Under age drinking ?

[kamik86]

The reason answers may differ is that not all people realize that Florida is one of the handful of states that has no exceptions to their underage drinking laws. Here in Texas, our drinking age is 21 but I can "serve" my underage child alcohol if I am physically with them. (But I think an establishment can refuse that if they so desire.). In Florida it is definitely illegal for you to give your 19yr old son alcohol. How hard Disney would enforce that is unknown to me.

This was going to be my question, I knew in some states it is ok only if given by a parent. But apparently florida doens't have that exception.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I let my 18 year old son have a taste of sake one night in Epcot during Illuminations and my dh bought him one of the small beers. He was leaving for boot camp in the USMC in a couple months.

 

[Accident]

I just want to know if DS can taste any of the drinks without us getting thrown off Disney property.

As mentioned.. It's illegal in the US. Worst case is not removed from disney property (which would include paris and other places btw), you could be escorted back home and cannot come to the USA ever again. While there is a mini security force it is mostly actual police officers that are handling security that you will need to deal with if caught.

 

[nilla]

I wouldn't risk it. Not worth getting kicked out of WDW and/or arrested for a sip of a drink.

I remember having the opposite situation on a Disney trip when I was 8. This was in the early 80s, back when states had their own drinking ages. In Pennsylvania, where we lived, the legal age was 21. In Florida, it was 18. I still remember my then-18-year-old sister ordering a drink at dinner, and my parents just looking at her

 

[JimmyV]

If cast member knowingly served an underage guest they would be terminated before their shift was over. No exceptions, I guarantee it.

No different than any employee who works anywhere with a liquor license, and yet.....three glasses come to our table in every single restaurant we go to throughout the world, and in every one of the 50 states. An older looking minor sitting down to dinner with his/her parents simply does not raise concerns for servers. Although I did have to draw the line in Miami Beach when the server brought 3 glasses to our table when my daughter was 13. What this shows is that the attitude toward drinking over the age of 18 is a lot different when the teen is with his/her parents than if a 22 year old goes into a convenience store and buys a six-pack for a 17 year old waiting in the parking lot. Should it make a difference? Under the law, no. Does it make a difference. We'd be naive to suggest otherwise.

 

[JimmyV]

As mentioned.. It's illegal in the US.

As mentioned...no it is not. It varies by state. Florida doesn't happen to have an "alcohol provided to minor by their parent" exception to the law. Many other states do. See posts #9 and #11.

 

[ITALIANNYC]

I wouldn't risk it. Not worth getting kicked out of WDW and/or arrested for a sip of a drink.

I remember having the opposite situation on a Disney trip when I was 8. This was in the early 80s, back when states had their own drinking ages. In Pennsylvania, where we lived, the legal age was 21. In Florida, it was 18. I still remember my then-18-year-old sister ordering a drink at dinner, and my parents just looking at her

Lol arrested. Come on now. We all know people under 21 drink when they shouldn't. Nobody is going to get arrested for that in Disney imo lol. He's with family. I say let him have some and just enjoy your trip. I wouldn't even let it bother you thinking about it

 

[verleniahall]

I let my 18 year old son have a taste of sake one night in Epcot during Illuminations and my dh bought him one of the small beers. He was leaving for boot camp in the USMC in a couple months.

Thank You for your son's service.

I am one of those that is pushing for MILITARY to be able to be served at 17/18 with a vaild military ID - if they are old enough to die for our country, they deserve to at least be able to drink a beer

*sorry - off topic*

OP - I wouldn't risk it - I would just plan to make a trip back to the US when your son is 21 and not have to think twice about it

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I agree that many people here are painting the issue with too broad a brush. Many states in the US have exceptions that allow a parent to give alcohol to their underage child. I can remember when I was 18 and we visited my older brother at his university. We all went out to a bar and my dad poured me a beer. It was totally legal since it was my parents providing me with it. My mom commented on how this was my "first beer", to which my brother, dad, and I all laughed. But Florida apparently doesn't have that exception. I wouldn't think twice about letting your son have a few sips. I probably would make sure not to do it blatantly in front of the CM selling the alcohol, but take the drink and move off into a less visible place. Just don't let your son overindulge. That would definitely get the attention of someone who could get you in trouble.

 

[supersnoop]

In the US any adult caught giving anyone underage an alcoholic beverage is subject to prosecution.
Will you get caught? No one can answer that.
But it is illegal in the US

This is not true. It's much more complex than that. US drinking laws are set by the individual states. In some states, it's legal for a parent to provide alcohol to a minor. Florida does not have such a provision, so it is illegal to give your child a drink, but that isn't the case across the entire US.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

DS is 19, and as we are from the UK has been able to drink alcoholic beverages for the past year. I understand that the drinking age in the US is 21.
We are going to be in Disney during the F&W this year and we are looking forward to sampling the different foods around the world. My question is - If I bought myself one of the alcoholic drinks that are on offer, and then discretely let DS try a sip, how much trouble could we get into?
Let me be clear - neither of us drink alcohol very often, and certainly never to excess - so there would be no chance of inappropriate behaviour. I just want to know if DS can taste any of the drinks without us getting thrown off Disney property. If he can't - that's OK, we will be happy to just stick with the food options

You can get a bartender fired or worse if you give an under aged person even one sip from your drink. Fl has very strict laws when it come to minors and alcohol.

"Parents are not excluded from Florida’s new “Zero Tolerance” campaign on the issue. Parents can be held civilly liable for damages and even court costs for any damages related to their child’s underage drinking. Also, parents can be found criminally responsible if they hold house parties or facilitate alcohol consumption."

https://www.mosesandrooth.com/articles/floridas-enforcement-of-underage-drinking/

 

[JimmyV]

You can get a bartender fired or worse if you give an under aged person even one sip from your drink.

But let's bring this back into context. The OP is asking about Food and Wine. Drinks are served out of kiosks in unmarked plastic cups. Most (all?) kiosks serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and most use the same unmarked plastic cups. And several alcoholic drinks can be asked for and made sans alcohol, making them visually indistinguishable from one another. Take three steps away from a kiosk and ain't no one gonna know what is in which cup and who is drinking what. No one is getting arrested and no bartenders are getting fired.

All right: where is the poison? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both drink, and find out who is right and who is dead.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I can't believe that this thread is still open.

Especially with people advocating not only breaking the rules, but also breaking the law.

 

[DVCcurious]

Hey Billy Idol why don't you just take your white wedding back to the UK!





I'm sure some one will take this serious and report it. Geez people get a sense of humor!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I can't believe that this thread is still open.

Especially with people advocating not only breaking the rules, but also breaking the law.

I agree,But I've seen threads before where people advocate for breaking rules/laws. Parents are held responsible and so are the parks.

 

[Hikergirl]

There are States in the US where you as a parent can give your minor child alcohol in establishments that sell alcohol. Its only a few and Florida is not one them.
Having said that, I don't think its a big deal if you do but I know I'd be embarrassed if I got caught.

 

[china mom]

I don't want to enter Jimmy's entire post and can't edit on my phone.... the cups are apparently not interchangeable or indistinguishable. I was stopped walking out if EPCOT one night and told I had to finish my drink inside. I asked how he knew it had alchohol (not adversaroly, just curious) and was told that the cups were different for drinks with alchohol.

 

[AngiTN]

This is not true. It's much more complex than that. US drinking laws are set by the individual states. In some states, it's legal for a parent to provide alcohol to a minor. Florida does not have such a provision, so it is illegal to give your child a drink, but that isn't the case across the entire US.

Whatever. I was answering a question about Florida. I didn't feel a lesson in US drinking laws was necessary

 

[erinch]

We will be at disney 3 months before my daughter turns 21 for 2 weeks. We are at the point with her that in our condo, we will have adult beverages available to her. Buying her a drink in the parks would be risk both for the parents, for her, and for the vendor.

 

[lugnut33]

Have done it many many times at WDW. It's not a big deal. Then again it's just a sip so they can experience it. Nothing more than a sip.