Food & Wine Festival - Drunkytown?

[xdan0920]

Do you honestly think people would act the way they do if it weren't for the alcohol? That's why it's called being under the influence. It's not a fact of being trashy - it's being drunk and not having good judgement. Yes, there are people who are just plain dumb and lacking in common sense. But, most people causing all the ruckus have had a drink or ten.

Yes, I do. In the words of the great Selena Meyer, "I've met some people. Okay, real people. And I gotta tell ya a lot of 'em are idiots."

Does alcohol exacerbate the situation with this particular subset of people? Yes. But I'm not prepared to shut down F&W or stop the countries from serving booze, just because some people, who are already trash, are acting extra trashy.

 

[Pocahontas]

Yes, I do. In the words of the great Selena Meyer, "I've met some people. Okay, real people. And I gotta tell ya a lot of 'em are idiots."

Does alcohol exacerbate the situation with this particular subset of people? Yes. But I'm not prepared to shut down F&W or stop the countries from serving booze, just because some people, who are already trash, are acting extra trashy.

I don't think they should stop serving alcohol, I think people should control themselves. And there is a lot more chaos during the food and wine festival during a normal Epcot day is what I'm trying to say. You'll find trashy people everywhere. But, in the case of the food and wine festival, you'll find that more people are drunk than just trashy. There are many people who are a combination of the two. And they are the problem.

 

[xdan0920]

I don't think they should stop serving alcohol, I think people should control themselves. And there is a lot more chaos during the food and wine festival during a normal Epcot day is what I'm trying to say. You'll find trashy people everywhere. But, in the case of the food and wine festival, you'll find that more people are drunk than just trashy. There are many people who are a combination of the two. And they are the problem.

Ah, and there's the rub. You want people who have no interest in controlling themselves, to control themselves. In the past 4 years I have been to F&W for a total of something like 10 days. And I have yet to see one person getting violent or puking, or peeing in a place besides a toilet. I am sure it does happen, but on a weekday/night, F&W is just good old fashioned fun. I think with the larger crowds, you are bound to get a higher number of trash, therefore, more problems. Therefore, I stay away. And I think, soon, this will regulate it self. More people will stay away, more complaints will be made, and eventually the amount of problems will decrease.

 

[Pocahontas]

Ah, and there's the rub. You want people who have no interest in controlling themselves, to control themselves. In the past 4 years I have been to F&W for a total of something like 10 days. And I have yet to see one person getting violent or puking, or peeing in a place besides a toilet. I am sure it does happen, but on a weekday/night, F&W is just good old fashioned fun. I think with the larger crowds, you are bound to get a higher number of trash, therefore, more problems. Therefore, I stay away. And I think, soon, this will regulate it self. More people will stay away, more complaints will be made, and eventually the amount of problems will decrease.

I agree with what you're saying.

 

[Siren]

LOL @ "Drunkytown" -- that's funny. It's unfortunate, but this can happen anywhere and it only takes one drunk to cause a lot of damage and ruin it for everyone.

 

[unkadug]

Google "Drunkytown" and notice the first link!

 

[Siren]

Google "Drunkytown" and notice the first link!

LOL. That's hilarious!

 

[Minthorne]

I didn't mean to get drunk but the bottle said "Drink me" so I did.

 

[epcotisbest]

A lot of the residents of Drunkytown stopped by Athens, Ga. Saturday to watch the Bulldogs get beat up by Missouri. It appears they are everywhere. Stopped going to F&W. Just may start watching the Dawgs at home. No drunks in my living room. Don't tolerate it at home, won't tolerate it at WDW. I understand if you want to have a drink. I don't understand if you want to get stupid.

 

[WWWD]

I've only been to F&W a couple of times and never saw a problem, however I was drinking (not trashed) and having fun so may not have noticed the drunks. Now actually seeing someone peeing in a bush, vomiting, loudly cursing or fighting is one thing, but other "drunken" behavior can be very subjective. If you have kids in tow, hot, tired of crowds, everything is going to look like "drunken" behavior. What's the old saying "nothing worse than being sober around a bunch of drunks." I've been on both sides of that coin.

My worse experiences with drunks in EPCOT (not real bad by bar standards) come from groups of convention attendees living it up with the co-workers while spouse and kids are at home. So it can happen anytime when people can't or don't want to control themselves.

 

[luv]

I generally avoid Epcot during F&W.

It's adding booze to Flower & Garden, though, that really burns my butter.

 

[xdan0920]

I generally avoid Epcot during F&W.

It's adding booze to Flower & Garden, though, that really burns my butter.

Why?

 

[Wikkler]

LOL @ "Drunkytown" -- that's funny. It's unfortunate, but this can happen anywhere and it only takes one drunk to cause a lot of damage and ruin it for everyone.

In case you were wondering, yes I had that song in mind.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I've only been to F&W a couple of times and never saw a problem, however I was drinking (not trashed) and having fun so may not have noticed the drunks. Now actually seeing someone peeing in a bush, vomiting, loudly cursing or fighting is one thing, but other "drunken" behavior can be very subjective. If you have kids in tow, hot, tired of crowds, everything is going to look like "drunken" behavior. What's the old saying "nothing worse than being sober around a bunch of drunks." I've been on both sides of that coin.

My worse experiences with drunks in EPCOT (not real bad by bar standards) come from groups of convention attendees living it up with the co-workers while spouse and kids are at home. So it can happen anytime when people can't or don't want to control themselves.

Totally agree. We passed through F&W several times on our last trip. If it had been just me and my husband, we've have really enjoyed it and not seen anything to raise our eyebrows. Viewed through the lens of parents who were escorting our two young children, however, we saw the evening F&W crowd as a perilous sea of stumbling, swearing humanity that was threatening our kids' physical and psychological well-being at every turn. Instead of lingering in World Showcase, we avoided it like the plague after our children were nearly stampeded one evening by a crowd of college-aged boys, careening around and splashing their beer in all directions. Again, had it been just DH and I, we wouldn't even have noticed them.

Disney needs to do a better job, in my opinion, of conveying to guests that F&W is NOT a family-friendly event in the evenings. I'd go so far as to suggest that noone under 21 should even be allowed in World Showcase after 6pm during F&W unless accompanying their family to a dinner reservation or concert.

 

[Texas84]

I was there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. I didn't see any of these issues. You're going to have a few of these incidents in any crowd this large. If you don't like crowds and have small children, avoid it. Just like we avoid cheerleader and football events. Problem solved.

BTW, Sunday night was very nice. Lines were short and crowd level was down.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I was there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. I didn't see any of these issues. You're going to have a few of these incidents in any crowd this large. If you don't like crowds and have small children, avoid it. Just like we avoid cheerleader and football events. Problem solved.

[sarcasm on]

Yeah, we all know that at WDW, only the World Showcase at Epcot is crowded and only during Food & Wine Festival. So, as long as families with small children avoid that, they won't have to deal with crowds anywhere else at WDW.

Yeah, families with small children can have a great time at WDW as long as they avoid the crowds. That's why we never see families at WDW for any of the holidays or spring break or during summer because, after all, it's really crowded at WDW during those times and families know they should stay away from WDW when it's crowded.

Perhaps though, maybe it's not just the crowds. Perhaps, just perhaps, maybe it's something else that's causing the problem. I wonder what that something else could be.

[sarcasm off]

 

[Phonedave]

Do you honestly think people would act the way they do if it weren't for the alcohol? That's why it's called being under the influence. It's not a fact of being trashy - it's being drunk and not having good judgement. Yes, there are people who are just plain dumb and lacking in common sense. But, most people causing all the ruckus have had a drink or ten.

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

 

[Jimmy Thick]

The first few times we went to F&W it was more about the food. Now everything seems to be draw to the wine aspect with detailed wine samplings.

Honestly, I blame the rise of the Food Network for this small step towards the apocalypse. Now everyone thinks they are a "foodie" when most people don't have the pallet needed to appreciate what a good wine paired with tasty food offerings is supposed to be like. People drink the wine to look the part as a connoisseur but only get drunk in the process. Its a little more than that.


Jimmy Thick- And Disney makes money hand over fist, its not going anywhere...

 

[BaconPancakes]

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

It's not just "guests of WDW" it is everywhere. Sad really...

 

[Lexi]

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.