Why is only The Magic Kingdom Dry?

[Glennie5]

The only park Walt Disney lived to see constructed was Disney Land. He was able to purchase the land in Florida and make the plans for MK and EPCOT, he did not live to see his plans become reality, but yes he had said when drawing the plans that MK was to remain "dry". Construction on the MK started 5 years after Walt died.

Sorry to burst your bubble but construction on MK began one year AFTER Walt's death and almost did not happen but his brother Roy Disney said they had to press on because this is what Walt wanted.

I think you burst your own bubble

 

[DznyCrzy11]

I think you burst your own bubble

Yep I sure did! My point is, contrary to what a PP said Walt was in fact dead when construction began.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

Yup.

Many people don't want to be going about a fun, family day and encounter a group of obnoxious drunks. Walt got that.

Isn't that the truth! That's why I'm glad that even the drinking done in EPCOT is done in a somewhat controlled manner.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Please don't turn this into a debate over prohibition vs drinking.

Your request made it 4 replies before someone just had to throw their personal opinions in. However, this is the Disboards, I am surprised it made it that long.

Thankfully Disney has followed his wishes.

Lots of others place to have a drink if you want one!

AKK

 

[nooneshome]

"Because I say so"

Walt White

 

[mesaboy2]

Yep I sure did! My point is, contrary to what a PP said Walt was in fact dead when construction began.

I don't see any PPs that stated he was alive when MK construction began, but I see where it might be inferred.

I think that poster's point was that MK was designed to be a fairly close copy of DL, which was of course dry according to Walt's wishes. It's not a big leap to assume that the Imagineers of the day assumed that was his intent for MK and copied that aspect of DL as well.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Did somebody already say "Because Walt said so"?

Thats the best answer I can find.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Your request made it 4 replies before someone just had to throw their personal opinions in. However, this is the Disboards, I am surprised it made it that long.

If you read my comment instead of being a smart a======s............you would see.......my point was fact,Disney management continued Walt policy..........I agree that's a good thing.

I am in no way against drinking,sitting here with a glass of Sams!............I just pointed out there are many places within CA/resorts and WDW, where you can enjoy a drink!

You twisted my words to try and look snarky...........you failed!


AKK

 

[asmit4]

...because ALL husbands EVERYWHERE would refuse to go to DW if the entire place was dry!

 

[disnut8]

Please don't turn this into a debate over prohibition vs drinking. This isn't a complaint that Magic Kingdom doesn't serve alcohol or a complaint that the other parks do.

And yet it's turned into some posters leaving their personal remarks on the boards.

The general opinion is because Walt didn't want alcohol at the Magic Kingdom, those wishes are honored today.

My opinion is that once 1982 rolled around and Epcot was opened, it would have been extremely difficult to not serve alcohol in the countries. And then things were more relaxed when the Studios opened in 1985 and even further relaxed in 1998 when Animal Kingdom opened.

 

[LBIJim]

Because Walt died before the other parks were built.

Seriously, that's the short answer. He was often quoted as saying that he felt that the presence of drunks ruined most "carnival" experiences for families, and that was the reason why he wanted his theme parks dry. (He was NOT a teetotaler by any means, nor did he feel anyone else should be, he just thought that drinking tended to get out of hand at "amusement" parks and that he didn't want that marring the experience at his.)

Had he lived to see the construction of the other parks he almost surely would have insisted on keeping alcohol severely restricted there as well.

But he died about 4 years before the MK even opened. I'm not even sure if construction had started yet. There was plenty of time for his corporate heirs to change the policy. But I suppose they didn't because he was still alive when the park was conceived and they wanted to honor his wishes.

As for DL in Anaheim, yes, that's the explanation I've heard or read from many sources.

I for one am glad that the MK is dry.

Jim

 

[LBIJim]

That is the reason DW was not built in St Louis............Walt was actually upset that Bud was trying t force beer into the DW to be built there.

The part of keeping the Mk dry started with DL back in 55, long before this meeting.

AKK

But it's not like Disney committed to build a park in St.Louis and then refused after Busch's comments. Disney always favored a warm weather location where they could operate year round. St. Louis didn't fit the bill. But St. Louis offered, and since money talks, Disney was at least willing to listen. The beer comments killed what was already a slim possibility.

Jim

 

[DisneyDetective]

And the irony -- DIS went on to build parks all over the world, buy multiple film production houses, radio stations, book publishers, ABC, and ESPN, and became a global entertainment company. Anheuser-Busch, as we all know, went on to become a subsidiary of a Belgian conglomerate.

Great post! I never thought about that, I wondèr what Walt would think now?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

That's how Walt wanted it. So that's how it is.

Although I heard that Disneyland Paris, when it opened, was also dry. If that is true then they were expanding on what Walt wanted, long after he died. The dry park didn't last long in Europe though.



Can't get on board with this one though. Walt intended Epcot to be a place where people actually lived, I'm sure he didn't intend for them to be teetoatlers.

To be very technical about it!Walt walked the property once! They had done some ground breaking to set elevation balloons and take pictures to show prospective.

So they had actually started construction...........but to be fair, actual full work didn't start until after he was gone.

I don't think Walt wanted the world dry.he enjoyed a drink himself. The MK was a family park and the reason he said he wanted it dry..was to keep that family theme/feeling. He didn't want another carnival or shading coney island atmosphere.

So I agree..except for the MK's.........I feel the other parks would have had alcohol available and controlled with his approval.


AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

But it's not like Disney committed to build a park in St.Louis and then refused after Busch's comments. Disney always favored a warm weather location where they could operate year round. St. Louis didn't fit the bill. But St. Louis offered, and since money talks, Disney was at least willing to listen. The beer comments killed what was already a slim possibility.

Jim

I totally agree! However they had not committed yet.......that meeting was to be the signing and the public announcement. Busch's comments, trying to push his beer into the parks put Walt off and as they say.*He picked up his marbles and left*.

I agree the warm weather location had something to do with it as well but St Louis was more centrally located for the country the studies showed that as a big plus.

AKK

 

[Stasia5]

While I do enjoy a refreshing adult beverage on occasion, I admit I like that MK is dry. To me, MK is the most magical of the 4 parks and makes me feel like a kid again. I'd hate to run into obnoxious drunks there like I have in Epcot. I think the decision for MK to be dry was out of respect for Walt. It may have all started with a mouse, but it was the man with wonderfully, fantastic ideas that changed our lives forever!

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....That's why I'm glad that even the drinking done in EPCOT is done in a somewhat controlled manner.

Epcot is the only park where I have seen drunks, on a consistent basis. Not overwhelming, but every visit.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Epcot is the only park where I have seen drunks, on a consistent basis. Not overwhelming, but every visit.

We have seen that as well, but not every trip or often.........One time we stepped aside as I saw a guy coming our way........weaving a bit and the next second there were 2 Disney security guys, taking each taking one of his arms and off he went (with g/f or wife in tow), out the international gate entrance to a behind the scenes area.

AKK

 

[KellyNY]

Considering how much it costs, it is kind of difficult to get drunk in Disney. I must say dry MK is a bit overkill imo, I know it was Walt wish and I respect it but what about TS places, they are building new one. I prefer to have a glass of wine in restaurant with my meal, I am adult after all, so why not.

 

[havoc315]

It's not quite as simple as Walt wanted it to be dry.
You need to look at the history of the parks, and what made Walt Disney innovative.

Before Disney Land, you didn't have modern theme parks. You had carnivals, that had some rides.... and were typically staffed by unsavory characters. Alcohol was rampant. people carrying around their beer as they boarded a ferris wheel.

Walt Disney's innovation was to take those classic carnival rides, and create a park where families and young children felt totally safe. Where going to the carnival was an expression of youthful innocence.
And thus, you say some elements that completely set the Disney Parks (Disney Land and the plan for Disney World) apart --- The parks should be exceptionally clean. Workers were had to be clean shaven --- Facial hair was not allowed. And the park was dry. These types of elements, made people think of a Disney park as being completely different than the other carnivals they had seen

The Disney model was so successful, that you had many copy cats. Theme parks were born, as elaborate modern carnivals, that were geared to clean fun for families.

So as Disney built additional parks, various rules came to be relaxed. People already think of Disney as being "wholesome" --- People think of theme parks as being "wholesome"... so there is no longer a need to take extra steps to prove that wholesome image. And of course, alcohol is highly profitable. So they built additional parks, and looked to incorporate alcohol in wholesome ways -- How could you really have a World Showcase in Epcot with Saki in Japan, beer in Germany, and fine wine in France?
How could you truly claim to present fine dining, without a wine and cocktail list?

Today, Magic Kingdom remains "dry" out of the tradition and legacy, though it is really no longer necessary. If Disney restaurants began to offer alcohol, the only outrage would be a couple threads on message boards claiming that Walt was rolling over in his grave. (With the current state of theme parks in our culture, I don't personally think he would care). Most people wouldn't even realize that there was a change.
Similarly, in recent years, Disney relaxed its rule about no facial hair for cast members.

So Walt didn't oppose alcohol in the parks as a simply because he wanted it to be child friendly, or anything like that. It was a tactical decision, to create a brand very different from the carnivals that had existed up to that time. His creation of the private club at Disney Land demonstrated he wasn't averse to selling alcohol.