Transgender on Disney Cruise

[TxT365]

This thread is warming my little heart and giving me fuzzies! People here are so empathetic and open-minded. I love it!

Julia, go as who you are, my dear. There is nothing worse than trying to be someone you're not. I'm sure you discovered this a long time ago! I hope you have a magical trip! And we want reports when you're back!!

 

[SillyInventor]

Two additions:
1. There might be parents who don't want their kids meet "these kind of people" (LCBG) and comment to their kids on that. Be prepared for something like that.
2. If your party doesn't fill a table in the MDR you will have table mates who will be with you at every diner. Usually Disney works this out perfectly, but if it doesn't, do not hesitate to request a change of tables. You will not be comfortable sharing a table every night with persons who strongly and verbally disagree on transgenders.

On the positive side: I cannot imagine any physical abuse on a DCL cruise-ship, so you don't have to worry about that.

Have a wonderful Cruise!

 

[dcassetta]

Please do not be concerned about fellow cruisers. Most are so busy having fun that they will pay you no attention.

There may be issues in some ports of call. Although most people in tourist areas will be welcoming, you may find some intolerance.

 

[phinz]

2. If your party doesn't fill a table in the MDR you will have table mates who will be with you at every diner. Usually Disney works this out perfectly, but if it doesn't, do not hesitate to request a change of tables. You will not be comfortable sharing a table every night with persons who strongly and verbally disagree on transgenders.

If you are on our Dec. 5 Fantasy cruise and wind up at our table you'll get nothing but normal treatment from us. We have close transgender friends, both who have had GRS and haven't, as well as a large contingent of other LGB friends we have known for decades. It's just as normal as everyday in our household, as it should be in all households. Cruise and have a great time! I, for one, can't wait to hear your trip report.

 

[DisSarahK]

Life is too short not to be true to yourself and to be happy. As I get older I am realizing this more and more and doing my personal best to live my life without worrying quite so much about other people's personal choices.

Will some people judge you and give you the skank eye? Yes, of course. But I think the same thing likely is true in your daily life too. As for me and my family, we will live and let live. I say more power to you for realizing what makes you happy.

 

[DCLbestvacations]

I have been following posts here for several months and just created an account specifically to reply to your post. My family has been on three Disney cruises to date- next one in March YIPEEEE- which I realize is many fewer than a lot of posters here, but I still think it is enough to say with confidence that if you do encounter someone who reacts negatively, it is probably not going to be someone who you are forced to deal with all the time. It is very unlikely that you will repeatedly come in to contact with any family other than the one you are seated with at dinner, unless you have children and they make friends with other kids on the ship. Even though you are technically in a confined space, the ships are so large and the activities so numerous, that you see different people every day. Another poster noted that if the person/family who reacts negatively happens to be the one with whom you are assigned a table for dinner, request a change and don't feel bad about it. Disney goes out of its way to make sure passengers have a good cruise, and this is your vacation! I raise the negative first only to say that if you do have even one negative encounter, that does not have to affect your entire vacation. To turn to the positive, my family, and I am sure many others who choose a Disney cruise, would not think twice about sharing a dinner table with or having our kids interact with a transgender person. Seriously, just go assuming you are going to have a great time and deal with anything negative if it happens. Don't worry about it now. HAVE A GREAT TIME!

 

[Julia4120]

I wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful responses. I wish all of you were on the same cruise as me . I feel a lot better about the cruise and I am certainly looking forward to it. To answer a couple of questions, I am on the December 12th Fantasy cruise and I am traveling with my family. We are traveling with a two year old so I have experienced the limited filter of young children, but that has never bothered me, it is adults that sometimes scare me a little.

I do wish there was something I could do with my key to the world card since it has to match my passport, but there is not much I can do at this point. Down the road it will not be an issue as I move further into my transition and legally change my name.

Again thank you everyone for such kind words and helpful suggestions!!! I will certainly let everyone know how it goes.

 

[phinz]

I am on the December 12th Fantasy cruise and I am traveling with my family.

Enjoy the Star Wars PremEAR! We almost scheduled your week instead of the week before just so we could see the PremEAR on the ship!

 

[OKW Lover]

Hoping the OP will come back here after their 12/12 cruise and let us know her personal experience.

 

[Bitsmommy]

Who cares what anyone thinks. It is your vacation, please don't make yourself uncomfortable on your cruise trying to please anyone but yourself. Don't stress- I know women (who were born women) that could probably only pass for one about 90% of the time.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I do wish there was something I could do with my key to the world card since it has to match my passport, but there is not much I can do at this point. Down the road it will not be an issue as I move further into my transition and legally change my name.

So here is the thing: unless you go out of your way to flaunt it, the only people who will see your passport or your KTTW card are Disney CM's and Port Officials. Disney CM's are professionals. They have seen it. They don't care unless you care. If you don't, they won't. You have the same wait staff every night - you may have to tell them the first time what you would prefer to be called, and they will remember the rest of the cruise. Since you get the same waiter every night, you don't have to tell them every night.

No one else on the cruise will know anything about what your KTTW says unless you choose to tell them.

The important thing here is to be who you are. Don't go around telling everyone you are transgender or making an issue about it, and most of the people won't even know. Those who do usually won't make any more of an issue than you do.

Relax and enjoy! You'll be fine!

 

[gizzardgoop]

I wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful responses. I wish all of you were on the same cruise as me . I feel a lot better about the cruise and I am certainly looking forward to it. To answer a couple of questions, I am on the December 12th Fantasy cruise and I am traveling with my family. We are traveling with a two year old so I have experienced the limited filter of young children, but that has never bothered me, it is adults that sometimes scare me a little.

I do wish there was something I could do with my key to the world card since it has to match my passport, but there is not much I can do at this point. Down the road it will not be an issue as I move further into my transition and legally change my name.

Again thank you everyone for such kind words and helpful suggestions!!! I will certainly let everyone know how it goes.

As far as the Key to the World Card...You can add notes/considerations to your reservation on Disney's Website. This includes preferred name. My daughter prefers her full name (first and middle), I made a note of it prior to sailing and our stateroom host and servers all referred to her with her full name. It's something to try, if you'd like.

Have crazy fun. It'll be a blast!