Disney will begin serving beer and wine at four more table service restaurants in the resort's original theme park, following the introduction of alcohol into the Magic Kingdom with the Be Our Guest restaurant in 2012. Staring Dec. 23, Disney will offer alcohol at Cinderella's Royal Table, Tony's Town Square Cafe, the Liberty Tree Tavern, and the Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen.
The drinks available will vary by location, keeping with each restaurant's theme. Cindy's Royal Table will feature Champagne, Tony's Italian wines, the Liberty Tree hard cider and domestic beers, while the Skipper Canteen will go for more of an international selection.
Disney's theme parks were alcohol-free (the private Club 33 excepted) until the opening of its third park, Epcot, in 1982. Disneyland Paris was the first "Magic Kingdom" park to serve alcohol to its guests, and, as we mentioned, the Magic Kingdom in Orlando switched its policy and began selling alcohol at Be Our Guest four years ago.
That experiment seems to have gone well for Disney — no increase in unruly guests, but a big increase in beverage sales and profits. So it shouldn't surprise that Disney is now moving to expand alcohol sales to the park's other table service restaurants.
Still, given Disney's slow movement toward expanding alcohol sales in the Magic Kingdom, it might take several more years before the company expand beer and wine sales by establishing bars or alcohol-selling outdoor vending stands in the park, as it does in the other three parks at the Walt Disney World Resort. And there's no movement yet to add public alcohol sales at the original Disneyland, though that test might come with the opening of the Cantina in Star Wars Land in several years.
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Guess I'll have to build my own theme park with blackjack and hookers, but no booze! In fact, forget the blackjack. Got to keep it classy for the families, right?
If I go to a high end restaurant, and am paying over $100.00 for a family meal, I want to be able to have a glass of wine with it. ESPECIALLY if I've been in the park all day with my kids.
I don't like that it flies in the face of Walt Disney's philosophy with the parks, just because of my respect for the man. But this is one area I think isn't a problem. Have some drinks, keep the prices up to avoid over drinking, and crack down on rowdy behavior. They're already great at doing it.
If alcohol sales keep adults at the bars and out of the attraction queues, I'm all for it!
In terms of behavioral problems associated with alcohol, I think as long as its only sold in table service restaurantsa where responsible serving is possible, it shouldn't be a big problem. I do have a problem if they start selling it from carts, this is when it becomes a lot more difficult to regulate.
Understand, I am fine with moving with the times. I cannot wait for Star Wars (assuming they fix the terrible line reservation system). I am fine with Avatar. I adore Universal and what they have done with Harry Potter. Which, I will point out, you cannot get real world sodas like Coke or Pepsi as that is inconsistent with the theme despite the potential lost profits. Go have a beer at dinner at your hotel, but when you take your three year old through the Castle, you don't have to have a beer that day.
Believe me I'm all for drink carts in the Magic Kingdom. If I have to stand in line for 45-70 minutes to ride Space Mountain I need a drink or five to deal with the claustrophobic wait.
If you believe that this is diminishing the "innocence" of the Magic Kingdom park, that innocence died a long time ago with the introduction of upcharge events to stay in the park later, dessert parties, and $600 cabanas.
I do have one idea for Bob Iger (bestest showman of the year ever)- he should allow rum to be served while you're riding the Pirates of the Caribbean. That's corporate synergy at its finest!
While I would admire the company for continuing it's non-service of alcohol, I don't consider them doing so a blasphemous disrespect of their founder. Like I've previously said, my concern would be if they serve it without adequate oversight out of restricted areas.
I always have a drink or two when I visit the Disneyland Resort. But I've have never drank in DCA and of course unlike the Magic Kingdom Disneyland still prohibits alcohol sales to the general public. Star Wars Land might break that tradition. I have no problem waiting until I'm in Downtown Disneyland or at the hotels. Of course, Disneyland has a great advantage over the Florida property in that you can just walk out of the front gates of either park and you're just a few yards away from Downtown Disney. I guess I'd prefer Disneyland remain "dry" but wouldn't get too upset if they did allow drinks in a place like the Blue Bayou but I don't think the future Cantina needs it. Idk it seems like a lazy way to make money. And that alcoholic expansion at the Magic Kingdom seems way too much and unfortunate.
The drinking culture that Walt was against in the 1950s is worlds different from the craft cocktail and beer culture that dominates high end dining now.
If alcohol is a dealbreaker for you entering the Magic Kingdom, you probably shouldn't be allowed in the Magic Kingdom.
I think it is more the tradition. Disney doesn't serve alcohol at the Magic Kingdom Parks. That was their rule. Just like their cruise line doesn't have gambling, Disney should not be buckling into pressure.
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Maybe if you do it well themed you can keep your parks "family friends"?