Food & Wine Festival - Drunkytown?

[Pocahontas]

I beg to differ. Over the years the "quality" of guests at WDW has been going downhill, in all parks. People scream at kids, damage the park (if your kid is there striping the leaves off of a tree, how about you tell them to stop), litter like it's their job, have no problem standing right in front of your kid at a parade, ush past and cut in line, and do a host of other things as well. The general population of any given park at WDW on any given day has been less polite.

Sure it is not the all out war zone that many of these posts seem to make it out to be, but there has been a definate downward slide in the general plesantness of the people that are attending.

Why, I really do not have an answer.


-dave

This point has already been made, and I already responded to it. The main point of this thread, and the point I'm trying to make, too, is that the guests are always WORSE during the festival. Is it just a coincidence that there are always more problems involving guests during the festival? I don't think. Yes, you've said a million times that it's not the drinks, it's just trashy people. Trashy people are everywhere at all times! This isn't a big secret. What I'm trying to say is it is always WORSE during the food and wine festival, due to the alcohol involved.

 

[Weather_Lady]

We are currently in Disney and have been here since Wednesday (October 9), I am in awe of this thread. We have been to the festival almost every night and have not seen any of the behavior discussed in some of these responses. Yes people have been having fun and being a little loud, but I can only think of one person this whole week where I thought to myself "wow they need to go home" and guess what she was leaving. I have been run over this week alone by old people on jazzies, young people on jazzies, children running wild while their parents pay no attention, Brazilian tour groups, track teams and yes one person with a beer in their hand and guess what this was in every park not just the WS.

People need to remember that, yes most of the Disney's advertising on TV is targeted towards families, but not only families go to Disney. Their website has a whole section dedicated towards adults and when planning our vacation they sent us a DVD targeted towards adults and played up every restaurant/bar/party Disney offered. Disney is a business not a church, therefore their goal is to make money and this is is going to done by offering things specific for families, adults and kids to do.

Moral of the story, people need to be responsible for themselves in every day life, not just in Disney.

I'm not sure I understand the point of your post. Are you denying that there are intoxicated people at F&W, or saying that families should "know better" and avoid World Showcase during F&W altogether?

 

[hellowonderland]

When I was a CM working at Epcot, we saw drunk people all.the.time and not just during F&W. I constantly had gross men trying to grope me as I worked at the "cart", selling glow-in-the-dark Tinkerbell spinnies. So sexy! ;-) We did have PI back then, though -- but I will say, as far as I could tell, it was frequented solely by cast members.

It really isn't an issue that begins and ends with F&W. That being said, my husband and I went to Disney for our honeymoon last October, and the only thing that bothered me about the festival was how freaking crowded and chaotic it was. We enjoyed the food but wouldn't go back during the festival.

 

[jaklgreen]

When I was a CM working at Epcot, we saw drunk people all.the.time and not just during F&W. I constantly had gross men trying to grope me as I worked at the "cart", selling glow-in-the-dark Tinkerbell spinnies. So sexy! ;-) We did have PI back then, though -- but I will say, as far as I could tell, it was frequented solely by cast members.

It really isn't an issue that begins and ends with F&W. That being said, my husband and I went to Disney for our honeymoon last October, and the only thing that bothered me about the festival was how freaking crowded and chaotic it was. We enjoyed the food but wouldn't go back during the festival.

I wonder if Disney markets the F&WF to local. It seems like the busiest times are the weekend when supposedly the locals show up. It is not you average tourist that is getting sloppy drunk with their kids around. I would not mind if they imposed a limit on how many drinks one can have in a night.

 

[hellowonderland]

I wonder if Disney markets the F&WF to local. It seems like the busiest times are the weekend when supposedly the locals show up. It is not you average tourist that is getting sloppy drunk with their kids around. I would not mind if they imposed a limit on how many drinks one can have in a night.

I def. think the locals who have that "Epcot After Dark" pass (if that still exists, haha) come out in droves for F&W. The general atmosphere IS very adult during the evening and I honestly never got the feeling Disney discouraged it - even when I worked there. And why would they, I suppose... more money, etc.

I'm not going to lie, I pretty much live on Grey Goose slushies while I'm in Epcot, so I wouldn't be thrilled if Disney tried to police my drinking. I think it's vital that Disney continue to attract adults on their own, not just families. So I'm not sure there's a solution. Maybe just going during the week is the answer if you're not a fan of the clubby atmosphere.

 

[Prince-1]

No offense, but I would have thought a thread title like "Drunkytown" would have been a hint ... just sayin'.

"Won't you take me to...Drunkytown! Wont you take me to....Drunkytown!!"

Come on kids sing along, you know the words

 

[G8rchamps]

I'll have to admit we are going on Saturday, only time my sister can meet us there.

WE WILL BE OUT OF WORLD SHOWCASE BY 4PM!

 

[Wikkler]

"Won't you take me to...Drunkytown! Wont you take me to....Drunkytown!!"
Come on sing along.

Gotta make a move to a park that's right for me!
Thanks for noticing my reference.

 

[Uncle Remus]

We go to Epcot about 20 times a year. We hit the F&W at least 5 of those. I've either been extremely lucky or people exaggerate what they see.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I don't understand how everyone is getting so drunk with WDW drink prices what they are. I thought our economy was still in the tank. Maybe F&W should become a hard ticket event on week-ends to control the crowds.

I'd be okay with that. The crowds for F&W this year have been the largest I've seen. Id be willing to pay more to thin the herd.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I wonder if Disney markets the F&WF to local. It seems like the busiest times are the weekend when supposedly the locals show up. It is not you average tourist that is getting sloppy drunk with their kids around. I would not mind if they imposed a limit on how many drinks one can have in a night.

In my observation it is the tourist who gets sloppy drunk and walks or buses back to their hotel rooms. A lot of locals utilize the Epcot after dark and go on the week nights. Not to mention they are driving back and forth to their homes usually. They'll never impose a limit due to the act they'd be putting a giant dent in revenue. Not to mention just because someone can't handle a couple beers doesn't mean others can't. Other than large crowds and a sleeping old person in the grass here and there I just haven't seen the horror stories others have had.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I've been to EPCOT 40 million times and not once, ever, have I encountered an issue with anything except an occasional crowd situation.

You know, "drinking around the world" is now a "thing" and has been for some time. Just do a YouTube search of "drink around the world Epcot" and a ton of videos come up.

We did it on our last trip and had a great time. We did not curse or puke or hit anyone with a metal bar.

 

[Bairstow]

"Won't you take me to...Drunkytown! Wont you take me to....Drunkytown!!"
Come on sing along.

 

[FettFan]

I beg to differ. Over the years the "quality" of guests at WDW has been going downhill, in all parks. People scream at kids, damage the park (if your kid is there striping the leaves off of a tree, how about you tell them to stop), litter like it's their job, have no problem standing right in front of your kid at a parade, ush past and cut in line, and do a host of other things as well. The general population of any given park at WDW on any given day has been less polite.

Sure it is not the all out war zone that many of these posts seem to make it out to be, but there has been a definate downward slide in the general plesantness of the people that are attending.

Why, I really do not have an answer.


-dave

The quality of humans has gone downhill all across America.

 

[luv]

I wonder if Disney markets the F&WF to local. It seems like the busiest times are the weekend when supposedly the locals show up. It is not you average tourist that is getting sloppy drunk with their kids around. I would not mind if they imposed a limit on how many drinks one can have in a night.

Nope, they don't market it. Not that I've seen. The only thing they market is how we haven't seen Disney lately and it's soooo much cooler now, so we should all buy passes and set up payment plans to pay for them. I understand that after a deposit, the payment is around $20/month, but I don't do that or know anything else about it.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

I've said it once and I'll say it again;

 

[yankspy]

I think your last line says it best. Adults have every right to have fun as well but having adult fun does not mean acting like an idiot. In most cases, if the behavior is unacceptable around children, chances are it is unacceptable to adults too even though adults may understand said behavior more.

As far as crowds, well there is always more of a concern with small children with large crowds, sober or not. Parents should be aware of this. Hence the reason that after the fireworks I stay back for awhile and let the crowds thin out. there is always the chance that someone may not see my four year old in a crowd and step on him or knock him down. There is also the chance that he may stop in the middle of a moving crowd for no reason because that is the type of thing that a four year old will do and no one should have to suffer because of that.

I guess my point is that all people deserve to enjoy the parks, families, single people, etc. A little consideration on everyone's part would go a long way.

I've been to EPCOT 40 million times and not once, ever, have I encountered an issue with anything except an occasional crowd situation.

You know, "drinking around the world" is now a "thing" and has been for some time. Just do a YouTube search of "drink around the world Epcot" and a ton of videos come up.

We did it on our last trip and had a great time. We did not curse or puke or hit anyone with a metal bar.[/quote

 

[luv]

Mixing children and drunks is always a bad idea. Most of the world has figured this out. Walt Disney knew it. I do not know why the Disney company has such a hard time with it. First they have bars where people bring children...and they're surprised when the bars don't do well. Now they have theme parks that add more drunks all the time. They really cannot figure out how to separate the drunks from the kids.

I'm all for drunks being able to drink. But there is a time and a place for everything and a theme park really isn't the place to get hammered. Go to a bar. Go to Tampa and tailgate. Stay home. Whatever. If you want to get sloshed, don't go to Epcot. Geez.

Springtime Flower &Garden festivals are about happiness and pretty things and nature. Also not a place to throw drunks into the mix.

A previous poster was correct that there are problems with drunks in Epcot all year, but it is worse during Food & Wine.

 

[BuddyThomas]

World Showcase has always been geared toward drinking. They serve beers in gigantic steins in Biergarten for example. They used to serve yards of beer in England. They have added new bars such as La Cava de Tequila and others. They encourage drinking and people on vacation don't need much encouragement. It is what it is. I happen to love it and have never encountered any problems with the so-called "drunks". Screaming children, roving mobs of Pop Warner attendees or Brazilian tour groups, yes. But I've never seen anything such as described on this thread.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

The quality of humans has gone downhill all across America.

This.