Walt, alcohol and the parks

[BRG226]

I am listening to the Gilbert Gottfried podcast and he is interviewing Robert Osborne. Osborne claims Walt had someone on staff to walk Walt out of bars and restaurants because he was an alcoholic. I have never ever heard this before. I thought Walt didn't drink, and was so set against it that this is why there is no alcohol at Disneyland and for a very long time none at Magic Kingdom. Am I wrong?

Brendan

 

[btk2333]

I am listening to the Gilbert Gottfried podcast and he is interviewing Robert Osborne. Osborne claims Walt had someone on staff to walk Walt out of bars and restaurants because he was an alcoholic. I have never ever heard this before. I thought Walt didn't drink, and was so set against it that this is why there is no alcohol at Disneyland and for a very long time none at Magic Kingdom. Am I wrong?

Brendan

I don't think I'd ever heard that Walt didn't drink- I'm pretty sure he drank. Also fyi, there is alcohol at one location in Disneyland just like there is alcohol at one location in WDW.

PS.

 

[BRG226]

Yep- forgot about Club 33.

Sorry!

 

[Ronda93]

I think alcohol made its debut at the MK with BoG. Never before though.

I read somewhere that Walt disliked the smell of spilled, stale beer at amusement parks.

 

[notfrostyjosh]

Walt single-handedly kept Chivas Regal in business from 1952 to 1968. Ask anyone.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Walt did drink. I am not one to say whether he was an alcoholic or not. I don't think that even matters at this point.

I think a lot of people put Walt Disney on a pedastal. He was human like everyone else. He did some great things and some not so great things and had flaws and weaknesses like everyone else. If he was alive today and acted today how he acted then, he would probably be considered sexist and racist. It wasn't really considered outside the norm so much in those days.

 

[beedee12]

Signing in for the comments on this doozy.... Lol

 

[Planogirl]

Yes, Walt Disney wasn't perfect as much as people try to idolize him around here. He had human weaknesses and sometimes bad attitudes. However he was a creative visionary and that's what really matters.

 

[POOHsie]

Walt single-handedly kept Chivas Regal in business from 1952 to 1968. Ask anyone.

"Anyone" says Walt Disney died in 1966.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Walt single-handedly kept Chivas Regal in business from 1952 to 1968. Ask anyone.

1952 to 1968? umm Walt died in 1966 (Dec)

 

[TheRustyScupper]

"Anyone" says Walt Disney died in 1966.

Like Elvis, Walt never really died !

 

[TDC Nala]

He drank. He liked a cocktail.

Whether or not he was an alcoholic, that's debatable. I don't remember having heard it claimed with any real credibility that he was.

In those days a 3 martini business lunch was pretty common.

Walt single-handedly kept Chivas Regal in business from 1952 to 1968. Ask anyone.

1968? Maybe they pickled him in it for a couple of years?

There wasn't any alcohol at Disneyland because Walt wanted to get away from the spilled beer carny atmosphere, and he also didn't want to deal with predatory beer distributors.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

I've yet to read anything to support the allegation that he was an alcoholic, but he definitely drank.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that."

 

[nkereina]

I think alcohol made its debut at the MK with BoG. Never before though.

I read somewhere that Walt disliked the smell of spilled, stale beer at amusement parks.

That's interesting - I hadn't heard that before. I had always heard that he wanted to keep it a "family friendly" atmosphere and avoid running the risk of drunks in the park.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

Cake or pie, anyone?

 

[jamnich314]

Walt single-handedly kept Chivas Regal in business from 1952 to 1968. Ask anyone.

Everybody saying he died in 1966...Walt obviously had such a stockpile of it in his house that just his purchases of it in the previous decade or so kept Chivas Regal in business for two solid years.

 

[chartle]

He drank. He liked a cocktail.

Whether or not he was an alcoholic, that's debatable. I don't remember having heard it claimed with any real credibility that he was.

In those days a 3 martini business lunch was pretty common.

I like to point out to my sons how things were so much different back then mostly concerning drinking and smoking.

If you watched Bewitched Larry had a bar in his office and always made drinks for the clients. When Darrin came home from work he was almost always given or made martinis before dinner (Samantha must have used her magic to make sure the ice bucket was always full).

We have started to watch old Twilight Zones. Last night a patient in a hospital, in bed, reached over and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and LIT ONE UP. x100

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I like to point out to my sons how things were so much different back then mostly concerning drinking and smoking.

If you watched Bewitched Larry had a bar in his office and always made drinks for the clients. When Darrin came home from work he was almost always given or made martinis before dinner.

We have started to watch old Twilight Zones. Last night a patient in a hospital, in bed, reached over and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and LIT ONE UP. x100

LOL yup, we were watching Jaws and Chief Brody and the mayor of Amity are down at the hospital and the mayor is firing up a cig and puffing away right in the patient rooms. Haha.

 

[chartle]

LOL yup, we were watching Jaws and Chief Brody and the mayor of Amity are down at the hospital and the mayor is firing up a cig and puffing away right in the patient rooms. Haha.

We just saw one where the nurses at their station lit some up.

Maybe that doesn't really apply since they also had pig noses.

 

[Alice Royal]

He drank. He liked a cocktail.

Whether or not he was an alcoholic, that's debatable. I don't remember having heard it claimed with any real credibility that he was.

In those days a 3 martini business lunch was pretty common.



1968? Maybe they pickled him in it for a couple of years?

There wasn't any alcohol at Disneyland because Walt wanted to get away from the spilled beer carny atmosphere, and he also didn't want to deal with predatory beer distributors.

His head is preserved somewhere under the MK, remember?