What is the purpose of "GAY DAY" at Disney?

[GoofItUp]

I'm truly just asking this as a question without hidden meaning or alterior motives. What is the purpose of have a gay day or week at Disney? Can't they go whenever they want just like the rest of us? Is this a Disney-supported event? I would never think of starting a Christian day or Short People Day or anything else to segregate a group of people. I just go to Disney when I get ready. Any thoughts?

 

[ChefBilly]

Probably so people with common life experiences can get together once a year and have fun.

 

[LindaR]

Walt Disney World is a wonderful vacation destination for EVERYONE!

Cheerleaders like to go there.
Golfers like to go there.
Marathoners like to go there.

Gee, there is even a huge show in September that features Christian singers/groups and that has a tremendous turnout.

Any group likes to plan their visit so that they will be in the company of people with similar interests.

Do you not choose your friends because they have similar beliefs/interests?

I don't believe that we should judge.....and I don't believe that we should discriminate (even though I groan when we are there with the cheerleaders! )

But, we all have choices to make..........if it offends you, don't go.

 

[CookieGVB]

Disney doesn't support Gay Days at WDW, but they are definitely aware of them.

Live and let live - I'd rather go during Gay Days than during weeks when cheerleader rallies are going on, personally (unless of course we're talking about the DIS S/D Cheerleaders, a'course! ).

Watch out - this is a hot topic 'round these parts.

 

[Melora]

I seem to show up during Cheerleader week no matter when I've been there.

Ooodles of teen (and some pre teen) girls running around everywhere! I just figured they were ALWAYS there.

I've always been glad that they never stay at Old Key West when I see them waiting for the buses. Theres always way more than one bus load when they line up.

 

[LindaR]

GoofItUp, please don't think I was bashing you.........

I know this subject is talked about over and over.

It gets tiring when people act like all gays are pedophiles, think of nothing but *ex, and are wild and depraved!

Gay folks just want to take their kids to WDW, too!

Relax!

 

[pumba]

always like to see families going to disney....

 

[palmtreegirl]

I would never think of starting a Christian day

You don't have to because Disney already does the *Night of Joy* events which feature popular Christian music performers.

Nights of Joy

 

[debster812]

I think the "point" is that a bunch of like minded individuals and families all head to the Happiest Place on Earth to have a vacation.

As others have said, it is not an officially sanctioned WDW event, but they sure as heck know all about it.

Wrong time of year for us to be vacationing, but I would have no problem with DH, DS and I hitting the parks during this week.

 

[GoofItUp]

I don't think I was clear enough in my first post. I fully realize this can be a hot topic and I'm trying to avoid that. I do not think that all gay people are pedophiles and I'm not just thinking about sex. I am not uptight about gay days. My point is that when I go to Disney, I choose my friends/family that I want to invite and go with them. I know that there will probably be familes with children, honeymooners, gays, short and tall people, skinny and fat people, foreigners and people from Jersey ( )..... but I don't really care. I'm there to have a good time with my group and I don't worry about who else is or isn't there. What I'm asking is this: Why don't gay people just vacation along with the rest of us? Why do they want a time when it's primarily people who are 'like-minded individuals'? I hope this makes more sense. I feel like I'm having a difficult time communicating my question.

 

[DocRafiki]

The same reason why "black spring break" exists. Or Night of Joy, or Grad Nite, or Mensa gatherings, or twin conventions, etc. etc. People like to fraternize with people who are similar to themselves. I can imagine that people who tend to get ostracized more than the rest of us might have an even stronger urge to be surrounded by like-minded people every once in a while.

I've gone during that time, avoided the parks that they were officially attending each day (crowd-avoiding strategy), and it really was no different than any other day except the gay people were a little bit easier to identify due to their t-shirts.

And not saying that the OP is a homophobe, but if anyone reading this is, I'd recommend you stay away from the entertainment CMs (including characters). That's all I'm sayin'.

As for Christians and short people -- someone else already pointed out Night of Joy, and even "little people" have conventions, just not at WDW as far as I know.

 

[MosMom]

Gay people DO go when the rest of "us" do and some probably go multiple times a year. They also just have a big get together once a year where those who choose to, go. It isn't like all gay people only go during gay days. It isn't much different than when you have DIS-Con. Many people went alone, with their families, whatever and then went to DIS-Con as well. It is just another convention of people with similar interests.

 

[Hillbeans]

Originally posted by GoofItUp
with them. I know that there will probably be familes with children, honeymooners, gays, short and tall people, skinny and fat people, foreigners and people from Jersey ( )..... but I don't really care



OUCH - us poor New Jerseyites....it's really a very lovely state. I'll even send you some farm fresh Jersey Tomatoes come the summer and you'll change your mind!

 

[CEDmom]

I'm sure gay people do go at other times of the year as well as during "gay day". I remember a few years ago right after we adopted DD being invited to go to WDW with other families that had adopted from China. Disney wasn't sponsoring it but they were offering reduced room rates. We weren't able to go but at the time I thought it was a neat idea. It's nice for kids to be around other kids like themselves and I'm sure that's part of the reason for gay day. Anyone is free to start just about any gathering at WDW that they want.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by GoofItUp
Why do they want a time when it's primarily people who are 'like-minded individuals'?

Because they're human, and most humans like to be around people who are mostly similar to them. I don't understand how this could possibly be explained any more clearly. Have you never been to a meeting, festival, or convention that was organized for people with similar interests?

I'm not trying to be argumentative, just wondering how it's possible that you've never felt the urge to be around people who are similar to yourself.

 

[GoofItUp]

OUCH - us poor New Jerseyites....it's really a very lovely state. I'll even send you some farm fresh Jersey Tomatoes come the summer and you'll change your mind!

Hillbeans, you may have changed my mind about New Jerseyites forever!

I'm sure gay people do go at other times of the year as well as during "gay day".

I didn't mean to imply that gay people don't go at other times. I am quite sure that on any given day there are gay people in the park. I should have specified that more clearly.

I remember a few years ago right after we adopted DD being invited to go to WDW with other families that had adopted from China.

Now, this one makes sense to me. I could understand how adopted children who obviously don't look like their parents (different color, ethnicity, whatever) might benefit from being around other families who share that situation. It's not every day that you see this and kids might enjoy knowing there's other families like this out there. This is a situation I can understand. With gay gatherings, though, you're getting together with people who share the same sexual orientation and maybe that's what I don't get. I wouldn't want to go to a heterosexual gathering just based on that. Now that I think about it, gay people are not necessarily 'like-minded' are they? They run the gammut of ideals and positions just like the rest of us.

I feel somewhat like I'm chasing my tail here, but I'm just trying to honestly consider this and figure it out for myself. Your comments are certainly thought-provoking!

 

[hyzdufan]

I found Cheerleader Week to be quite entertaining when I was there.

We were coming out of It's Tough to Be a Bug, and were next to cheerleaders then we were depositing our glasses back into the bins at the exit.

And I quote, "You mean they, like, reuse these glasses? That's so,like, totally horrendous!"

Now that my friends, is entertainment.

 

[GoofItUp]

Have you never been to a meeting, festival, or convention that was organized for people with similar interests

Similar interests, yes.

Similar sexual orientation, no.

 

[Gette88]

Originally posted by GoofItUp
Hillbeans, you may have changed my mind about New Jerseyites forever!

I thought you were refering to Jersey week.

 

[CEDmom]

The way I see it being gay is about so much more than sexual orientation much in the same way that being heterosexual is. I made the reference to adopted families at WDW because the way I see it I have no more in common with many people who adopted except for our adoptions. The same can be said for gay people.