Alcohol at Be Our Guest

[McKelly]

Oh good lord. The theatrics...

People are acting like this was a decision made in a vacuum. Disney doesn't make a move without research and evaluation. They obviously found that there a market for alcohol at one restaurant in the MK.

Email all you want, but it's not going away. Of course there will be some backlash, and certainly Disney expected it. Of course most emails about this issue are against it; the people perfectly happy with it see no reason to shoot off congratulatory messages to the company.

I agree, there is certainly a market for it. My DD13 said her teacher asked them how many of their parents drank alcohol everyday. She said 2/3 of the kids raised their hands. Then she asked how many parents drank alchohol at least once a week, she said all but one raised their hand.

I live in a small, middle class community. Alcohol consumption is the norm, I guess. So, as a business, they have to cater to the majority.

 

[KimR]

I think this is great news.The only negative I can see is that it will be much difficult getting dinner reservations at this restaurant. We like a glass of wine or two with dinner and for this reason, we've never really considered eating at MK. Now we will.

Some of you need to get a grip. People are not going to be clamoring around the restaurant downing beer after beer so they can get falling down drunk. Alcohol (or at the very least beer and wine) is a standard offering in any sit-down restaurant. I always thought it odd that the restaurants in MK didn't serve it. And yes, I do understand the no alcohol in MK rule, but it seems they would have made an exception for the restaurants.

 

[gwynne]

I agree, there is certainly a market for it. My DD13 said her teacher asked them how many of their parents drank alcohol everyday. She said 2/3 of the kids raised their hands. Then she asked how many parents drank alchohol at least once a week, she said all but one raised their hand.

I live in a small, middle class community. Alcohol consumption is the norm, I guess. So, as a business, they have to cater to the majority.

Be Our Guest serving wine/beer doesn't surprise me, it's a beverage option at a restaurant.

Now a teacher asking students questions like this...that does surprise me. And frankly, whether I was "for" or "against" alcohol consumption, I would be rather unhappy that a teacher was using valuable classroom time not to teach, but to gain a little info on parents legal choices. This is a big boundary violation to me.

 

[McKelly]

Be Our Guest serving wine/beer doesn't surprise me, it's a beverage option at a restaurant.

Now a teacher asking students questions like this...that does surprise me. And frankly, whether I was "for" or "against" alcohol consumption, I would be rather unhappy that a teacher was using valuable classroom time not to teach, but to gain a little info on parents legal choices. This is a big boundary violation to me.

Yes, I was a little surprised with the question too. It was health class, and they were doing the drug and alcohol unit.

 

[The Mayor]

LMAO...the world is going to end because they are going to serve beer and wine to adults at dinner ONLY in the Magic Kingdom. Hopefully the alcohol will help calm down some of the rude, ignorant and arrogant guests that I run into more than I run into drunks at EPCOT!!!!!!

 

[oybolshoi]

Ahhh, Epcot during F&W .... a more wretched hive of scum and villainy has never been seen.

I find nothing wrong with a restaurant offering alcohol options for guests at dinner in the MK ... it's about time in my opinion; then again they've needed a restaurant with food decent enough to warrant the option of alcohol and that's been sorely missing from MK. Hopefully the food lives up to people's expectations. I shall watch with interest.

I don't foresee a problem with people staggering out of this restaurant soused to the gills. You're more likely to encounter a problem with someone who's entered the park already tipsy or drunk than you are from someone leaving Be our Guest after having a glass of wine or a specialty beer with their meal.

As for bad behavior in the parks, in the resorts, on the buses and monorails ... I think we are all adult enough (I hope) to recognize that it has a multiude of causes. People tend to make a lot of assumptions about situations without knowing the facts behind them - it's not always alcohol; it's not always bad parenting; it's not always a "foreigner" who is part of a Brazilian tour group intent on ruining your visit.

Relax. Take a deep breath. It's your vacation. Enjoy it.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I am all for wine and beer at a sit down restaurant.

It's not as if they are putting beer carts all over the park. Disney with BOG is trying to bring an upscale dining experience at MK that has been needed for a very long time. Many people say that they go to Epcot to eat, now at least there is an MK option and offering beer & wine does not desecrate the integrity of Walt nor the Magic Kingdom!

 

[ArthurFiggis]

Well, since this is still going, I'd like to pose a question to the folks who are worrying about the drunks stumbling through MK or anywhere at WDW:

Which do you think would better restore the magic to MK: banning alcohol or banning Brazilian tour groups?

There will always be something that causes the magic of our youth to be diminished. I think most of us go to WDW to get some of that back. If change didn't occur there wouldn't even be an Epcot, DHS or AK or any of the resort hotels that many of us like to stay at. We wouldn't have Wishes or Illuminations. Walt engineered the purchase of a lot of land for WDW. He created new ways of doing things. He was an innovator of an immense degree. He wanted a place for families to enjoy themselves. He wanted to avoid the carnival atmosphere that was typified by booze and shady activities. In 1955 and even 1971, the type of alcohol choices being offered with dinner at BOG were primarily only available to the upper class--those like the investors Walt entertained at Club 33. I would like to believe that Walt would be happy that he could extend the same level of culinary service to everyone.

We've all, unfortunately, had momentary experiences that have reduced the magic, be they rude people, strollers, ecvs, tour groups, CMs, blisters, colds, headaches, one too many turkey legs, the list is infinite. But, we've all wonderful, magical moments that totally overwhelm the other. We're all here to engage as a community that loves Disney. I can understand being concerned about change, but wouldn't most of us agree that double the Dumbo, a new Little Mermaid ride, and changes in meet and greets are going to make our experience of the MK different than a beverage choice at one meal at one restaurant? More changes will come, that's an inevitability. We'll deal with them as they come.

That's only my opinion of course, but it makes sense to me, and apparently to those who have been entrusted with Walt's dream.

 

[starousse]

It is such a shame that yesterday a good part of the Magic and Pixie dust has departed from the MK.

Walt is surely looking down with a tear in his eye.

With luck enough people will be calling and emialing WDW to complain!

AKK

Are you serious?

 

[North of Mouse]

I don't like the *one step* that's being taken, but as most restaurants everywhere serve wine (or more) with dinner, it's not going to affect the way we dine whatsoever. Just hope they keep it in the restaurant, and not another Epcot. Everyone has their opinions (likes and dislikes they are entitled to) and doubt seriously anyone will change the minds of the Disney *heads* that made this decision.

 

[sweet angel]

It isn't ONLY EPCOT that serves alcohol. There are TWO OTHER PARKS that also serve it!

 

[nyck]

Please spend a little time reading about his feelings on this matter and the videos of him explaiing his disire to keep alcohol out of Disneyland and the WDW MK.

Considering the drunks in Epcot, esecially on F and W.........it is obvious his opinion would not have changed.
AKK

YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT. You are not Walt, nor a family member, nor God, so how do YOU of all people know what he would have wanted 40 yrs later? When he created Disneyland he had a smoke shop on main street. At a theme park for CHILDREN. I highly doubt the smoke shop was for the kids. LOL. Do you think he minded when they got rid of it? In his day you could smoke anywhere, yet now folks have to hunt on a map to see where they can smoke. Do think Walt would approve of that?? None of us know what he would want now since things are sooo different and people using Walt as an excuse NOT to change are unrealistic. Walt was the creator, but not the decision maker of the future.His dedication will never be forgotten, but you can't hold what someone said decades ago into their death.

 

[jaminmd]

Walt is a busy man for someone who died in 1966. Let's see, if those of you who are so wound up that Walt is crying in the great beyond right now because of wine at the MK, lets think about a few things.

In 1966, women didn't have equal rights. As a matter of fact, want ads were divided into women's jobs and mens jobs. Black people didn't have equal rights, either.

Birth control was declared safe for human use.

Psycho couldn't be aired on TV because it was declared too violent.

So, instead of me going further into a history lesson, times change. You have no idea what Walt wanted. That is the most overused, ridiculous phrase on the DIS. The man is dead, let him rest in peace and stop worrying about what Walt would think.

He's probably up there with a drink and a cigarette in his hand as we speak.

 

[butiflfeet]

If Disney stopped changing things and creating when Walt died we wouldn't even have a Disney World to go to and complain about all the changes occurring.

 

[Codeaddict]

I don't like the *one step* that's being taken, but as most restaurants everywhere serve wine (or more) with dinner, it's not going to affect the way we dine whatsoever. Just hope they keep it in the restaurant, and not another Epcot. Everyone has their opinions (likes and dislikes they are entitled to) and doubt seriously anyone will change the minds of the Disney *heads* that made this decision.

I think that is mainly what most people are worried about. Anyone remember when Epcot first opened? Alcohol was available at table service locations, to be consumed at the restaurant only. Eventually it expanded into what we have now.

Those saying that Disney is changing with the times, must be to young to have been around in the 60's and 70's when everything was groovy including the booze.

This is a corporate decision, and yes there isn't a thing anyone can do. I can't imagine this not being a test for further alcohol expansion in the MK. Disney has wanted alcohol at the MK and at DL for a very long time, they make a lot of cash from it. It's been about the dollars for some time now, not magic and pixie dust or What Would Walt Do.

 

[princessallegra]

Walt is surely looking down with a tear in his eye.


AKK

Yes, surely...

 

[ArthurFiggis]

This is a corporate decision, and yes there isn't a thing anyone can do. I can't imagine this not being a test for further alcohol expansion in the MK. Disney has wanted alcohol at the MK and at DL for a very long time, they make a lot of cash from it. It's been about the dollars for some time now, not magic and pixie dust or What Would Walt Do.

Why is there this pervasive idea that Walt Disney didn't want to make money? Roy dealt with the day-to-day of it, but Walt still enjoyed his success. His motives for creating the first full-length animated feature was to fill a need he perceived. By filling this need, he would bring enjoyment, yes--but he'd also make money to do the next thing. By opening DL he wanted to create at place for families to enjoy--and spend money.

 

[buffettgirl]

Why is there this pervasive idea that Walt Disney didn't want to make money? Roy dealt with the day-to-day of it, but Walt still enjoyed his success. His motives for creating the first full-length animated feature was to fill a need he perceived. By filling this need, he would bring enjoyment, yes--but he'd also make money to do the next thing. By opening DL he wanted to create at place for families to enjoy--and spend money.

Walt Disney's daughter was very much against the deification of her father. She has said that whenever people put him on a pedestal, as if he was some all perfect, all wonderful god like creature, it diminishes who he really was: a hard working man who put his entire family's future on the line to throw every cent into these parks, in order to make money back. He was not perfect.

 

[max'sdad]

So, instead of me going further into a history lesson, times change. You have no idea what Walt wanted. That is the most overused, ridiculous phrase on the DIS. The man is dead, let him rest in peace and stop worrying about what Walt would think.

He's probably up there with a drink and a cigarette in his hand as we speak.

I second this. Look at it this way, it's an additional revenue stream that could help to hold down prices for things like park tickets.

In all the times I've been to the parks, I've never seen anyone fall down drunk. I do enjoy the occasional beer with dinner, and would like the option at the new restaurant.

By the way, as far as booze options at WDW go, let me recommend the $20 pitcher of Sangria at Via Napoli. Wife and I shared that on our last trip and enjoyed it very much.

 

[Codeaddict]

Walt Disney's daughter was very much against the deification of her father. She has said that whenever people put him on a pedestal, as if he was some all perfect, all wonderful god like creature, it diminishes who he really was: a hard working man who put his entire family's future on the line to throw every cent into these parks, in order to make money back. He was not perfect.

True, he also drank, smoked like a chimney, and cursed like a sailor. It isn't the image he built for himself or what we remember, but he was no saint. He could have sold alcohol at DL in the 50's and 60's to generate revenue, but he chose not to.