Disney Or "Gay Travel"?

[SanFranciscan]

I no longer due market research work for a living since photographing baseball games is easier work for a little more money and retail isn't too bad when I only have to do it seasonally. Who buys what and why still fascinates me though. This has left me wondering what is it about Disney that makes y'all prefer Disney vacations to travel companies that specialize in gay travel.

What is it about Disney that makes it your leading choice or a leading choice? I certainly see why Disney theme parks are easy to love, and I have never been on any gay tours so I am not in a position to know which is better. I could see myself enjoying something like Olivia tours though because I know that a women's travel company is not going to take me into a region where a female would be met with much hostility for traveling "alone" since I have heard that term applied to women who weren't even alone but with female friends.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I'm interested in Oliva, too. However, it will be awhile before my DP and I book a cruise. Their prices are outrageous.

Disney? Well, we live "here" now, but when we didn't we came for the escape of it all.

It's not P-Town, but hey, it's warm nearly year round! LOL!

 

[PghLybrt]

Well we actually do both. We are going to Disney in 12 days and we are traveling with Olivia in March. If I had to chose only one, I probably would go with Olivia. Only because the sense of community you feel on a “Gay Vacation” is like no other feeling I have ever experienced.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Keep talking to me! I've often thought that must be wonderful. I mean, how great does it get, being in a totally female community where you are all of the same spirit. Could convince myself to pay extra for that! Let us know how your March holiday goes?

 

[PghLybrt]

I sure will let yinz know! We are actually going with friends that we met on a previous Olivia trip. All the hokey stuff they say in their ads is actually true (sometimes I hate to admit).

Its an odd feeling at first. You are surrounded with a thousand people who are like you. You have no fear of hearing negative comments or worse (ok so just on the ship). You have no fear of someone saying you are in the wrong bathroom (possibly because all bathrooms are made in to female ones). The entertainment really sets it apart from an average cruise too. The shows at night are great! And you see the celebrities show up doing other things (like Kate Clinton calling Bingo…..I mean really it was hysterical!)

 

[daannzzz]

I have loved Disney;and since I was little. We didn't go until I was 9 which was in 1965. I didn't get to WDW until 1996!!!! I did not know I was gay when I was 9, that took until I was 15. I have never taken a "Gay" vacation. I go with the people in my life that I enjoy being with. I do not feel that I have to travel with a bunch of gay people in order to have fun. I am sure it might be but it is not a big draw to me. I took my father to Key West and we had dinner at Crabby Dicks. Down below was a bar where a couple guys were hanging out the window having fun yelling stuff at people (mostly the cute guys wandering buy). There was also a Rainbow Flag near our table and I had to explain to pop about how Key west was a major gay destination. I am sure I would enjoy staying at one of the resorts down there, or going on a cruise or European vacation but I really enjoy planning and purchasing my own travel and like it to be a more intimate trip with family or friends.
I do not know why Disney has been such a huge draw for me but I love the architecture and gardens and rides and restaurants and have learned that it is much more fun to spend longer trips there so I don't have to rush.

 

[BarleyJack]

As far as we go...we don't do the whole gay travel thing for a couple of reasons. Primarily the cruises; they come across as a floating bar scene. Not into the bar scene so much anymore. The ads can be intimidating to gay men who don't look like adult film stars in a speedo (just look in the ads in the backpages of the advocate). I'm proud of who I am and what I've accomplished as a gay male in a conservative southern state, but I also feel that on some level these trips segregate us even more. We want to be accepted as part of mainstream society, we should travel as such without fear of repercussion (sp?). Anywho, I totally get why some gblt folks would go for this type of trip, and more power to you! Just not for me.

 

[PghLybrt]

whole gay travel thing for a couple of reasons. Primarily the cruises; they come across as a floating bar scene. Not into the bar scene so much anymore. The ads can be intimidating to gay men who don't look like adult film stars in a speedo (just look in the ads in the backpages of the advocate). I'm proud of who I am and what I've accomplished as a gay male in a conservative southern state, but I also feel that on some level these trips segregate us even more. We want to be accepted as part of mainstream society, we should travel as such without fear of repercussion (sp?). Anywho, I totally get why some gblt folks would go for this type of trip, and more power to you! Just not for me.[/QUOTE]

I see what you are saying and I cannot speak for the male cruises but I can assure you the women’s are not at all like the bar scene! In fact I find the average cruiser is older than the ladies that frequent the clubs. The “disco” is pretty empty by 11 and all of the activities are heavily attended.

As far as it segregating us even more, I really think most people do not even know these cruises exist. And I have cruised on many traditional cruises I have never had the same level of entertainment that appeals to me as well as an ability to sit and chat with anyone without having to be guarded. I have never walked off of a traditional cruise with friends that I will have throughout my life, with Olivia I have. Now maybe its me? I don’t know but I will continue to go.


Oh and one thing that I really y like......yes the ads so some nice looking women but I think everyone is comfortable onboard. Nobody cares if you are 100lbs or 300 sitting by the pool....then again maybe its just a lesbian thing?

 

[Rence]

We've never done the "gay cruise" experience (RSVP, Atlantis etc.) but have done gay group cruises via Pied Piper. They book group tours on regular cruise ships. One one cruise we had a group of over 400, on another cruise we were a group of about 100. All the functions, activities, amenities of the regular cruise are present.

But there are also some special functions etc. for the group. The people in the group are seated together in the dining room, but other than that you are free to participate as little or as much if you want. If there is a group function you're not interested in - skip it and enjoy the other amenities on the ship.

It was the best of both worlds - a traditional cruise experience - at a group discount - along with the special group functions which you can choose to participate in as much or as little as you want. We had a great experience both times and will definately sail with them again.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I look at a variety of publications, and sometimes the advertising is the most interesting thing about a magazine. Some of the gay newspapers are widely read in San Francisco because the gay lobby is active enough to make articles about local politicians of interest to people who may or may not be gay.

This gives me some thoughts about the debate on whether or not gay cruises are a "floating bar scene." It appears that the publications geared more toward lesbians are generally more subtle with regard to sexual matters than those aimed primarily at gay men. The advertisers in men's magazines may feel more pressure to turn up the heat so to speak just to keep up with the articles in the same publications. Just a thought.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I look at a variety of publications, and sometimes the advertising is the most interesting thing about a magazine. Some of the gay newspapers are widely read in San Francisco because the gay lobby is active enough to make articles about local politicians of interest to people who may or may not be gay.

This gives me some thoughts about the debate on whether or not gay cruises are a "floating bar scene." It appears that the publications geared more toward lesbians are generally more subtle with regard to sexual matters than those aimed primarily at gay men. The advertisers in men's magazines may feel more pressure to turn up the heat so to speak just to keep up with the articles in the same publications. Just a thought.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

When I first saw the subject line, I thought "Wait, where's the question here?" In my experience, Disney is gay travel.

Now, having said that, we've never done the gay travel experience more than an occasional gay B&B. Disney is so much more welcoming to gay travelers than your typical travel experience so I don't really think of this as an either/or. But then, we've never been on a cruise (gay or otherwise). We've talked for years about going on one, but not sure whether it would be disney or rsvp.

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Please excuse rhe interuption but... HI, SRB -- long time, no see!
OK -- now talk amongst yerselves.

 

[BarleyJack]

I look at a variety of publications, and sometimes the advertising is the most interesting thing about a magazine. Some of the gay newspapers are widely read in San Francisco because the gay lobby is active enough to make articles about local politicians of interest to people who may or may not be gay.

This gives me some thoughts about the debate on whether or not gay cruises are a "floating bar scene." It appears that the publications geared more toward lesbians are generally more subtle with regard to sexual matters than those aimed primarily at gay men. The advertisers in men's magazines may feel more pressure to turn up the heat so to speak just to keep up with the articles in the same publications. Just a thought.

I see where you're coming from, but The Advocate is not strictly a men's magazine. This is an idea they have been questioned about in the past, and they fervently deny it. Truth be told their readership probably is primarily men; perhaps the L/T community would increase their readership should the magazine change their advertising!