Trip Planning During Gay Days.

[larworth]

I was planning to head down for a week as soon as the kids were our of school (May 27th). I noticed our trip will overlap with "Gay Days".

How does this event impact crowd levels, touring plans, etc. What should I know about or take into consideration (pros/cons) when visiting duing this event.

 

[mommystieg]

We have visited WDW during Gay Days the past 2 years and have not really seen any affect on crowd levels. Just plan to avoid MK on the first Saturday in June. Here is a link to a schedule:
http://gaydays.com/calendar/
HTH

 

[wannabebelle]

My exerience was in MK. Crowds were up a bit, but not excruciatingly so. However, and no flaming here--I'm not passing judgment, if you're taking children, you may want to discuss some things first. I saw A LOT of PDA (public display of affection) in MK on gay day. More PDA than I'd want to have to explain to a child whether the couple was homosexual or heterosexual. Just something to consider. I would take a teenager to MK on that day, but not a young child.

 

[pixiedust23]

Once again not attacking anyone here, but it might be a good experience for your kids. I went during gay days a couple years ago and the only place I even noticed anything was PI, when not one single guy looked at me and my 2 friends However if there was some PDA it might be a good way to expose your kids to the different kinds of people in the world.

 

[Hieatt]

We were there last year during Gay Days week, and will be back again this year. Obviously, there are gay people at WDW (and virtually all other public places) every day, and you don't even think about it. The one thing, however, I would say about the Gay Day "event" is that it attracts some of the more "extreme" members of the gay community... I have heard that MK on that Saturday is very crowded and some of the clothing and PDA are more than you would like to have to explain to your kids (sorry, but WDW is not the place I take my kids to expose them to such things)... we simply avoided MK on that day and the trip was great.

We saw a few people with inappropriate clothing at other parks/on other days, but our kids certainly were oblivious and it was no problem. I wouldn't hesitate to go - with caveat of avoiding MK on Saturday as mentioned above.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I would just see what park the group plans to attend which day and avoid that park since the crowd levels might go up there. I hear that MK is usually the most packed on the first Saturday and obviously if it's a nice day, even more so.

As for PDA, I have seen hetero couples doing far more graphic and innapropriate stuff in the middle of Feb at MK so I think it's really no more or less risk than any other time.

Most people, gay or straight, realize they are in a family park and some things are not appropriate. Likewise, some (luckily few) idiots, gay and straight, will not realize this and go at it in public. But honestly, it could happen any time, anywhere.

 

[wincha]

stay away from mk on that sat. ? june 4 or 5th whatever that sat is. ruined a trip for my friends years ago. they had no idea and had their 8 yr old with them the public display was way over the top. they got their money back from the park but its not like they could drive home that day this trip was planned. we went a few years ago and went right after gay day. we are going to do this again and not go during the gay weekend. this is not something i want to expose my children to. the public displays are over the top in my town they do this at 6 flags also and the people who visit that day even hit on the high school students who work their that day.

 

[wincha]

june 2 gay day animal kingdom
june 3 gay day magic kingdom
june 4 gay day magic kingdom

pda is over the top. its not what i want my children exposed to. good info on days to stay way from these parks.

 

[missypie]

I think there are two websites - gayday.com and gaydays.com. I saw the links on another website..maybe mouse planet or allears? Anyway, the two groups recommend different parks on different days. One group is actually spending the Saturday at one of the Universal parks.

My neighbor is totally appalled that I would plan a trip during that time. (She also thinks that her almost 10 year old boy has no idea what "gay" means...boy is she living under a rock.) My kids saw plenty of trashy behavior last spring at Six Flags on a normal Sunday afternoon....I don't think PDA and inappropriate behavior can be avoided except by avoiding the parks.

My gay friend who lives in Tampa and goes to a lot of WDW gay days says the real things to avoid are the "official hotels" (there is one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen), but those are probably booked solid anyway, and some of the night spots that families wouldn't be hitting anyway.

 

[savs]

We were there a few years back during Gay days. The Saturday at MK was so crowded, every where you turned you were running into some sort of behavior that was very hard to explain to some young children.

If you can not avoid the days that they are there......A warning: Do not wear the color RED that is what they try to wear to recognize eachother. I'm not sure if that is the color every year, but that is what it happened to be 3 yrs ago when we were there.

 

[KK Cat]

We have visited WDW during Gay Days the past 2 years and have not really seen any affect on crowd levels. Just plan to avoid MK on the first Saturday in June. Here is a link to a schedule:
http://gaydays.com/calendar/
HTH

Mommystieg, that is a great family photo! Where in the World was this taken??? I would love this as a souvenir.

 

[pixiedust23]

wow...biting my tongue so badly right now i think it might be bleeding!

 

[sk!mom]

Our last two trips, 2001 and 2004, were both during this week. We traveled with our children and had a wonderfultime.

 

[ndmommy]

We were at WDW 3 years ago during Gay Days, and are going during that same time frame this year. So obviously this conservative, North Dakota, elementary teacher did not see anything that I found to be totally inappropriate or unacceptable.

That being said. We just try to avoid that park of the day and thus hopefully avoid the crowds. It worked well for us last time and hopefully will work this time, as well. I would definately avoid MK on Saturday and probably on Sunday also. Three years ago, we went to see Spectro on the Saturday at MK. It was crowded, very crowded. However, I thought it was tolerable for that short period of time, but I am glad we didn't spend the whole day there. Like missypie stated their are two different websites both with their own schedule. So be sure to look at both when planning your itinerary.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

This thread looks to have a very high popcorn rating. Anyone want to start a pool on what time it will be locked?

 

[swtnikki]

I don't wanna get flamed for this or anything, but I don't think there's anything wrong at all w/that. I mean, there's lots of worse stuff going on when you watch cable tv & on the news. We should learn to tolerate this kind of stuff too, 'cause it's '05. I say just go for it, & have a great time.

 

[Bracho]

I agree swtnikki but to tolerate something for some is just asking way to much.. I mean when one feels they are better then others.... oh well...

We don't head down in June so I have never been there during that weekend but I wouldn't have a problem with it. I have seen alot of couple almost needing a hotel but you never hear any of these same people saying how wrong that is.... strange!

We have had friends go down during that time period and what they have told me is that is it very busy, alot of the people are in pretty good moods, well except for the bright rednecks, they want to take over the world anyway, and that the CM are in pretty good moods as well. Besides the crowds, no problems...

 

[DAWGPOUNDAJ]

This thread looks to have a very high popcorn rating. Anyone want to start a pool on what time it will be locked?

Hurah! I'll bet you three Pirates of the Caribbean Cursed gold coins that it doesn't get locked down for at least a week! At least I hope not because there goes my entertainment!

On a serious note, I've been there during Gay Days several times previously. In fact the tail end of my husband and I's honeymoon will be during Gay Days this year! I've never noticed crowds being bad and in fact, have found Disney the most pleasant during Gay Days. I've noticed that people in general are just a lot more friendly, and thats hard to beat because Disney is a friendly place to begin with! I seriously would recommend that any open-minded person take their children there during Gay Days. It's good to let children have open hearts and minds. Pre-judging a human based on their decisions is something reserved for God and God alone. So unless someone believes they have the signed proclomation of God themself condeming people I dont want to see any bashing on here! Got that disers!

Also, I know some people will undoubtedly feel uncomfortable at the prospect of Gay Days. Don't be. There is no more PDA at the parks than there would be on a normal day. My first gay days down there was when I was 7 and trust me everything was fine.

I imagine that my parents may have felt a bit awkward explaining some of the behavior I saw on my first trip during Gay days, like same sex partners holding hands or pecking each other on the lips, but I will forever be greatful to them for being straightforward with me. Yes I was 7 years old but for that time they treated me like an adult and gave me a straightforward explanation. "Some people love the opposite sex and others love the same sex honey." Simple, easy, and straightforward.

And honestly, what are people truly sheltering their children from? What do you think they will see in high school or college? Best to let them grow up with the knowledge that others are different rather than have your child become the class jerk making fun of their gay classmates right?

Lastly, not to attack anyone, but a poster said their friends trip was ruined by Gay Days, and I just wanted to say that no one can ruin a vacation or even a day in your life. If your day is ruined it is because YOU ruined it for yourself. If you let something as silly as people showing affection for each other ruin your day it's a self created problem that the person needs to deal with. After all, we really do need more kindness, love, and understanding in this world. Enough with the pre-judging. If everyone was kind and stopped pointing fingers at others for what they see as horrible decisions than perhaps things like war would be gone entirely. Letting your kids go to Gay Days might not prevent war in the future, but fostering understanding of others with lifestyles different from your own is certainly a start.

A Catholic priest taught me that attitude and I'm grateful every day for that.

 

[pixiedust23]

Thank you for other people not biting their tongues! It is so important that people be understanding of others esp in today's world when there are so many differences between us! And I completely agree no one can ruin a vacation for you, but YOU!

Like I said before we didn't even know it was Gay Days until the day before we left and we got there we didnt notice any extra crowds until the planned night at PI, which we were unaware of. And we had gone to PI pretty much every night we were there and only one night was very very crowded.

So in sum...enjoy your vacation and the magic of Disney!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Lastly, not to attack anyone, but a poster said their friends trip was ruined by Gay Days, and I just wanted to say that no one can ruin a vacation or even a day in your life. If your day is ruined it is because YOU ruined it for yourself. If you let something as silly as people showing affection for each other ruin your day it's a self created problem that the person needs to deal with.

Well put. The whole post.