1Things have changed a lot since Walt Disney opened his first theme park in Anaheim, California, in 1955. Walt dreamt of a place that adults and children could enjoy together without the parents having to watch from the sidelines. Disneyland was that place, then, in 1971, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida became that place. Now, families can also enjoy Disney in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris, and Tokyo, in addition to California and Florida.
One of the big things about Disney was that Walt did not want alcohol in his parks, and the parks remained dry for years — that is, until EPCOT opened in 1982. EPCOT is home to the World Showcase, where guests can travel to eleven different countries and try alcoholic offerings from each one.
Since the opening of EPCOT, drinking has become a big thing on Disney vacations, and alcohol can be found in every Disney theme park. Disneyland Park was the holdout, but recently, several restaurants started selling boozy beverages. Alcohol is such a big part of Disney that there is constantly a debate about whether drinking has actually ruined Walt’s dream and the Disney experience.
Related: “Drinking Around the World” at Disney World Claims Another Victim, This Time a Child
And two men who recently visited EPCOT are the perfect example of why there is a debate surrounding drinking in the parks.
In a video shared by TikToker Alexis Ringel, two men can be seen standing outside the Mission: SPACE attraction and the new dining spot Space 220. Neither man is wearing a shirt, and one of the men is actually holding a stanchion, a pole that is typically inserted into the ground. According to Alexis, his drunken strength actually enabled him to rip the stanchion out of the ground, which is quite a feat.
@alexis.ringel Disney? Whats going on? #huh #disneyfight2024 ?
Alexis can be heard in the video saying that Disney isn’t doing anything to stop the men. It does, however, appear that two women and a man are trying to calm him down. There is also a third woman standing with the group, and she is actually holding what appears to be a small infant. Two other women appear to walk away, looking for help.
In the comments, Alexis said that she was told one of the men — we do not know which one — punched an older cast member. Then, the man with the pole yanked it out of the ground and started swinging it around. He was also yelling and coming toward the crowd that was watching the drunken display.
Related: Effective Immediately: Alcohol Crackdown at Disney Hotels
In a follow-up video, the police have been called to the scene, and the two drunken and allegedly violent guests are being arrested. One of the men also appears to have lost his shoes during the debacle. The men screamed at security and were reportedly tased during the fight, but did not give up.
One commenter said that the men were drunk in the Italy pavilion earlier that day and were asked to leave the World Showcase.
@alexis.ringel Replying to @alexis.ringel #disneyepcot
Now, it looks like they won’t just be banned from the World Showcase but also from Disney theme parks altogether. Disney has a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence in its parks, and has no problem issuing trespass notices to guests who put others in danger.
More Drinks, More Problems
Earlier this year, one guest recounted how drunk guests ruined their significant other’s first experience on the popular Disney World attraction Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. According to the guest, during the pre-show, drunk guests began yelling at the screen, cursing, and shouting inappropriate words. They also allegedly began running around and bumping into other guests, completely ruining the experience for their partner.
Related: Drunk Parents Arrested For Child Neglect, Abuse at Popular Disney World Hotel
In April 2023, a group of parents went viral after treating a fountain in the France pavilion like a swimming pool. They were drinking and lounging around in the water, without a care in the world. Unfortunately, their actions later affected their children. The parents were identified by their matching shirts, and their children’s cheerleading team was disqualified from the World’s cheerleading tournament they had traveled down to the Sunshine State to compete in.
It is completely doable to drink during your Disney vacation and act in a calm and respectable manner. Drinking Around the World at EPCOT can be a really fun experience, but guests have to remember that they are at Disney. Disney is a great place for families, and no one needs to see drunk people screaming, stumbling, fighting, and threatening other guests.
Do you think Disney should be more strict when dealing with guests drinking in the theme parks? Let us know in the comments!
This post originally appeared on Disney Dining.