Disney's Desperation: Parks Break Founder Walt Disney's Wishes Amid Falling Attendance Numbers - He's 'Rolling In His Grave'

In direct contravention of Walt Disney's wishes for his first Magic Kingdom in Anaheim, California, the company that bears his name is expanding the availability of alcohol to three more of the park's eateries.

The park held a full prohibition of alcohol on the direct order of Walt Disney himself dating back to its opening in 1955, the only exception being the exclusive Club 33 until 2019 when Oga's Cantina opened at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, followed by the Blue Bayou in 2021.

According to The Orange County Register, Disneyland officials say that specialty and seasonal alcoholic beverages will soon be added to the menus of Cafe Orleans, River Belle Terrace, and Carnation Cafe based on park-goers feedback. Prior to 2019, customers would have to go to Disney California Adventure for an adult beverage via a second gate across the esplanade opened in 2001. Before the turn of the millennium, one would have to leave the park entirely.

In 2020 Deseret News provided needed historical context. Walt Disney told reporters that in his mind, alcohol wasn't needed for families to enjoy themselves at the park. 

"No liquor, no beer, nothing. Because that brings in a rowdy element. That brings people that we don’t want and I feel they don’t need it," Walt told the Saturday Evening Post in 1956.

Under the original Mr. Disney's hand, the parks also did not offer gum, ice cream, or cotton candy because they're all sticky. Since he passed on, these have been available in several varieties for decades. All of these hearkened to the less child-friendly seaside amusement parks of the 1940s-50s.

Responses on the social networking platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) have varied from commenters excited by the prospect, like user @rankingthemouse who said "LETS GOOOOO. I'm not even a drinker but this is great news" to those suggesting that the founder of the park and titular animation studio who passed in 1966 is "rolling in his grave." 

Another user posted, "He wanted no alcohol because he wanted to convince everyone that was skeptical of the park that it won’t just a typical county fair. At this point Disneyland has long proven that its lived up to that expectation, so introducing alcohol won’t hurt it’s reputation at all."

However, as DC Enquirer previously reported, park attendance at the park's larger sister location, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has seen record-low sales suggesting a larger, more systemic failure of 'Disney Parks, Experiences and Products,' the Walt Disney Company's park-operating unit.

Data from The Wall Street Journal shows the average ride wait time is down to 27 minutes, lower even than the 31 minutes seen during the COVID-19 panic, and nowhere near the 47 minutes in 2019. Many have pointed to higher ticket prices coupled with recent economic stress and inflation. In spite of an upswing in 2022, the park's sales figures for 2023 look bleak.

The timing of the move suggests that it could be an act of desperation to draw back the park-going public who have eschewed Disney for less expensive venues with greater mass appeal.