(More) Alcohol Coming to MK

[dlavender]

Thinking about this a little more, I recall Disneyland Paris having some attendance issues, which most thought was because of the dry rule, so they started allowing the sale of alcohol, and introduced it first by adding it to four restaurants. I found a story from 1993. I guess they are just using a play out of their own playbook...

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/12/business/euro-disney-adding-alcohol.html

 

[sachilles]

I'm in the pro category obviously.....but I don't think the alcohol in restaurants in the Florida MK is any sort of response to low attendance. It is very much an effort to maximize revenues, that I'm ok with.

 

[dlavender]

I'm in the pro category obviously.....but I don't think the alcohol in restaurants in the Florida MK is any sort of response to low attendance. It is very much an effort to maximize revenues, that I'm ok with.

Perhaps, could be killing two birds with one stone on this one, however.

I researched a little more, and it seems that alcohol sales went from those four restaurants in Paris to most QS locations and every sit down location. No beer carts, it seems. At least none listed. So it didn't turn into any sort of booze fest. If the MK in Europe didn't turn into a free for all, I think we are safe in O-town.

 

[sachilles]

I'm sure I'm beating a dead horse....but I'll continue anyway.
Epcot is being shown as the bad example. That being said, you can get alcohol at animal kingdom and DHS currently. I've not heard those locations cited as being an example of the "bad". We have one example of a special ticket party at the MK where drunken behavior was noticed, and no alcohol was served.
Epcot seems to be a special case, where the drinking is the attraction.
Bad apples can ruin it for everyone, we know that. I certainly think it's a case of discouraging the drunkenness as apposed to the ability to drink. As mentioned, many people can manage to have a cocktail and no be what is stereotyped here. I know for me in the Florida heat, I might enjoy a beer with dinner, but don't feel the need for several as is a recipe for a dehydrated sachilles.
If I was on a kidless trip with my wife, I might have a couple of beers after the sun went down, enough to feel it (at the world showcase). Aside from that I don't think I'd be inclined to go beyond that, even without the need to drive.
I've be surprised to find the drink their way around the world crew as being parents with kids in tow, but I could be wrong. I do like the adult extra magic hours for world showcase idea, and step up enforcement outside those hours.
Again, I enjoy a drink on vacation. I can only imagine what it costs to drink your way around epcot.

 

[gwynne]

Perhaps, could be killing two birds with one stone on this one, however.

I researched a little more, and it seems that alcohol sales went from those four restaurants in Paris to most QS locations and every sit down location. No beer carts, it seems. At least none listed. So it didn't turn into any sort of booze fest. If the MK in Europe didn't turn into a free for all, I think we are safe in O-town.

Exactly.
This isn't Disney's first rodeo with this "issue" and the MK. I think it will work out fine.

 

[dlavender]

Again, I enjoy a drink on vacation. I can only imagine what it costs to drink your way around epcot

It's OT, but when I turned 21, some friends and I set out to "drink around the world", until we realized that we weren't Rockefellers, and it turned into "drink around the Eastern Hemisphere".

 

[GreatLakes]

I don't think this has anything to do with attendance and everything to do with increasing the profit per guest in restaurants. Alcohol is a money maker and Disney is trying to maximize their revenue in all of their areas, food and beverage is no exception. I rarely drink on vacation, even less so at Disney, but don't see any problem with restaurants offering alcohol anywhere really. I have seen obviously drunk people at Disney inside a park exactly once and that was at the end of a weekend day of Food & Wine. They weren't falling down or throwing up on themselves but they were obviously over the limit. They serve alcohol at every other park and outside of that one time I haven't seen people wandering around like they just left a frat party. I have no reason to believe MK will be any different.

There is no "what about the children" downside at all to this.

 

[dlavender]

I don't think this has anything to do with attendance and everything to do with increasing the profit per guest in restaurants. Alcohol is a money maker and Disney is trying to maximize their revenue in all of their areas, food and beverage is no exception. I rarely drink on vacation, even less so at Disney, but don't see any problem with restaurants offering alcohol anywhere really. I have seen obviously drunk people at Disney inside a park exactly once and that was at the end of a weekend day of Food & Wine. They weren't falling down or throwing up on themselves but they were obviously over the limit. They serve alcohol at every other park and outside of that one time I haven't seen people wandering around like they just left a frat party. I have no reason to believe MK will be any different.

There is no "what about the children" downside at all to this.

I think, academically, one has to question the timing. Alcohol has always been a money maker. Disney has always tried to maximize revenue. They haven't really had a problem in 40 years. Now they need it? Just interesting. Seems like they have cut some costs (night time parade, running perhaps more efficient labor wise), and are now in some kind of revenue raising race. Just not sure what the root is. Attendance being down has to be in the equation somewhere, I would think....This can't be the first time someone in the room said, "what about wine at Tony's?" For some reason December 2016 was the "magical" right time.

 

[Boski]

I think, academically, one has to question the timing. Alcohol has always been a money maker. Disney has always tried to maximize revenue. They haven't really had a problem in 40 years. Now they need it? Just interesting. Seems like they have cut some costs (night time parade, running perhaps more efficient labor wise), and are now in some kind of revenue raising race. Just not sure what the root is. Attendance being down has to be in the equation somewhere, I would think....This can't be the first time someone in the room said, "what about wine at Tony's?" For some reason December 2016 was the "magical" right time.

My thinking exactly. You've got more drinks in MK and one new add-on package after another being pumped out recently really makes you wonder what is going on.

 

[sachilles]

I think, academically, one has to question the timing. Alcohol has always been a money maker. Disney has always tried to maximize revenue. They haven't really had a problem in 40 years. Now they need it? Just interesting. Seems like they have cut some costs (night time parade, running perhaps more efficient labor wise), and are now in some kind of revenue raising race. Just not sure what the root is. Attendance being down has to be in the equation somewhere, I would think....This can't be the first time someone in the room said, "what about wine at Tony's?" For some reason December 2016 was the "magical" right time.

I don't know if you may have noticed. A lot of construction going on. There is a perception that will have a negative effect short term on attendance until the new features are open. In the meantime, you need a way to keep the profits coming in. Short term concerns, causing immediate money grabs to insulate against the potential short term lost of profits due to attendance drops.

 

[dlavender]

I don't know if you may have noticed. A lot of construction going on. There is a perception that will have a negative effect short term on attendance until the new features are open. In the meantime, you need a way to keep the profits coming in. Short term concerns, causing immediate money grabs to insulate against the potential short term lost of profits due to attendance drops.

Just seems to be a major shift for them. I mean they built entire parks (DHS, AK) without having to sell alcohol at MK to foot the bill. They didn't have to offer "exclusive events". We know these upsells aren't going anywhere. I know for many the upsells and extras don't bother them. Right now they aren't really getting me either, I'm still planning annual trips. But if they keep adding/upselling, I don't know if they will eventually get to that point.

 

[GreatLakes]

I think, academically, one has to question the timing. Alcohol has always been a money maker. Disney has always tried to maximize revenue. They haven't really had a problem in 40 years. Now they need it? Just interesting. Seems like they have cut some costs (night time parade, running perhaps more efficient labor wise), and are now in some kind of revenue raising race. Just not sure what the root is. Attendance being down has to be in the equation somewhere, I would think....This can't be the first time someone in the room said, "what about wine at Tony's?" For some reason December 2016 was the "magical" right time.

Disney is trying to find more revenue streams. I suspect this was always on the table but was pushed back while they tried something else. I also think they knew there would be some backlash, unwarranted and ridiculous but such is the Internet, so they had a plan to phase it in. Only one location at first, more locations later. 2016 is just the year that it is finally the right time to do it from an optics POV. Just my opinion.

ETA: They might also be shifting their accounting to a more granular accounting model. If food and beverage are further insulated from other in-park cost and revenue streams they would have a bigger incentive to maximize revenue now that they didn't in the past. That is just speculation on my part based on being parts of cost accounting shifts in the past.

 

[MamaMeggie]

JMO--I think the point was many families routinely have a nice meal out at Applebees/Chilis without a lot of angst, worries and pearl clutching.
In a similar way, they can have a nice meal out in the MK. If someone choose to have big worries about what "might" happen, that's their choice.

Yes, exactly. I'm not even sure what that other response meant. Obviously I'm not comparing dinner out to a Disney vacation.
@circus4u - yes, I understand the nostalgia posters. I have a different opinion, but I can see where they are coming from. What I didn't understand were the people who seemed to be saying that they would never have their children around wine, beer, etc, period. I frequently have wine with dinner in my home and while out and don't understand why vacation should be any different.

 

[Keels]

My favorite part of this whole discussion is the people who are upset about alcohol becoming more available at MK because of "the children", but are on record asking about taking said children to Trader Sam's and Abracadabar.

 

[Sweettears]

My favorite part of this whole discussion is the people who are upset about alcohol becoming more available at MK because of "the children", but are on record asking about taking said children to Trader Sam's and Abracadabar.

I agree. Another thread on this topic which ended up being shut down had a similar line of thought. I get it that you don't want rampant drunkeness in the parks. Serving alcohol with dinner certainly won't lead to this. In addition as has been demonstrated in DHS and AK having kiosks and other outlets that sell alcohol have not lead to this result as well.

Small children don't know what alcohol looks like nor do they understand the effects of what happens when you drink it. Simply being in its proximity as a problem boggles my mind.

 

[circus4u]

Yes, exactly. I'm not even sure what that other response meant. Obviously I'm not comparing dinner out to a Disney vacation.
@circus4u - yes, I understand the nostalgia posters. I have a different opinion, but I can see where they are coming from. What I didn't understand were the people who seemed to be saying that they would never have their children around wine, beer, etc, period. I frequently have wine with dinner in my home and while out and don't understand why vacation should be any different.

Agree with you there on the beer, wine, etc. around kids. Parents set the example for their children. If they see you drinking responsibly, it wouldn't be a big deal when they get older.

 

[Madonna3]

Went to MK this week where alcohol was served in all of their restaurants. It's arguably the busiest time of the year. Guess what happened? Nothing.

 

[Lightsoutx12]

I'm sure it's inevitable that there will be kiosks added to MK. I'm not sure when they were added but there are a kiosks at DHS that sell liquor and I do not remember seeing them there a year ago (one is by Indiana Jones). I'm sure within a year or so they will be adding them to the MK, it's just a matter of time really.

 

[Missyrose]

I'm sure it's inevitable that there will be kiosks added to MK. I'm not sure when they were added but there are a kiosks at DHS that sell liquor and I do not remember seeing them there a year ago (one is by Indiana Jones). I'm sure within a year or so they will be adding them to the MK, it's just a matter of time really.

There have been alcoholic drinks at DHS for years.

 

[Lightsoutx12]

There have been alcoholic drinks at DHS for years.

Well I know that, I meant the little stands thay have liquor they are tiny kiosks (no food) and they only have alcohol. I just don't recall seeing those until this year