Disney’s Gay Days are not officially sanctioned or even recognized by the Walt Disney Company. But it seems that they’re happy to have us there, and in the twenty years the queers have taken over the parks with red shirts, there’s never been a situation I’m aware of where Goofy and Donald strong-armed us toward the exits. But one thing I did not know about Disney’s ten-foot-pole participation in the annual event: They’ll refund your money if you’re a hetero who unwittingly and unhappily finds himself in a sea of gay.
“A former Disney employee who was at the park on June 5,” writes John Cloud, “told me that every year, Disney issues refunds or free next-day tickets to angry moms and dads who don’t want their kids exposed to gay couples or gay-themed shirts. Some families don’t get past Main Street U.S.A. before turning around and taking the monorail back to the parking lots.”
Part of me wants to scream: HOW DARE THEY! How dare Disney give in to families who can’t deal with a bunch of homosexuals proudly on display, in the same manner heteros and their families own the park the other 364 days of the year.
But then I got to thinking: Disney is in the business of pleasing the customer. A Disney park employee will never tell a guest “no.” They don’t even kick you out of the park when it’s closing time; they kindly usher you to the exits in the friendliest of ways.
So when bitchy parents from Alaska or Arkansas or, yes, even that liberal-y New York complain at Disney’s City Hall that they’re not having a good time — whether it’s because Splash Mountain is offline or because they don’t want to explain to their kids why that boy has two mommies — Disney will go out of its way to please them. Even if that includes giving them a pass on Gay Days.
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Disney is definitely in the business of keeping their customers. Their concern, as any good business, is their bottom line. That being said, I think that having Disney as an Advocate in anyway is HUGE to the gay community b/c of it's trillions of dollars of revenue and the money that the gay community puts back into the company. Unfortunately for Disney, they are simply the pawn in this game. They are playing devils advocate and smart business to maintain their bottom line.
To the str8 parents: It's not my problem that you don't want to teach or educate your child…in essence, they'll grow up and be as narrow minded as you are and that's your perogative. Here's an idea…do a lil research, find out the dates for gay days, and change your vacation. And if you're about to bitch about changing your dates b/c of some other commitment…lets discuss the fact that you “own” the park the other 364 days. Shut your mouth and stay home.
Especially Disney is in the industry of bringing up the kids with a normal view on diversity. The kids don't look strange when a rabbit can talk, but kids won't accept an other kid with 2 moms or dads?
I think that Disney is part of the problem if they do not learn the kids that it is normal that people love each other, whether they are straight or gay.
Look at Mac Donald's last commercial in France: “Come as you Are” where they advert that everyone is welcome the way they are, everyone is treated equally AND accepted.
THATS an example for Disney.
many don't realize that if you drop your food, they'll give you another.. if your shirt gets torn, they'll actually give you a free shirt (within reason).. if you give Disney reason enough to be upset at something, they'll try to make it right.. i have yet to ask for my refund because i'm too upset at all the breeders around me.