Magic Kingdom No Longer to be Dry

[baymenxpac]

man, i've avoided this thread for a long time, but i finally weakened today. i'm really bummed i did.

also, had a beer at lunch today, so if you see any pillaging and plundering on long island in the news: SORRY! one sip of the devil's juice. you know i roll.

 

[STGRhost]

I still haven't managed to sort out my own feelings on this whole issue, but I will say this: It is not hard at all to find the drunk people at other parks, especially Epcot. I have seen plenty of them, in various degrees of poor behavior. I have, on less than a handful of occasions, even BEEN one of those people (So, obviously, I don't have a problem with drinking at a theme park in general). I have no doubt that bringing drinking to regular day guests (We are not talking about hard tickets, rentals, etc.) at a restaurant in Fantasyland would open up the possibility of drinks being served at various places around the park and, thus, obviously drunk guests wandering around the Magic Kingdom.

Thinking about it makes me sad, if only because I have always believed a dry MK was one "constant" I could always count on. I get that change is sometimes good, and frequently necessary, but THIS change makes me wonder...

 

[Camera1950s]

You are correct that my writing had some emotion in it and that I do not post often. It is not realy a CRIME and that management did do more than nothing for a decade. The truth is that any business has every right to be as lax and dumb as they will allow themselfs to be. It is also true that every customer will buy the product they believe offers what they want. If thay want a CLEAN FAMILY PARK then a obvious choice is MK. If lax management puts that at risk then our beloved MK will be more like everyone else and the good diffrence will be deminished. People who want non family pick Vagas, Atlantic City, Rio, and others. People the world over who want a family place pick Orlando for not just MK but Sea World, UNI and many other good choices.

 

[hellowonderland]

You are correct that my writing had some emotion in it and that I do not post often. It is not realy a CRIME and that management did do more than nothing for a decade. The truth is that any business has every right to be as lax and dumb as they will allow themselfs to be. It is also true that every customer will buy the product they believe offers what they want. If thay want a CLEAN FAMILY PARK then a obvious choice is MK. If lax management puts that at risk then our beloved MK will be more like everyone else and the good diffrence will be deminished. People who want non family pick Vagas, Atlantic City, Rio, and others. People the world over who want a family place pick Orlando for not just MK but Sea World, UNI and many other good choices.

For some reason, hearing / reading the word 'family' used as an adjective confuses me. I've never sure if it applies to me or not, and I always think, "I don't know if I'd want to go to a place described as a 'family park.'" It sounds vaguely like a bit of a drag. I prefer "happiest place on earth".

I do not think that a glass of wine or beer with dinner is going to turn MK into Girls / Guys Gone Wild any time soon. It's not like they're handing out beer bongs with the park tickets.

 

[GoofGoof]

Then MK will be one step closer to being "Like Everyone Else" and lose it's positive differance. We say that open drunkenness will not come to MK under this plan and it may not. But it is already at EPCOT (it is easy to find drunks there) and if let go will be at MK. MK will no longer be the CLEAN FAMILY PARK. With that I believe it will lose it's #1 status for sure. The answer is not to run to the quick fix but replace the unimaginitive management that did nothing for decades. That is the real crime!

It is also true that every customer will buy the product they believe offers what they want. If thay want a CLEAN FAMILY PARK then a obvious choice is MK. If lax management puts that at risk then our beloved MK will be more like everyone else and the good diffrence will be deminished. People who want non family pick Vagas, Atlantic City, Rio, and others. People the world over who want a family place pick Orlando for not just MK but Sea World, UNI and many other good choices.

Do you only go to MK when at WDW? The other 3 parks all offer alcohol already. So do Universal and Sea World. They are all fantastic family vacation spots. By saying MK will lose its #1 status are you saying you think they will lose attendance over this? I really find it hard to believe that will happen. I am not trying to start an argument, just wanting to clarify your point.

In my opinion having a drink with dinner does not impact the family quality of a park or a vacation. It is very possible to have a glass of wine or a beer with dinner with your family. I can think of literally hundreds of things that make MK and WDW different and better in a positive way. If the only thing that made it a great family destination was that it was dry they would have much bigger problems than this.

I feel like maybe we went down this path already in this thread. No desire to repeat it. One thing that seems to be repeated throughout on the con side is the notion that the MK will be filled with roving bands of drunks. The facts are this: beer and wine will be available at BOG restaurant for dinner only. The alcohol will only be available to guest seated for dinner (you will need an ADR at 6 months out to get in most nights). There is no bar. No way to go in and just grab a few cold ones. No to go cups for beer and wine. Could this lead to other sit down restaurants in MK having the same policy? Maybe. Will it result in drink carts on Main street and beer at counter service locations? I really doubt it, but who knows. The point is anything other than beer and wine at BOG for dinner is pure speculation. People stating that it will definitely lead to alcohol in other parts of the park are just stating their opinion as a fact.

 

[GoofGoof]

For some reason, hearing / reading the word 'family' used as an adjective confuses me. I've never sure if it applies to me or not, and I always think, "I don't know if I'd want to go to a place described as a 'family park.'" It sounds vaguely like a bit of a drag. I prefer "happiest place on earth".

I do not think that a glass of wine or beer with dinner is going to turn MK into Girls / Guys Gone Wild any time soon. It's not like they're handing out beer bongs with the park tickets.

If you google topless and splash mountain you can find some girls gone wild MK style There is no evidence however that these exhibitionists were drunk. Probably just having a good time.

 

[hellowonderland]

If you google topless and splash mountain you can find some girls gone wild MK style There is no evidence however that these exhibitionists were drunk. Probably just having a good time.

LOL... I have seen that blog actually... good times

 

[GoofGoof]

World of Beer - Dr. Phillips

http://wobusa.com/Locations/DrPhillips/Contact.aspxAbout 6-7 miles from Downtown Disney. A great place to get away from the tourist crowd. 69 ever-changing drafts and over 500 bottles to choose from — beer lover's heaven!

Now get me a Disney bus to get me back to my resort and I'm all set

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have read carefully the arguments that have been presented. Well, not all of them, the one's supporting one beer over another, was of no real interest to me, so I skipped those. But after considering the thoughts presented I have come to the following conclusion.

I have to admit that I have come around a bit since this announcement was first made. I was staunchly against it. Not because, I have anything against drinking, I've been known to have a few myself, but because this seemed like the only bastion of the world where the innocence remained. It was unequivocally a family location, free of outside, mind altering, substances. It was a child's paradise that adults could equally get excited about. It was DL and MK. The one place were fantasy reigned supreme and the world was not allowed to enter.

To be honest, I wasn't as concerned about MK having beer or wine available in the "more refined" dining places, but the idea that this idea was to be introduced in Fantasyland, completely threw me. The one land, if any, that were designed with kids more heavily in mind, then any of the other lands, was now going to introduce something exclusively adult.

Since then, and after reading and listening to many wise people tell me how out of date I was, how 1955 I was and generally how much I was overreacting to something that really isn't a problem, I have to admit that I have calmed down a bit.

I do think of it, in non-melodramatic terms, as the end of an era and possibly a new, if not subtle, definition of the way that the parks are going to be run in the future. I should have been prepared for the changes when wi-fi was brought into the parks. All that ever came to mind is, how do you get away from reality if you insist on bringing it in with you. How do you escape from the real world if you insist that you cannot be away from it electronically for even a day.

I know, that alcohol doesn't have to be anything evil, but it does change the atmosphere ever so slightly. So, for now, I will accept the kindly advice of others and not assume that bad things are going to happen because of it and just let it ride. Not that I had any say in it anyway.

 

[Mike730]

The mainstream media is having such trouble with this. The amount of mistakes in this is just pathetic.

 

[englanddg]

Man...Not sure i like this!! 1 glass of booze is more than enough to make some people act badly!!

Only if they use it as an excuse to do so. One glass of wine or beer isn't going to make anyone act out.

That's akin to how teenagers throw parties and provide wine coolers and zima (yeah, zima, I'm showing my age) for the girls. Then when the girls sipped their 1 or less than 1 zima, and acted...er...out of line, the next day they'd say "I was DRUNK!"

What a cop out.

 

[englanddg]

this seemed like the only bastion of the world where the innocence remained. It was unequivocally a family location, free of outside, mind altering, substances. It was a child's paradise that adults could equally get excited about. It was DL and MK. The one place were fantasy reigned supreme and the world was not allowed to enter.

Sugar is mind altering, water, is mind altering...the list goes on. Unless the child has had an experience that directly involves booze, I strongly doubt he or she is thinking "wow, look at mommy and daddy drinking again", and makes the leap of logic that they are bad parents and that the family is somehow broken now, because mommy wanted a glass of wine with her 40 dollar entree.

To be honest, I wasn't as concerned about MK having beer or wine available in the "more refined" dining places, but the idea that this idea was to be introduced in Fantasyland, completely threw me. The one land, if any, that were designed with kids more heavily in mind, then any of the other lands, was now going to introduce something exclusively adult.

Totally agree, spot on there.

How do you escape from the real world if you insist that you cannot be away from it electronically for even a day.

I'd say, alchoholism is part of the real world, but consumption of it in moderation is not. We all rush to assume the average person can't control their intake, and in many cases, sadly, this is proven true. However, for a fine dine, a nice wine with dinner (or a good beer...or bad beer, I'll steer clear of those discussions as I don't like any of the beer offerings) is simply a matter of complementing the meal.

I appreciated your post and your position. Very eloquent and honest. Thanks!

 

[Goofyernmost]

Sugar is mind altering, water, is mind altering...the list goes on. Unless the child has had an experience that directly involves booze, I strongly doubt he or she is thinking "wow, look at mommy and daddy drinking again", and makes the leap of logic that they are bad parents and that the family is somehow broken now, because mommy wanted a glass of wine with her 40 dollar entree.

I think most folks would recognize the difference in the effect that alcohol has on the brain as opposed to sugar or water. Seriously, I do now say that I probably overreacted to the possibilities brought on by consumption of alcohol, but I can not honestly think that it can't happen. Again, it isn't a concern over someone having a drink, responsibly, it's those out there that cannot act responsibly that I am worried about.

Goofyernmost said: ↑

How do you escape from the real world if you insist that you cannot be away from it electronically for even a day.​

​

​

I'd say, alchoholism is part of the real world, but consumption of it in moderation is not. We all rush to assume the average person can't control their intake, and in many cases, sadly, this is proven true. However, for a fine dine, a nice wine with dinner (or a good beer...or bad beer, I'll steer clear of those discussions as I don't like any of the beer offerings) is simply a matter of complementing the meal.

The comment that you quoted was completely unrelated to the alcohol question. I was commenting on the need to have electronic social devices with you. I don't know how one takes in the marvel that is WDW and at the same time devote time to electronic communication. That one is certainly under the category of "whatever works for you", but it is a puzzle to me. I even understand the killing time in line aspect...but there is something else one can do and that is socialize with the other human life forms also in the line.

 

[The Mom]

The majority of Baby Boomers have children who are teenagers, and older. There are some who are returning with their grandchildren, but many have children who have delayed childbearing due to the economy. The US birthrate is the lowest in 25 years, when we had a little boomlet due to the Boomers having children - but not nearly as many as their parents had post war. But, the families of the 50s and early 60s were large enough for those children to increase the population upon adulthood, even if they only had a couple of children.

Perhaps WDW is trying to attract the younger childless/older empty nesters, who do not have a child centric life? Just a thought.

 

[Goofyernmost]

There is a lot of truth to what you are

The majority of Baby Boomers have children who are teenagers, and older. There are some who are returning with their grandchildren, but many have children who have delayed childbearing due to the economy. The US birthrate is the lowest in 25 years, when we had a little boomlet due to the Boomers having children - but not nearly as many as their parents had post war. But, the families of the 50s and early 60s were large enough for those children to increase the population upon adulthood, even if they only had a couple of children.

Perhaps WDW is trying to attract the younger childless/older empty nesters, who do not have a child centric life? Just a thought.

There is a lot of truth to what you are saying. I cannot judge everyone based on my own personal tastes and motivations. My children (if I can still call them that) are in their late 30's. My grandchildren are at prime Fantasyland ages. I love Fantasyland but with few exceptions it is usually a place I walk through and remember the "good old days". Still, I have absolutely no interest in Be Our Guests or the franchise from which it originated. So, for me, adding alcohol to a place that I wouldn't even attempt to go to, is no draw whatsoever. But that's just me and I almost never eat my main meals on-site, so again I have no real ability to know what draws them or what doesn't.

Like I said...I have mellowed a lot in my opinion and I am actually OK with it unless, of course, problems do arise in which case I will be obliged to say that "I told everyone that would happen". It is my sincere wish that I was completely wrong. Nothing would make me happier.

 

[Todd L]

Only if they use it as an excuse to do so. One glass of wine or beer isn't going to make anyone act out.

That's akin to how teenagers throw parties and provide wine coolers and zima (yeah, zima, I'm showing my age) for the girls. Then when the girls sipped their 1 or less than 1 zima, and acted...er...out of line, the next day they'd say "I was DRUNK!"

What a cop out.

ZIMA??? ... youre showing my age too!!

People are gonna do what ever you let them..I dont think your avergae person is gonna get blind drunk in The M.K. and go looking for fights But there is always that 1% that Just cant help but act a fool and make it a bad time for everyone around them.

Id be pretty upset If someone had too much to drink and made a scene in front of my Kids ...especially if it involved me.

I think For me anyway...The issue is that booze and family entertainment dont go together well and Its at least part of the reason Pleasure Island was closed.

I do part time side work In the wedding/catering business and Ive seen nice people have a few drinks and become aggressive, pushy, Rude and arrogant.

Not everyone is senseable enough to have a glass of wine with their Steak and go on their merry way.

 

[JoeJoe30]

Love the idea of alcohol in the MK.

Finally I can get drunk, climb Cinderella's castle and fall off ;-)

 

[MagicMike]

Remember the statistic of theme park visitors without kids discussed here?

I would assume this, along with WDW's desire to increase appeal for the Be Our Guest Restaurant, explains the move. I would also assume Disney will shoulder the responsibility, as it already does for all its other parks that currently serve alcohol, to ensure guests don't drink in excess and/or pose a potential hazard for other visitors.

It's amazing how much criticism Disney Parks receive for being "out of touch" while simultaneously being criticized for every change made to stay relevant.

 

[c-one]

Man...Not sure i like this!! 1 glass of booze is more than enough to make some people act badly!!

And some people act badly even without any booze at all! The horror!

 

[c-one]

This is an issue near and dear to me so I have a comment.
First I am not apposed to a person having a little wine or beer at dinner. I am concerned greatly about what this says about Disney management. That Disney Management has now "Jumped the Shark". They have have few if any good new ideas and are having to resort to this in a desperate attempt to slow the decay at MK. For way to long management believed MK was like the Roman Empire, "Too big to Fail". What Walt did to make his parks successful was to be in good ways diffrent from everyone else. His park was themed, clean, and most of all built for the entire family. Now MK has a risk of losing it's number 1 spot. You do not get to be number 1 by being just like every one else. That has never worked for any nation. My fear is that the same "Jumped the Shark" management will see this as a quick fix and open it up the rest of the way for all of MK. Then MK will be one step closer to being "Like Everyone Else" and lose it's positive differance. We say that open drunkenness will not come to MK under this plan and it may not. But it is already at EPCOT (it is easy to find drunks there) and if let go will be at MK. MK will no longer be the CLEAN FAMILY PARK. With that I believe it will lose it's #1 status for sure. The answer is not to run to the quick fix but replace the unimaginitive management that did nothing for decades. That is the real crime!

A SINGLE FANCY, EXPENSIVE RESTAURANT IS SELLING DRINKS. THERE IS LITERALLY NO WAY THIS WILL RESULT IN DRUNKS OVERTAKING THE PARK. DON'T PANIC.