At DLR now, some thoughts

[Shimmer]

I witnessed no inappropriate displays. There were quite a few t-shirts that had subtle puns on them, but they were impossible for kids (and probably many adults) to understand. If you worry that Gay Days will turn the parks into the equivalent of an early 80's San Francisco bath house, you have nothing to fear. If you do not believe gay people are fully human and fully deserving of respect and dignity like all humans, then seeing so many gay people having a good time is likely to be upsetting to you -- you'll need to either get with the times or stick to hanging around with the (ever shrinking) group of people who think like you do.

Hooray! Well stated!

 

[Hound 109]

Yes it is...I took a few pictures of it last week!

Thanks Monica D!

Good to hear the Dia de los Muertos display is still there. & located just a few steps from a darn good tres leches cake & couple of steps from the wildest ride in the wilderness.

 

[Mitzicat]

Hi I just wanted to add some comments. Just got back from my trip with my sister 10/3 -10/6. This was my sisters first trip to DL my 5th or 6th. We are WDW vets, so this was going to be a new experience for her.

Day 1 10/3. We were able to get in half hour early for our 9 am carnation cafe reservations. We didn't have early morning entry tickets but the cast member sprinkled a little pixie dust and let us in. The lines on Thursday were very manageable and we were able to do everything we wanted that day. Sis had her first dole whip. loved it. We did the "order on the tiki room side" trick and avoided the long line. We had dinner at Blue Bayou. It was amazing. Better than Carthay Circle. I splurged and had the filet mignonette and lobster tale. Yummy. I was shocked at the number of families who were demanding water views. It would have been nice for my sister to sit by the water, but once inside she was like. I don't know if I want boats of people going by as I'm chewing my food. Haha. I did think of one thing that I wished they had addressed in the recent closure. Figure out someway to block the outside light so you really do get the feeling you are outside under the night sky.

Day 2 10/4 - early morning for DCA but we did not have tickets. We were at the gates at 7:30, they let us in around 7:45. We were about 20 people back from the rope. The spot where they hold people and then walk you back. We did the far right technique and without pushing or being rude, made our way up to the cast member holding the rope. Had a nice conversation with the CM, mostly about the gas prices and how the rope was a gas pump...so cute. Then they broke us off, we followed CM Bryan, my sis and I would have been 1 and 2 of regular day park guests but at the last minute this family jumped in front of us. Oh well. We got thought the line in 20 mins and by about 8:45 we were eating breakfast at Flos. We pretty much did everything else at DCA with a small wait. 20 mins or less

We did the happy (happiest?) haunts tour and we actually had a fun group. Tour guide Matt was funny. Our ghost host was Gracie she was from Baltimore. (Woo hoo) The party was sold out that night and the lines were crazy. So it was good we got to ride several of the rides. The bad part of the tour was when we were trying to come back into DL from DCA at the end of the tour. Matt had all his credentials out, was wear at DL guided tour jacket, we all had party wrist bands and pins that said we were with a tour and the CM at the gate gave us a really hard time. Demanded our tickets, asked if Matt really worked at DL. It was a bad scene. We finally got through. I might call someone at Disney and say they need to change the process. but I will agree the tour was a little chaotic and we too had several folks not ride the rides. But we did get one great ride photo from ToT. Sis had bought photo pass+ and it was worth it. Matt and the group was kind enough to wait will she had it added to our account.

Again the party was crazy packed. But I will say it was cool to see how many people were dressed up. Nothing like WDW.

Day 3 10/5 We could tell the crowds were increasing. So we just wondered and did what ever we wanted. Had breakfast at the pacific wharf. Loved the scrambled eggs in the sour dough bread bowl. It was empty and quiet. We had dinner at Carthay Circle to get the WoC fast pass. We were able to do a salad as our app. Our server said as long as it was a two-course meal person we could get the fast passes. I had the salad with the Brie and apricot stuff in it. So yummy. Sis had the heirloom tomato salad. She liked it. She had the pork roast. We both liked that. I had the beef - cant remember the cut - not impressed. blue bayou was better. But we ended with the peach dessert thing. So good. Sis really wanted to try so we did. We both had the pimms punch. I liked it as I live pimms. Sis said it was ok.

At some point during this day RSR reached 150 minute wait. Crazy!!!!!! We went to DTD for awhile. Had chips and salsa and a pitcher of margaritas. That was a nice break.

Went to Mad T party. All I can say is wow. Had so much fun. Shout out to the local kids who are there almost every night and know all the dance moves. Had more fun watching them then the hired dancers. The lady was spinning that night. I was hoping for the guy. Heard from the boards he is really good. Loved the music - wish they had a CD...but understand copyright reasons they probably can't. Warning. Disney pours their adult beverages with a heavy hand. The madtini (vodka /cranberry) was strong but good.

I did not like the WoC fast pass location for Carthay. I wanted to be down lower. Lesson learned. I had a rogue set of glow with the show ears. Spent half the time trying to get them to sync. One cast member tried to help but it didn't work. Anything cast member saw my sister and I after the show trying to sync our ears together, he asked what was wrong, I told him, he tried couldn't get the, to work. Took the ears off his head and said take these, I will take yours and turn them in as damaged. So nice and so kind, he went above and beyond. I didn't take his name because I wasn't sure if something like that would get him in trouble. Doubt it but you never know.

Day 4 10/5 last day. Another quiet day. Walked around. Had breakfast at Ariel's. all I can say was yuck! And it got a yuck because of the potatoes. If they were seasoned differently it would have gotten a "it was ok". But i dont know what they put on them. Went and viewed the Franken weenie animation stuff. Don't know the actual name but we walked through all the interactive stuff in the same building. I had never seen it so empty. For about 10 mins my sis and I were the only ones in the room where lumiere tells you what Disney character you are.

Wait times were crazy again. We barely rode anything that day. We were able to get on the sailing ship Columbia. That was very different for us. We caught two or three shoes at the Golden Horseshoe. Second show we splurged on an ice cream sundae. Yummy. Mint choc chip.

Had dinner at cafe Orleans. Had Mickey beignets for dessert. Anyone have a recipe for the raspberry sauce. That stuff is like crack!

Went back over to the Mad T party. Had the Mad T party version of a Long Island ice tea. Again strong but yummy. We also did the frozen non-alcoholic drinks. I had the desert pear and cotton candy, sis had green apple and cotton candy. Both combos very good. I had a Mickey head our of the desert pear on the top of my drink. The CM must be creative like those coffee folks who can create master pieces in the foam of your coffee. It was cute.

Had Fantasmic preferred seating. Well worth the money. Sat behind two young ladies. One worked at WDW. So it was nice chatting with them. Check in process was smooth and easy. The dessert box was yummy. Loved everything. Someone mentioned the sugar cookie filled with raspberry jam and it had purple icing on the bottom. Oh my gosh. That was my favorite out of the whole box. Wish they would sell them. And the hot cocoa was very good. Oh and my ears worked! Thank you nice CM.

So I think that was the main highlights to our trip.

As far as it being Gay Days weekend. I wouldn't hesitate to go again that same weekend. We had delightful conversations with folks, a funny interactions which resulted in a young man being carried through the Grand CA signing part of your world. Several very interesting outfits. the worst PDA scenes were from the young straight teenage couples. Lots of families. Best Red T-shirt... "I'm not gay...I just came for the churro's". Item I wanted the most. Someone took the classic Mickey ears hat and covered the ears and their name in crystals. So pretty!

Cherished souvenirs: set of 3 replica haunted mansion tombstones (very hard to find in the parks). Cinderella animators special edition doll. ( not the one that has been out for a while, this one has a dress form, her punk dress, and several other accessories). My Low and Slow car club t-shirt and sweatshirt. And my fantasy arts picture.

 

[Mitzicat]

we didn't witness any inappropriate displays - but DH did see a shirt that was crossing a line - it had the castle on the front with one firework coming out of the tallest peak and said "everyone loves a happy ending"

Haha. I totally agree. I wish I had written down all the funny shirts we saw.