Poll: Alcohol and Young Families in the Magic Kingdom

[indianajack]

Reading through the threads on the introduction of alcoholic beverages to the Magic Kingdom at the new Be Our Guest restaurant, I would say the views of posters supporting its introduction are in the majority. What I became curious about is whether those in support had young children of their own. I think if I was not a parent of young kids I probably wouldn't see it as a big deal to have alcohol at the new restaurant. But since I do have small children, I believe it has influenced my perspective and led me to oppose steadfastly its inclusion on the menu. This poll is designed to test the hypothesis of whether having small children of one's own coming to the parks influences your viewpoint on this hot topic.

[sir clinksalot]

A little background,

I don't have children under 12 anymore, mine are 14 and 16. But I don't consider them "grown up" either.

I have absolutely NO PROBLEM with there being alcohol in the MK. We've done WDW trips when they were younger, spent time doing "sip/nibble" around World Showcase, they had a lot of fun trying the different foods with us. It wasn't weird for them to see Mom, Dad, Grandma or Friends having a drink.

When we go to DCA and eat, we will generally get a glass of wine or a beer with our meal. We've even had our meal at the Cove Bar MULTIPLE times, they will get a "Virgin" fruity drink to go with our nachos or pizza, etc. It's not weird for them.

Alcohol is available pretty much everywhere now. The only hold-outs (so to speak) are Disneyland and Movie theaters. That's about it.

Every other theme park I can think of sells alcohol. Restaurants. Sporting Events. Concerts.

Why should MK be any different? Will there be people who take it too far, of course, there always are. But 99.9% of people will be fine with it and it won't be an issue.

[indianajack]

I don't believe Legoland serves alcohol, and their target market is young families. Does Chuck E. Cheese? I don't think so. Places that cater primarily to young families, I don't believe, have alcohol. Perhaps this move by Disney is a shift away from the young family market as the prime target for MK?

[Disneytwins]

Children are usually exposed to alcohol quite a bit before entering the park, I don't see why it makes a difference.

[RB Dash]

The pretense of the OP is ridiculous. This isn't 1932 anymore. If you don't want to take your children into a restaurant that serves alcohol, I guess they will never eat anywhere other than McDonald's and Taco Bell ever. If you don't like wine with a French style meal, don't order it. It's that simple. I think also some hypocrisy is involved if you take your kids to Epcot, DHS, etc. since those all already have alcohol on the menu. I guarantee you that you have though and take your children to restaurants that do serve alcohol on a regular basis, so your "steadfast" opposition is utterly meaningless. Most of the people making a big deal about this on the internet are just looking for attention. They also haven't watched Beauty and the Beast which featured singing whine bottles and the like.

[PBandJ]

Chuck E Cheese does in fact serve beer and wine: Chuck E. Cheese - Menu - Menu Items - Desserts
A few "upscale" movie theaters near me also have bars - there are a few theaters where you can pay an extra fee to sit in a "21 and older only" section in a balcony, and that balcony has a bar in the lobby. That way grown-ups can enjoy a night out and be assured that they won't be sitting next to a texting teenager or a screaming baby during the movie.

I didn't vote in the poll, because I don't think the phrase "I support alcohol in the MK" is quite accurate. I am childless and I support the idea of beer or wine at a sit-down dinner at night in the MK, but I would not support alcohol being served at walk-away counters all day long there... although even if that did happen (like it does at the other parks), I don't think it would have that much of an effect on the park's atmosphere.

[indianajack]

I didn't vote in the poll, because I don't think the phrase "I support alcohol in the MK" is quite accurate.

But the poll does not say "support alcohol," it says am "okay with alcohol."

---------- Post added 09-20-2012 at 07:34 AM ----------

The pretense of the OP is ridiculous. This isn't 1932 anymore. If you don't want to take your children into a restaurant that serves alcohol, I guess they will never eat anywhere other than McDonald's and Taco Bell ever. If you don't like wine with a French style meal, don't order it. It's that simple. I think also some hypocrisy is involved if you take your kids to Epcot, DHS, etc. since those all already have alcohol on the menu. I guarantee you that you have though and take your children to restaurants that do serve alcohol on a regular basis, so your "steadfast" opposition is utterly meaningless. Most of the people making a big deal about this on the internet are just looking for attention. They also haven't watched Beauty and the Beast which featured singing whine bottles and the like.

What I believe some of the people who are okay with alcohol being in MK are missing is that those of us opposed are not saying we want alcohol banned from every restaurant and theme park; rather we would simply like to keep just one place in the huge WDW resort that does not serve alcohol. Are those of us opposed really that ridiculous (in your words) in having this position?

[RB Dash]

What I believe some of the people who are okay with alcohol being in MK are missing is that those of us opposed are not saying we want alcohol banned from every restaurant and theme park; rather we would simply like to keep just one place in the huge WDW resort that does not serve alcohol. Are those of us opposed really that ridiculous (in your words) in having this position?

Yes, it is ridiculous. It's in one French restaurant at dinner time you will have to make reservations for six months in advance. Expecting apple juice to be served with a traditional French meal is crazy. Don't like it? Don't order it. If you get mad about what is on other people's tables, I think you need to mind your own business.

And WDW isn't just about families with small children. The comparison to Chuck E. Cheese's (that ironically does serve beer) makes no sense since Disney makes a ton of money from the vacations of people in other demographics.

My problem with your post though is that you suggest this has something to do with morality. You can 't make moral arguments that you never stick to yourself. Thus you not answering the question about taking your kids to Epcot, DHS, and restaurants in general that serve alcohol. Your argument has nothing to do with "the children," it has to do with tradition. But if we go by what food offerings Walt approved of originally, we wouldn't have good restaurants in WDW.

[sir clinksalot]

I don't believe Legoland serves alcohol, and their target market is young families. Does Chuck E. Cheese? I don't think so. Places that cater primarily to young families, I don't believe, have alcohol. Perhaps this move by Disney is a shift away from the young family market as the prime target for MK?

Legoland CA does.

[Meville]

I have kids under 12 and am fine with it. I will also never buy alcohol in the parks, but that's only because of simple economics. Buy a drink for myself, or buy a Vinylmation or stuffed animal for my kids... Hmmm.

[indianajack]

Legoland CA does.

You're right, the Knight's Barbecue is the one place that does serve alcohol. As the Magic Kingdom parks are then the only ones without alcohol, then that is/was part of the Disney Difference. By including alcohol Disney allows MK to become less special.

[sir clinksalot]

You're right, the Knight's Barbecue is the one place that does serve alcohol. As the Magic Kingdom parks are then the only ones without alcohol, then that is/was part of the Disney Difference. By including alcohol Disney allows MK to become less special.

I don't think the inclusion or exclusion of alcohol makes MK any more or less special.

You don't want Alcohol, don't order it. But it's legal, it's ok in moderation and it's every individual person's personal decision.

You do realize how much beer you'd have to buy at one of the 2 locations that serve it in MK to get drunk right? You do realize that the Grand FL, Contemporary and Poly are all just a short monorail ride away from the MK and they have bars and restaurants that serve alcohol there right? Which means there have most likely been a LOT of drunk people in the MK throughout the years.

[indianajack]

Yes, it is ridiculous. It's in one French restaurant at dinner time you will have to make reservations for six months in advance. Expecting apple juice to be served with a traditional French meal is crazy.

Actually San Pelligrino is quite good. Or some sparkling apple juice or a virgin cocktail. There are plenty of alternatives.

Don't like it? Don't order it. If you get mad about what is on other people's tables, I think you need to mind your own business.

But you miss the point. It doesn't just stay on the table, the smell of the alcohol travels to the other tables. It changes the atmosphere of the restaurant.

And WDW isn't just about families with small children.

We're not talking about all of WDW, just MK. Is MK not the park that most caters and markets to young families? Yes? Then why can't one park out of the whole entire resort, if not all of the Orlando tourist scene, not have alcohol?

The comparison to Chuck E. Cheese's (that ironically does serve beer)

That precisely proved my point. Legoland, Chuck E. Cheese and others do serve alcohol. MK was the only one that didn't, thus being a part of the Disney Difference. The more Disney makes MK akin to all the other theme parks, then MK loses some of its uniqueness.

makes no sense since Disney makes a ton of money from the vacations of people in other demographics.

There are also demographics (including international) that would not want alcohol in the park. There are Mormons and other Christian groups that would not want alcohol. There are Muslims who do not want alcohol. And there are others who for either health, moral, cultural or other social reasons do not drink alcohol at all, or do not want it in the parks. I do drink some alcohol, but do not want it in MK. It's not the time or the place.

My problem with your post though is that you suggest this has something to do with morality.

Where did I state that? Please cease with the straw man arguments.

You can 't make moral arguments that you never stick to yourself. Thus you not answering the question about taking your kids to Epcot, DHS, and restaurants in general that serve alcohol.

I do take them to Epcot, DHS and Legoland, and they do serve alcohol. That is precisely what made MK unique. I never said I would not take my kids to a place that served alcohol. That's your straw man talking. What I've said is I prefer an MK that does not serve alcohol because it makes less of a family-friendly environment and takes away from MK's uniqueness.

Your argument has nothing to do with "the children," it has to do with tradition.

No, it has to do with the children in an optimal family-friendly environment and preserving a part of MK's uniqueness. Will I stop taking my kids to MK because they serve alcohol in the Be Our Guest restaurant? No, of course not. What those of us who are against this change in longstanding policy are saying is that this is one more piece of declining by degrees. It's a shame that so many Disney fans on this board and others don't seem to be realizing that.

But if we go by what food offerings Walt approved of originally, we wouldn't have good restaurants in WDW.

So good restaurants have to serve alcohol, or they won't be good? I can assure you that is not the case. I've been in some very fine restaurants that do not serve alcohol.

[RB Dash]

The argument about the "smell fo alcohol traveling to other tables" is laughable. Also about Muslims not approving of it. You obviously don't believe in the freedom of choice.

The fact you take your kids to places that serve alcohol all the time is not a straw man. It's a logical gap in your argument big enough to drive a Mack truck through. Your argument has nothing to do with what's good for children.

[lazyboy97O]

This question is still all based on the position that alcohol in and of itself is somehow not family friendly. I will say, do not go to France, as it is apparently not at all a family friendly place. I even had one experience where the waiter never took a drink order, just the entree order. From there he brought everybody, including children who fit within your description of young, the appropriate wine. No thought about it. You drink wine with dinner. The issues with alcohol as some sort of inherent vice, not friendly to families or children, are a cultural and moral construct, not the clear rule.