What would you do?

[mom0104]

I was planning on going to Disneyland the weekend of my birthday and then I found out it is the same weekend as Gay Days. Is it worth the free ticket to compete with the crowds or will I be spending my entire birthday in lines?

 

[bumbershoot]

I would go.

 

[DLR29]

Why not? It's free! A crowded and free day at DL is better than none.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Who would you be going with? Would you still be paying for your family to go? I don't know how the crowds then compare to other times. I would still lean towards taking the free day anyway, but as with any time of the year, you have to figure if it is worth it if you have other people to pay for.

 

[mechurchlady]

Gay Days has a slight impact on the parks but is not as bad as summer. They are very nice people who are out for a family holiday. I would not hesitate to go to the parks on Gay Days weekend. You will have fun but do not wear a red shirt as that is how they let each other know that it is ok to approach the person in a Gay manner. They are a well organized group and take into consideration the feelings of others. My October check in has the link and it is on the info page for this site for events and found online.

 

[MickeyManiac]

Hey, my birthday is that weekend too!

Just an FYI, that weekend is also Utah's fall break. (Oct. 1,2 & 5) I know many, many families head to Disneyland for the long weekend. I believe Arizona's fall break is around that time too. I think it's going to be a CRAZY weekend. As soon as I heard Gay Days and UEA were the same weekend I knew that I would not be getting my "Free Birthday Admission"

 

[Sherry E]

I was at DLR last year over Gay Days weekend and it was crowded, but not unreasonably or unmanageably so. Not like New Year's Eve at DLR-kind of crowded It was extra crowded that weekend, too, because of the Miley Cyrus 16th birthday bash that decided to take place on that weekend, but chances are she won't have the same event at DLR this year (let's hope). And even with those factors at play to increase attendance, it was still totally fine. Hotter than h*** weather-wise, but the crowds were not enough to scare me away.

 

[pixiewings71]

Go, I would! My bday was Mem Day and we were there for the weekend. It was crazy busy but it was still fun. Remember, if you already have a ticket or an AP you can get the fun card instead and it does not need to be used the day of your bday.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

With Gay Days and Utah's fall break? No way, wouldn't be worth the free day for me!

 

[mechurchlady]

You get a free admission unless you have parkhoppers or AP. I would go and enjoy my birthday. I would dine at the Plaza Inn for breakfast and grab some FP. I would do lunch if there is room, lol, at Coke Corner. Dinner at Celebration.

Yeah it might be a bit crowded but it is doable with FP and just enjoying the park. What if you hurt your back and could never ride the rides again? It is fee so why worry about the crowds as it is not going to be as bad as Sunday in May.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We found October to be crazy busy, and all we had to deal with was the fall breaks, and halloween stuff. It was so busy walking was difficult. Even rides like POTC had a ridiculous wait (and that is a fast moving line). As much as we love DL, we didn't enjoy it that busy. Even if it was free, I'd rather pay and go at a time when we can get on more then 2-3 rides, and walk freely around the park!

 

[mom0104]

Thank you all for your advice. My inclination is to buy park hopper tickets for Sat & Sun and then get the FP instead of the free ticket for my birthday. That way we are assured to be able to ride a few things without long waits.

BTW I am not worried about who is going to be at the park just the number of people.

 

[mechurchlady]

I would go with the gift certificate instead of the FPs as I think $69 worth of merchandise is much better.

 

[Huff]

I was there years ago on gay day. Didn't seem to effect much really. Gay Day at Universal Studios is totally different in a wacked out strange way at least the one time I was there for such. You'll do fine at Disney, didn't seem to increase crowds much. Very little impact if at all.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I would go!! We went during Gay Days weekend a couple years ago and it wasn't as busy as I thought it was going to be.

 

[Sherry E]

I would really go for the $69 gift card instead. Again, I have to reiterate that we were there just last year ON the actual Gay Days weekend of (10/2 - 10/5), and I think the ONLY Fast Pass we got the whole time was for Soarin'. When we arrived late Thursday afternoon, we noticed the crowds in DTD were heavier that night than we expected for a Thursday. We thought it would be a sign of things to come in the parks for the rest of the weekend, but in actuality, I think a lot of folks who wanted to avoid Gay Days crowds went to DLR before the weekend and then left, because Friday was not bad. Yes, it was crowded, but it is always crowded at DLR.

OP, you may have an image in your mind of it being so packed that you can't get on any rides and it was not like that when we went. We rode a bunch of stuff without Fast Passes - including the very popular HMH - repeatedly, we went to the TOTP on Friday night, we ate a late dessert at the Blue Bayou, we did Goofys Kitchen, we rode TSMM a bunch of times, etc. It was crowded but we would work with it! When we DID start to notice that the crowds were getting crazy was late Saturday into Saturday night. But in all honesty, I don't think those crowds exclusively had to do with Gay Days or the Utah conference or anything. I think that was due to all the Miley Cyrus birthday people piling into the parks for the event the next day - and I really doubt she will have that same event on the same weekend again this year, so that alone ahould keep the crowds lighter than they were last year, I would assume.

Now it may be 95 degrees again, as it was when we arrrived last year, but you shoudl be able to manage the crowds and get in lots of rides without the special birthday Fast Pass.

 

[MickeyManiac]

I would really go for the $69 gift card instead. Again, I have to reiterate that we were there just last year ON the actual Gay Days weekend of (10/2 - 10/5), and I think the ONLY Fast Pass we got the whole time was for Soarin'. When we arrived late Thursday afternoon, we noticed the crowds in DTD were heavier that night than we expected for a Thursday. We thought it would be a sign of things to come in the parks for the rest of the weekend, but in actuality, I think a lot of folks who wanted to avoid Gay Days crowds went to DLR before the weekend and then left, because Friday was not bad. Yes, it was crowded, but it is always crowded at DLR.

OP, you may have an image in your mind of it being so packed that you can't get on any rides and it was not like that when we went. We rode a bunch of stuff without Fast Passes - including the very popular HMH - repeatedly, we went to the TOTP on Friday night, we ate a late dessert at the Blue Bayou, we did Goofys Kitchen, we rode TSMM a bunch of times, etc. It was crowded but we would work with it! When we DID start to notice that the crowds were getting crazy was late Saturday into Saturday night. But in all honesty, I don't think those crowds exclusively had to do with Gay Days or the Utah conference or anything. I think that was due to all the Miley Cyrus birthday people piling into the parks for the event the next day - and I really doubt she will have that same event on the same weekend again this year, so that alone ahould keep the crowds lighter than they were last year, I would assume.

The Utah UEA break is different every year. Last October it was the 16-20th, so not the same time as Gay Days. I'm really not trying to be a downer, but a significant number of Utahn's go to DL during this time. It's just dumb luck that it ended up being the same weekend as Gay Days this year. But since you know ahead of time it will be busy and you can plan to get there early and use FP's GO FOR IT! A birthday spent at DL is still better than being almost anywhere else...especially when it's FREE!!!

 

[Hologram Lampwick]

i know someone who avoided gay days out of fear of getting AIDS.

He is a paranoid person.