EPCOT Tightens Security as ‘Drinking Around the World’ Draws Rowdy Crowds

Overview

• Viral videos this week showed a crowd blocking a walkway near the United Kingdom pavilion and a near-brawl at the Mexico pavilion that drew Orange County Sheriff’s deputies.
• Disney has reportedly added more plainclothes officers in the World Showcase and discussed tiered alert patrols for weekend hot spots such as Mexico, France, and Germany.
• Guests link the clashes to the unofficial ‘Drinking Around the World’ challenge, which influencers have turned into a filmed bar crawl that encourages loud, performative intoxication.
• Disney’s Q2 2026 results highlight record food and beverage revenue, underscoring why alcohol remains central even as outlets float unannounced ideas like wristband drink caps.
• Families say they now leave by late afternoon or skip evenings to avoid intoxicated crowds, with narrow areas like Mexico’s indoor plaza creating chokepoints that heighten conflicts.