How strict is Disney's under 21 policy?

[Talking Hands]

Pleasure Island ids everyone. I am 57 and I still had to show my id to gain entrance to the clubs and get my wrist band. I would say they are very strict. This was as of Saturday a week ago.

 

[Sezza]

Definitely take your ID if you want to have any alcohol whatsoever on Disney property. I only ever drink in Epcot, when passing by France I can't resist a nice glass of cool white wine, they always ask for ID.

 

[pixiedust23]

Before I turned 21 my parents ordered a coffee with Bailey's in it. I guess the waiter was onto our scam and told my parents right from the start that they would be unable to share the beverage with me after asking if I had an ID.


Yea pretty much not going to happen. I also tried to drink once when I was 20 at PI. Almost got kicked out. The bouncer took pity on us bc we were naive and stupid and just asked us to leave the club we were in. He then proceeded to lecture us on how we should never let any guy buy us a drink unless we are the only ones to pick that drink up off the bar and hold it. It is way to easy to slip something in there. We agreed with him and that was the end of that lol.

 

[deedeew80]

Last year, my mom, boyfriend, & myself went to PI. We get there & I realize I left my ID back at the Resort! I couldn't believe it. I was so mad. We did try to get me in but it was a no go. Luckily it happened to be under 21 nite so I had to get a stamp noting I was under 21! (I was then 24!) I was going to go back to the resort to get my ID but it would have been a waste of time! Don't worry about it. You can still go & dance. The prices of the drinks are outragous anyway! Have fun on you upcoming trip! I will be at CBR in 27 days!!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I am 25.

I have been carded for *every single drink* I have ever had in Disney.
Not only that, but when I did the WDW College Program, several people were terminated (aka fired and sent home immediately) for sneaking a drink at PI, sneaking a drink at a restaurant or even in their own (Disney sponsored) apartments. PI is the *strictest* place I can think of for that, too!

I agree that is is absolutely silly that you can die for your country at 18 and can't drink until you are 21, but I would definitely not risk being escorted out of Disney for *anything*! Don't chance it!

You can dance at PI, go to most clubs, etc. Go dancing at Atlantic Dance! You can get nonalcoholic daiquiris, too.

Also if you provide id and you aren'r drinking and are the "designated driver" you can get a free non alcoholic drink at PI. It's a nice perk they offer.

If you want to have a drink at PI, just start planning another trip to celebrate DW's 21st! Sounds like a good excuse for another Disney trip to me!
(are there any bad excuses? lol)

 

[Queenie]

I'm going to be having a night at PI on my upcoming trip, I will be 18 or 19 (depending on whether we go before or after my birthday.) I will be taking my passport along so I can prove I am over 18 but I have a question. Obviously I can't buy alcohol (wouldn't really want to in all honesty - a hangover in Florida is NOT my idea of fun!) but how do the bars work? Can you go up to the bars as normal if you are under 21 as long as you only order soft drinks or are their seperate bars for the alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks?

 

[brack]

You won't get by without ID

Nor should you. It's a law for a reason.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Queenie, last time I was in PI, over 21-ers got a bracelet. That bracelet needed to be visible in order for the person to order a drink. There were no separate lines for alcoholic vs. nonalcoholic beverages- it all comes from the same bar/same bartenders.

Also, do not hesitate to ask about specialty drinks! They made pina coladas, strawberry daiquiris, smoothies, etc. all without alcohol. No reason to only have sodas or water unless that is what you want.

Also:

Nor should you. It's a law for a reason.

I don't agree with this idea. All laws are NOT inherently ethical and correct. That's why laws change, are revised, etc. Laws are in place for *A*reason, yes; but a GOOD or the RIGHT reason, maybe not.

As I stated before, I STRONGLY recommend following Florida law/Disney policy and would not want to compromise my vacation, however, I do not think that the law is without flaw. As the OP stated, one can die for his country at 18, but not have a beer until 3 years later. In many European countries the drinking age is 16 or 17. It is a difficult but necessary job of government to set a minimum drinking age, considering maturity varies considerably among a similar age group. The drinking age used to be 18 not too long ago in some areas. Raising the drinking age hasn't improved societal ills of alcoholism or drunk driving. To be honest, I am not sure what would. If we look to the past, even prohibition didn't work.

 

[roque]

Just a thought...

Is drinking alcohol so important to you that you're willing to BREAK THE LAW?!?

geeezzzzz....it was merely a question....and it has been answered...Disney pretty strict...and he stated sometimes they like a dinner drink so calm down re THE LAW

 

[PrincessCandaceMarie]

Yep, one drink per ID and they are strict, but it's a good thing!

 

[fightinfire21]

speaking of drinking age in europe.... they do not think anything of drinking there..... no kids going out and getting trashed as possible for the heck of it.... they drink wine with like every meal and it is nothing to them...........USA 21 years old look at all of our underage problems. If you can't do it you are going to want to do it!!!!!

 

[SnoweyWhite]

I went when I was 21, and was asked for my ID only once while I was eating at restaurants. However, Pleasure Island checks everyone's idea upon entrance. (I must say, though, I do know some underage folks who got in with other people's ID's (people they favored and were at least 21)). I wouldn't suggest that, but to each his own.

 

[kellympmo]

Agree with all the other posters, they are very strict. My DH & I got carded everywhere and we are WAY over 21 (although I look WAY younger than he does ). The one drink minimum is strictly enforced in the parks (Epcot & MGM). This 60 year old man was trying to buy 2 glasses of wine in Germany and they would not sell it to him unless he could get his wife's attention to have her wave back from her Illuminations campsite. Another older gentleman in Italy was trying to buy wine for himself and his wife and they would only sell him one. He got so frustrated that he tried to convince me to act as his wife while he purchased another glass. The Italian CMs were not amused and told him to move along.

I guess you could try it, but I wouldn't expect that you will be successful.

 

[chaospearl]

So here's a related question... how paranoid are they about checking IDs? I'm 24 yrs old and I have a valid non-driver ID card, because I'm disabled and can't drive. Unfortunately I also LOOK about twelve. (Yeah yeah, I'll be grateful for this when I'm 30, but right now I'm not.) I can't tell you how many times I've been refused service or kicked out of liquor stores because somebody assumes my ID must be a fake, or doesn't recognize the non-driver ID card as a valid form of ID. It's to the point where I've considered taking the permit test to get my permit even though I can't drive, just because a permit looks pretty much identical to a driver's license whereas the non-driver ID card looks different. Does anyone else have experience with this? Am I going to get kicked out of Pleasure Island because somebody THINKS my ID must be fake even though it's not? And if so, what would you suggest I do? Will it help if I have a passport? I'm going in October so I could probably get one before then... other than that I don't know what I can possibly to do convince someone my ID isn't fake.

Jenni

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

So here's a related question... how paranoid are they about checking IDs? I'm 24 yrs old and I have a valid non-driver ID card, because I'm disabled and can't drive. Unfortunately I also LOOK about twelve. (Yeah yeah, I'll be grateful for this when I'm 30, but right now I'm not.) I can't tell you how many times I've been refused service or kicked out of liquor stores because somebody assumes my ID must be a fake, or doesn't recognize the non-driver ID card as a valid form of ID. It's to the point where I've considered taking the permit test to get my permit even though I can't drive, just because a permit looks pretty much identical to a driver's license whereas the non-driver ID card looks different. Does anyone else have experience with this? Am I going to get kicked out of Pleasure Island because somebody THINKS my ID must be fake even though it's not? And if so, what would you suggest I do? Will it help if I have a passport? I'm going in October so I could probably get one before then... other than that I don't know what I can possibly to do convince someone my ID isn't fake.

Jenni

At Disney, they have access to a book with a copy of what each state's driver's licenses should look like. If the non driver id card looks similar, I think you're fine. If it's very different, especially if it doesn't have a security feature like the holograms, you might have a problem. If you have a passport, it is pretty difficult for someone to call that a fake! Maybe a copy of a birth certificate? Maybe you could call Disney and ask them what the best form of id in your case would be?

It's funny, in my area, a permit is just a piece of paper and a non driver id card looks almost exactly like a license!

Good luck!

 

[chaospearl]

At Disney, they have access to a book with a copy of what each state's driver's licenses should look like. If the non driver id card looks similar, I think you're fine. If it's very different, especially if it doesn't have a security feature like the holograms, you might have a problem. If you have a passport, it is pretty difficult for someone to call that a fake! Maybe a copy of a birth certificate? Maybe you could call Disney and ask them what the best form of id in your case would be?

It's funny, in my area, a permit is just a piece of paper and a non driver id card looks almost exactly like a license!

Good luck!

Hi Lulu,

Thanks so much for your quick reply! The non-driver ID card does look similar to an actual license -- except that it says "Identification Card" instead of "Driver's License". The problem is that apparently, a lot of people don't realize that such a thing exists, and that sets off alarm bells to begin with. Then they see how very young I look, and since they aren't sure what the heck a "Identification Card" is or whether it's legal or valid, they assume it's a fake. I've literally had people tell me that I should have "actually glanced at a real license before creating my fake" because they think I just didn't know what a license says! It sounds really stupid, I know, but as I said... I've been over 21 for three years and it's frustrating how many times I've run into this problem. I've never had a passport... I assume from your comment that those are much harder to fake? I'll have to see about getting one. Even if I can't get it in time for Disney, at least it'll help when I want a glass of wine with dinner.

Jenni