Question from a straight guy

[chilerobin]

My wife, 2-yr-old son and I are going to be in WDW in late May/early June.

It sounds like the atmosphere at MK on Gay Day would be fun for a gay-friendly family like ours. But is the park crazy crowded on that day? If my top priority is getting my kid on Dumbo and Peter Pan am I better off going another day?

 

[OrlandoMike]

Dumbo and Peter Pan are a nightmare on any day! Get there when the park opens and you will be able to get everything done in Fantasyland within 2 hours. The park does have a very "festive" atmosphere that day, and if you give off good vibes, perhaps matching red T-Shirts that say "We're not a gay family, but we support them" or something along those lines, EVERYONE will say hi to you.

 

[mickeymousemom]

Dumbo and Peter Pan are a nightmare on any day! Get there when the park opens and you will be able to get everything done in Fantasyland within 2 hours. The park does have a very "festive" atmosphere that day, and if you give off good vibes, perhaps matching red T-Shirts that say "We're not a gay family, but we support them" or something along those lines, EVERYONE will say hi to you.

I love that shirt idea! If we're ever down there during Gay week, I'll make sure we're all wearing red. Too bad more people wouldn't be willing to do this. I'd love to see lots of straight people wearing red shirts.

 

[mickeymousemom]

Dh just got home frmo work...I asked him about the red shirt thing and though he said he wouldn't feel totally comfortable wearing a red shirt he did say he'd wear a WHITE shirt with big RED letters that said, "I'm not, but I'm a supporter".....Now there's an idea!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We were initially planning to go for Gay Days, but DH's schedule didn't work out. I came up with a T-shirt design and "julia & nicks mom" (sorry, that might not be her exact user name) e-mailed the design to me before I found out we couldn't go. It is on page 4 of her gallery. It has a peace symbol, a heart, the HRC equality sign, and a Mickey head. The text is "Our Friends ARE Family!" Check out the "Creative DISigns" forum - the folks are SO imaginative and can put together anything you can describe to them. I tried to find the link to the design but the photo site is down for maintenance. Anyway, the whole gallery is AMAZING and there are so many fun images it is worth browsing.


One year at the Pride Parade I saw a shirt that said "Straight, but not Narrow (minded)" I thought that was cute.

Enjoy your trip! I am so jealous you get to go for Gay Days! (And Flower & Garden, and Star Wars weekends...)

 

[mickeyfan2]

Why the color red? Just wondering.

 

[RainbowCloak]

Red was the color of choice in the early days to denote quietly that the person identified as a LGBT person on that day. This was a non-flamboyant, confrontational way for other LGBTs to know who each other were. As GD grew, well so did the amount of red shirts, and now it is a sea of red on the first Saturday of June.. which is just amazing to see.

As to why red? I don't know, there is nothing special about it, it was just chosen and it is an easy color to see. I always feel a bit sorry for the striaght folks who do wear red on that day, but at the same time, I can't help but smile a little bit about it as well.

 

[molly2004]

Another curious poster...how far back does GD go and how was it initially organized?

 

[Mama Twinkles]

I always feel a bit sorry for the striaght folks who do wear red on that day, but at the same time, I can't help but smile a little bit about it as well.

I know what you mean, but I don't feel sorry for them. It is good for people to know what it is like to be seen as gay. Everyone should walk a mile (or five) in our shoes sometimes.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Another curious poster...how far back does GD go and how was it initially organized?

If you go to www.gayday.com it has all the history, an event schedule, etc. There are actually 2 sites, and I can't remember which is the "original". The other one is www.gaydays.com so you can compare!

 

[GurGie]

It is uber crowded and not everyone uses their best judgement re: PDA's (crotch-grabbing and the like). My partner and I went once when our oldest daughter was young and we vowed never again.

 

[forresttoombs]

I have not been to gay days at WDW but have been to it at DLR twice (it is not nearly as big a thing at DLR as WDW) and have also vowed along with my partner to never go for that weekend again!!! l saw lots of obscene gestures all around, and rude people in red t shirts that said things like "Fastpass distribution"(on the front) and on the back "insert fastpass here" (with a arrow pointing to their bottom) it all just left me with a very sour feeling! and felt bad supporting it! I hear most don't even make it to the parks? I wonder why they even bother, it looks like any other street party i have seen in pictures?!? why at WDW???

P.S. I ended up feeling ashamed and removing red shirt both times! Of course i have worked at disney and other family entertainment type places so that may have me a little brain washed! lol

 

[SeattleRedBear]

I have not been to gay days at WDW but have been to it at DLR twice (it is not nearly as big a thing at DLR as WDW) and have also vowed along with my partner to never go for that weekend again!!! l saw lots of obscene gestures all around, and rude people in red t shirts that said things like "Fastpass distribution"(on the front) and on the back "insert fastpass here" (with a arrow pointing to their bottom) it all just left me with a very sour feeling! and felt bad supporting it! I hear most don't even make it to the parks? I wonder why they even bother, it looks like any other street party i have seen in pictures?!? why at WDW???

P.S. I ended up feeling ashamed and removing red shirt both times! Of course i have worked at disney and other family entertainment type places so that may have me a little brain washed! lol

Oh, my. Well, that's a little much! I guess I'll take back what I said about the DL event not being 'in your face'...i'll just have to experience it for myself.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Best red shirt I ever saw.. was a white t-shirt with big red letters..

The big red letters spelled "This is a Red T-shirt"

 

[Jrsy Boy]

My wife, 2-yr-old son and I are going to be in WDW in late May/early June.

It sounds like the atmosphere at MK on Gay Day would be fun for a gay-friendly family like ours. But is the park crazy crowded on that day? If my top priority is getting my kid on Dumbo and Peter Pan am I better off going another day?

You can also find out ahead of time what the Gay Days schedule is and plan accordingly. I don't recall where exactly it was posted, but perhaps someone else does.

We were there during Gay Days last year (wish I'd seen the "I'm not, but I'm a supporter" t-shirt idea prior) and as it happened, our planned schedule did not coincide with the one set up for Gay Days (i.e. we were in Epcot when their scheduled day was for MK). However, there were many red shirts in the other parks as well. That being said, if I hadn't read it on the DIS, I would probably not realized we were visiting in the midst of Gay Days.

 

[Viki]

I know what you mean, but I don't feel sorry for them. It is good for people to know what it is like to be seen as gay. Everyone should walk a mile (or five) in our shoes sometimes.

You, my friend, are one tough broad!!!

 

[MommytoMJM]

I think our family will be wearing pink shirts with red letters that say "We aren't gay, but our friends are" My daughter's is going to say "Proud to have a gay GodDaddy"

 

[Mama Twinkles]

You, my friend, are one tough broad!!!

How dare you imply that I'm anything but soft and sweet as puddin'?

My two favorite shirts for guys: "I'm not gay but my boyfriend is" and "That's Doctor Fa**** to you."

 

[FigmentGuy]

.....perhaps matching red T-Shirts that say "We're not a gay family, but we support them" or something along those lines, EVERYONE will say hi to you.

Don't put them on until you hit dumbo and peterpan or you'll be too busy visiting and miss your rides!!!!! haha.