.

As far as I’m concerned, the only people in the park are the people in my party, the people ahead of us in line, and the people hitting us with strollers or stopping short in the middle of a walkway for no reason.

I am not watching what other people are eating or drinking, how well they are walking, or how loudly they are talking unless they invade my personal space or are right in front of me.

Some would call those who have to watch and chirp about what others are doing “busybodies.”

No one should have to concern themselves with your personal biases while enjoying themselves at a food and alcohol festival unless they actually disturb you, not just offend your sensibilities.

Well said, Tony Toni Tone!

There is a big difference between "people watching" and actually getting up in someones personal business and assuming to know if they are/are not drunk simply because they have a drink in their hand and are laughing out loud and having a god time. If a person is watching someone more than a few moments and then begins judging them with no knowledge of that person aside from the few seconds they have watched them, then they are just looking for something to be "busy" about.

 

[wdisney9000]

This past week I saw a 10 year old girl pee her pants in the line for Slinky Dog. She was then berated (I think, they were speaking Spanish so I couldn't get the specifics) for it, and then left to stand in her pee pants, and RIDE IN HER PEE PANTS.

FWIW, I don't think she was drunk.

We have been in line and have seen a parent take a child to the restroom and ask us if we mind, or one of the parents stays behind to hold their spot. That is perfectly acceptable, IMO. I would even wait for them to return if we got to the loading area and allow people to pass us so they can get their spot back without upsetting others.

 

[Bpmorley]

We have been in line and have seen a parent take a child to the restroom and ask us if we mind, or one of the parents stays behind to hold their spot. That is perfectly acceptable, IMO. I would even wait for them to return if we got to the loading area and allow people to pass us so they can get their spot back without upsetting others.

That's the proper adult thing to do. I'm sure it was greatly appreciated

 

[Chef Mickey]

Usually only if the others choose to be “impacted.”

We go to all the Epcot festivals often, typically planning our trips around them.

It’s more for the food, except for the wine/tequila pairing meals, because we can drink normal sized drinks at WDW anytime, and don’t typically go for the more sugary specialty drinks at the festivals.

But we do drink as we walk.

As far as I’m concerned, the only people in the park are the people in my party, the people ahead of us in line, and the people hitting us with strollers or stopping short in the middle of a walkway for no reason.

I am not watching what other people are eating or drinking, how well they are walking, or how loudly they are talking unless they invade my personal space or are right in front of me.

Some would call those who have to watch and chirp about what others are doing “busybodies.”

No one should have to concern themselves with your personal biases while enjoying themselves at a food and alcohol festival unless they actually disturb you, not just offend your sensibilities.

How much am I really impacted if I go 30 days/year? I'm just pointing out that it would be an improvement to just get rid of alcohol at a place where there are so many kids, families, and crowded spaces.

This isn't an indictment on your ability to drink and walk. Most people can handle it and do. It's just those that don't can impact a lot of others. If there is an unfortunate incident, you're going to see Disney react to it. I'm just advocating them being more proactive. They just don't need it.

Time and place for everything. I think all drugs should be legal, so it has nothing to do with being offended. It just doesn't need to be at a Disney park, like a lot of other things I may like.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I notice COMPLETELY sober adults at MK acting like fools, being loud, treating CM's horribly, leaving dirty diapers on top of a trash can, ramming through crowds with their stroller, shoving people out of the way and even allowing their child to urinate in the bushes (yes). This behavior is completely unfit for a Disney park. I notice this at MK much more than any of the the other parks and most likely because it is the entitled parent mentality and MK is where the parents with young kids tend be at the most.

Have I seen people at Epcot who have had a few too many drinks? Sure, but they are nowhere near as rude and disturbing as the sober moms and dads who feel they can do whatever feel like since they paid money visit WDW.

No one said that's not true. I'd ban stupidity and rudeness if could too.

I'm advocating controlling what can be controlled.

 

[Hockey89]

No one said that's not true. I'd ban stupidity and rudeness if could too.

I'm advocating controlling what can be controlled.

One problem is way worse than the other and it's the rude and entitled people... It's not close...

So I'll keep having my wine at Italy....

 

[eliza61nyc]

No one said that's not true. I'd ban stupidity and rudeness if could too.

I'm advocating controlling what can be controlled.

How?
Pretty much the only way to prevent morons from becoming drunken morons is to totally eliminate alcohol, which means ruining it for the quest who enjoy it responsibly

 

[wdisney9000]

I'm advocating controlling what can be controlled.

With all due respect, a majority of peoples "complaints" about Epcot and the alleged drunken behavior is mostly people being loud or using adult language. The original post of this thread cited 2 examples of how F&W is "ruined" for them.

1. A man playing music on a belt. It may not be polite and the CM's should ask him stop, which he very well may have for all we know. And I cant imagine a speaker the size of a belt buckle playing music so loud that it could be heard more than 15 feet away. But the OP did not witness anybody vomiting or starting a fight or breaking any laws and also has ZERO evidence that the man was intoxicated, and someone playing music on a belt could happen at any Disney park and most likely has. Epcot and F&W are to blame though, according to some.

2. A lady having a conversation with a Vietnamese woman and not realizing she was not fluent in English. Again, no laws being broken. No vomiting. No fist fights being started or stumbling around and falling to the ground. Apparently the English speaking woman was enthusiastic about Vietnamese food and culture and made a mistake identifying the food dish. Talk about something that could ruin a vacation...gasp!

If you are advocating for controlling these types of issues based on alcohol being the culprit, I do not feel there is anywhere near enough evidence to even remotely consider banning alcohol as a preventative measure.

If the OP witnessed these two scenarios at AK during a dinner and RoL package, would they be inclined to write off dining packages and demand Disney ban alcohol because a person played music on a belt and another mistook a persons ability to speak the English language? Seems a bit silly when you apply these "vacation ruining" moments and remove Epcot from the equation and replace it with another park.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

How much am I really impacted if I go 30 days/year? I'm just pointing out that it would be an improvement to just get rid of alcohol at a place where there are so many kids, families, and crowded spaces.

This isn't an indictment on your ability to drink and walk. Most people can handle it and do. It's just those that don't can impact a lot of others. If there is an unfortunate incident, you're going to see Disney react to it. I'm just advocating them being more proactive. They just don't need it.

Time and place for everything. I think all drugs should be legal, so it has nothing to do with being offended. It just doesn't need to be at a Disney park, like a lot of other things I may like.

30 days a year is not really a big deal. And again, you can choose to not be impacted for almost all of this, unless it's right in your face. You've made a point of looking out for it, so you're going to notice it more. This puts a damper on your Disney trip, so why do it? You're causing your own less than perfect time.

Maybe the discussion needs to shift to having realistic expectations. You're going to a food and wine festival. It is reasonable to expect people will be drinking there, and just like any family restaurant where people are drinking (probably more since it's an outdoor "festival" where many are on vacation) some are going to drink more than others. You should expect that. If you don't, that's on you not being realistic, Disney or not.

How much drinking is fun and how much is appropriate are subjective questions. Your ideas may differ from others. You're not necessarily right.

Maybe eliminating alcohol would be an improvement for you. It would not for many, many others. It would greatly diminish the event for me if it were a food & soda event.

Side notes: people don't always get drunk intentionally. That doesn't have to mean they "can't handle their liquor" or did something wrong.

someone playing music on a belt could happen at any Disney park and most likely has

No! He clearly got drunk first, and then changed belts in the middle of Epcot!

 

[wdisney9000]

! He clearly got drunk first, and then changed belts in the middle of Epcot!

Clearly, that is the only possible explenation for such absurd behavior!!!!

 

[jaklgreen]

I don't really care about the drinking and the revelry. The issue with me is that there are so many groups of people that they take up the whole walkways making it hard to get by. The worst area is by the UK. I would suggest that they move the party for the senses to some other night than Saturday and open up world showplace as kind of a beer hall for these groups to go. That place is huge with huge bathrooms that can easily take a big bulk of the people out of the walkways. They can even set up drink vending areas from "around the world" so groups can cross that off of their t-shirts. That would, hopefully, keep some of the groups contained and leave room for others to enjoy walking around World Showcase.

 

[Texas84]

There is no handing out of alcoholic beverages when you cross the finish line. Don't think you can purchase a beer or anything else at the few food/beverage trucks available at the finish.

Year 2 was awesome. You finished inside Epcot at night right into the party and your bib had a tear-off for a free beer or soft drink that you could pick up right after the finish line.

Plenty of runners stop for a beer in Epcot during the full marathon. I couldn't do it.

 

[Bpmorley]

I don't really care about the drinking and the revelry. The issue with me is that there are so many groups of people that they take up the whole walkways making it hard to get by. The worst area is by the UK. I would suggest that they move the party for the senses to some other night than Saturday and open up world showplace as kind of a beer hall for these groups to go. That place is huge with huge bathrooms that can easily take a big bulk of the people out of the walkways. They can even set up drink vending areas from "around the world" so groups can cross that off of their t-shirts. That would, hopefully, keep some of the groups contained and leave room for others to enjoy walking around World Showcase.

Yes the UK was the most crowded area later in the day. early in the day we had a space at the bar and some room. We were gonna stop back for 1 or 2 more before back to BCV but couldn't even get in the bar.
Moving the party of the senses is a great idea if that is what's causing that log jam. But stopping large groups from being together is never going to happen.

 

[Raineman]

I have only been to Epcot for 1 day during F&W, so I do not have much personal experience, but here is my view on this thread:
I never have an issue with people drinking, if they can control themselves and not cause any issues for themselves and those around them. Some people can get hammered, but still be steady on their feet, pleasant, and polite; some cannot, and it's those people who should not be drinking copious amounts of alcohol at a theme park. If you want to go bar hopping, and you know you are going to get sloppy, loud, violent drunk, go to some bars that are not within a theme park's boundaries where they are more equipped to handle your drunk self, and where people know that they will most likely encounter drunks like that. Plus, for those that like getting sloshed during F&W, Epcot is basically like a huge bar with a $100 cover charge and expensive drinks-who can afford to drink copious amounts when the cost is that high?

 

[jaklgreen]

Yes the UK was the most crowded area later in the day. early in the day we had a space at the bar and some room. We were gonna stop back for 1 or 2 more before back to BCV but couldn't even get in the bar.
Moving the party of the senses is a great idea if that is what's causing that log jam. But stopping large groups from being together is never going to happen.

I think you misunderstood. I was saying that they should move the PFTS to another day(it is on Saturdays) so that they can use that space(World Showplace, that big building behind the giant doors by the UK) and open that up on the weekend for people to drink in. That would get the crowds out of the pathways. PFTS does not add crowds since all of the people stay in that building. The crowds are already there and need a place to go.

 

[Clamman73]

The calm after the storm