No flames, please! 2005 Gay Days . . .

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

This story is not meant to offend anyone. It's just a cute/funny story that I had to share. FYI - I am not anti-gay. I am fine with homosexuals and think it's there own business as is the case with any heterosexual. However, DH gets a little freaked by it (typical - well mostly typical, response from heterosexual males).

So here's the story...
It was our first trip to WDW together back in 2002. We were having a great time and everything (yada, yada, yada - had to give some background info). Anyway, one glorious, sunny, magical day at MK (as they usually are in May), DH and I noticed that a lot of people were wearing red (as was DH). I told him that he was trendy that day as so many people were in red and that that must be the color of the day. So as we get closer to some of these "people in red" I notice that some have writing on them. One guy had on "Pitcher", his partner had on a "Catcher" Shirt. I saw one that said "Fruitcake". Then finally I saw one that said "Gay Days 2002". Well DH started to notice men holding hands with other men and realized what was going on. He started freaking out (quietly and only to me). That was the ONLY day that DH ever wanted to hold my hand in public (definitely not a PDA kindof person). He even went so far as to contemplate buying another shirt but was afraid that if he went into the men's room to change that other "people in red" would be checking him out. I told him that he's too "self-confident" and to go change if he felt that insecure with wearing red. Well he does have a point. He is what most people consider a "Pretty Boy", blonde hair, blue eyes, dresses to a T (polo, jcrew, nautica) and happens to be very handsome. OK, I admit it, I'm a little biased.

So anyway, this past Christmas, I happened to be in Target (pronounced Tar - Jhay in my neck of the woods..lol) and noticed a bright red t-shirt that read "Fruitcake" and underneath that it read "Warning - May Contain Nuts". I had to get it for him, I thought it was hysterical. So I addressed it to him from Mickey Mouse for his upcoming trip to WDW.

Just so you all know, DH's 30th birthday is June 4th (Gay Days 2005 will be going on) but we're leaving on June 1st. Wouldn't that have been awesome if I had known that. I would have given him the birthday present that he always wanted. Too bad we won't be around for him to wear his shirt.

 

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

It was funny but somewhat inappropriate for young children. I saw many men (for some reason the women weren't really flaunting their sexuality that I saw) wearing those winnie the pooh towels with the hoods, skipping down main street, and kissing. YIKES! I'm not against homosexuals just PDA's.

 

[NLK]

Here's the thing, I checked both gayday and gaydays.com and their schedules are different. One says MGM is on Thursday the other says AK. Which is right? Anyone with any answers?

 

[lllovell]

I was just looking at the same things. There are two different schedules and I just want to avoid crowds!

I was hoping to go to MGM on Friday for SWW, but I always avoid MK on Sat, so no problems there. Just going to have to shift things around a bit.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I would go with the GayDay.com (the one without the S).

I had read on the DIS that the Magic Kingdom had switched from its traditional Saturday to Sunday. That's what the gayday.com schedule says.

I'll pass along an E-Mail and see what I can find out.

 

[disrailfan]

I never understand comments like the one above. We have gone twice during this week- DD was 5 on our first trip and 8 last June. She didn't question anything but then she already knows that not every family is just like hers.

I would think that it would be a good time for a discussion on the diversity in the world and the need to be accepting of people who are not "just like us."

sk!mom,

I agree, I meant no offense with my post. I just know that the time we went in 2001 during this event they literally took over the Magic Kingdom.

snackyStacky,

I appologize and my post was not meant to prompt any debate what so ever.

Later,

Milford (disrailfan)

 

[SnackyStacky]

How ironic there was a response to this thread in my inbox. I clicked on the link, and while it loaded, went to my next piece of mail which happened to be from gayday.com.

Here's the response I got from gayday.com (without the S! )

Dan, few are more upset with the confusion being caused by gaydayS.com than me. The new schedule shown at gayday.com with IOA on Saturday and The Magic Kingdom on Sunday is correct; all the promoters, event producers and area nightclubs involved in Gay Day are supporting it. The only group who isn't is gaydayS.com, and their reasons are primarily that nobody would pay them to go along with it, so most everyone else has written them off as irrelevant this year, and they're simply trying to take advantage of some people who aren't well informed. You'll also notice that gaydayS.com isn't listing just about every event going on during Gay Day -- because everyone is united against paying them to be listed; their "host hotel" is away from most all the Gay Day activity -- because even major hotels just don't really want to deal with them anymore; most of the events they do list that are outside their own hotel are even further away from the Disney/Universal area, and the one major party they do list, they're doing so only because they earn the service charge on ticket sales.

Believe me, it's frustrating all of us they chose this path and are creating this confusion among those trying to find information about the weekend. All up through the negotiations with Universal and even through the announcement event that we had inside Islands of Adventure in November, gaydayS.com indicated they were supporting the changes. Then shortly afterwards they took the position of sticking to previous years' schedules as if they're supporting a tradition we're abandoning. And they've done nothing but attempt to create ******* with Disney over the inclusion of IOA as well. But there's not much that can be done about it; if you look through the discussion forums at gayday.com you'll find a lot of conversation on the subject.

To be sure, they've never been easy to work with. But every other group involved in putting on Gay Day events has been making some sacrifices this year in order to ensure that we present a more organized and united event than ever before, trying to make the 15th anniversary of Gay Day something special and unique. It's almost unheard of that so many otherwise competitive groups -- major party producers and Orlando nightclub owners, especially -- have been able to set aside their differences and work together to coordinate with each other their plans for Gay Day Orlando 2005. Gay Day historically has always just been a loose "grass roots" event where everyone has been welcome to come and do their own thing and be part of it. That's the most important "tradition" to maintain, we think, because it provides far more of a unique and worthwhile extended weekend of events for the guests.

Take that for what it's worth, but I would stick by the gayday.com schedule.

 

[jjsmom]

We were there too during Gay Days, June 2001. MK was an unmanageable mob scene (and we know how to handle crowds). MGM was very crowded, but not as bad. I spent a lot of time in Epcot while DD & DH went to the pool. We vowed never to go again during GD, for NO other reason other than the crowd situation.

 

[CheshireVal]

I have been at least 3 times during Gay Days, and have never seen these intense crowds that people here seem to be so afraid of.

We have always avoided the main park of the day, and experienced little to no crowds wherever we went. I think early June is a fantastic time to go, and would go again this year if I could only afford it!

 

[disrailfan]

I have been at least 3 times during Gay Days, and have never seen these intense crowds that people here seem to be so afraid of.

We have always avoided the main park of the day, and experienced little to no crowds wherever we went. I think early June is a fantastic time to go, and would go again this year if I could only afford it!

I agree, as long as you know to stay away from the park of the day you are fine. Early June is a perfect time to be in the world. In 2001 we were still just newbies to DVC and the parks and did not know about GayDays. Had I known before the trip I would have re-arranged our schedule. The CM's at the resorts also don't tell you about this when you check in which I feel they should do.

Just my personal observation. I really have no problem with them or them being there what so ever.

 

[lllovell]

I agree, as long as you know to stay away from the park of the day you are fine. Early June is a perfect time to be in the world. In 2001 we were still just newbies to DVC and the parks and did not know about GayDays. Had I known before the trip I would have re-arranged our schedule. The CM's at the resorts also don't tell you about this when you check in which I feel they should do.

Just my personal observation. I really have no problem with them or them being there what so ever.

Sadly in this day and time, the easy solutions are not taken many times because of a fear of offending someone or being sued for something that is misunderstood. I agree with you that a simple "there is a large organization at MK on Sunday so you might want to schedule your time there on another day" would be so helpful for most of us and I don't see how that would be offensive. Saying "Hey - its Gay Days at MK on Sunday. Don't take your family there" IS offensive, but obviously the first one wouldn't be negative to anyone involved.

Thanks for the email that you passed on Snacky. I will stick with that schedule and my two sons and I will attempt MGM on Friday for SWW (whichi is the day gaydays.com says that group will be there). If its nuts, we will just go somewhere else Satruday was supposed to be a pool/goof off day and then Sunday back to SWW at MGM for more Star Wars fun.

 

[Mister Disney]

Well, as a pair of those "RED people", I can speak from experience.

Other than seeing a lot of RED, the parks themselves are really no busier than they would be during any other "peak season" day.

How does one match RED with lime green?!?!?!?

I am in a quandry now.

 

[oogieboogie]

ok, out of curiosity... what's the significance of the color? Why RED? Was it just a random color the organizers picked out to identify people, like the DIS lime green, or is there an actual meaning to the color red?

 

[Mister Disney]

ok, out of curiosity... what's the significance of the color? Why RED? Was it just a random color the organizers picked out to identify people, like the DIS lime green, or is there an actual meaning to the color red?

Its just like here on DIS with lime green...no real meaning behind the red, just what someone picked 15 years ago.

 

[SnackyStacky]

How does one match RED with lime green?!?!?!?

I am in a quandry now.

One doesn't!

Oh PLEASE one doesn't!!!! You wear red one day and green the next. Unless it's December!

 

[apulk]

OK -- not different than a usual busy season day.....I admit it, we are SO spoiled when it comes to crowds -- because almost all of our past trips have been in October, the 1st week of December (my favorite time) or one time the 2nd week of February. And this trip we will "only" have 4 1/2 days max to go into the parks -- doing Vero Beach Tuesday -- Saturday. Is there any chance that while say the MK may be a normal busy season day on Sunday May 5th that maybe Animal Kingdom will be a light day? I know it's Disney, we will have a great time but I do put myself through that pre-vacation stress of trying to coordinate that perfect schedule (which, I also admit, we change 2-3 times one we get there).

thanks!

 

[princessesrule4]

When we were there last year during Gay Days, there was a memo in our room at the GF stating that there would be unusually large crowds at the MK on Saturday ( the planned GayDay at the MK) and that MGM had EMH if we wanted to take advantage of it. It was very general and there was no mention of GayDays.

 

[worm761]

could someone post the schedule from gayday.com? i cannot access the site. thank you!!!

 

[DisneyVillain]

Cool it is not during my families vacation this year. I am not against them it is just interesting explaining to the 7 year old of the couple that is going with us.

Children usually don't even notice the larger than usual number of same-sex couples. And don't think anything of it if they do notice.

 

[lllovell]

Well, as a pair of those "RED people", I can speak from experience.

Other than seeing a lot of RED, the parks themselves are really no busier than they would be during any other "peak season" day.

How does one match RED with lime green?!?!?!?

I am in a quandry now.

Oh goodness - lime green hardly goes with ANYTHING good luck with that!!!