So... have you been unhappy with what you've seen at the F&W Fest??

[Dsnygirl]

Just curious...

My DH and I are headed down to Disney for a long wknd next week, and are primarily going for time away on our own, relaxation, romance and the F&W Festival. We LOVE it.

What concerns me is what I am hearing about the F&W Fest on the wknds. We have friends who live close by and have been quite a few times, and who have been very disappointed by the number of drunks and inappropriate people they have encountered there, with seemingly no intervention on the part of the CM's.

I've also read a few things on here and other boards along the same lines... stumbling guests, loud/rude/obnoxious people who have obviously over-indulged... people being overtly inappropriate to other guests (who are NOT in their party) and the like.

What surprises me the most is the lack of concern on the part of CM's... I've even heard of some people saying they've seen CM's laugh and turn away, obviously unconcerned and unwilling to step in. I can understand that on the part of the young teens and college students who may be working there, but you would at least think they would go and get a manager, or someone with more experience, who would know how to kindly step in and diffuse the situation.

So, I thought I'd ask the question and see what the response is overall... we are going twice, once on a Friday night (which is the evening that has me a bit nervous... I am good at avoiding and turning a blind eye, but really would prefer to not have to do it at Disney... ) and also on Sunday night. I am crossing my fingers that these occurrences are few and far between -- so thought I'd see what other's perceptions have been!!

(and do know that I plan on having a SPECTACULAR time, regardless of what is going on around me!! )

[EeyoresBestFriend]

We are really looking forward to F&W, but plan on hitting it during the day and around dinner time.

Last year we did find that later in the evening there were quite a few drunk idiots and I would prefer to avoid that. That's the down side to any event like this. There are always people who don't know when to slow it down.

My opinion only, if you want to be drunk and stupid in public then go to Las Vegas, not WDW.

[dnickels]

Maybe I just happen to be there at other times than some of the reports, but I just don't see the issue as being as big as some make it to be. Sure later in the day/evening around WS you can spot a few people that have had a few too many, either they're talking too loud or they're not really aware of where they're walking, but I haven't experienced any overt rudeness or belligerent behavior. (I'm sure it happens from time to time, heck people get in fights in lines with no drinking involved)

As far as the CMs, I think the two rules of thumb that they tend to apply are
-don't tick off the guests (unfortunately this also includes the drunk guests)
-don't let it reach the level of having to bring a manager in
Especially at WS, guests are usually on the move so the easiest thing for a CM to do is wait 5 minutes and the drunk person has moved on to the next area.

It's never ruined a day of F&W for me so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Go and enjoy yourself, if there's an obviously drunk, rude group moving clockwise around WS, head counterlockwise or sit for a few minutes until they've moved on.

[Disney Doll]

We just returned and our expetrience was okay. Because of crowds we always hit the festival in the afternoon right as World Showcase opens rather than the evening. Even still we did encounter one guest who had somehow managed to consume enough alcohol by noon that she was obviously drunk, loud, and obnoxious. She wasn't really bothering anyone besides her poor husband who was trying to make jokes about her drunk state to difuse the awkwardness so we just laughed at her and moved on.

However, a friend who was there the same week encountered a drunk who was certainly impacting the enjoyment of others around her. This woman could barely stand. Her boyfriend had managed to drag her to the bus stop where she got sick which was quite unpleasant for my friend and the other guests waiting. The boyfriend was slapping the woman's face to try and keep her awake enough to board the bus where she got sick again which again was quite unpleasant for other guests and whatever poor employee had to clean up. I was pretty surprised that this woman was allowed to get so drunk at Disney. You would think at some point someone would have cut her off whether it be her boyfriend or one of the servers. More so now than ever I will stick to my afternoon plan and avoid evenings and weekends.

[DVC2004]

We were there a week ago today. I did't see anyone obviously drunk or overserved. At least no one acting like it. I am sure there is always someone at these events. It was pretty mellow. There seemed to be alot of guests from other countries there...everyone was cool.

On the other hand, we also visited Halloween Horror Nights at Universal and there were quite a few overserved people there. Loud, stumbling, bumping into people. A loud boyfriend/girlfriend fight outside the restrooms which culminated in the girl slapping the guy accross the face.

[SBETigg]

We were there a few weeks ago. We did see some obviously inebriated guests, but nothing unavoidable or wildly out of hand. I think it's hard for the CMs to really police. There are so many booths or places to drink even when it's not F & W time, and they really can't tell sometimes how much someone has had when they order. Plus, you can get in line and buy for a spouse or friend, so it's possible that the more sober of a pair gets served and hands the drinks over to the more affected person. I think there's a two drink at a time limit on what you can buy, but with so many venues, that can add up.

[BugeyedMuggy]

We went the first week of the festival. We try to hit the F&WF at noon to about 3. Then go back for a swim and a relaxing time at the resort. If the AG had a good group to see that was the only reason we went back to Epcot. We enjoy wine and beer but the last thing I want to encounter is a obnoxious drunk and unfortunatuly evenings (especially on the weekends) they are plentiful. We went to the Party of the Sense on Oct 8th and by 9:30 some people were yelling across the room, very intoxicated. I guess even the pay events have the "should have stopped 4 drinks earlier" people.

[WDWCrazyKaren]

We encounted a group of people who were about 21 and an hour (ie. people who have no idea how to drink socially-in public), and they were a bit worse for wear (to put it kindly). About 10 minutes prior to Illuminations, they walked up behind us, where we of course had been waiting for an hour, with a very nice family with 3 little kids. This group of about 5 decided to start singing VERY innapropriate songs with VERY vulgar language, and man were they loud! They were staggering, falling down, being horribly rude to other guests, and they were just so loud, you couldn't help but hear them. The parents of the children next to us were simply just trying to enjoy the evening, but it was difficult for them to try and turn their childrens' attention to the show, rather than listen to the idiots behind them. My DH asked them repeatedly to take their party elsewhere and to pay attention to the fact that there were small children everywhere, but it was simply met with more rude behavior.

On the flip side, they were the only ones we encounted that evening, so out of 10,000 people in the park, I guess one group isn't too bad.

[Cassieblanca]

Disney's official policy regarding alcohol is one drink per ID at a time, so if you want to buy a drink for you spouse, friends, or whatever, you need their ID with you too.

[Stu29573]

Unfotunately this behavior isn't just seen at this event. Last Novemberthere was a family that we saw stumbling out of Germany. The father was being very rude and loud to a CM about something (no one was really sure what) while the older daughter decided to....well... return some of her drinks and food into the garden where the train runs. I was shocked. I'm not a prude by any means.I play in a band and I regularly have to deal with drunks in bars but this should not be tolerated at Disney parks. Period.

[Mogie]

They should have a Cast Member dressed in a Lampwick costume with donkey ears and a tail stumbling around the World Showcase during the F&W Festival at night...

[Victor Kelly]

Wait until someone sues. Then something will be done about the issue of drunks. The situation is very simple. Find a security guard, let them know what is going on and take note of their name and where they (security) were. I would be suprised if the matter of drunk rude guests is not resolved in a very quick manner.

Remember Disney has the right to expel unruly guests. And as with anyplace else, they can refuse to serve you period. If you are a person contributing to the problem by keep buying booze then, well you get expelled as well since you caused the problem and should have known better.

I have seen it happen in Epcot and Universal on multiple occasions. And it is preventable, especially nowadays with technology. Get a wristband if you are going to participate in drinking upon entering the park. Wristbands at water parks have rfid chips in them to open lockers. Same principle here, just limits you to the number of drinks per hour. Think resort refillable mugs getting rfid chips now. Hit your limit and you are done.

On our honeymoon trip we saw way way way too many drunks that were in bachelor parties and bachelorette parties stumbling around being very loud and sometimes having dirty language being yelled. That is fine anywhere else, but I am in Disney, as are other with children, and for the amount you pay, you expect to not have to leave because of this issue.

[SBETigg]

Disney's official policy regarding alcohol is one drink per ID at a time, so if you want to buy a drink for you spouse, friends, or whatever, you need their ID with you too.

This is not the policy as posted at the F & W venues, and even at some of the lounges, if I remember correctly, maybe someone else can verify. I remember (could be remembering wrong) seeing signs that stated there was a two drink limit for purchase per customer in line. And as it happened, my husband and I split up our time waiting in lines- only one of us would wait so the other wouldn't clog up the line- and we were always served two drinks when we bought drinks, no ID (because we're both over 40 and look at least 35).

[Scar]

Get a wristband if you are going to participate in drinking upon entering the park. Wristbands at water parks have rfid chips in them to open lockers. Same principle here, just limits you to the number of drinks per hour. Think resort refillable mugs getting rfid chips now. Hit your limit and you are done.

Won't work. Different people process alcohol differently.

[SBETigg]

Wait until someone sues. Then something will be done about the issue of drunks.

Are you kidding me? It will be the case that we all talk about individual responsibility and how can people sue the mighty mouse? And then Disney will settle out of court, or know they can win, we'll never hear about it again, and drinking will go on as usual. I'm not blaming Disney. It's hard in such a large place to police all the drinking, as I mentioned earlier. But the bottom line is that alcohol sales bring in a tremendous amount of money, far more than Disney would pay out in a settlement, and I can't imagine them stopping it any time soon. There's a reason why it's not just the Food Festival.

[Scar]

This is not the policy as posted at the F & W venues, and even at some of the lounges, if I remember correctly, maybe someone else can verify. I remember (could be remembering wrong) seeing signs that stated there was a two drink limit for purchase per customer in line. And as it happened, my husband and I split up our time waiting in lines- only one of us would wait so the other wouldn't clog up the line- and we were always served two drinks when we bought drinks, no ID (because we're both over 40 and look at least 35).

That's exactly the way I remember it.

[Cassieblanca]

Maybe it's different for F&W but that's what the policy was for all food and beverage locations when I worked there. However, I never worked F&W.

[SBETigg]

Maybe it's different for F&W but that's what the policy was for all food and beverage locations when I worked there. However, I never worked F&W.

But it's not just F & W. When we go at times that are not F & W, one of us can buy two drinks at the Grey Goose stand in France, or two Fiesta margaritas at the stand in Mexico, or two drinks to go at Cava del Tequila, or Rose & Crown, or two drinks from the beach bars at the resorts (not all at one visit- don't get me wrong, we're not "those people"). We've never had any issue with it. Even when we were honeymooning 20 years ago and just over 21.

One of us will buy drinks for both of us, almost always in those situations. And it's not just at WDW, it's at most venues, and I think for customer convenience, keeping less people in line at one time is a good thing. One person finds a good spot to wait, one person goes to buy the food or drink. I can't imagine the complaints or inconvenience to customers if this changed. Longer lines, longer waits. Better than having a bunch of drunk people ruining good times for others? Maybe. Better than the potential for underage drinking, perhaps. But yet, I do expect others to behave responsibly, not for me to have to pay for their inability to do so by placing inconvenient limits on me. That's the problem, really. Vacationing customers want it both ways. I want to enjoy my vacation without having to put up with obnoxious inebriated people. But, I want to enjoy my vacation and not be encumbered by inconvenient rules.

[Stu29573]

You know, maybe Walt didn't want alcohol in the parks for a reason....

[DVC2004]

The only way to really stop would not to serve alcohol in the parks, that's it. Epcot probably makes a great deal of $$ selling/serving alcohol and also attracts guests because they do. I also would think food and wine fest would not be as popular if it were just food fest.I haven't ever seen anyone at the other 2 parks that serve...Honestly I have seen and heard much, much worse at sporting events. If the presence of lots of children even.

I don't know, I like to enjoy some wine and drinks while at Epcot. If they stopped serving I would still go, but I certainly would not spend the entire day there. It's part of the experience for me. Many people can enjoy a few drinks responsibly so why ruin it for everyone because of a few you-know- what's?