2003 Gay/Lesbian Pride week at WDW

[CDizney]

Since I was mentioning this to someelse via a post, I thought I would just remind all our Disney go'ers not to forget 2003 Gay/Lesbian Pride Week the first week of June 2003. This is not a Disney sponsered event but the g/l community have chosen to celebrate this week at WDW each year. The first Saturday of June is the kickoff and the huge gathering of celebrationers gather to the Magic Kindom all day and then continues the rest of the week throughout the rest of the parks including also Universal Studios. The reason why I mention this is my neighbor is going down to celebrate and reminded me how crowded the parks are during this first week of June. My husband and I went last year and boy was it nuts! Just plan accordingly and book early to reserve the best price......good luck!

 

[gepetto]

We go that week every year and never found it to be all that crowded.

 

[elemusing]

You can actually see their schedule for the entire week at www.gaydays.com

Angie

 

[CDizney]

TKS ANGIE FOR FINDING THAT WEBSITE FOR THOSE INTERESTED.

I GO EACH YEAR TOO GEPETTO AND I FOUND IT TO BE PRETTY CROWDED THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND HARD TO GET A GOOD RESERVATION. HOWEVER, LAST YEAR I HAD TO GET MY MONEY BACK FROM MK BECAUSE I FOUND THAT OVER 5,000 PEOPLE SINGING "IT'S A GAY WORLD AFTERALL" IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE AT 3PM WAS A LITTLE OVER THE LINE SO I'VE DECIDED NOT TO RETURN THIS YEAR. I COULDN'T EXPLAIN THAT ONE TO THE CHILDREN I WAS WITH..........
BUT IT IS A LOVELY TIME OF YEAR TO GO AND THE WEATHER IS QUITE NICE TOO.

 

[gepetto]

The day the big event is held at the MK, our resort has always put a note under our door explaining that they are expecting very large crowds that day. I believe they extended the hours of the other 3 parks.

Wow...we never had a hard time getting a reservation or a discount for that time.

 

[CDizney]

In the last five years of going during this time frame due to set vacations that I could not change until this year, I never did receive such notices under my door at the Grand Floridian nor did the extend the park hours for any of the parks. I would definately recall that. I wouldn't say it is impossible to get a room or discount but you have to consider that an influx of 100,000 plus people make it a slightly bigger challenge to get what you want so I encourage booking earlier. However, Disney is fun no matter what so I say "enjoy, enjoy"!

 

[drogerstn]

Typically, the 1st Saturday of June is not the kickoff day, but it is the day when MK is selected as the featured park for Gay Days. MK is very crowded on this day. Several other parks are selected as featured parks prior to that Saturday. This year the schedule covers June 3-9; June 7 is the 1st Saturday in June. In the past, the featured park for the days around the 1st Saturday of June were: AK-Thursday, MGM-Friday, MK-Saturday, & EPCOT-Sunday.

We have visited several times during this time period and have not had a problem getting rooms at Dixie Landings (POR) and WL. The resorts did not seem too crowded, nor the parks. The featured hotels are off-site, but I'm sure there are many people visiting for Gay Days who stay on-site as well. This past summer (2002) was more crowded than during our other visits during this time period and I think that was due to the resurgence in the travel industry after 9/11/01.

We have avoided a park on the day that park was the featured Gay Day park thinking that it would be crowded. I've read other posts on this forum which stated that the only crowded park on its featured day was the MK on Saturday. We probably visited featured parks in the past before we knew of the schedule and I never noticed them to be exceptionally crowded.

We have always recieved information from the resort that the other parks would be opening an hour early on the Gay Days Saturday. I think the information was on an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet with other resort and park information for the week.

 

[KaterBell]

Originally posted by CDizney
TKS ANGIE FOR FINDING THAT WEBSITE FOR THOSE INTERESTED.

I GO EACH YEAR TOO GEPETTO AND I FOUND IT TO BE PRETTY CROWDED THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND HARD TO GET A GOOD RESERVATION. HOWEVER, LAST YEAR I HAD TO GET MY MONEY BACK FROM MK BECAUSE I FOUND THAT OVER 5,000 PEOPLE SINGING "IT'S A GAY WORLD AFTERALL" IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE AT 3PM WAS A LITTLE OVER THE LINE SO I'VE DECIDED NOT TO RETURN THIS YEAR. I COULDN'T EXPLAIN THAT ONE TO THE CHILDREN I WAS WITH..........
BUT IT IS A LOVELY TIME OF YEAR TO GO AND THE WEATHER IS QUITE NICE TOO.

....

Did the MK give you your money back? Just curious.

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by gepetto
The day the big event is held at the MK, our resort has always put a note under our door explaining that they are expecting very large crowds that day. I believe they extended the hours of the other 3 parks.

We were also at WDW during Gay Week last year, and having their schedule allowed us to avoid those parks and crowds for the most part.

We also got a note under our door and I specifically recall that they gave resort guests an early entry day at MGM the day that MK was the center of attraction for Gay Week. It was memorable only in that it was the only EE day WDW had put in place since September 11.

Frankly, we get the Gay Week schedule and head to Sea World and Busch Gardens on the two big days!

 

[kevind65]

We were there last year during the g/l week and had absolutely no problems. Our strategy(because of our children and crowd levels) was to stay away from whichever park the g/l group was attending that particular day. As far as crowd levels go, we found the first week in June last year to be the least crowded that we've ever experienced in our 8 trips to the world. we visited epcot on one sunday and was stunned at how empty the place was(weird). On the saturday morning the g/l group was at MK we received a letter under our door at CSR stating that they expected a large crowd at MK that day and that they were extending an early entry to MGM studios that day. I would like to say that we have been at the world 4 times during the g/l week and have never really had any trouble with it with the exception of last year(2002) at the CSR resort swimming pool. There were a few occasions of inappropriate behavior and topic of discussions especially later in the evenings at the pool that we didn't care for.

 

[KaterBell]

Hey, at least they waited until later in the evening to have those discussions... most kids are in bed by then

Glad you had a good experience.

I thought I had planned my trip to be the same week as gaydays, but now I found out that gaydays are the week after. I missed it by a week last year too. I have always wanted to be there for it!

 

[CDizney]

Yes Katerbell, I did get my money back from Magic Kingdom that day. Quite a number of people were in line for the same thing and Disney did honor it.

As I have stated earlier, I have no problem w/ this celebration at all........I just did not care for the wild behavior on the part of some patrions that I personally encountered over the years and many people I have spoken to did experience some of the same. But the world turns and life goes on and we enjoy Disney. I just know that when I ran into this celebration years back that I never knew it existed and was a little taken aback. I did not see reading about it anywhere in order to prepare. My husband that first year was propositioned in the pools, in the hot tob, in the elevators at the GF, and it was uncomfortable. I heard alot of "what are you looking at" and my husband go alot of "ohhh, look at that....delicious..." and othe pickup lines. I did feel threatened in certain occasions. However, I just learned to visit other sites during those times. I just found it unfair that I had to scurry around avoiding certain places to accomodate others when if all behaved themselves segregation wouldn't be necessary.

But that is just my experience.....hope that is understandable to those reading out there........

 

[Talking Hands]

I have been there for the last 4 years and will probably go again this year. Was at the MK for the afternoon and had a blast. Spent the morning in the Animal Kingdom.
Missed the singing in front of the Castle since I was over by Hall of the Presidents waiting for the parade with 15 gay deaf people.
Actually it was fun. I was standing there waiting for the interpreters when this group of gay deaf men walked up looking for the interpreters. One of them looks at me and asks if I am from Miami? Yes, why. He gives my sign name and told me he meet me with my ASL teacher Jose. Turns out he is a friend of my teacher and remembered me because I was the only student in the group with a hearing loss and wondered why I was taking the class because I already signed fairly well but it was very English.
I really enjoy Gay Day at MK because these people are so much nicer when it comes to those with disabilities than the general population.

 

[fklhou]

We were there two years ago during this week and had no problems whatsoever. The schedule is available as shown above and if you are worried, just go to a different park that day. It is simply not that big of deal.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I did feel threatened in certain occasions.

Why? Were you afraid you would lose him?

The participants in this celebration behave no better or no worse than any other huge group of people when gathered at Disney.

I find the actions of hetrosexual couples far far far more offensive than any actions of any gay/lesbian couples I have encountered.

I am sorry that Disney caved in and refunded your money, by 3pm you should have had it pretty much figured out. Why didn't you just "hop" to another park?
Actually, I find this one a bit hard to swallow.

 

[Clover9990]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
I find this one a bit hard to swallow.

LOL! Pun not intended, right?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

LOL! Pun not intended, right?

Actually, no. I am, however, blushing a bit.

 

[CDizney]

WELL GAIL, we agree to disagree when joing these boards and your opinion is exactly that: your opinion. And you are entitled to that 100%. But don't worry....your ridiculous comments gave me quite a good laugh actually so I must thank you for that at the least!

I guess that my experience (and I said MY...not everyones) was bad. Yes, I considered being hostled, and threatened, and being shoved out of elevators something I have never encountered but only during this "bash" and I have gone over 50 times to WDW in the past 10 years. On the other hand, I did meet some folks from this festival who were quite sweet and there to have a good time like me. But the majority I encountered were nasty. I have a few gay and lesbian friends so it's not about who they are and where they are from. But I intend not to go during June again and that's that. I'll save my hard earned money for another time there when I can visit without the hoopla.

 

[CDizney]

By the way I forgot one thing that's positive news...I'll be there at OKW Gail Hayden starting the day after you........I'll definately, definately will be looking you up so that we can laugh on this one together in person! I can't wait!

See ya soon!

 

[Clover9990]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Actually, no. I am, however, blushing a bit.

LOL!