Gay Days 2015 - Help me a Dad Out

[Benbuck6]

1) I have questions/concerns - Don't judge just give me the appropriate info.
2) We raise our kids as conservative as we can and try and tackle issues in a planned/thoughtful way.
3) Saying that - what I don't want is some Extreme Right Homophobic telling me to stay away from Gay Days just to prove a point to Disney. Like I said, we are conservative for the most part but we are not nutcases.
4) We have been to WDW 6 times and see gay couples ALL the time. They are respectful and have NEVER put us in a position to have to have discussions with our kids that we didn't feel they were ready for.
5) Now to "Gay Days", I do not mind sharing WDW with ANY respectable person BUT I would like to be informed on my surroundings.
6) This is what I have heard - On one side... "Don't even worry about it, you don't even know its happening." The middle ..."That there are planned parks to attend for anyone wanting to participate in "Gay Days" and if I want to avoid those parks I can and wouldn't really notice much of anything different as a typical park day." And then to another side "WDW Gay Days is like going to a Gay Pride parade in New Orleans on Bourbon St during Mardi Gras."
7) Just need to know the real deal. What people do in their bedroom is their business...I got enough issues to try and figure out that one and pass judgement on it...but trying to raise my kids is mine, and the encounters we have with homosexual couples at wdw in the past have been nothing but class act. What I don't want is to put a 3 yr old or 5 yr old in a position to ask questions that I feel they simply wouldn't understand the answers...

Sorry for the list form but its how I think. and any help would be great.

 

[Octoberbaby]

My family was at WDW during Gay Pride week several years ago...didn't even notice!! Now, I know there are certain days they go to the parks and maybe we lucked up and missed that. The only time I ever remember noticing we were there during this time was about 10 years ago. We were at Pleasure Island eating. That area is the only place that could be of a concern. But, Pleasure Island isn't what it used to be either so, you may not notice at all.

 

[bopper]

Only thing I had to add is that one time my DH was on a business trip to California, and happened to go to Disneyworld and it happened to be Gay Days...and he happened to be wearing a red shirt, which happened to be the way that gay people were identifying themselves that day. He had a lovely time but bought a new shirt to wear.

For you I would say ask yourself: If a heterosexual couple was doing this (hugging, holding hands, kissing, making out), would it bother you /would you say something? Then act the same way if a homosexual couple does it.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

1) I have questions/concerns - Don't judge just give me the appropriate info.
2) We raise our kids as conservative as we can and try and tackle issues in a planned/thoughtful way.
3) Saying that - what I don't want is some Extreme Right Homophobic telling me to stay away from Gay Days just to prove a point to Disney. Like I said, we are conservative for the most part but we are not nutcases.
4) We have been to WDW 6 times and see gay couples ALL the time. They are respectful and have NEVER put us in a position to have to have discussions with our kids that we didn't feel they were ready for.
5) Now to "Gay Days", I do not mind sharing WDW with ANY respectable person BUT I would like to be informed on my surroundings.
6) This is what I have heard - On one side... "Don't even worry about it, you don't even know its happening." The middle ..."That there are planned parks to attend for anyone wanting to participate in "Gay Days" and if I want to avoid those parks I can and wouldn't really notice much of anything different as a typical park day." And then to another side "WDW Gay Days is like going to a Gay Pride parade in New Orleans on Bourbon St during Mardi Gras."
7) Just need to know the real deal. What people do in their bedroom is their business...I got enough issues to try and figure out that one and pass judgement on it...but trying to raise my kids is mine, and the encounters we have with homosexual couples at wdw in the past have been nothing but class act. What I don't want is to put a 3 yr old or 5 yr old in a position to ask questions that I feel they simply wouldn't understand the answers...

Sorry for the list form but its how I think. and any help would be great.

My husband and I did Disneyland back in October when Gay Days were going on. Never been to WDW during that time, but my CP was up right before then, so we were getting prepared for the crowds and such. So, take this information for what it is worth.

Gay Days at Disneyland were no big deal. There were homosexual couples, heterosexual couples, homosexual families, heterosexual families, homosexual groups of friends, and heterosexual groups of friends. Now, there were more homosexuals there than you normally see, but that's the only real difference. Some held hands, but it was far from anything like a "Gay Pride Parade down Bourbon Street". They were all kind and respectful of their environment and surroundings just like you would expect every other adult to be. One thing to note, though, and I don't know if this matters to you or not. They wear red shirts. Almost all of them wore red shirts, some with sayings about Disney, some with sayings about homosexuality, and some were just blank. But they did wear red. If that is the sort of thing that matters to you, be prepared to not wear red. But, honestly it was absolutely no big deal whatsoever. I would avoid their predetermined parks, though, just to cut down on crowds. We did notice a spike in attendance in the parks that they were all planning to be at.

 

[keaster]

I have never been to WDW during Gay Days. However, I have a hard time believing that it is a hard core party complete with leather chaps and oiled up men writhing to techno music.

If anything you may see more same sex couples than you usually come across in the parks holding hands, maybe some kissing. But again, I've never been...I just can't see Disney letting it turn into a no holds barred affair!

 

[POOHsie]

You can find out which park is the designated Gay Day park of the day, and avoid it if concerned about your child. I took my child many times during Gay Days (unknowingly), and she and I both didn't notice anything to remark about. In my experience, nothing will be different. People are people. God Bless Us All.

 

[RealBlast3]

Is it really that hard to say to a child who questions why 2 men or 2 women are kissing/holdinghands, "Sometimes 2 men/women love each other, Susie, just like Mommy and Daddy do." There, short and sweet.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

My family and I have been at DL during Gay Days and, to be perfectly honest, other than a sea of red shirts, noticed no difference between that and any other day, save for a larger percentage of hand-holding couples being same-sex.

In no way was our experience in the parks like attending a Pride Parade; quite the opposite in fact - the number of inappropriate PDA's (rounding 2nd and heading into 3rd) I have been forced to watch from straight couples, far outnumbers the inappropriate PDA's I have witnessed from gay couples.

I can only speak for my family, but for us, same-sex couples just aren't an issue that is a concern for our daughter. She learned early on that while most kids have a mommy and a daddy, there are some kids who have two daddies or two mommies, and that as long as the parents love each other and love their kid, it just doesn't matter. Maybe I just have a relaxed kid, but I've found that if her mom and I don't make a big deal out of something, she won't either.

And kudos to you for being both proactive and open-minded about the situation.

 

[disneydreaming4now]

1) I have questions/concerns - Don't judge just give me the appropriate info.
2) We raise our kids as conservative as we can and try and tackle issues in a planned/thoughtful way.
3) Saying that - what I don't want is some Extreme Right Homophobic telling me to stay away from Gay Days just to prove a point to Disney. Like I said, we are conservative for the most part but we are not nutcases.
4) We have been to WDW 6 times and see gay couples ALL the time. They are respectful and have NEVER put us in a position to have to have discussions with our kids that we didn't feel they were ready for.
5) Now to "Gay Days", I do not mind sharing WDW with ANY respectable person BUT I would like to be informed on my surroundings.
6) This is what I have heard - On one side... "Don't even worry about it, you don't even know its happening." The middle ..."That there are planned parks to attend for anyone wanting to participate in "Gay Days" and if I want to avoid those parks I can and wouldn't really notice much of anything different as a typical park day." And then to another side "WDW Gay Days is like going to a Gay Pride parade in New Orleans on Bourbon St during Mardi Gras."
7) Just need to know the real deal. What people do in their bedroom is their business...I got enough issues to try and figure out that one and pass judgement on it...but trying to raise my kids is mine, and the encounters we have with homosexual couples at wdw in the past have been nothing but class act. What I don't want is to put a 3 yr old or 5 yr old in a position to ask questions that I feel they simply wouldn't understand the answers...

Sorry for the list form but its how I think. and any help would be great.

we went during Gay days in 2013... took my DD17 and DS8.. we hardly even noticed. its really no big deal

 

[disneyygirrl]

If a heterosexual couple was doing this (hugging, holding hands, kissing, making out), would it bother you /would you say something? Then act the same way if a homosexual couple does it.

Thank you! I completely agree.

 

[aaarcher86]

WDW has the same standards for gay couples as they do for hetero couples. Gay days aren't a Disney sponsored event, so it's not going to be something they have leniency on (not that they would for a sponsored event either).

Anything you've seen in the past in regards to gay couples and hetero couples, that's what you'll see during gay days, with a fabulous splash of extra gay couples. There's really nothing about 'gay days' in WDW that brings out the raunchy behavior.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I would say that if you do not want your family to be around large numbers of gay couples for whatever reason, then don't go to WDW on gay days. that said if you are OK with handholding and kissing then you're OK in the parks. There is not going to be any Bourbon Street behavior in the parks. Now maybe if you go to some of the offsite gatherings...but you won't.

What questions would a 3 and 5 year old ask that you feel you couldn't answer? Some people are gay. Some are not. That's it, what more do kids that little need to understand.

 

[AJ1983]

Is it really that hard to say to a child who questions why 2 men or 2 women are kissing/holdinghands, "Sometimes 2 men/women love each other, Susie, just like Mommy and Daddy do." There, short and sweet.

THIS! That's EXACTLY how it was explained to me as a child. I'm sure as a kid I probably asked "Mommy why do you kiss Daddy?" "Because we love each other". Kids will often question things just because its new and different, not because they immediately see anything wrong with it.

I grew up in a place that was 99% white people, and my only exposure to black people was the Cosby Show. I remember trying to figure out my mom's biracial friend saying "He's not really white..but he's not really black either". Mom explained that he had one parent of each color and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Turns out he was also gay, so he was a perfect example for Mom to teach me about all the varieties of people and how these differences didn't matter.

Also, if the parents explained it simply, the kids reaction would probably be "Oh OK...so can we get a Dole Whip now?"

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Is it really that hard to say to a child who questions why 2 men or 2 women are kissing/holdinghands, "Sometimes 2 men/women love each other, Susie, just like Mommy and Daddy do." There, short and sweet.

If you had read the OP, you would know that isn't the concern

 

[MakiraMarlena]

He's afraid there will be more in the way of PDA than just holding hands and kissing. That's all I'm reading into it.

Heck in any gathering of people there is always somebody who goes a little far. But just a few. It's not going to be a bacchanal or anything, but everyone has their own threshhold as to how much they think is too much.

 

[WDSearcher]

Sorry for the list form but its how I think. and any help would be great.

Maybe 10 years ago, I remember walking into MK on Gay Day (back when it was really only celebrated at MK and PI). There was a guy in a bright red patent leather skin-tight one-piece pantsuit and maybe 4 inch glittery red stilleto heels. Full face of make-up. Big ol' drag queen wig. I remember thinking to myself, "patent leather in June in Florida? Seriously?" I imagine (and I sincerely hope) that the person in that outfit wore it only as long as it took him to get into the park, attract the attention he wanted to, and then he changed. I was in the park all day and never saw him again, so I imagine that was the case.

Ten years ago, a lot of people went for shock value. Drag queens dressed as princesses, traipsing through Pleasure Island. Groups of gay men and women held hands and wove their way through parades. And on the flip side, religious groups picketed the parks, handed out brochures at resorts and parking lots, and did a lot of yelling. But that was then.

Ten years later, the gay folks you see at the parks are mostly families with kids. Couples. Some honemooners in matching bride veils or groom ears. It used to be a huge singles scene ... not so much any more (except on Epcot day ... mostly due to alcohol). You are more likely to see inappropriate public displays of affection during spring break than you are during Gay Days. Gay families very much appreciate the family atmosphere too. And most of the protesting groups have moved on, since Disney doesn't let them close to the parks and pretty quickly squelches anything that might happen if individuals try to start something inside the parks.

There is outrageous behavior at the parks every day. People in inappropriate t-shirts or way-too-short shorts. Drunken adults making out in lines. Girls baring their breasts for the photo moment on thrill rides. People are people, and some of them -- a very small minority -- like to shock everyone else. But ... just so you know ... WDW Gay Days was NEVER like "going to a Gay Pride parade in New Orleans on Bourbon St during Mardi Gras." You may notice it's going on, but it's highly unlikely that you'll see anything you'll need to explain to your kids. First off, because there won't be that much to notice. And secondly, your kids are probably going to be focused on rides, characters, music, stuff to buy, fireworks, shows, and food they want to eat more than they are on why the two guys in red shirts over there are kissing.

I'd be prepared to answer the same kinds of questions you would have to answer if you happened upon a gay couple in your home town and leave it at that. If you don't go seeking out "moments that make me uncomfortable", it's unlikely you'll find any.

 

[Itinkso]

In response to your #4: because you are used to WDW and its diverse group of guests, the only difference you will notice is that many of those diverse guests will be wearing red shirts in the designated park during "Gay Days." So, if it never bothered you and your family members before, red shirts won't be much of a concern.

 

[richmo]

Was there for gay days this year for the first time.

Other than the rocket scientists flying a banner overhead warning people that it was gay days , we found the parks pretty much normal. There is one park per day that is designated the gay day park of the day and we didn't go to that park since the crowd calendar reflected that. I didn't really notice much difference...seemed like a pretty typical Disney crowd, which always has a gay presence.

Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to schedule a visit again during that weekend...

 

[butterfly71076]

I would say that if you do not want your family to be around large numbers of gay couples for whatever reason, then don't go to WDW on gay days.

This!

Also, in my experience, not just with my own child, (I was a preschool teacher before he was born), kids that age will not notice anything unless it's pointed out to them. So unless you are planning on making a big deal out of it, they won't care. They will be so excited to be at DW, that's all that will matter to them.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

My family and I have been at DL during Gay Days and, to be perfectly honest, other than a sea of red shirts, noticed no difference between that and any other day, save for a larger percentage of hand-holding couples being same-sex.

In no way was our experience in the parks like attending a Pride Parade; quite the opposite in fact - the number of inappropriate PDA's (rounding 2nd and heading into 3rd) I have been forced to watch from straight couples, far outnumbers the inappropriate PDA's I have witnessed from gay couples.

I can only speak for my family, but for us, same-sex couples just aren't an issue that is a concern for our daughter. She learned early on that while most kids have a mommy and a daddy, there are some kids who have two daddies or two mommies, and that as long as the parents love each other and love their kid, it just doesn't matter. Maybe I just have a relaxed kid, but I've found that if her mom and I don't make a big deal out of something, she won't either.

And kudos to you for being both proactive and open-minded about the situation.