Why the Magic Kingdom is Dry

You can get a drink around the world in Epcot. You can toss back two Long Islands and then go on thrill rides in DHS. You can drink and then laugh at the crazy animals in the Animal Kingdom. You can find a drink in almost every corner of Disney World but you will not find a drop (for sale by Disney) in the Magic Kingdom.

A lot of people do not understand why Disney does not serve alcohol in the Magic Kingdom. After all if they did maybe more people would ride “Stich’s Great Escape” or “It’s a Small World.”

Some people think Disney doesn’t sell alcohol in the Magic Kingdom because they want to keep it family friendly. That sounds good but all of the Disney parks are family friendly.

There is a reason why Disney doesn’t sell alcohol in the Magic Kingdom. Before I relate the story I have to say that this is a serious post. Most of the time when I start a post like this it’s followed by a insane, completely made up, comical story. That is not the case with this post.

In the early 1950’s theme parks / carnivals were dying. Across the country they were closing and being boarded up. It was in this climate that Walt Disney completed and opened Disneyland.

Nothing like Disneyland had ever been built. Walt’s idea for the park was create an environment for the family. Not just for kids but the entire family.

Walt was not anti-alcohol. He was against anything that would send a family in different directions. What he really wanted to avoid was the typical theme park where the dad would dole out ride tickets to the kids and then go drink at the bar or watch as the kids ran around. He wanted the entire family to go on the rides and experience everything together. He designed each ride to be experienced and enjoyed by each member of the family. He did not design attractions for children, attractions for teens, and other attractions for adults.

That mentality still exists today. As the first park to open in Disney World, the Magic Kingdom followed that mentality. It was built for families to enjoy everything together and since your kids don’t drink (at least I hope they don’t) that means no alcohol.