Tony Allegretti hired as Market Manager of the Riverside Arts Market

[thelakelander]

^My wife used to work for Disney.  According to her, they don't in the Magic Kingdom.  However, they do at EPCOT.  She wasn't for sure about Animal Kingdom and MGM.

[Charles Hunter]

I believe you can get beer or wine at the "sit down" restaurants inside the various Disney parks (per thelakelander, except Magic Kingdom, but I wonder about that fancy place in the castle) - especially the "countries" at Epcot.  But I don't think the quick serve counters have beer.

[CrysG]

I would think that would be fine. After 4pm seems alot better than in the middle of the day.

And just a fyi not all of the Walt Disney World parks have alcohol. Magic Kingdom(the one most geared towards children) doesn't allow alcohol for public guest, only private corporate clubs and none of the parks allow for drinking in public.

[blizz01]

This whole thread went nutty some time ago.  All that was ever proposed was the notion of 1 or 2 booths dedicated to a local brewer and/or winery - with an emphasis on the craft.  I wouldn't even care if it were confined to those booths.  That hardly makes the venue "adult" in nature.  Next time I blow through Target with my little girl, it'll be really tough to not cover her eyes as we are forced to walk past the wine aisle to get to the toys at the rear....... .

Hopefully, the point is moot as Globatron did an interview with Tony Allegretti yesterday & the prospect of a Beer Garden is already on the radar:

http://www.globatron.org/contemporary-culture/first-ever-riverside-arts-market

[DONTBELIEVETHEHYPE]

I'm all for a truce, and will be happy to agree to disagree. 

My preference that the RAM be a public environment without beer/wine wasn't directed toward preaching, or criticizing anyone's personal preference.  I enjoy a glass or two during Art Walk, before Jaguar games, and on other occasions.  It just seemed out of place to me at the Arts Market, based on my experience in public places where I have lived or visited around the country.

Let's agree the Riverside Arts Market is great, support it, and embrace it in whatever way it evolves...

[blizz01]

none of the parks allow for drinking in public.

That's completely incorrect.  Consider that Epcot hosts the International Food & Wine Festival annually for like 2 months. It's an outside affair & a roving party in the evenings as you move from country to country.

[DONTBELIEVETHEHYPE]

^My wife used to work for Disney.  According to her, they don't in the Magic Kingdom.  However, they do at EPCOT.  She wasn't for sure about Animal Kingdom and MGM.

Disney isn't "public space" in the way of a park or community event.  No matter the park, it's a private, ticketed venue - and not comparable to a real public park.  

[ProjectMaximus]

I enjoyed the debate.

As for the reality: http://www.globatron.org/contemporary-culture/first-ever-riverside-arts-market

at around 3:50 of the video, Tony Allegretti mentions plans for a beer garden, currently working through the "logistics" and "legal" aspects.

Thanks to Byron, aka globatron. (I dont actually know him...im not trying to portray it as such)

[ChriswUfGator]

The point is that people complain that people bring small children to things that are "adult" but some adults insist on bringing beer to everything.

Nobody is bringing their own beer to the event. I'm talking about having a local microbrewery and a local winery vend their product...which as I've said before is clearly a lot more relevant to an "Arts" fair than the t-shirts and vegetables you apparently adore. Because lemme tell you...produce stands, women's jewelry, and meat pies are NOT going to maintain the numbers sufficient to keep this thing alive on a long-term basis.

And the event isn't an adult-only activity merely because they serve beer & wine. That's utterly ludicrous...

I guess you never take your kids to a restaurant then? *Gasp* they serve beer & wine...

Not to be mean but if you're a grown adult and you can't see yourself walking around for a couple of hours without a drink in your hand then you might want to spend those hours in AA.

That's just asinine and irrelevant. The only person implying that we want alcohol there because none of us can make it through the day without getting loaded is YOU.

In reality, I'm suggesting it because I think it will make the event better, and give two prominent local vendors the opportunity to attract more local fans. Will it attract a bunch of drunks? NO.

If you want a drink stay home, go to a restaurant or try the Art Walk. There are places that drinking is okay and there are places that drinking isn't.

Here's the problem: It's not up to YOU to tell other people what is and isn't "Okay".

And in this situation, a wine booth would be MORE than "okay". Using YOUR OWN logic, then if you don't like it, then your option is: Don't come, right? Your option isn't to preach and pontificate to others about what they are and aren't "allowed" to do, according to your personal preferences.

I bet there will be several additional people spending money there for every preachy one who won't take their kids to an outdoor event with an artisanal wine booth (LMFAO).

And like I said, then I guess you NEVER take your kids to a restaurant then? A baseball game? A full-service hotel (*GASP* they have a BAR)? A concert? The list goes on and on...

Your logic is ridiculous.

[ChriswUfGator]

I have a suggestion for all the beer/wine lovers and haters to try and keep peace in the MJ family.  How about, RAM, being that is on a Saturday, staying open to like 10 PM or so.  During the day, to 4 PM, its alcohol free.  After 4 PM, it's later, and it changes up the entertainment and a few vendors so its more adult oriented, and beer and wine are served to the "Saturday night" types who can come downtown, to Riverside, or to RAM for dinner, art, and a romantic stroll along the river.

Can we do this and declare a truce?  Or, I can throw another log on the fire    Does Disney serve drinks in its theme parks? (You know they do at Sea World, it is, after all, owned by Anheuser Busch!)

Oh ya, good point!

CrysG, the list of places you can take your kids is now shrinking RAPIDLY...

Scratch Epcot and Sea World off the list...

[ChriswUfGator]

I believe you can get beer or wine at the "sit down" restaurants inside the various Disney parks (per thelakelander, except Magic Kingdom, but I wonder about that fancy place in the castle) - especially the "countries" at Epcot.  But I don't think the quick serve counters have beer.

Yeah they do. Several, especially in the France and Italy portions of the park, are just wine/champagne booths.

Additionally, every "sit down" type restaurant in all the parks, including the Magic Kingdom, serve beer and wine, and several have full bars. Then they have a gigantic wine festival every year, and I see tons of kids...

So yeah, CrysG, this just sucks! I guess your kids are going to miss out on Disney's Magic Kingdom now too! Damn...those are going to be some deprived children...

[fsujax]

I was hoping to see a nice review this morning of the RAM and how great it was and all  I see is whining because there was no beer or wine......geez! who cares, get over it.

[ChriswUfGator]

I would think that would be fine. After 4pm seems alot better than in the middle of the day.

Sadly (for you), we've heard straight from the horse's mouth that they will serving beer at future events, so it appears the debate is now moot.

And just a fyi not all of the Walt Disney World parks have alcohol.

Yeah they do. Every Disney property has some nicer restaurants, where they serve at a minimum beer and wine, and some have full bars.

Magic Kingdom(the one most geared towards children) doesn't allow alcohol for public guest, only private corporate clubs

This is almost as good as the poster who was trying to preach about how morally strict San Francisco is.

A: You gotta be kidding me. I've been to freaking CIRCUIT PARTYS at the Magic Kingdom, where Disney sets up so many bars there's one every 15 feet. It's not some preachy 'sanctuary'.

B: You can get a drink at any of the "sit-down" type restaurants in the Magic Kingdom, any time.

none of the parks allow for drinking in public

That's incorrect. You can walk around carrying whatever you bought at a wine or beer stand. And there are whole weeks devoted to beers and wine. Go to the Food & Wine festival sometime, besides proving my point, the truth is you'd actually enjoy it.

[ChriswUfGator]

I was hoping to see a nice review this morning of the RAM and how great it was and all  I see is whining because there was no beer or wine......geez! who cares, get over it.

Nobody's 'whining'.

There were several suggestions about having Bold City and San Sebastian at the event, and in response a couple posters popped up and started preaching with the same B.S. "Cowford" lines about "Oh no...we have to protect the CHILDREN!!!", even though these same people no doubt go to baseball games, restaurants, hotels, etc., with their kids and don't say a word.

And if you want me to whine about something, it would be how the "Art" Market wound up being just produce stands, meat pies, and women's jewelry. Like I said before, if they'd had a beer or wine vendor, at least me (and the other 90% of people who walked through without spending a dime) would have had SOME reason to spend some money.

This thing has to support itself you know....

[jason_contentdg]

"it would be how the "Art" Market wound up being just produce stands, meat pies, and women's jewelry"

It's too bad Moon River didn't have a booth set up, then your tunnel vision could have been focused directly on them.