Originally Posted By Yookeroo There's a line to get into the Carthay Circle bar. There's a line to get into the Cove Bar. It's crowded, but not crazy. If Disney doesn't open a nice bar at DL, they're idiots. They're leaving lots of $$$$ on the table. My prediction: Star Wars Land has the first cantina to sell alcohol. And I wouldn't be shocked if it happened before that. The sooner, the better.
Originally Posted By ecdc It makes zero sense that I can enjoy a glass of wine (or one of those fantastic Manhattans) at Carthay but be stuck with soda or blinking lemonade at Blue Bayou like I'm twelve.
Originally Posted By Yookeroo I actually waited in the line at the Carthay just to have one of their Manhattans.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I wouldn't be entirely opposed to adding alcohol to Disneyland (though I don't think it's necessary), but I think they would need to do it in a thoughtful and gradual way like what's happening at MK. It should be added to a table service restaurant before any counter service or kiosk locations, and probably only beer and wine for starters I'm under the impression that the cantina will be counter service, and it will certainly be a high capacity location. Given the timeline for its opening, I don't think they could introduce alcohol to the park slowly before it debuts
Originally Posted By phruby What's wrong with a beer truck pulled in next to the Haunted Mansion? The could call it Wine and Spirits.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros ^^Doh! Something else to consider with adding alcohol to DL is the potential impact to Club 33. They recently redid the club to add capacity (and a new bar!) to help keep up with demand. In doing so, they lost a lot of the history that made the space so special to a lot of people. As it stands now, the exclusivity of alcohol is one of the biggest selling points the Club has left That said, I'm sure Disney would make more money selling alcohol to everybody than they could possibly make off Club 33 members. Even shutting the place down entirely could easily be offset by the boost in alcohol sales
Originally Posted By dagobert I guess alcohol in the US MK style parks will never happen. I don't get that policy, but it seems to be very important for some Americans. However I think that at least table service restaurants should offer alcohol. I have never seen any drunk people at DLP, where alcohol is sold in both parks, if that's the concern. In Frnace the MK style park was indeed planned with selling alcohol in mind. There's nothing better than to enjoy a glass of beer at the Cowboy Cookout BBQ's fireplace.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>I guess alcohol in the US MK style parks will never happen.<< It's available at Be Our Guest in MK, and it's widely assumed that any new table service restaurants there (including the new Skipper's Canteen that's opening later this month) will also include alcohol. It seems unlikely that they'll have it at counter service locations, at least for a very long time, but it's certainly becoming more available DL seems to be the one where it's far less likely. Given the park's Walt connections, and the rabid fanbase that doesn't like any major change, it seems like they would be fighting an uphill battle there. Factor in the stories of drunkenness from the short-lived Holidayland picnic area from the park's early years, and I think that even most managers would tend to oppose it
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>It's available at Be Our Guest in MK, and it's widely assumed that any new table service restaurants there (including the new Skipper's Canteen that's opening later this month) will also include alcohol.<<< I forgot about that location and I didn't know that the Skipper Canteen will also serve alcohol. I think that's totally fine. I don't need beer or wine at a counter service restaurant, usually I order sparkling water. At DLP beer in cans is available at counter service restaurants, but it's a little bit more expensive. >>>DL seems to be the one where it's far less likely<<< I find that very interesting, because California has this very liberal reputation over here. Of course it's Walt's park, but he has been dead for so many years. I would understand if older people would have a problem with that, but not younger generations.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I think if they introduced wine and beer at the Blue Bayou (or the new SWLand Cantina), there would be an uproar that would flare and die, like so many among the more purist fan base we've seen.
Originally Posted By ecdc Yeah, there's this weird segment of Disney fans that don't drink (which is fine) and they seem to assume that anyone who does drink is a bumbling and/or abusive alcoholic the moment they take a sip (not fine). Why not serve wine and cocktails in Blue Bayou and other sit-down locales? You don't have to let people walk around with it in DL like you do DCA. You don't have to open up a Cove Bar-like location. Just some wine with lunch/dinner. Not hard, not spoiling the atmosphere, not sending drunken reprobates across Walt's wholesome park.
Originally Posted By monorailblue I think someone described one of the challenges: Blue Bayou is a fairly small restaurant and Disney needs to keep turnover brisk to be able to keep up a healthy spate of reservations. For my part, I don't care one way or other what they do on this issue, but I am glad whenever they are careful, deliberate and slow to make changes to something so intrinsic to Disneyland's identity for many years. I guess that makes me a rabid fan who can't stand any kind of change at all. I have seen drunk persons at Disneyland, but primarily entering the park on the Monorail from the Neon Cactus.
Originally Posted By monorailblue Sorry--I didn't finish the thought: the addition of wine as a meal option has a marked tendency to slow diners down. The limited capacity would drop noticeably.
Originally Posted By hbquikcomjamesl As a lifelong teetotaler (and as one who, on the few occasions when either a prescription or an accident left me even slightly buzzed, found the whole sensation of being in less-than-complete control of my senses to be utterly revolting) I strongly approve of Walt's decision to keep the public areas of Disneyland alcohol-free, and just as strongly disapprove of the decision to begin serving alcohol at WDW-MK's "Be Our Guest." During the years when I spent New Year's Eve in Disneyland, I did so very specifically because I find nothing appealing about alcohol, and nothing amusing about the antics of the drunk, and wanted to spend New Year's Eve surrounded by people enjoying themselves while as stone-cold-sober as I was. Before that, I volunteered to be "Acting Manager" for the New Year's Eve shift at the ice rink where I worked part-time, presiding over a church group's rental event, again surrounding myself with people who were enjoying themselves while stone-cold-sober. There are plenty of venues serving alcohol to the public in Disney hotels and non-MK Disney theme parks. There simply isn't a need to serve alcohol in any Magic Kingdom in North America, and indeed, it was only because of France's very different culture that alcohol was permitted in DLP.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Better living through chemistry I say. ;-) Didn't Walt have a reputation as something of a major booze hound?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I shouldn't put it that way... I was being a smart-butt. I don't know that he drank a lot. But I believe he did enjoy alcohol and was VERY particular about what he drank. Kind of a major booze-snob.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>I find that very interesting, because California has this very liberal reputation over here<< Californians tend to be very liberal, but are very protective of things that they see as belonging to them, like Disneyland and the movie industry. It's interesting to see how loosey-goosey they are about some things, yet very traditional when it comes to others. Californians are extremely open minded, as long as you agree with their viewpoints >>...there would be an uproar that would flare and die, like so many among the more purist fan base we've seen.<< I'm sure there's still someone, somewhere, who is upset about the Court of Angels. I'm disappointed it's gone, but I'm not losing sleep over it, nor do I enjoy my time in the parks any less because of it >> I don't know that he drank a lot. But I believe he did enjoy alcohol and was VERY particular about what he drank.<< He kind of strikes me as a man of his era regarding alcohol; I can definitely imagine Walt enjoying a liquid lunch. Given his well-known smoking habit, I would imagine it would be pretty well known if he drank heavily. It would not surprise me one bit if he had strong preferences about what he drank!
Originally Posted By Yookeroo " and the rabid fanbase that doesn't like any major change, it seems like they would be fighting an uphill battle there." Ignore them. After a year, it will be a non-issue.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 >>...there would be an uproar that would flare and die, like so many among the more purist fan base we've seen.<< <I'm sure there's still someone, somewhere, who is upset about the Court of Angels. I'm disappointed it's gone, but I'm not losing sleep over it, nor do I enjoy my time in the parks any less because of it> Strangely enough, that's the change to DL in recent years that most bummed me out, just because it was such a lovely little corner, I have some great pics of people I love standing there, and it seemed to me they could have found a way to keep it open and still make the Club 33 changes. But I was bummed when it was announced and discussed here, and then... like you said, not losing any sleep.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip My biggest loss at WDW's MK was The Toad. And I got over it. Although it will never be as good as The Toad, I do enjoy the Pooh ride. My biggest loss at Epcot was Horizons. I've NEVER gotten over that. The park just isn't the same any more and never will be. It is still a great park, but it is nowhere near the park it once was.
