MK no longer "dry"????

I don't think the question for me is what Walt Disney would have wanted. Instead, I think it dates back to the original stories of his intended plan for Magic Kingdom to be deemed a "family-friendly atmosphere." It is common knowledge among Disney fans that he did not want alcohol served in MK for this very reason, whether it was 1955, 1971, or 2012.

I have read in several books about this very fact. Similarly, it was discussed when I visited Disney Studios and the Archives in California. Apparently Walt made it clear during meetings and statements to the public that he felt alcohol should not be served in MK. The park was intended to be a place for families to be together and alcohol is not needed for families to enjoy themselves.

Of course, times have changed. The world and Disney Parks have changed as well. Despite this, Disney execs have continued to honor Walt's wishes regarding alcohol. Attractions, theming, and the like will always evolve; Walt announced this himself. However, he never stated that MK should be anything but a place for families to enjoy together without the selling of alcoholic beverages, which again according to him, is unnecessary.

Still, the question remains...should a visionary's opinion on an issue like this be upheld? In my opinion, most definitely.

Forgive me, but I am still skeptical. While I am well aware that Walt did not want alcohol in Disneyland, I have never run across references to alcohol in Florida's Magic Kingdom. Please provide book titles or any other references to alcohol in the Florida Magic Kingdom.

It is common knowledge among Disney fans that he did not want alcohol served in MK for this very reason, whether it was 1955, 1971, or 2012.

I am a big Walt Disney World fan who has done a lot of research though out my life into the history of it. I, personally, have only knowledge of Walt saying this about Disneyland. Without documentation, it would be difficult to predict what Walt would want.

If there is documentation of his wishes that forbids alcohol in Florida's Magic Kingdom......then absolutely is is wrong to introduce alcohol into Florida's Magic Kingdom, as well as Disneyland.

At the same time.....it is wrong to assume what a person's philosophy would be 46 years after their death.

I'm very interested in looking at, and learning from, any and all documentation that anyone my have regarding how Walt felt about alcohol at the Florida Magic Kingdom.
 
Actually I would argue that Walt`s wishes were broken when they opened Epcot.
 
I look at Magic Kingdom as Walt's house no matter when or where it's built.He invited all of us into his house and had rules then and believe they should always be enforced.This is all about making more money they can come up with many more ways to make money. I just don't understand changing something that has been in place for years plus go against Walt's rules at the same time all for the mighty dollar.I have seen several posts today saying that they can use a drink in the parks because they are on edge do to the crowds or kids what ever the case may be.Do we really need more people altering there state of mind to tolerate what is going on in the parks?
 
I understand they are going to sell alcohol in the MK. I just hope that people be "smart" when they drink.

Has anyone ever thought how much alcohol is brought into the MK everyday without cast members knowing or recognizing it?
 

In reading this, I'm not for or against anybody. I like to drink just like anyone else, but if it was walts wishes, It should be respected. HOWEVER I will say that if Walt was alive and saw that there is 100% markup on alcohol, that may change things, hopefully with them bringing alcohol in ,we won't have people getting sloppy!!!
 
I'm just stuck on the slippery slope thing. They serve a little wine and beer at BOG...that seemd to go okay...so what's the harm in putting a beer stand in Frontierland? And you know, while we are at it another in Tomorrowland......

Do people bring alcohol into MK? I'm sure they do, but I can't think of a time I have ever noticed someone obviously drinking/drunk in MK, but I have at every other park...more than a few times at Epcot and one guy in particular was disgusting drunk, a couple times in DHS and that I can recall just once at AK...and to be fair he was coming out of Rainforest, but still, it was unpleasant every time and if they insist on offering it at BOG, the more that is done to keep it tightly controlled at MK the better IMHO.
 
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I understand both sides of this argument, I really do, and it's hardly the first time this topic has come up so I've had quite a long time to think about it.

First off, it amazes me that the "powers that be" at The Mouse have held out for as long as they have. There's such a HUGE profit margin to be had selling alcohol, and goodness knows anyone reading this knows that Disney has never been shy about making a profit. I suppose it's akin to there being no casinos on the Disney Ships. The concept being, presumably, that gambling and alcohol have no business in the "Disney family experience".

But, I'm not so sure about that.

The obvious pro-alcohol argument is that it is served in all three of the other parks, and one could even argue that it's "celebrated" at Epcot. Personally, (and I say this as one half of a couple without children) I can honestly say that alcohol has *never* negatively impacted my personal "park experience".

Have I seen drunk people there ? Sure. (Lots of them in the MK, btw...) but this doesn't horrify or upset me. I just see it as people on vacation having a good time.

And secondly, the thing that seems the silliest to me is that there is booze-a-plenty available at all the resorts on the monorail line. Heck, in the case of the CR it's in walking distance.

In other words, if you're of drinking age and want alcohol, it's over in that big A-frame building right over there... The monorail runs right through it, you can't miss it. :tilt:

So, to say you can't buy a beer on Main Street, but just walk a quarter of a mile "that a way" seems kind of dumb to me.

Part of this may be because, in my mind at least, I think of all the resorts on the monorail line as a sort of extension of The Magic Kingdom itself. When I'm staying at one I feel, in a way, that I've never really left the park. (Versus, say, Pop Century, that seems like it's in an entirely different resort.)

I'm not sure that this makes sense to anyone but me, but it's the way I feel.

The MK doesn't really have a "destination restaurant", (don't get me started on CRT :rolleyes2 ) But it certainly has nothing along the lines of a Bistro de Paris or a Brown Derby, or heck- even a Yak&Yeti, but apparently it's about to get one, and IMO I'd see nothing wrong with them having a full bar available, let alone beer and wine.
 
I really do not see any issues with this. Its not like your going to get many people being drunk on the prices they charge for alc beverages at disney. When we were there it was not very sheap to get a beer or drink at the resort we were at, so i say they will over inflate the price the same.

Case in point , when we got there there were people sat at the outside bar at the resort, drinking in plan view of everybody, people walking around with open drinks, i.e. beer , liquor etc. I myself went to walmart to get a case of beer to have down by the pool like everyone else.

Dont see it as a big deal to serve beer or wine with a meal, time to come into the times, a social drink is only a social drink.
 
Dont see it as a big deal to serve beer or wine with a meal...

I don't see it as a big deal either, but I still don't like it. No matter how you slice it, the decision to bring alcohol into the MK takes away some measure of innocence from the park. I cannot see that as a good thing. It's not going to make me boycott the park or the restaurant, but I still am not a fan of the decision.
 
I really do not see any issues with this. Its not like your going to get many people being drunk on the prices they charge for alc beverages at disney.

Okay - really??? People don't get drunk at Disney because the prices are too high? I beg to differ. But that notwithstanding - Walt Disney specifically said he never wanted alcohol in the Magic Kingdom - it needed to be a place for families. This is where the current batch of morons running WDW cross the line - thinking they're smart enough or clever enough to start messing with real legacy issues left behind by the man who had the vision.

This is the beginning folks - it won't stop here. If this is allowed to stand - the envelope will keep getting pushed until we have Six Flags over Orlando.

Pete
 
Okay - really??? People don't get drunk at Disney because the prices are too high? I beg to differ. But that notwithstanding - Walt Disney specifically said he never wanted alcohol in the Magic Kingdom - it needed to be a place for families. This is where the current batch of morons running WDW cross the line - thinking they're smart enough or clever enough to start messing with real legacy issues left behind by the man who had the vision.

This is the beginning folks - it won't stop here. If this is allowed to stand - the envelope will keep getting pushed until we have Six Flags over Orlando.

Pete

Thank you so much Pete people have forgot the vision Walt had !!!
 
Also, for what it's worth? What are we trying to prevent here, public drunkenness? There is no rule saying you can't drink around the World and then hop on a monorail and be drunk on Main St.
 
Also, for what it's worth? What are we trying to prevent here, public drunkenness? There is no rule saying you can't drink around the World and then hop on a monorail and be drunk on Main St.

Good point. Also all the monorail resorts have places to eat that serve booze as well as pool bars and lounges. There are probably more people than you think that have booze in their systems walking around the Magic Kingdom.
 
Also, for what it's worth? What are we trying to prevent here, public drunkenness? There is no rule saying you can't drink around the World and then hop on a monorail and be drunk on Main St.

Good point. Also all the monorail resorts have places to eat that serve booze as well as pool bars and lounges. There are probably more people than you think that have booze in their systems walking around the Magic Kingdom.


Hmm. Good points, but does that mean we encourage it by making sales inside the park itself? Doesn't this lend itself to selling alcohol at other areas in the MK? How would that impact the atmosphere of the park? As I said here, this opens a Pandora's Box of possibilities.
 
NikkiBell,

Maybe adding wine to the menu's will help improve the taste of some of the awful things being served in some of the restaurants. :rotfl:
 
Good point. Also all the monorail resorts have places to eat that serve booze as well as pool bars and lounges. There are probably more people than you think that have booze in their systems walking around the Magic Kingdom.

I agree, but I think there is something to there being a "mindset" that people know MK is dry so I think many respect that (not all of course) and for those who don't respect it and bring alcohol in, they are more careful and make an effort not to be obvious about it.
 
NikkiBell,

Maybe adding wine to the menu's will help improve the taste of some of the awful things being served in some of the restaurants. :rotfl:

:thumbsup2 With this logic, I'm almost tempted to say it'd be okay to serve it at Cindy's castle restaurant. :rotfl2:
 













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