Skip Key West

[mldnhr5]

Just got back from a 7-day Magic. The entire trip was indeed magical, except for the stop in Key West.

2 families made up our party, 4 adults and 6 kids ranging from 6 to 12. The amount of people made renting vehicles pricey and logistically challenging so we decided to walk - 1st mistake. The southern most past of the US is a 2 mile walk down a street full of shops that will make a grown man blush.

Half way we needed to use the restroom and unwittingly used a gay bar's restroom.

Stay close to ship, or take the train ride or better yet, stay on the boat. You will miss absolutely nothing!!!

 

[chrisb71]

Sorry you did not like Key West, but I have to completely disagree with you in telling people to "skip it". This is not a flaming post, just another side of the story to tell about Key West. First off, do your research before you arrive at Key West. Key West is known to be rather "colorful" and "open" for lack of better words. However, having been there five times myself, there are other family options. There is the aquarium, shipwreck museum and Mallory Square (which is a ton of fun to check out at sundown). A quick cab or trolley ride to the southern most point would have gotten you past the "questionable stores and bars". There is also the lighthouse you can go up and Hemingway's house with the legendary sixed-toed cats. And don't forget about the many places selling wonderful key lime pie!! It really is a fun place.

 

[disneydance]

wow we love key west and we have been on 7 disney cruises and we always do western after r 2 eastern we will never do eastern again since it doestnt go to key west

 

[Mama Twinkles]

I have used bathrooms at straight institutions many times and have never been fundamentally altered by the experience. Have even drunk from the same water fountains as straight people. Am a proud integrationist fully in favor of letting straight people sit anywhere they want on buses. In fact, some of my best friends are straight! And I think they should be allowed to keep getting married despite all the problems straight people have created in the world.

 

[LITTLEKID58]

Weird this is a dup of below post

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392972

 

[one princess]

I have used bathrooms at straight institutions many times and have never been fundamentally altered by the experience. Have even drunk from the same water fountains as straight people. Am a proud integrationist fully in favor of letting straight people sit anywhere they want on buses. In fact, some of my best friends are straight! And I think they should be allowed to keep getting married despite all the problems straight people have created in the world.

Jackie

 

[LovableGluttons]

I don't understand. What's wrong with gay bars? I wouldn't be bringing my kids into any bar in Key West, so why does it matter?

I haven't been to Key West since 2002, but I don't remember it being such a terrible place.

The Sunset Festival in Mallory Square is so neat! I have these handmade wooden snowflakes on my Christmas tree every year that came form Key West. The shopping is terrific.

The Hemingway House is so cool! They have multi generations of cats there with extra toes, some with many extra toes. They are very friendly. Its a gorgeous place. If you are military, nearby is Boca Chica, Key West Naval Air Station, Sigsbee, and Truman Annex. I know the sweet, quiet beach at Truman Annex is gone, I think it was civilianized a few years ago.

There were great restaurants with terrific entertainment, beautiful beaches, impressive art galleries.

They have street performers on Duval Street in the evening. I distinctly recall a really terrific mime during a couple of visits. Very talented and believable.

I may be botching the name, but there is a restaurant called Bagatelli's that has the most incredible mussels I've ever eaten.

You can take a cruise out of Key West on a tall masted ship that is an experience of a lifetime.

For military folks, wave runner rentals were very reasonable on base.

Now, while I visited several times between 1991 and 2002, I never could get the hang of the taste of conch. Eeewww! Sorry, but ick!

There are some really neat houses in Key West too! We used to take the island tram ride during the holidays to look at Christmas decorations. People put lights on their palm trees!

Now Halloween is known for debauchery in Key West. They have a wild parade that is known for being very risque.

My kids have been all over Key West on several occasions. We've never witness gay people behaving innappropriately in front of our kids. We did see some inebriated college Spring Breakers one year, but we just turned around and went the other direction. I just don't understand what being homosexual or heterosexual has to do with visiting Key West. As a family, we've had some terrific vacation there. The diversity there also makes it a comfortable place for my extended family members who just happen to be gay to visit with us and not feel welcomed.

Am I missing something?

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Please don't listen to this poster. Key West is a beautiful place. My husband and I travel to the Keys at least once a year.

I guess homophobia is everywhere...even on one of the happiest boards on Earth!

 

[myboysmom]

Our family enjoyed Key West. I had been there once prior, without my husband or family. I was at a conference where up on Marathon Key. When a group wanted to go to Key West, several of the men were worried about the "gay scene". I promised them they would not be anyplace they didn't want to be (they wondered how I could promise them that- I told them I live in Madison, WI ).

I had no problem with our boys (7 & 12) in Key West. I don't think they even noticed anything that we might consider too off color. We enjoyed the aquarium and taking really bad bikes to the Southern most point. Hubby and I then went back at night and enjoyed the night life.

I remember when I was their age we went to New York City and we went to Times Square. That was way before Times Square was cleaned up. I think my parents were surprised to see XXX movie theaters and hookers on the corner Did it scar me for life? Not at all. They didn't make a big deal about the ladies on the street, and we didn't stay there all that long. Should I not take my kids to New York City because they might see hookers? I think if you don't make an issue about it, the kids won't either.