Walt on alcohol at Disneyland

[ShelbyH]

Totally silly, but my first thought upon reading this thread title was that old anti-drug commercial, "This is alcohol. This is Walt on alcohol, at Disneyland. Any questions?" with a mental image of a drunk Walt staggering down MS.

It's been a long day, okay?

[Steve DeGaetano]

You sound like you need a drink...

[explodingboy]

1. At MC, things are rarely settled, let alone a debate.
2. So what's up? Did Walt just randomly send in quotable quotes to the Saturday Evening Post? What was the question and context? It sounds very work related and not guest related.
3. Source? Cannot say something is settled w/out the source details.

JFTR, I feel DL doesn't need beer and wine. It was a success for 57 yrs w/out it. I am not even sure there was a noticeable debate in the past on MC.

This debate is. Q.E.D.

"Guest-realeted?" I have no idea what that means. And no, Walt didn't just "send quotable quotes" to a magazine. It was an interview, which--though not stated outright--was sort of implied by the "when asked..." phrase in my post.

Here's the question and answer in full:

Pete Martin: Let's talk a little about Disneyland and how it's so different from other amusement parks.

Walt: It really takes a person more than a day to see the park without exhausting themselves. And as I get these new things in, it's going to take more time. It's one of those things that people who come in here for the first time and everything's there and they sort of make a hog of themselves, you see? Well, a lot of people come back the third time and just like to sit and listen to the band, see the horses going around. I like to go down and sit by the river and watch the people. Chewing gum sticks up things so we don't sell it. And peanut shells. We sell the unshelled. But shelled peanuts, they just crumble them and throw them all over the place. And nothing with round sticks. People trip on them. The ice cream bars got flat sticks and I won't sell any of this spun candy because the kids get it and get it all over everything and people get it on their hands. No liquor, no beer, nothing. Because that brings in a rowdy element. That brings people that we don't want and I feel they don't need it. I feel when I go down to the park I don't need a drink. I work around that place all day and I don't have one. After I come out of a heavy day at the studio sometimes I want a drink to relax. When it comes to Disneyland, I feel I've given the public everything I can give them. My daughter, Diane, says that I spend too much time around the house talking about how I can give them more for their money when they come to the park. You've got to build. You've got to keep it clean. You don't want to walk in a dirty toilet. I won't have 'em. My toilets are spic and span. And you know another thing, I have to have police so there's no child molesters there. I've got plainclothesmen. They can leave their kids to run around and I have safety inspectors. It's run in a high class manner and I have a high class clientele. The people who go to the park are from all walks of life but they look like solid Americans. That's pretty high class.

I gave you the source.

Game, set, match.

[Santoanderson]

Well my opinion of alcohol at the Disney parks was cemented when I saw the video of that drunk dude hurling obscenities at passers-by in front of the Tower of Terror, while half a dozen twenty somethings egged him on as they slurped on beer...

[Steve DeGaetano]

Well my opinion of alcohol at the Disney parks was cemented when I saw the video of that drunk dude hurling obscenities at passers-by in front of the Tower of Terror, while half a dozen twenty somethings egged him on as they slurped on beer...

Because that brings in a rowdy element. That brings people that we don't want

Walt was right again--as usual...

[Gregmh48]

"...and I won't sell any of this spun candy because the kids get it and get it all over everything and people get it on their hands."

Sounds like Walt also didn't want cotton candy sold in Disneyland but they've reneged on that.

[clockworkmonkey]

Thank you.

[DJM]

So Walt didn't want alcohol in the parks? Cool. I'll drink to that!

---------- Post added 08-02-2012 at 07:16 PM ----------

Well my opinion of alcohol at the Disney parks was cemented when I saw the video of that drunk dude hurling obscenities at passers-by in front of the Tower of Terror, while half a dozen twenty somethings egged him on as they slurped on beer...

Was that person drunk? I don't recall the facts of that matter. I remember watching the video and getting the impression that it may have been someone with some type of mental disorder or emotional problems (i.e. someone that should be on medication but was/is not). I just don't remember what it turned out to be.

[Santoanderson]

The police department never released a toxicology report, probably for legal reasons. But a couple of months later the guy missed his court appearance and they issued a bench warrant for $5000. You would think had the guy accidentally mixed two medications together, or was having a mental fit, he and his lawyer would've made that public by now.

[brenden]

chewing gum sticks up things so we don't sell it. And peanut shells. We sell the unshelled. But shelled peanuts, they just crumble them and throw them all over the place. And nothing with round sticks. People trip on them. The ice cream bars got flat sticks and i won't sell any of this spun candy because the kids get it and get it all over everything and people get it on their hands. No liquor, no beer, nothing. Because that brings in a rowdy element. That brings people that we don't want and i feel they don't need it. I feel when i go down to the park i don't need a drink. I work around that place all day and i don't have one. After i come out of a heavy day at the studio sometimes i want a drink to relax.

AMEN, UNCLE WALT. Amen.

[sbk1234]

Honestly, this is the first I've heard of this, and I haven't heard of any other incidents involving abuse of alchohal in the park.

That said, I'm completely alchohol free (Based both on health, as well as lack of desire). I'm not judging. I have no problem with people drinking, as long as they are responsible and don't abuse it in any way. I just put that there to give some context. That said, other than the afore mentioned incident, I've never heard of any other sicidents involving the abuse of alchohol in the park.
As long as it stays that way, and Disney can - and will - handle the situations appropriately and quickly when they do come up, I have no problem with it.


However, I also wouldn't miss it one bit if it suddenly dissapeared there.

[GhostHostJeff]

This is my opinion. Alcohol is readily available steps outside of Disneyland. If someone really wants to booze it up and then visit Disneyland they can. I wouldn't mind them offering wine and beer in some of the restaurants just because it's already available right across the way and in Downtown Disney.

[flynnibus]

I gave you the source.

Come on Steve... the youngins want URLs.. URLs or it didn't happen!

Heaven forbid information exists that isn't linkable

[JerrodDRagon]

^to be fair could not anyone just make a quote then and call it fact?

Not saying I doubt this, just saying this is the internet...heck this is a forums if we believed every quote that supported someone elses side, with out wanting the source I'd be more worried

[JMazz]

I gave you the source.

Thanks for the ENTIRE context to the interview question. You didn't give the entire source. Not the date or (as an alternative) the volume number. But I do appreciate your posting the entire answer.



As for the rest of your post and my post, I will not explain it. Nor will I go on about your inflamatory OPs (note plural), condescending follow ups and abusive treatment towards other members (long before I registered). We get it, you know alot about DLR. Your delivery needs some help tho.

I will appologize for the fact that my sarcasm was misunderstood. I should never have attempted it in your thread.

---------- Post added 08-03-2012 at 12:58 AM ----------

Come on Steve... the youngins want URLs.. URLs or it didn't happen!

Heaven forbid information exists that isn't linkable

I didn't ask for a link (see above). Ask for your sarcasm, that's actually pretty funny.

BTW, you cannot just start a thread and call it the end-all to a debate without some source. It just makes one look like a fool.

---------- Post added 08-03-2012 at 01:03 AM ----------

Game, set, match.

Nice.
God forbid anyone ask the OP for info to back up his endless knowledge... I realize it's a clique-y thing, but srsly, please stop. Thanks.