Gay week ?

[disneyfamily12345]

Hi everyone. I'm hoping to learn some more about gay week/ weekend at Disney from ppl who have done it.. It is not my goal to offend anyone, I hope that I can ask my question candidly without appearing to be ignorant or unaccepting.

My family and I are about to book our trip to Disney, and we just realized that our trip is going to coincide with gay week at Disney, which we did not know existed. We (two families are going) have small children, ranging in age from 2 years to 10 years.

I'd like to find out, briefly, what exactly 'gay week' means .. From looking online it just looks like its a time frame when GLBT individuals can all gather together at the same time to enjoy the parks - just like, say, a "college student" Disney week would be. But is there more to it than that? I certainly do not have a problem with the idea itself - my only concern would be if this particular week is dedicated to having shows, or parades, or really public displays of affection, etc. anything that would involve inappropriateness. My own 2 children will be 5 and almost 7 by then..

Also, a couple that's become really close to my hubby and I, we live next door to them now in fact, has gone to Disney a couple times in the past few years .. I have no idea if they went for Gay Week (they are a lesbian couple) and I am very hesitant to bring this up for fear of offending them. They are extremely easy going, I love them to death, so I can't see them being appalled at me inquiring about this, but at the same time, we have never really talked about this subject - not any more than we would talk about me and my husband's sexuality lol .. I'm probably making way too much of this.
But anyway, any thoughts on whether you personally would be offended if asked about this ?
It is very important to me NOT to come across as unaccepting or judgmental. Or maybe just the fact that I'm wondering about this makes me so :/

Thanks in advance

 

[marauder]

First off Gay Days at Disney is not officially sponsored by Disney so there are no special parades, shows or anything like that run by Disney itself. The most you see from Disney's part is off-duty Disney employees acting as points of contact/ambassadors and stuff like that. I am not gay but have been there during Gay Days before. MOST people attending are fine, no difference then you see any other day of the year. The year I went at the same time most people just wore red shirts to identify themselves as there for the event. However you will see some people pushing the envelope as far as what they wear and acceptable forms of PDA. Usually the schedule for Gay Days lists what park or waterpark is the primary park for the day. If you don't want to address the issue with your family you can just plan on visiting one of the 3 other parks.

 

[Dizznee Freak]

We go every year during Gay Week. It is the easiest time frame for our family. With that being said I have never witnessed anything offensive or derogatory. I don't condone that lifestyle but they are people just like straight people.

 

[DrGaellon]

There are no specific events within the parks. Traditionally, people there for Gay Days wear red, especially on Saturday at Magic Kingdom. There ARE special parties at the main hotel and at night, but they are separately ticketed events and not usually in the parks (though they have used Hollywood Studios after hours at least once).

 

[Chuck S]

My Mother and I went during the time frame for many years, and straight friends of mine also have attended during that time frame for their honeymoon and anniversaries. This coming year, there is a large group of 15 to 20 going with me, ranging in age from 1 to 62, with three 6 year olds. We're using three 2-bedroom DVC units. I am the only gay person in the group. No one has any issues with it. You may see a handful of things you find objectionable, and the same could be said of any day at Disney, Sea World, or your local theater or shopping mall. As others have said, if you're overly concerned, simply pick a different park for that day, and have a wonderful time at Disney! Bear in mind that more and more gay people are getting married and have children of their own.

 

[disneyfamily12345]

Thank you guys so much! Seems it will be business - no, fun - as usual !

We've booked our trip for that week

I CANNOT wait!!!

 

[spiderann]

does anyone know when the park schedule for gay days will be announced? (i.e. which day = which park) online i only found that the dates are June 2-8, 2015.

 

[Chuck S]

does anyone know when the park schedule for gay days will be announced? (i.e. which day = which park) online i only found that the dates are June 2-8, 2015.

Usually it is:
Thursday - Animal Kingdom
Friday - Disney Studios
Saturday - Magic Kingdom
Sunday - Epcot

Host Hotel is Doubletree at SeaWorld

Outside of Saturday at the Magic Kingdom, most folks tend to do their own thing.

 

[OHIOVACATIONER]

Is gay week always the first week of June and celebrated the same days of the week? Trying to plan 2016.

 

[Epcotfan64]

You should be aware that for many gay WDW guests during Gay Days at Disney, a simple, plain red shirt will not be enough (as it used to be in the past). Most likely there will be expressions on those shirts, and many of those expressions will be inappropriate or vulgar.

If someone tells you that it will be no different than any other time of the year, they're lying. By the way, I am gay, am an annual passholder, and live about an hour east of WDW.

I went to Gay Days in 2014, and have gone in prior years. Some of the expressions I have seen on red shirts were so appalling that if I were to write them here I would be violating the disboards' terms of service.

Is it appropriate for someone to have on her red shirt, "I pay taxes, too"? Of course. It is appropriate for a lesbian in the MK, however, to be wearing a red shirt that says, "No ---- too tough"? Absolutely not.

If you want a list of some of the red shirt expressions I've seen during Gay Days, please email me.

By the way, like in 2014, for 2015 I'll be wearing a red shirt that says:

"No cutesy, quippy, shocking and/or double entendre expression here."

 

[Chuck S]

Is gay week always the first week of June and celebrated the same days of the week? Trying to plan 2016.

The main gay day at MK is always the first Saturday of June, sometime the 1st weekend after Memorial day, sometimes 2nd weekend after Memorial day, depending on when the dates hit. The AK day is the Thursday prior to that Saturday, Studios the Friday prior to that Saturday, EPCOT the Sunday following that Saturday.

Those dates for 2016 would be June 4, 5, 6 & 7.

 

[MomBird]

If someone tells you that it will be no different than any other time of the year, they're lying. By the way, I am gay, am an annual passholder, and live about an hour east of WDW.

Epcotfan64, maybe it's only substantially different in the park that is specifically "allotted" for each day? My family has been to Disney during Gay Days a few times, and we just arrange our schedule to go to one of the other three parks so that we avoid the extra crowds at the gay day park. I've never seen anything inappropriate.

By the way, I like your t-shirt quote!

 

[Epcotfan64]

I've never seen anything inappropriate on a shirt in WDW other than during Gay Days, and believe me as an annual passholder I frequent the parks a lot.

Glad you like the expression on my red shirt! It's not copyrighted, so anyone out there can use it for their own red shirt. In fact, it would be great to see a sea of red shirts during Gay Days with that expression, and then watch the looks on the faces of gay guests who have red shirts with such expressions as "No ---- too tough." During Gay Days I was in line for the Laugh Factory during which a thin gay guy with a beard, whose red shirt said, simply, "Otter," glanced at my shirt and read it. You should have seen the look on his face...

 

[carmelhp]

I've never seen anything inappropriate on a shirt in WDW other than during Gay Days, and believe me as an annual passholder I frequent the parks a lot.

Glad you like the expression on my red shirt! It's not copyrighted, so anyone out there can use it for their own red shirt. In fact, it would be great to see a sea of red shirts during Gay Days with that expression, and then watch the looks on the faces of gay guests who have red shirts with such expressions as "No ---- too tough." During Gay Days I was in line for the Laugh Factory during which a thin gay guy with a beard, whose red shirt said, simply, "Otter," glanced at my shirt and read it. You should have seen the look on his face...

It took me a few minutes to figure out what a lesbian would refer to that rhymes with "tough," but "otter" sent me to the urban dictionary. I would never have figured that one out.

 

[Epcotfan64]

He was lean and had a beard. At least he didn't have "woofda," "woofburger," "furball", "woofster," or simply "woof" on his shirt. In my opinion the bears are the worst gay stereotype.

On one red shirt at Gay Days 2014: "Furrozen: Let it grrr" Cutsey and quippy but not shocking.

 

[Chuck S]

I've never seen anything inappropriate on a shirt in WDW other than during Gay Days, and believe me as an annual passholder I frequent the parks a lot.

Evidently, then you never saw any of the French Connection United Kingdom shirts that were popular a couple of years ago. They were everywhere for a while.

 

[MyPrince&Princess]

Hi everyone. I can certainly add to this thread! Last year, our family of four planned our long-awaited trip to Disney so that we could finally be there for the Star Trek festivities (our DS LOVES SW). So, ahead we went, and booked 10 days on the glorious beach, and 10 days in Orlando. All was booked.....the excitement was building.....and then one evening, while I was researching our trip, I found out that we'd be there smack dab in the middle of Gay week. Well, I was upset, to say the least, but only because our kids were 3 and 5 and quite frankly, I didn't want to spend my holiday teaching them things that they were not ready to see/hear/learn - I just did not know what to expect. I called the hotel that we were staying at, and I was assured that the festivities were not focused at that place. So, that was great. I did not want to change our trip, so we just planned accordingly.
I started a thread on tripadvisor, asking exactly what the OP asked and expressed my exact concerns, only to be shot down by clearly Gay folks who were appalled at the fact that I did not want my children to be subjected to any overt hyper sexual activity - hetero or ****. You see, we're from Toronto, and we host a Gay weekend and a very flamboyant and expressive gay parade. I wouldn't take my kids to see that, and I definitely would not pay for an expensive vacation to see it in Orlando. Needless to say, my thread was deleted by what I can only assume was a very offended and narrow-minded person who neither liked nor shared my concerns.

So, back to our trip. We saw very little that would even hint towards a Gay party at any of the parks. There were same sex couples, just as there were opposite sex couples. Some groups wore matching t-shirts, but I didn't really notice or read anything offensive. The only advice that I can give is to plan not to be at the parks that the groups will be celebrating at that day - not for any other reason other than it will be CRAZY busy.

I am being very honest here. If I saw anything offensive, I would write it because I know how you feel. It was a non-issue. In fact, come to think of it, we actually forgot about it. We just stuck to our planned days and avoided crowds, just like we'd avoid any convention or large group convening at one particular park - so as to avoid the crowds. I'm sure the calendar is out. If I recall correctly, Chuck S. has summarized the dates - that's where they were last year as well.

You will likely see more same-sex couples, but who cares? I actually feel bad writing this - as if we're writing about an alien sighting or something! Everyone is there to enjoy DisneyWorld, and everyone has the right to do so as long as they are respectful to those around, and respectful of the fact that there are young children around and that it is a family resort.
I wouldn't have wanted to be at the Doubletree, though - maybe 15 years ago when I was much younger and enjoyed the parties (ever been to Mykonos?), but not now, with two little ones!!!

Have fun!!

 

[bigtimedisneyfan]

We stumbled upon Gay Day when my son was turning 4. There were definitely positives and negatives. Many families were visibly upset and there was a long line of families demanding refunds. The plus side for us, all of the kiddie rides - no lines. We had a character dinner planned and when we got there it appeared that many families had left without canceling reservations. The characters pulled over chairs that is how much personal attention we received. The negatives - the year we were there the parade was interactive so tickets were handed out to jump in when a certain part of the parade arrived. Our section was L Mermaid. So my son headed out to do the limbo with a bunch of gay males who were really hamming it up. We had to pull him back for fear he would get trampled. The kids could get nowhere near a character for a photo. This is just adults in general. They hold up the photo line posing. The Tshirts were often offensive. The PDA was excessive. It was like they were trying to make a point that this was THEIR day. Nobody wants to see that from any adults in a family place. Lastly and it has been 15 years and i still cannot get it out of my head - large groups marched up and down Main St. chanting all day at the top of their lungs "you think u are the majority, but today YOU are the minority" We had no idea until we were on the tram and my husband read the t-shirt. It read Annual Gay, Bi and Transexual Day. There was lots of dress up as well. It didn't ruin our day, but had my child been older - the lewd t/shirts may have been a deal breaker. If u find yourself there. I would definitely try to work opposite their schedule.

 

[Chuck S]

Welcome to the DISBoards, bigtimedisneyfan. You certainly picked an interesting topic and perspective as a brand new first time poster to our online community! I'll be attending this year, in a red shirt, with 14 other people who happen to be straight, including three 6 year olds, and two teen/young adult males. No one in the group has a problem with it. As to those in your post not showing up for character meals, since they need to be canceled at least 24 hours in advance, and they are pre-paid, I wonder how much free money was basically given to Disney? I mean, it isn't like GayDays is a big secret, it's been going on for 24 years and it is basically discussed on every Disney fansite on the web.

 

[adrienne21snow]

We went during Gay Days on our very first trip to Disney World. There were these really cool pink, retro looking Disney World shirts with a rainbow printed on the front in many of the shops. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out why these shirts seemed to only be available in men's sizes. That was literally THE ONLY DIFFERENCE between that trip and our other trips in terms of overall experience.