? about Family trip & gay days

[manlscott]

Hi all,
1st time poster. Had some questions and found this great site. My question is that my wife has reserved our 1st trip from May 27-31, 2007. I recently found that the gay days get together is around this time. With no offense intended, I don't care for me or my wife, but I don't want to answer a lot of questions from my 2 young children at this time if we can help it. There is also the possibility of larger than usual crowds. It looks like from what I can find on the web that the crowds won't be at the parks until after we're gone, but wanted to know if anyone had ever taken their families around this time and wanted to know if there is anything we should know. This is about the only time we can schedule the trip, and wondered if it was a good time or not. Thanks for all your help.

 

[tiff211]

Hi all,
1st time poster. Had some questions and found this great site. My question is that my wife has reserved our 1st trip from May 27-31, 2007. I recently found that the gay days get together is around this time. With no offense intended, I don't care for me or my wife, but I don't want to answer a lot of questions from my 2 young children at this time if we can help it. There is also the possibility of larger than usual crowds. It looks like from what I can find on the web that the crowds won't be at the parks until after we're gone, but wanted to know if anyone had ever taken their families around this time and wanted to know if there is anything we should know. This is about the only time we can schedule the trip, and wondered if it was a good time or not. Thanks for all your help.

I went with my girlfriends this year for gay days and I commented that I would take my family (dds 15, 1, 3, 5) during that time in a hearbeat. I saw no inappropriate behavior. Epcot got a little rowdy in the evening and pleasure island was wild as well but no appropriate for little ones on any night IMO! I don't know if a lot of people stay away from the parks during this weekend but the crowds were minimal, standby lines were 20 minutes or less. I wouldn't not go during gaydays as long as your don't plan to participate in the nightife!

 

[chobie]

Do a search this thread has been done many times. The worst you will see is a lot of people in red shirts.

 

[manlscott]

tiff,
thank you for the information. I really appreciate it. Chobie, thanks for the directions, but I did try a search first, and it would not work, "503 forbidden" or some such nonsense.
Thanks

 

[Laurajean1014]

It's a matter of taste or preference.

 

[CindyAnn]

Welcome to the DIS, Manlscott. For me, the main concern is anything that brings extra crowds to WDW, be it a holiday, marathon, or whatever. The best thing is to try to find out as much about the event as possible. If you click on this link you'll find the Gay Days Orlando schedule for 2006. I'm sure a 2007 schedule will become available at some point. As you can see, different parks are featured on different days. If you zig when everyone else zags, I think you'll be able to avoid most of the crowd.

Have fun,

 

[manlscott]

Thanks for the information. Honestly, I'm not worried about families and couples having a good time, I just don't want to expose my kids to anything "over the top". As well, I know some other groups protest the gay days, and didn't want my kids to accidentally hear derogatory comments from a hater towards someone else. It's hard enough dealing with the "snot nosed teenagers" who don't have manners or know how to speak with out cursing, and explain to my six year old that they are not to be looked up to, but if he hears an adult speak inappropriately, now I've got to explain that some grownups still need to "grow up" too. I think we'll go and have a good time, and just make sure to avoid the parks on designated days to avoid overly large crowds.
thanks again.

 

[tinasquirrel]

We were just talking about this the other day and a friend of mine went during Gay Days last year. It just happened to coincide with her trip. She would go again in a heartbeat. She felt the crowds were even less than normal during that time of year.

May is a good time to go in any case. We went the 1st week of May two years ago and it was great. Warm but not hot. Not crowded at all, were able to get into restaurants without reservations, etc.

 

[dzorn]

DH and I along with DD's 4 & 7 were there during 2006 Gay Days. If I had not know about it from DIS I would not have known about it. We only did the parks and TL not pleasure island. I would not worry.


Denise

 

[RangerPooh]

We've gone during this time period and had no issues with it. (Perhaps it's due to us having open minds and have had plenty of exposure in the past) Although there were certainly families/individuals who did ahve issues with it and announced it to everyone. IMO this was uncalled for and looked childish. We rarely saw anything like hand holding and I don't think that we ever say any PDA. Like a PP said the most you'll see are a bunch of red shirts. We did notice that this is a time for their families too, so you might have to explain 2 mommies/daddies, but you could always make something up if you are uncomfortable expalining it at this age. We didn't think that the crowds were bad, pretty reasonable.

 

[beattyfamily]

My advice, avoid MK on that Saturday, June 2 and you should be fine.

 

[tmt martins]

We hit it a few years ago DD was 9 or 10 I think and I thought it was less crowded maybe becasue of school kids not being out yet or people avoiding the parks because of it. Either way we didn't care and had to do no more explaining then with the teens and other rude people on any other trip.

We will be hitting it agian on our next summer trip as well and as we will aviod MK on our first day (2nd) It won't effect us at all.