EPCOT... UGH!!! DOUBLE UGH!!!!!!!!!!!

[shh]

If WDW is going to CATER TO FAMILIES by putting Frozen Ever After and character Meet and Greets in WS then they need to get a handle on the drunks in Epcot.

Some of us are drinking BECAUSE they put Frozen Ever After and character Meet and Greets in WS.

 

[calliest]

DH and I have been there the past 2 days and YES you are right, OP. everyone was walking around with beers. In the line for FEAR, it smelled like a distillery.

 

[shh]

My first thought is that these are not habitual drinkers you see- they'd never go to get drunk at Disney because it costs too much darn money. I can't remember how much my avocado margarita was but that is not due to the amount I drank- it was probably the shock of the price that caused those gaps in my memory.

Right? I'm a 2-3 drink person tops in WS maybe 4 if I'm there a while. But jeez...getting hammered in WS would take a significant chunk of change.

 

[Nancyg56]

Great thread. Disney won't change a thing, but maybe parents with young families should be warned to stay away after dark or on weekends. Parents can choose to leave if it feels too rowdy. I did.

My husband decided to drink around the world starting at 11 a.m. It was the low point of our last trip. My kids noticed how much he had to drink, and since he was hammered and sleepy I had to pick up the slack (check out of our hotel, go to bag check, arrange the Uber to Universal). It ruined that day for me, but I'm sure he had a blast.

MK is a relief to me because there's no booze. We might not visit Epcot next time. I'd love to see the new Soarin and Frozen, but drunk husbands are a bummer.

I don't want to be rude, but are you saying that parents should be warned about the Epcot dunks, but your own husband was one of those drunks??? I have never had to ask my husband to watch his alcohol anywhere, and I do not look at any destination or theme park as a relief because it is dry.

You do not have an Epcot problem, although I would avoid it if I had to bring my husband as well, but I would also think about avoiding DHS and DAK. All serve alcohol. And just for the record, before I would deprive myself and my children of an experience because my husband, their father coudl nto control his behavior, well I would leave him in the hotel. I are a coworker who needs to pick and choose where they go and needs a backup plan JIC, due to her husband's drinking habits. I would not tolerate it or subject my kids to it.

 

[Nancyg56]

This is where it's important for adults in a group/family to have some sort of understanding/agreement about how much alcohol will be consumed before setting foot in the park. If I asked him before we got to the park what his plans are and he told me he wants to get wasted, I'd kindly inform him that his plans need to change. Also, I have a fairly good idea of what my husband's tolerance is and would say something to him if I felt he was getting too close to the point where he would no longer be functional. Our trip next year will be the first with our son. We have drank in World Showcase before and will continue to do so, but I can't imagine him leaving me hanging with the kid while he got trashed. He wouldn't disrespect me like that.

I know! When we go anywhere we may decide if DH wants to have a few drinks because he will only allow one glass of wine if he is driving. His CDL is .04 so he won't take a chance. If he wants a few beers, I don't dink so I can drive. Truthfully, he hates my driving so he seldom indulges. On vacation in WDW he wil have a few because he does not need to dive. I cannot imagine having to preplan getting wasted!

Right? I'm a 2-3 drink person tops in WS maybe 4 if I'm there a while. But jeez...getting hammered in WS would take a significant chunk of change.

More than I'm willing to spend! I love going with my son in law. WE share some of the expensive cocktails if we want to try them. We did not know you could not leave Epcot with a drink, and we had decided to splurge and each have a Nuvo. $15 a pour. Anyway we were in Fance and headed to the Boadwalk, got stopped at the gate. This was the only time I felt I needed to hammer something down, and was peeved at having an ADR! Neither one of us wanted to waste that drink! LOL!

 

[xthebowdenx]

It is 2016, everyone is offended by everything and thinks that they should complain and moan online. Next time you plan to vacation, just don't go to Disney. It will be one less unpleasant person for me to have to come across.

 

[backformore]

Chiming in here to say - we haven't been to WDW for a while. When the kids were school age, EPCOT was one son's favorite park. Both sons loved World Showcase, getting passports, seeing the characters in various costumes, shopping in Japan, learning about all the countries. EPCOT was always the highlight of our trip. College expenses meant we haven't had as much money for vacations for the past few years. But the times in WDW have always been special to us, and the highlights of our family times together.

Flash forward - we've had a tough year, a death, a job loss. BUT we had planned a family trip, and cut expenses in other areas so we could go. Our sons are now 25 and 30, living on their own. They agreed to pay their own way on the trip, so we would still be able to go. One son lives in another state, and we've only seen in once in the past year - at a funeral. So this trip is a bit of a reunion and nostalgia trip for us. We'll visit all the parks, go on our favorite rides. And yes, we will celebrate by drinking at F&W. Maybe a little, maybe a lot. (probably a little for me, a lot for them) There might be some hugging and crying, but that's because I miss my kids. If there's any puking, well, chalk that up to Mission Space, not alcohol. If we're being silly, that's part being a goofy family finally on vacation together, and part alcohol.

World Showcase allows us to experience other cultures and countries. eating and drinking are a big part of culture. In most cultures, making food, pouring drinks, are all part of sharing and loving and being together. So, while in the past my kids enjoyed getting the Japanese versions of Pokémon, this trip they may enjoy sashimi and sake. German beer and sausage, French Champagne and escargot, Italian red wine, Mexican tequila - all part of World Showcase. For us, it will be a more adult way of enjoying and sharing the experience.

We'll be there in a month, I can hardly wait!

 

[El&Asmom]

We've been to EPCOT dozens of times and have never witnessed drunken inappropriate behavior. I'm more than sure it happens but maybe we're too busy enjoying our vacation. That being said, we were at San Angel last January for lunch. A couple with a toddler and about 6 year old sat next to us. The toddler screamed/raged for most of the lunch. Dad had two tequila flights before their food even showed up and mom had one of her own. I'm not sure how they were able to walk out of the restaurant! Nice family vacation...

 

[angierae]

There is a massive difference between "everyone was drunk" and "people are walking around with drinks in their hands."

There's absolutely nothing wrong with walking around a theme park that sells alcohol with a drink. Your children are not irreparably harmed because they see alcohol. As parents, we should be guiding our children in responsible behavior, and never letting them ever see anyone with a drink just leads to alcohol being "Exciting" and "forbidden."

Having a drink or two is something that (most) adults do. It's not shameful, it doesn't need to be hidden. Now, people being sloppy drunk or getting sick? Those people need to be escorted out of the park. But far too often I see posts where people are just complaining that alcohol is visible. I went to brunch today with my husband, another couple, and their toddler. Drinks were consumed. No one was drunk, no one was sloppy, no one was even incapable of driving home. There's nothing wrong with people choosing to drink, even if you choose not to.

 

[CAS239]

Right? I'm a 2-3 drink person tops in WS maybe 4 if I'm there a while. But jeez...getting hammered in WS would take a significant chunk of change.

Correct. And that's what Disney and the vendors love. To successfully complete a trip around the world with beverages in every country you're looking at about $115.

Not including the water you should be consuming as well

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

"However, what right have they got to get so drunk that I am almost knocked to the ground? I'm afraid that at that point if as a consequence of their behaviour I am hurt then that is unacceptable to me. Regardless of whether or not Disney accepts it.".....


I, and every person in my family, have been hit, scraped, bruised, cut, run into by sober parents pushing strollers. Especially in Magic Kingdom. We have been pushed by people with strollers trying to get out of the parks a little faster than everyone else. My daughter was RAN OVER by an old lady in a scooter who didn't so much as say she was sorry, or ask how she was as she was laying on the ground. What right do these adults have to be so irresponsible with their strollers and scooters that I, or someone in my party is injured or run into, or knocked to the ground?? If unacceptable behavior at Epcot due to alcohol is something Disney should do something about, then unacceptable behavior with STROLLERS is something that Disney should do something about too. I have been to Disney 40+ times since 1999. I, or someone in my party, is hit by a stroller every single day we are in a park. Ive NEVER been injured or pushed or run over by someone drinking in Epcot.

In terms of the kamikaze strollers, there's not even a strategy you can use to dissuade the oncoming impact. If it's from the front, though, I sometimes do something I learned in my old Brooklyn neighborhood. It served me well there, at DL, and at MK. When you see the stroller fast and rudely approaching, instead of jumping out of the way, as is so often what the person pushing the stroller intends for you to do, sometimes I just stop walking and let them hit me. The moment of impact is usually when the parent realizes that they just used their child as a torpedo on purpose. Hearing that mumbled "I'm sorry" of shame is worth the ankle bruises.

 

[angierae]

Correct. And that's what Disney and the vendors love. To successfully complete a trip around the world with beverages in every country you're looking at about $115.

Not including the water you should be consuming as well

One of these days, DD and I will drink around the world. However, we'll take a full day to do it, and we'll be splitting drinks. One half drink per half hour/45 minutes with lunch and dinner mixed in isn't going to get anyone sloppy drunk.

 

[mjkacmom]

Not gonna lie, this thread makes me want to have an extra margarita or two next time I'm in the WS.

I ran to the store to purchase the makings for grey goose slushes!

 

[Boopuff]

Right? I'm a 2-3 drink person tops in WS maybe 4 if I'm there a while. But jeez...getting hammered in WS would take a significant chunk of change.

That's where I fail to see how the bachelor/bachelorette parties are roaming around! The cost to get hammered has to be like Cas239 stated about $115 if you stop all over WS. That could be a pricey day for young people!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

One could argue that Walt Disney World is a complete violation of Walt's original idea and plans for The Florida Project. I think in the end it just comes down to the very American idea that drinking alcohol is not family friendly. Which is not how the majority of the world views it. I would rather be around drinking as it is in Epcot and on Disney property than the binge-drinking, unsafe alcohol consumption that is the norm for many people in their 20's.

That's incorrect about a violation of Walt's original intent. His "no-alcohol" policy ended 49 years ago. Club 33--created at the behest of Walt Disney, himself, to entertain dignitaries in the park--has been serving alcohol in Disneyland since 1967.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I tell this story every time the judges appear to whine. A few years ago I am at Epcot watching off kilter. Group of young ladies dancing, laughing and having a great time. The self appointed "temperance patrol" starts loudly complaining about drunks and pointing. CMs ignore her. She pitched a fit. Girls see this and act even crazier. CM finally gets security for hysterical woman and her family.


Turns out the 16 year old girls were sober LOL


And then there was the man who pointed at me and screamed ANOTHER DRUNK. After all I has just purchased my first beer and taken 2 sips. ( I admit we did get behind the jerk and proceed to talk loudly about rude judgements like people that we wished would stay home.)



And I'd rather be with "drunks" in Epcot than out of control kids and entitled parents in the MK. Cheers!

 

[CinderellaElla]

In all my 25 years of going to disney world, I have rarely run into a group of people who were so drunk that they were obnoxious. There are many people that drink around epcot (me included) but don't get wasted, and are just having fun, relaxing, and enjoying their vacation. Maybe it was just one of those days but don't let it turn you off to epcot.

What bothers you so much about a person having a drink in their hand and walking around epcot?

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I tell this story every time the judges appear to whine. A few years ago I am at Epcot watching off kilter. Group of young ladies dancing, laughing and having a great time. The self appointed "temperance patrol" starts loudly complaining about drunks and pointing. CMs ignore her. She pitched a fit. Girls see this and act even crazier. CM finally gets security for hysterical woman and her family.


Turns out the 16 year old girls were sober LOL


And then there was the man who pointed at me and screamed ANOTHER DRUNK. After all I has just purchased my first beer and taken 2 sips. ( I admit we did get behind the jerk and proceed to talk loudly about rude judgements like people that we wished would stay home.)



And I'd rather be with "drunks" in Epcot than out of control kids and entitled parents in the MK. Cheers!

Totally agree. At DCA once, we were eating in a crowded Flo's V-8 Cafe in Cars Land and watched a 30-something mother start a food fight with her two elementary school-aged kids. She took her food and moved to a table across the aisle from them, and they spent five minutes throwing all their leftover food at each other across that aisle. With no thought at all to other visitors or, especially, the CMs that we're going to have to clean up after them but weren't allowed to say anything to them. When they were done, she just got up and started walking out with her kids, leaving behind two food-covered booths, a food-covered wall, and a food-covered aisle. It was the most disgusting, selfish adult behavior I've ever seen in a Disney park, and it was completely sober behavior. (Also, her jaw hit her knee when I intercepted her at the door and had a loud discussion with her about parenting skills and selfishness, but what can I say, I'm an ex-New Yorker...)

 

[Hikergirl]

12 more days until dh and I are there for F&W and drinking around the world. Yes I plan on being tipsy. Just a warning for anyone who may be sickened by that.

 

[bumbershoot]

One of these days, DD and I will drink around the world. However, we'll take a full day to do it, and we'll be splitting drinks. One half drink per half hour/45 minutes with lunch and dinner mixed in isn't going to get anyone sloppy drunk.

I would be smashed.

It takes over an hour to "clear" one proper drink. 12 oz beer,4 oz wine, a shot of liquor. Drinks at Epcot are often more than that so you're automatically drinking more that with one drink.

Some clear the alcohol quicker than others.

Yesterday I had three bottles of beer and one baileys with milk over the entire day, drinking water and eating properly. And I woke up this morning with a bit of a hangover, and realized that by the time I went to bed last night I was a little slurry in my thinking.

That's incorrect about a violation of Walt's original intent. His "no-alcohol" policy ended 49 years ago. Club 33--created at the behest of Walt Disney, himself, to entertain dignitaries in the park--has been serving alcohol in Disneyland since 1967.

And they have a mighty fine Mai tai!!!