Disneyland Is Expanding Its Alcohol Offerings To 3 More Restaurants

When Walt Disney imagined Disneyland, he envisioned a fantastical world where fairy tales would magically come to life. "Disneyland is like Alice stepping through the Looking Glass," he said. "To step through the portals of Disneyland will be like entering another world." 

His vision, however, did not include adult beverage service. In fact, he established a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages in the expansive California amusement park. He firmly believed offering beer, wine, and spirits would strip Disneyland of its magic, diminishing its wholesome family appeal. On the other hand, Disney was also opposed to the sale of gum, ice cream, and cotton candy. Over the years, those bans fell by the wayside, but it wasn't until 2019, almost 65 years after Disneyland welcomed its first guests, that alcoholic beverages became available in the park — at least, on a limited basis.

The experiment must have been a success because, four years later, Disneyland is expanding its alcoholic beverage service once again. According to a July 26th Disney Parks tweet, Disneyland eateries Carnation Café, River Belle Terrace, and Café Orleans will debut new menus September 12th that will include wine, beer, and specialty cocktails.

Disneyland cracked the door open for alcoholic beverage service in 2019 when the park introduced Oga's Cantina as a component in its "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" attraction. While the opening of Oga's Cantina was big news when it welcomed its first patrons in 2019, it wasn't technically the true debut of alcohol at Disneyland. 

Self-imposed prohibition was part of the original plan. However, while Walt Disney may have envisioned a family-friendly theme park sans any alcohol at all when it first opened in 1955, he soon changed his tune, approving plans for Club 33, a membership-only lounge adjacent to the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride, just two years later. But since one-year access in 1957 cost more than twice the annual income of most U.S. families, alcohol options were limited to an extremely exclusive group.

That tradition may continue with the new offerings, which come with a hefty price tag. A Hurricane at Disneyland's Blue Bayou currently goes for $17. The least expensive option on the wine list is $13 per 5-ounce glass, and the cheapest beer is a whopping $12.50.