Alcohol in the Magic Kingdom

[mjaclyn]

During the podcast last week Pete had mentioned that Walt Disney said he did not want alcoholic beverages served in Disneyland (or MK). Does anyone know where I can find that quote or story? I know I've heard it before as well but I can't find it anywhere.

Thanks!!

 

[DCTooTall]

The alcohol announcement in the MK was hidden in a Disney Parks blog entry about the menu for Be Our Guest. unfortunately I don't have the exact link handy right now, but I'm sure you can find it pretty easily there. It was maybe 2 weeks ago now? I also want to say it was announced on a Friday.

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

The alcohol announcement in the MK was hidden in a Disney Parks blog entry about the menu for Be Our Guest. unfortunately I don't have the exact link handy right now, but I'm sure you can find it pretty easily there. It was maybe 2 weeks ago now? I also want to say it was announced on a Friday.

That wasn't the question. The question was where to find the Walt Disney quote regarding alcohol.

 

[rlduvall]

I haven't been able to find a definitive link other than other websites talking about it and I am not comfortable posting that type of link.

Supposedly, Walt Disney made the comment in an interview hosted/penned by Pete Martin, 1956 Saturday Evening Post, paraphrasing: serving alcohol would bring in a rowdy element he would rather not have; and that when he has a hard day at the studio and wants to have a drink to relax, he doesn't need to go to Disneyland to get it.

 

[BilltM]

Here is the link that I found.

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-disneyland-57th-anniversary_16.html

 

[mjaclyn]

Thanks!

 

[Cherinva]

Great article...thanks for sharing

 

[SamSam]

Loved the article and reading on Walt's thoughts at that time.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I posted a great deal in the thread discussing whether alcohol should or shouldn't be served in the Magic Kingdom.

I am not trying to re-start that conversation. I promise.

The main reason folks thought alcohol shouldn't be served is because of Walt saying he didn't want it.

My curiosity remains as to why that particular thought is so vital when Walt also said the following:

"I think there will only be one Disneyland as such. Now that doesn’t mean that in some areas we might not develop certain projects that would be compatible to that area, that might very well tie in certain historical themes of the area of things like that and we are considering things of that sort. Most of the people coming to Disneyland, the big percentage is coming west of the Mississippi and more or less the Pacific coast. The great center of the population is east of the Mississippi and it’s possible that we could go to these areas with certain things without in any way depreciating the individuality of Disneyland itself. But there will only be one Disneyland as such."

What's the difference between the two thoughts?

Walt said both things. Why is one a "golden rule" and one not?

No one seems upset that the Disney company built another "Disneyland" when Walt specifically said there would only be one.

My other point was that Walt said things in the 1960s, which were vastly different than today.

Would Walt get away with saying this in 2012? How many guests would be offended?

"It's run in a high class manner and I have a high class clientele. The people who go to the park are from all walks of life but they look like solid Americans. That's pretty high class."

Just curious......

 

[skunkvette]

Interesting article, I had not read it until now.

I did not know that Walt had such strong feelings regarding 'spun candy'.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Thanks for sharing the article. It was an interesting read.

Folks, moving forward, please keep all comments directly related to the first post's topic: where such information can be found.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Great article! I just read this snippet from the 1956 interview:

"By the time this article comes out, I'm raising [adult ticket prices] to two dollars because I'm adding all these new rides. And to extend my ticket book to take care of the rides, I'm putting this to ten rides for two dollars. Figure it out. It averages twenty cents a ride, doesn't it? It would cost an adult three dollars and a junior two dollars and fifty cents to get in and get ten rides. If they don't want that, they can pay their buck and pay their fifty cents for their kid and they can come in. They can sit on the park benches, take up the space, dirty up my toilets, litter up the street. They can do all of that if they pay their dollar-fifty. They can ride as they want to. They can sit around and hear my band; they can visit my free shows. They can do all that and more for their dollar-fifty."

I got to wondering what that translates into in 2012 dollars. A website called dollartimes says that $3 in 1956 is equivalent to $25.26 today. I find this very interesting! I'm not sure if it is fair to compare the Disneyland park of 1956 to today's park as far as the value for a dollar vs. the available entertainment/technology, etc., but it is interesting. I also think Walt's defensive response to the gripes about higher prices is interesting. I can imagine Walt saying this very non-PC answer today and irking-off many - lol.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Great article! I just read this snippet from the 1956 interview:

"By the time this article comes out, I'm raising [adult ticket prices] to two dollars because I'm adding all these new rides. And to extend my ticket book to take care of the rides, I'm putting this to ten rides for two dollars. Figure it out. It averages twenty cents a ride, doesn't it? It would cost an adult three dollars and a junior two dollars and fifty cents to get in and get ten rides. If they don't want that, they can pay their buck and pay their fifty cents for their kid and they can come in. They can sit on the park benches, take up the space, dirty up my toilets, litter up the street. They can do all of that if they pay their dollar-fifty. They can ride as they want to. They can sit around and hear my band; they can visit my free shows. They can do all that and more for their dollar-fifty."

I got to wondering what that translates into in 2012 dollars. A website called dollartimes says that $3 in 1956 is equivalent to $25.26 today. I find this very interesting! I'm not sure if it is fair to compare the Disneyland park of 1956 to today's park as far as the value for a dollar vs. the available entertainment/technology, etc., but it is interesting. I also think Walt's defensive response to the gripes about higher prices is interesting. I can imagine Walt saying this very non-PC answer today and irking-off many - lol.

Amazing isn't it.

It really was a different place and time.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Hi All,

If anyone wants to chime in on the debate regarding whether or not alcohol should be allowed in the MK, feel free to share your thoughts here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2992217

 

[mytripsandraces]

Maybe we should ask Dave Smith about it on PCC 4.0. To your point, Kevin, the fact that he didn't want alcohol in Disneyland and considered Disneyland the ONLY Disneyland, he might have been surprised it took them over 40 years to start serving alcohol in the Magic Kingdom, since it's not really Disneyland.

Has anyone found any sources to confirm that Disney didn't want alcohol in the Magic Kingdom?

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I'm going to close this thread being that the original poster received the information being looked for.

Feel free to continue the discussion on this topic here:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2992217