Magic Kingdom No Longer Dry Park Will Serve Wine Beer

[ghtx]

Hooray for beer.

Could they really have tried to pull off a French-themed restaurant without serving wine? Would anyone have fell for that, even at WDW?

 

[cyb]

Weird. I've been to Epcot 7 times over the past 15 years and have never seen anyone even remotely tipsy.

We were at the F&W a few years ago in Mexico near the Tequila bar there was a very drunk woman that nearly passed out and puked on the floor.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

Could they really have tried to pull off a French-themed restaurant without serving wine?

Yes.

Would anyone have fell for that, even at WDW?

Considering Disney's servers crashed due to mass amounts of people calling to make reservations, long before anyone knew alcohol would be served, I'd say yes.

 

[egr2012]

I'm really failing to see the big deal here, except that it was against Walt's wishes. However, they already have it in the other parks. Just because it's not the original park means it's not going against Walt's wishes. I guess some people put the MK on a higher plane than the other parks.

With that being said, I think it's ridiculous to compare a beautiful French-themed sit-down restaurant serving regional beer and wine to a couple drunk people at the Food and Wine Festival. I would expect (though not necessarily proud of) there to be more intoxicated people at a festival focused on Food & Wine. However, the beer and wine at Be Our Guest is for an immersing experience, not a focus on drinking.

Furthermore, if people wanted to be "wasted" in the Magic Kingdom, they would make it happen. It's only a short monorail or bus ride from Epcot, which, apparently, is the land of uncontrollable drunks.

 

[lshaw]

You are not looking (or smelling) close enough.

http://www.drinkingatdisney.com/epcot.php

That post made me laugh- I just got a picture in my head of the child catcher from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang walking around with his BIG NOSE in the air SNIFFING everything and his head turned sideways to HEAR everything!! Please people give it a rest, have a good time and stop worrying about what everybody else is doing! I go to Disney for 10 days each twice every year (going at Thanksgiving again this year) and I have never seen drunkeness. Guess I'm too busy having fun- oh, and at this point don't worry about people walking around drunk from the Be my Guest restaurant because getting a reservation there is impossible!!! Believe me, I tried for Thanksgiving week to no avail!

 

[bytheblood]

Weird. I've been to Epcot 7 times over the past 15 years and have never seen anyone even remotely tipsy.

Last December, we saw people vomiting in the bushes and knocking over chairs in the US Pavillion because these guys and girls could not walk properly. They were yelling and saying the f-word a lot. I don't usually see that though - but of course I am not looking for it.

 

[chimilady]

I didn't care either way and posted about this last night. But my friend, who grew up with an alcoholic father said that she's really sad, because her only good (non-drunk) memory with her father was at MK when she was 9. This made me very sad.

 

[lustergirl]

I knew there was a reason I wanted to try this restaurant

 

[Magpie]

We were at the F&W a few years ago in Mexico near the Tequila bar there was a very drunk woman that nearly passed out and puked on the floor.

Heat exhaustion can also cause confusion, fainting and vomiting.

A small child barfed on the monorail on one of my visits. For some reason, it didn't occur to me to assume the child was drunk, even though he was indeed weaving all over the place, somewhat incoherent and quite red in the face. Clearly I'm not paying close enough attention...

 

[ghtx]

A small child barfed on the monorail on one of my visits. For some reason, it didn't occur to me to assume the child was drunk, even though he was indeed weaving all over the place, somewhat incoherent and quite red in the face. Clearly I'm not paying close enough attention...

If it was during F&W then yes, the kid was definitely loaded.

 

[bookgirl2632]

Seriously, though, you make a good point. I'd go further and say that comparing serving beer/wine in BOG to the F&W festival is red herring. To be accurate, you need to compare serving beer/wine in BOG to serving beer/wine in the Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom.

When was the last time you heard anyone complaining about smelling drunkards in Animal Kingdom? And heck, that park even has a full service bar in Africa! It's the Dawa Bar, near Tusker's Buffet.

Exactly! And I'll go one step further. There are drink stands at the water parks, with the tropical blended beverages and beer. When is the last time someone complained about slobbering drunks at Typhoon Lagoon? Or how about the pool bars? Yep, right there where a myriad of little kids are splashing around the pool. No complaints about that.

 

[JimmyV]

Seriously, though, you make a good point. I'd go further and say that comparing serving beer/wine in BOG to the F&W festival is red herring. To be accurate, you need to compare serving beer/wine in BOG to serving beer/wine in the Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom.

When was the last time you heard anyone complaining about smelling drunkards in Animal Kingdom? And heck, that park even has a full service bar in Africa! It's the Dawa Bar, near Tusker's Buffet.

Exactly the point I made on the Restaurant Thread:

Everyone is so quick to use Epcot as proof that Armageddon is upon us. We are more than a dozen pages into this, and not one person has raised the "fear" that the MK will become just like AK or DHS. People, get a grip. World Showcase at Epcot was tailor made for drinking. It is a giant bar. There is no way, no how, that the MK could ever become like this. Folks who want to predict doom here would do better to try to tether their arguments to the alcohol "abuse" they witness at AK and/or DHS. Or better yet. The resort restaurants that are only open for dinner like California Grill or Citricos. But using Epcot as your benchmark is unrealistic, bombastic, and completely lacking in credibility.

 

[Magpie]

Exactly the point I made on the Restaurant Thread:

Everyone is so quick to use Epcot as proof that Armageddon is upon us. We are more than a dozen pages into this, and not one person has raised the "fear" that the MK will become just like AK or DHS. People, get a grip. World Showcase at Epcot was tailor made for drinking. It is a giant bar. There is no way, no how, that the MK could ever become like this. Folks who want to predict doom here would do better to try to tether their arguments to the alcohol "abuse" they witness at AK and/or DHS. Or better yet. The resort restaurants that are only open for dinner like California Grill or Citricos. But using Epcot as your benchmark is unrealistic, bombastic, and completely lacking in credibility.

Well said!

That said, I do have sympathy for the folks who are nostalgic. I understand a reluctance to change - just look at the people who mourned the passing of Toad and Snow White.

I just don't think this is a sign of our society's decaying moral fibre, nor do I think Walt would be "rolling in his grave". Actually, if he could come back for a day, I imagine he'd be absolutely thrilled by how successful his company has become, and completely floored by the new ride technology and immersive theming. I think he'd be a very happy man.

 

[waynesgirl]

Well, every wrose has its thorns...

Thank you larryz. I just giggled out loud at the car dealership.

 

[lustergirl]

Heat exhaustion can also cause confusion, fainting and vomiting.

A small child barfed on the monorail on one of my visits. For some reason, it didn't occur to me to assume the child was drunk, even though he was indeed weaving all over the place, somewhat incoherent and quite red in the face. Clearly I'm not paying close enough attention...

Did you "smell" alcohol on him?

 

[JDUCKY]

Personally, I love this news!

 

[Joceyposse]

I'm disappointed. I really dislike going around the countries at EPCOT and all I can smell is alcohol. I HATE having my kids around drunkards! Or them having to witness that and me praying for it. Alcohol is the only drug in the U.S. that is legal & it kills innocent people.

you must be a lot of fun at parties.

 

[Rip]

Anytime alcohol and MK are mentioned in the same breath, someone always trots out this old hack and it is SOOOO infuriating!!. And it is not even slightly relevant. Club 33 is a private club. It is not open to the park. Joe Schmo from Idaho can't just waltz in and order a brew. The public areas of Disneyland are dry.

And the reason I'm not happy about today's announcement is that I am quite sure that this is simply the thin edge of the wedge. Soon all of the TS restaurants will offer booze. Then the CS restaurants. Finally we'll see carts near some of the attractions.

That would be awesome!

 

[jason10mm]

This announcement has made me want to eat there. Without a glass of wine or a nice beer I'd take the money and go eat at France in Epcot if I wanted an expensive french meal.

I've only had dinner in MK once, at the Liberty Tavern, and it was frustrating to not be able to get a beer to go with such a heavy meal. Soda and water were not cutting it.

I'm fine with no beer carts in MK, but feel that TS restaurants should have the option. Maybe they could segregate us into "pleasant alcohol free" and "riotous obnoxious drunkard" sections

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I think having a glass of wine with a nice dinner is very reasonable and complements the meal. I had no idea I was turning my dinner table into a "non-family" environment by having a glass of wine in the evenings! I am confused by the notion of alcohol being somehow "anti-family." Isn't it the abuse of alcohol that is harmful? And can't that happen anywhere at all, as others have mentioned?

I am curious why people view alcohol as being somehow opposed to family values, that the mere sight or smell of it will corrupt their children. I don't get that, and would be genuinely open to hearing some reasons for that assumption.