What if WDW banned Alcohol?

[Genie+]

We buy a few drinks but if the parks made it inconvenient (eg - table service only) skipping it wouldn’t be a big deal to us. So I don’t really have a dog in this race. We’d go with the flow either way.

I can only count on one hand incidents we’ve encountered a party appearing overly drunk. Once we had 2 young women loud blabbermouth happy drunk lol. Another time a small group of young guys were throwing f-bombs and loudly talking about inappropriate stuff… that was our worst encounter. I’m sure there are plenty of drunk people we didn’t notice around WDW but I’m talking about what’s actually happened in our personal space, like people at the next table or standing next to us during fireworks, etc.

Honestly these very rare encounters are nothing compared to the much more common people who will come stand on top of us 5 minutes before fireworks start …if we’re talking cumulative negative impacts to my family’s experience. By far that has been worse!

 

[LuvOrlando]

We wouldn't even notice.

In 1993 in EPCOT we shared a glass of sweet wine in Germany and then we shared a glass of red wine in France. Nothing else until WDW for our anniversary in 2023 where we had some fun cocktails at STIR by Swan Reserve and then for the Food & Wine's Flavors from Fire booth we shared Swine Brine. Tried to get into somewhere at The Poly but were denied entrance for parking so in 32 years that is a total of maybe 5 drinks.

Lots of people talk about cocktails on here but in all honesty it isn't something I have seen a lot of in all this time.

 

[cruisehopeful]

It wouldn't bother me at all. When my kids were young (we're west coasters), if we wanted a drink while at Disneyland, we had to ride the monorail to the Disneyland Hotel. We probably only did that once and that was more about having dinner at the hotel. I get that they want to make more money, but alcohol really isn't needed at a theme park.

 

[Psymonds]

It wouldn't bother me at all. When my kids were young (we're west coasters), if we wanted a drink while at Disneyland, we had to ride the monorail to the Disneyland Hotel. We probably only did that once and that was more about having dinner at the hotel. I get that they want to make more money, but alcohol really isn't needed at a theme park.

my MIL tells a story, circa 1965, about her parents leaving the park with her to go get drinks at the monorail bar with friends about 4pm and they did not go back into the park thereafter! she was distraught!

 

[DanceDisney23]

If Disney banned alcohol, I guess at least EPCOT would become less popular. Especially during the food and grape juice festival.

 

[midnightgreenmagic]

I still love that they maintain the no drinks policy while walking around MK. I have no issue with it across other parks (in fact, I enjoy it). It's far too expensive for people to get absolutely obliterated drunk and even if they do, you normally only see that in the World Showcase.

 

[team bradfield]

MK is too crowded to walk around with a drink

 

[North of Mouse]

Disney doesn't care what any guests want - UNLESS they see the $$$ signs and then they'll say, "Oh, that's what guests want so we'll do it" - Yeah, right!!
The cat's out of the bag and it won't go back in!! Greedy dollars!
I'm like some others have posted - "Used to" was great!!

 

[hardcorestitch]

Disney doesn't care what any guests want - UNLESS they see the $$$ signs and then they'll say, "Oh, that's what guests want so we'll do it" - Yeah, right!!
The cat's out of the bag and it won't go back in!! Greedy dollars!
I'm like some others have posted - "Used to" was great!!

Scrooge McDuck is rolling in his pool I’m sure…

 

[WLWildlife]

There is nothing magical, enjoyable, or even pleasant about being stuck in line with, or worse, jammed into the skyliner car with drunk people. Especially when they are obnoxious or becoming aggressive.

 

[Mr_Woodchuck]

They would probably need to rename Food and Wine Festival.

 

[HopperFan]

There is nothing magical, enjoyable, or even pleasant about being stuck in line with, or worse, jammed into the skyliner car with drunk people. Especially when they are obnoxious or becoming aggressive.

I can say after over 50 years of going to Disney World I have never been stuck in line or otherwise with drunk people BUT I have been stuck with screaming parents, obnoxious children, loud talkers, offensive odors etc. .....

While I don't condone over drinking, I think that is a minor issue compared to other guests behaviors that impact trips on an all day long basis. It is easy enough to avoid drunk folks; adjusting your time in the WS, refusing to get on the skyliner with drunk guests, let people pass you in line for a buffer from them, just keep walking and ignore them.

Disney makes way too much money from alcohol from folks on vacation. They will never ever ban it. Over the years they have only expanded the offerings. And for guests on property they provide the Designated Bus Driver.

They would probably need to rename Food and Wine Festival.

Cookies & Milk

 

[Minnie1222]

I still haven't seen an aggressive or obnoxious drunk at WDW in 40+ years.

 

[Mr_Woodchuck]

I still haven't seen an aggressive or obnoxious drunk at WDW in 40+ years.

I've encountered a few obnoxious people that I think would probably be less so if they did drink!
But never encountered anyone aggressive drunk or sober.

 

[NickC]

I can say after over 50 years of going to Disney World I have never been stuck in line or otherwise with drunk people BUT I have been stuck with screaming parents, obnoxious children, loud talkers, offensive odors etc. .....

While I don't condone over drinking, I think that is a minor issue compared to other guests behaviors that impact trips on an all day long basis. It is easy enough to avoid drunk folks; adjusting your time in the WS, refusing to get on the skyliner with drunk guests, let people pass you in line for a buffer from them, just keep walking and ignore them.

Disney makes way too much money from alcohol from folks on vacation. They will never ever ban it. Over the years they have only expanded the offerings. And for guests on property they provide the Designated Bus Driver.


Cookies & Milk

I wonder if it's a newer phenomenon? I remember seeing 'drinking around the world' shirts 10 years ago, but those seemed to be the outlier...almost a bit 'edgy.' I will say that there does seem to be more of a focus on alcohol recently. Still not like it's a bar, though.

But, I agree with your assessment about avoiding it. Actually, in WDW I rarely let anything bother me. I've been hit in the ankles with a stroller, kids screaming, line cutters, meltdowns, chants, odors. But I try to handle it with grace because 1. anything with the kids, I've been there. 2. it's mostly temporary. And 3. I don't want to expend the energy and be upset on vacation.

 

[JBtravels]

Just wondering what would happen to overall guest experience if WDW banned alcohol inside every Disney Park? This is for the average guests. I've seen too much day drinking for my taste, and remember simpler times in the 80s.

For AFODs, there would still be plenty of ETOH inside the resorts. My guess is that guest experience would overall improve. It would never happen due to profits, but still.

Thoughts?

I absolutely think it would be an improvement. Epcot is more of an adult park, but it's not necessary in Magic Kingdom for sure. When Walt started DL, the first park, there was no alcohol because he wanted it to be a family experience. And until recently, it stayed that way in the main park. But you're correct that today's Disney cares much more about getting every dollar they can out of guests.

 

[WLWildlife]

Gee, why didn't I think about avoiding drunk people in line, refusing to get into a skyliner car with a drunk person or group, or ignoring them? Sometimes you just can't avoid a situation. Consider yourself lucky that it hasn't happened to you. There are many awesome people at WDW, both guests and employees that make the experience magical and I have been lucky enough to encounter both, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings if alcohol was restricted or eliminated. If drinking to the point of poor choices and bad behavior is your idea of vacation then I'm not sure what the draw is to WDW. That seems the opposite of family entertainment. But I'm not going to let that them ruin my day.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

I wish they would cut way back on it at Epcot. The endless festivals lead to overcrowding by people largely doing nothing in the countries but drinking. They’re not all belligerent drunks, but it’s really not a family park atmosphere in the late afternoon and evenings and that’s a shame. They serve plenty of alcohol in HS but it doesn’t get like Epcot because it’s become such a focal point of the Epcot experience now. Heck, they even put an adults only drinking lounge in the back of Speceship Earth.

 

[WDWRook]

I still haven't seen an aggressive or obnoxious drunk at WDW in 40+ years.

in 12 trips I've not seen one drunk person causing any harm or problems or someone that appears too drunk, and all 12 trips included either Food and Wine, or Flower and Garden events. Now ... fights in lines about line skipping, injuries from scooters and oversized strollers, just down right rude people, yeap there is a lot of that.