Drinking age in WDW

[mackay_j]

I know that under 21's cannot buy alcohol in the US. But is it OK for an adult to give them a drink if they buy it. My DD will be 19 and although she doesn't drink much she does enjoy the odd glass of wine with a special meal. I know that in some countries the age for adults to give alcohol to teens is diff than the age they can buy it for themselves, what is the possition in the US, as I do not want to do anything wrong.

 

[lizzyb]

I would say if they are under 21 they shouldn't be drinking and you are probably breaking the law by purchasing it for them.

 

[Magic3forme]

Sorry drinking age is 21.

 

[bdcp]

No. She cannot drink. The drinking age is 21. I think a couple of states allow parents to give their child a drink in their own home. Never in public and never in a restaurant/bar.

 

[bdcp]

I would say if they are under 21 they shouldn't be drinking and you are probably breaking the law by purchasing it for them.

In the US, but I'm thinking from the OP's post they are probably from Europe.

 

[mackay_j]

Where we are from it is legal to buy alcohol from 18 and legal to drink from much ealier than that as long as given buy an adult over 18 . - Wise or not is a diff issue - and can be debated well by both sides. - but its not what I asked.

Luckly for us my DD hardly drinks anyway- I just wanted to check the legal possition out before we arrive, if not allowed thats fine and not a big issue for us.

 

[Hootch]

years ago the federal government threatened to cut off federal highway matching funds for any state not raising the drinking age to 21. For awhile after that, the military served people 18 and up.

No one cares if you give a glass of wine to your child in the privacy of your home but it is an issue in public.

I disagree with the policy but I stopped worrying about it when I turned 21.

 

[dixonsontour]

I know that under 21's cannot buy alcohol in the US. But is it OK for an adult to give them a drink if they buy it. My DD will be 19 and although she doesn't drink much she does enjoy the odd glass of wine with a special meal. I know that in some countries the age for adults to give alcohol to teens is diff than the age they can buy it for themselves, what is the possition in the US, as I do not want to do anything wrong.

Don't go there!

US attitude/law in realtion to alcohol is totally different to UK or Europe.

Just to explain where the op is coming from it is legal to give a child alcohol in the home from age 5 in the UK (not saying people do just that it is not illegal!) and that a 16 year old can buy beer/cider with a meal in a restaurant - in Scotland a 16 year old can buy beer/cider or wine with a meal in a restaurant.

Remember your ID if you want to drink.

 

[mackay_j]

Don't go there!

US attitude/law in realtion to alcohol is totally different to UK or Europe.

Just to explain where the op is coming from it is legal to give a child alcohol in the home from age 5 in the UK (not saying people do just that it is not illegal!) and that a 16 year old can buy beer/cider with a meal in a restaurant - in Scotland a 16 year old can buy beer/cider or wine with a meal in a restaurant.

Remember your ID if you want to drink.

It would be the highlight of my trip if the ask for my ID

 

[dixonsontour]

That's one of the differences - you could well be ID'd even in your 30's or 40's whereas here in UK you will never be.

 

[tigerchick]

21 to drink is NOT the hardfast law in all states in the US.

Some states allow children/spouses to drink under the age of 21 if their legal guardian is with them and purchasing the drinks. This includes restaurants and other purblic spaces NOT just homes.

Military bases also allow soldiers 18 years of age to purchase and consume alcohol.

However Florida does NOT allow this. You must be 21 to purchase and consume alcohol.

 

[TDC Nala]

I know that under 21's cannot buy alcohol in the US. But is it OK for an adult to give them a drink if they buy it. My DD will be 19 and although she doesn't drink much she does enjoy the odd glass of wine with a special meal. I know that in some countries the age for adults to give alcohol to teens is diff than the age they can buy it for themselves, what is the possition in the US, as I do not want to do anything wrong.

No, sorry.

If you're caught doing this at WDW, it's my understanding you will be immediately removed from the park or restaurant. It's not exactly the same at all states, but that's how it is at WDW. You must be 21 or over to purchase or consume alcohol.

 

[Colleen27]

Florida is one of the states without a parent/guardian exception to the drinking age even in your own home, so there's no way you'd be okay doing it in public.

Even in states that have such an exception, most businesses still prohibit the sharing of alcoholic beverages with minors because no one wants to be the one busted when it turns out that the older man buying drinks is the minor's much-older date rather than her parent. And some of our liability laws are crazy when it comes to that; restaurants/bars are basically supposed to be omnipotent when it comes to age-verification.

I'm sure even if it was legal in FL to hand off a drink to your underage child Disney would have a policy against it, both for public relations and liability reasons.

 

[Mrsjvb]

2

Military bases also allow soldiers 18 years of age to purchase and consume alcohol.

.

uh no that is incorrect. at all times on a US Military Installations Thou Shalt be 21 to Consume or Purchase Alcohol. and even then, if you are in a training status( A School/AIT or a Plebe at USNA) not even if you are 21 can you do so.

even OCONUS where local law is lower(Germany) can you get away with it any more. far too many alcohol related incidents by minors( and legal adults for that matter) led to widespread changes over the last 3 years or so. hell some bases have gone DRY for periods of time. not even the O and E clubs could sell it. and only certain people could buy it at the package store/Class Six for home consumption( where were, it was E5 and up only)

 

[patsal]

I have a 20 yo son and we have these arguments all the time. In my state, under 21 cannot purchase alcohol but with parental permission they can consume it. (He feels that if another adult who disagrees withme purchases the alcohol and gives it to him it is still ok,another story for another time!) In the state of Florida the rule is no purchase or consumption under 21 from the websites I have used in aguments, lol!

 

[mackay_j]

I have a 20 yo son and we have these arguments all the time. In my state, under 21 cannot purchase alcohol but with parental permission they can consume it. (He feels that if another adult who disagrees withme purchases the alcohol and gives it to him it is still ok,another story for another time!) In the state of Florida the rule is no purchase or consumption under 21 from the websites I have used in aguments, lol!

I know how you feel, My dd can buy as much as she wants, but she is diabetic so we keep reminding her that's its not a good idea to have more than a couple of glass of wine in any one day (so far so good!) However, I can see the other side of the coin, I had finished my 4yrs at uni, was working as a chemist and was engaded at your sons age and married at 21 so I'm not sure how I would have felt if my parents were still telling me what I should do.

I am waiting for my daughter to start reminding me of this soon:

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) You can buy and serve all the booze to under 21 you like.
2) Just remember
. . . in Florida it is called contributing to the delinquency of a minor
. . . it is a Class-A misdemeanor
. . . up to 1-yr jail and $4,000 fine for first offense
. . . in Florida, this counts even if "looking the other way" *
. . . so, you don't actually have to buy it to be fined/imprisoned

* This is a special provision in Florida to stop open house parties
where parents don't actually give booze but allow drinking in their home.

 

[TwoIfBySea]

> you could well be ID'd even in your 30's or 40's

Yup. Late 40's here and was recently carded at a restaurant in the USA before they'd give me a glass of wine .

On the other hand, when I was 15 and at a restaurant in Paris by myself, they offered me a carafe of wine without any concerns (I probably looked older than 15, but not MUCH older). [No, I didn't purchase it. I wasn't interested in wine back then. And it would have been outside my budget anyhow.]

 

[Minnesota!]

No. She cannot drink. The drinking age is 21. I think a couple of states allow parents to give their child a drink in their own home. Never in public and never in a restaurant/bar.

Not true...you can drink at a bar in WI as long as your parents are there and have given permission. Our cabin was in WI growing up....I am very familiar with the drinking laws there

21 to drink is NOT the hardfast law in all states in the US.

Some states allow children/spouses to drink under the age of 21 if their legal guardian is with them and purchasing the drinks. This includes restaurants and other purblic spaces NOT just homes.

Military bases also allow soldiers 18 years of age to purchase and consume alcohol.

However Florida does NOT allow this. You must be 21 to purchase and consume alcohol.

 

[disnut8]

Remember your ID if you want to drink.

Please remember this!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since you aren't from the US and aren't accustomed to our laws, I cannot tell you how important it is to always have a photo ID with you if you even think you want to have an alcoholic beverage. Even if you are 80 years old there are some places that will refuse to serve you any alcohol, won't even let you buy any alcohol, unless you have a photo ID on you.

Disney World is not that bad but it's a really good idea to have that photo ID on you. Also, Disney has a two alcoholic beverage policy (it used to be one but they changed it in the past couple of years). You will not be allowed to buy more than two alcoholic beverages with only one legal person in the party.