How does GAY days effect the parks?

[kaytieeldr]

I believe the Bible is the word of God, so according to you, I have no common sense and if I do not believe as you do

Without getting into a theological discussion – but feel free to start such a thread on the Community Board – while the Bible may be the word of God, it was, once again, written by men – with all their foibles, opinions, and biases.

Don't confuse being church going folk with being conservative or wanting to treat gay and straight people differently. Lots of us Christian, church going folks believe in treating all God's children the same.

Yep. This one’s gonna come as a shocker, particularly to some posters in this thread who’ve identified themselves by state, but – some of those church-going folks are gay.

For you folks wanting to shove the Bible in people's faces, maybe you should educate yourself on the morals of the stories.

While we’re at it, people should realize not everyone believes in the same version of the Bible, or in any Bible (or sometimes even in any religion). But we ALL live in humanity.

Completely inappropriate.

Are you sure? Lots of people misguidedly think homesexuality is a choice. If that’s true, so must heterosexuality be.

but bashing christians is fine and dandy..

I would never bash someone’s religion. But I’m entitled to bash bigots, aren’t I?

guess what, as a new englander i dont like people from new york and new jersey, just because they may in fact be yankees fans... but that doesnt mean i am going to start lecturing during Jersey days!

Ah, c’mon – you would if you were at WDW at that time… AND the Yankees had just won the World Series

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

We're going in Dec, but I think it's too late for my son anyway. He was a pretty princess for Halloween last year, per his request:

So maybe those of you that avoid gay days like the plague should stay home Dec 9-14 too, or my ds's cross-dressing might contaminate your artificial gender role abiding children.

OMG, please tell me that cute little picture is actually a girl!

 

[bradk]

What's innappropriate about it? He or she said sexuallity is a choice. Is it inappropriate because I put the work "Gay" next to "Sex"?

i was going to say half inappropriate myself.

asking when someone made a conscious decision to be straight is enough. asking why someone would CHOOSE to be a member of a persecuted class is also fine. asking why many teenagers have killed themselves over a supposed choice is even okay. i don't think the part about 'was it the gay sex?' was necessary personally. moreso for the sex part than the gay part.

 

[SereneOne]

Do you think people are going at it behind the bushes or something? *** is up with people assuming every non-hetero person is an overly sexed person that's jumping someone at every chance? There are gonna be PDAs no matter when you go. Some people, regardless of gender or sexuality, are more modest and some are exhibitionists. It's not something "the gays" have exclusive rights to or anything.

Don't put words into my post that are not there...I NEVER said gays showed more PDA than anyone else...

Several people posted before me that they did not want to expose their children to that...I don't want to see ANYONE being explicit sexually in public. I don't find gay people to be any more over or undersexed than anyone else. I have a brother who is gay and friends that are gay. I don't care what their sexual orientation is, not my business.

 

[G8RFAN]

To the OP, I think the question is impossible to answer. Nobody knows your mindset except you. Ultimately for me and my family, its a great day as any other day to be at WDW, and we happen to have coincidently gone at least two times during the "event" weekend in the past years. DW even wore a red top one day and I joked all day that she apparently hooked up with the wrong group. DS06 has never questioned anything he's seen and I don't try to shield him from it anyway. The parks are slightly more crowded although we treat it as any other day. Your results may vary.

 

[Ex Cast Member]

i was going to say half inappropriate myself.

asking when someone made a conscious decision to be straight is enough. asking why someone would CHOOSE to be a member of a persecuted class is also fine. asking why many teenagers have killed themselves over a supposed choice is even okay. i don't think the part about 'was it the gay sex?' was necessary personally. moreso for the sex part than the gay part.

Point taken. I guess I was also being sarcastic because anti-gay people seem to more afraid of the sex part instead of judging us as individuals.

 

[SereneOne]

My hate for Ky stems from being stuck here as a pagan, feminist, lesbian.
I have been treated more cruely within this state's borders, then in any other state I have ever lived in. Unfortunately my family lives here, adn I'm stuck here until I finish school.

In no other state have I ever been hospitalized because someone decided to beat the hell otu of me for being gay...

In no other state have I been beaten, spit on , and otherwise abused and humiliated for being different.

Maybe I'm just sick of all the hate being expoused by people who claim they follow a prophet of love and use his words as a weapon and an excuse for violence.

I am so sorry for the intolerance shown to you.

I totally agree. Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was and He said to love God with all your heart and love EACH OTHER with all your heart.

*sigh*

 

[SereneOne]

I'm a gay man and have been to WDW with my partner many times during the 12 years that we have been together. Our visits have never been during any of the gay day events because our work schedules just don't permit vacations during that time of the year. However, I must admit that I am a litle surprised by some of the posts here concerning public displays of affection.

Let's be clear here. All I would want to be able to do is perhaps put my arm around the guy I love while we watch the fireworks or give him a kiss if the mood is right - in other words, public displays of affection I see straight couples doing all the time in WDW. I'm not talking about wanting to be outrageous on top of Splash Mountain or anything.

The problem is that it is posts like those by KYCruiseCrazy that would make me think twice about doing that just in case I was standing in front of someone like KYCruiseCrazy and it caused a whole load of drama. Now it probably wouldn't stop me from giving my partner a kiss if the mood was right, but it certainly would make me think twice about doing it. Now the sad thing is that anyone should ever have to think twice before kissing the person they love in our supposed advanced society.

To the OP it seems like you really shouldn't worry. Judging by the responses so far the parks are not any more crowded than normal on Gay Days probably because a number of people like KYCruiseCrazy stay away. You know that's probably a good thing. I am sure that you and your family will have a much better time at Disney with gay and gay friendly people who respect others than with those who think it is wrong for two people who love each other to share a kiss.

I think that is lovely and to hell with what anyone thinks...if you want to kiss or hug or hold hands, go for it! I personally meant like in National Lampoon's European Vacation where the honeymooning couple where at each other sexually in public and the son says, hey dad look, he is porking her! I kiss my husband in public, hold his hand, give him a hug...not every second I personally mean when people are being all slobbery and like dry humping....I have never seen a gay couple do this personally...I see heterosexuals do it though. *blah*

 

[Me!Thatswho]

Despite our reservations about going, our trip this past summer coincided with Gay Days. As more socially conservative, both my wife and I would have preferred not going, but, due to conflicting schedules, it was the only time we could. Being parents of young children like so many others here, we did not wish to have to discuss the issue with our children. Since they are only 6 & 4, we strongly believe that there is no need to discuss of ANY sexual matter with them. They're children and we wish them to remain so as long as possible.

That being said, we were pleasantly surprised that, with the exception of a few incidents (mostly minor; one major), the only question that we had to answer was: "how did so many people pick the same color shirt on the same day"? When we answered, "We don't know", just once, it was over and done with.

As far as the incidents, the minors mostly occurred among groups of younger males basically showing off. They were engaging in the old "we're gay and get used it" showboating PDA type stuff. However, whenever the younger members of the groups neared the threshold, the older ones stepped in and calmed things down to avoid a greater stir. We just chalked it up along the lines of "boys being boys". And the major, lets just say that elevator doors unexpectedly opened up a little too quickly for a pair of passengers. Since the kids were focused on all of the penny squishers in that they have in the Contemporary, we just turned around and waited for the next car. Ironically, in both cases, it could have been heteros doing the same and we would have reacted the same - simply ignoring it.

So, after our fears, Gays Days turned out to be no big deal. Would we go back during Gay Days? No. Why? It was our first trip in June and it was too hot! While the crowds were not that bad (granted we tried to avoid the scheduled parks for crowd reasons), we couldn't take the humidity. Considering everyone told us that the weather was mild this year, I really do not want to experience the more traditional June weather. We much more prefer the weather in Oct/Nov. If Gay Days were to move the dates to when we usually go, then, in all honestly, after our experience this past year, it wouldn't bother us in the least.

 

[SereneOne]

Without getting into a theological discussion – but feel free to start such a thread on the Community Board – while the Bible may be the word of God, it was, once again, written by men – with all their foibles, opinions, and biases.
Yep. This one’s gonna come as a shocker, particularly to some posters in this thread who’ve identified themselves by state, but – some of those church-going folks are gay.
While we’re at it, people should realize not everyone believes in the same version of the Bible, or in any Bible (or sometimes even in any religion). But we ALL live in humanity.
Are you sure? Lots of people misguidedly think homesexuality is a choice. If that’s true, so must heterosexuality be.
I would never bash someone’s religion. But I’m entitled to bash bigots, aren’t I?
Ah, c’mon – you would if you were at WDW at that time… AND the Yankees had just won the World Series

And someone is a bigot because YOU say so???

So "you" get to degrade someone because of a judgement call, but noone else can?

 

[Coopsmum77]

*** is up with people assuming every non-hetero person is an overly sexed person that's jumping someone at every chance? There are gonna be PDAs no matter when you go. Some people, regardless of gender or sexuality, are more modest and some are exhibitionists. It's not something "the gays" have exclusive rights to or anything.

After over 10 years in our relationship, I'm lucky I can get a "PDA" at home...

What happened to that "Love thy neighbor" bit. I guess only love them if they act the way you want them too.

 

[Nikel]

OMG, please tell me that cute little picture is actually a girl!

Nope, that would be my son. This is my daughter:

Don't put words into my post that are not there...I NEVER said gays showed more PDA than anyone else...

Several people posted before me that they did not want to expose their children to that...I don't want to see ANYONE being explicit sexually in public. I don't find gay people to be any more over or undersexed than anyone else. I have a brother who is gay and friends that are gay. I don't care what their sexual orientation is, not my business.

Ok, you claim that you don't believe gay people are more prone to PDAs but several posters have mentioned avoiding Disney during gay days for fear of seeing PDAs. If you truly don't believe gay people are more prone to PDAs and that's truly the reason for avoiding it, then going during gay days would be do different than going during any other time of the year.

 

[fey_spirit]

First let me say thank you for your post - I truly appreciated the fairness that you showed.

That said this paragraph does give me a chance to ask something I've been meaning to ask - and it's not just directed at you, but at everyone who isn't sure how to explain it to their children because they don't want to explain anything sexual yet.

Why is it that when a heterosexual couple holds hands it's "affection" but when two gay people do it, suddenly it's "sex"?
You explain two people kissing the same way, regardless of genders - "They love each other"... you don't have to go any further into explaining what goes on behind closed doors when you see two gay people kissing then you do two straight people kissing.

If you see something worse, is it any easier to explain why that boy keeps touching that girl there then it would to explain why than boy keeps touching that boy there?

My point being, I understand why parents don't want to explain sexuality to their young children - but why does seeing two men or women hold hands mean you have to?


Unless you are dealing with

Despite our reservations about going, our trip this past summer coincided with Gay Days. As more socially conservative, both my wife and I would have preferred not going, but, due to conflicting schedules, it was the only time we could. Being parents of young children like so many others here, we did not wish to have to discuss the issue with our children. Since they are only 6 & 4, we strongly believe that there is no need to discuss of ANY sexual matter with them. They're children and we wish them to remain so as long as possible.

 

[SereneOne]

Without getting into a theological discussion – but feel free to start such a thread on the Community Board – while the Bible may be the word of God, it was, once again, written by men – with all their foibles, opinions, and biases.
Yep. This one’s gonna come as a shocker, particularly to some posters in this thread who’ve identified themselves by state, but – some of those church-going folks are gay.
While we’re at it, people should realize not everyone believes in the same version of the Bible, or in any Bible (or sometimes even in any religion). But we ALL live in humanity.
Are you sure? Lots of people misguidedly think homesexuality is a choice. If that’s true, so must heterosexuality be.
I would never bash someone’s religion. But I’m entitled to bash bigots, aren’t I?
Ah, c’mon – you would if you were at WDW at that time… AND the Yankees had just won the World Series

Here we go again YOU get to dictate to me about what I believe...if God can make the universe and everything in it in six days and rest on the seventh, He can make sure that His book is written the way He wants it.

And yes, people interpet the Bible differently...like communion...some believe it is the actual blood and body of Christ, to others it is done in rememberance. Respecting other people's beliefs is called TOLERANCE...might want to try it sometime instead of trying to bully someone to believe as you do and then complain about similar behavior in others.

Done arguing with you, have a magical day.

 

[Coopsmum77]

OMG, please tell me that cute little picture is actually a girl!

Wow are you rude. I guess your boys are learning their roles in life very well. They will also learn from you, unlike this little guy, that their parents won't love them if they deviate from their parents definition of normal.

Unbelievable.

 

[fey_spirit]

To be fair I don't see how someone as obviously fair and reasonable as you appear to be could read everything KyCruise has said, and not see where someone might get the idea he's a bit of a bigot...

And someone is a bigot because YOU say so???

So "you" get to degrade someone because of a judgement call, but noone else can?

 

[disneydiva06]

When is this time of year anyway....that may be something funny to see....

LOL it was the first weekend of June. It really wasn't a big deal at all. I have found that in circumstances such as these, it's what you make it. Agree or not, I wasn't put on this Earth to judge anyone~That's God's job,NOT mine~ and that's how I'm gonna raise my children. Will they know the Bible? Absolutely, but they'll also know the scripture "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

 

[SereneOne]

Nope, that would be my son. This is my daughter:

Ok, you claim that you don't believe gay people are more prone to PDAs but several posters have mentioned avoiding Disney during gay days for fear of seeing PDAs. If you truly don't believe gay people are more prone to PDAs and that's truly the reason for avoiding it, then going during gay days would be do different than going during any other time of the year.

Where did "I" say I would not go during GAY week at Disney's because of the gays and public affection? I NEVER SAID THAT...do not put words in my mouth. I would going during GAY week if it was a non crowded week in cool weather...I would wear a GAY pride tshirt. I said I would not go during a crowded time at Disney...like CHRISTMAS...Jesus' bday...I DONT GO...I am not antichristian because of this fact....

 

[pta-mom]

The only thing I noticed was that the park seemed a lot more colorful.

I heard Orlando has a way of making their Gays behave accordingly.

I also heard if you are close enough to a gay in line, you might catch their gayness. So make sure your kids stay far enough away so they don't catch their gayness. And definitely don't drink from the same water fountain. Bring lot's of hand sanitizer.

Other then that, I heard they behave accordingly. If you are interested you can read the book "How Gays should Act on Vacation" there is a special section on "How Gays Should Behave in Front of Kids" and "How Gays should Act at Disney World".

Hope this helps.

This isn't funny!

I'm sorry, but the line about "do they keep their behavior under control" was too much for me.

I could not resist the sarcasim. Honey, you'll never make it in New York.

Now go and take a lesson on how to be more PC. LOL.

But whatever you do, if you do see one past 9:00pm in one of the parks, make sure you call the gay police. They will take care of the matter right away. I heard they turn into fairies past that time.

Good luck on your lilly white vacation.

Nor was this!

The OP asked a question about how Gay days effect the parks...not sure why everyone is jumping on some huge band wagon! Bradk, thank you for your level head, honest, open response. I think it answers the question nicely.

there's no real correlation between crossdressing and sexual preference anyway. hard as it may to believe, a man doesn't have to pretend to be a woman to love another man. 'gender confusion' is a whole other issue and even then, it's actually perfectly normal for a child at a young age to explore various things (the perennial example of the little boy trying on mommy's heels for example). but all that is really beyond the scope of this thread i think.

gay days (and there are two separate groups who compete and have their own functions - http://www.gaydays.com and http://www.gayday.com) is not a disney sanctioned function, but neither is MouseFest or ArielCon and many other functions that go on throughout the year.

the crowd impact really is minimal. it's a slow time at Disney anyway. You do see a disproportionate amount of red and presumably like-gendered couples (although from my experience, there are many groups of people rather than couples per se). Not much different on the surface than when Mommy hangs out with her best friend or Daddy hangs out with his. There is a lot of hand holding and other obvious closeness (lots of heads on shoulders on the bus for example), but there's typically no disrespectful behavior. Disney wouldn't allow it from any couple, gay or straight. Not to say it doesn't happen, but it's not as blatant as one might really expect (or perhaps hope).

Bottom line, Disney is still a family destination and most people tend to respect that. And many of the gay couples who participate in Gay Days at WDW have children of their own.

And beyond all that, it can't go unnoticed that Disney isn't exactly a good place to avoid gay people altogether any day of the year.

All that aside, I happened to be in MK for a period of time this previous year due to a tour and checking out other things. It didn't seem particularly crowded to me at all, but the red shirts are definitely noticeable. I took this shot mid-morning from the train station:

i'm pretty sure you won't see anyone dressed or behaving inappropriately in it, but I didn't study it all that hard either.

I agree that some people can go over board & it can be a cause for concern. It may be heterosexual people or gay people. Perhaps it's Pop Warner days that cause an issue or Cheerleader days or maybe Brazilian tourin days. Few people like to be with their family in a situation that they are uncomfortable with. I really am not comfortable around people who like to indulge in heavy petting in public (regardless of their sexual orientation) nor do I like being caught up in large groups of loud, rude, pushy people (regardless of their ethninticity or age). None of this makes me racist or intolerant or a bigot. Nor does any of this make the OP anything less than someone asking a question while planning her family trip...cut her/him some slack.

I can understand the concern about people going overboard....I visited Six Flags New England in 1999 or so and it happened to be a gay day event of some sort....the men leading men on leashes, full leather outfits(stuff that should have been saved for the local dungeon club) and some of the queues were rowdy....the one for the free fall ride was the worst and I had to leave...they were screaming and yelling demanding that Six Flags acknowledge that it was gay day and they climbing on the bars shaking their fists towards the guy in the control booth and it wasn't a high energy type of thing..it was angry and on the verge of out of control.

I totally agree. Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was and He said to love God with all your heart and love EACH OTHER with all your heart.*sigh*

Sorry, nope....He said to "Love your neigbor as YOURSELF"......I suspect by some of the replies on this thread, there are some who do not truly love themselves...it would make it difficult to than love others.

 

[Me!Thatswho]

Unless you are dealing with

Do have a problem with what I said?