Disney Hosts Program To Hitch Gay Couples

[Bill George]

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Thank you,
INTERCOT Staff




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LOS ANGELES -- Same-sex couples who want to exchange vows in front of Cinderella's Castle now have the chance.

The Walt Disney Co. had limited its Fairy Tale Wedding program to couples with valid marriage licenses, but it is now making ceremonies at its parks available to gay couples as well.

"We believe this change is consistent with Disney's long-standing policy of welcoming every guest in an inclusive environment," Disney Parks and Resorts spokesman Donn Walker said Friday. "We want everyone who comes to celebrate a special occasion at Disney to feel welcome and respected."

The company said it made the change after being contacted by a gay couple who wanted to use the wedding service, which offers ceremonies at Disneyland in California, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disney's cruise ships.

The service offers flowers, dining, music and many optional Disney touches, from ceremonies in front of the parks' iconic attractions to having Mickey and Minnie Mouse in formal wear as guests. The packages start at $8,000 and can cost more than $45,000.

Groups not affiliated with Disney have held annual "gay days" celebrations at Disney parks for years. Company officials have taken a tolerant attitude to the weekend, allowing party promoters to rent out parks after hours and rebuffing religious groups that condemned Disney.

In 2005, Southern Baptists ended an eight-year boycott of the Walt Disney Co. for violating "moral righteousness and traditional family values."

[mrsgaribaldi]

I think it's great. DH told me about it this morning. I never realized anyone was excluded but it's good that they are changing that I would be crushed if I wanted to get married in Disney and was not allowed for any reason.

[dumbo ears]

i love WDW but their gay days and stuff don't need to be such a big things. I say that if gays want to go to WDW let them but you don't have to make days for them. IF you are gonna have gay days then you should have white days, black days, latino days. im sorry and i know some people won't agree with me but if i was taking a child to WDW during the gay days then i would probably cancel the trip.

[PirateLover]

i love WDW but their gay days and stuff don't need to be such a big things. I say that if gays want to go to WDW let them but you don't have to make days for them. IF you are gonna have gay days then you should have white days, black days, latino days.

FYI, Gay Days is not an officially sponsored WDW event. It is independently sponsored. Other groups can plan their own get togethers too if they want.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . The Walt Disney Co. had limited its Fairy Tale Wedding program to couples with valid marriage licenses, but it is now making ceremonies at its parks available to gay couples as well . . .

1) How you can have a wedding ceremony without a license.
2) I never claimed to be politically correct.
3) I do not like this change in policy.

[mouseaddict]

I see this thread getting very political very fast. I personally think it is great. I respect that others do not. There are still many people that believe interracial marriage is wrong. If you are not invited to the ceremony I can't see how it matters to anyone else anyway.

[Carol]

i love WDW but their gay days and stuff don't need to be such a big things.

Disney doesn't make a big deal about it. Others do.

[mttafire]

Im not in support of this decision...However, It's not my decision to make. I understand the reason Disney made this change. Hopefully more folks will enjoy Disney.

[PirateStitch]

I think its great that they will now allow same sex marriage. Same sex marriage should be allowed legally !

[Jeff G]

When I first read this my first response as a Christian conservative was no way. From a moral standpoint from my upbringing choosing to be gay is wrong, but I would never discriminate against a gay and feel as Americans they have the same rights as myself. So I re-read the article and then read another article on the net. In all of these articles it states that without a license gay's can still proclaim thier vows to each other.

Gay marriage has been allowed in many states only to be overturned. In CA where Disnleyland is loacted the supreme court ruled against it. It is not illegal though for two gay people to proclaim their vows or join in a civil union. With that said this then wouln't be a marriage without the license so Disney won't be performing marriages.

My thought is if a paying gay couple wants to proclaim their vows at Disney they should be able to but don't call it marriage(especially since they can't get a marriage licens under the law). Marriage is still defined by most states as the union between one man and ond one woman.

[TiggerRPh]

As you've stated....same sex couples cannot be married in these because they cannot get a valid marriage license in Florida. My only question is if they can get married if they have a license from another state...I don't think so, but I'm not sure.

It bothers me that the media in reporting this can't use the correct terminology and insists on using language that misrepresents the facts and inflames the the discussion...wait...we're talking the press...did I expect anything else.

If they want to hold "commitment" ceremonies fine....I don't care but don't call it a marriage because it's not.

My understanding too was that these were religious ceremonies not civil ceremonies. If they're going to conduct civil unions doesn't that open another option for heterosexual couples and maybe have something a bit less expensive?

Does anyone know if same sex civil unions are even available in Florida? If not...maybe this is moot point and this is all feel good PR and nothing will ever really happen.

[NJDad]

Well, some people do have 'weddings' even though they technically got married earlier or later elsewhere.

Someone I work with wants to get straight married in Florida but may just have a wedding there and get legally married at City Hall (he wants a family friend who's a judge in NY to perform the ceremony but Florida will allow it only if the judge becomes a 'minister' after taking an internet lesson???)

[magicofdisney]

I think its great that they will now allow same sex marriage. Same sex marriage should be allowed legally !

They're not "allowing" a same sex marriage. They're allowing a ceremony. A way to line their pockets further without actually breaking the law. It's more of a "dog and pony" show.

[disneyfan1124]

And so the political can of worms is opened...

--I don't think it matters who sponsors the event. Like everything else at Disney, you choose what you want to participate in, attend, and do. If Christian Music isn't your thing-don't do NoJ, if Gay Days aren't your thing, don't go when the event is held-around mid June, if I remember correctly. Although I'm not sure you can tell if the person in line next to you is gay or not--can you?

Disney is for all people and when you're walking down Main Street, or sitting on a curb waiting for a parade, or eating in a restaurant, or watching fireworks, you don't know who the people around you are. They could be gay, they could be straight, they could be Christian, they could be Liberal, Democrat, or Republican--it's not anyone's business but their own. Would you ask the guy next to you in line how he voted in the last election?

We all make personal choices every day, and I'm pretty happy that I can make my own choices. When your choices are different from mine, it's an opportunity for me to learn something from you.

Yay for Disney and their celebration of diversity! What a boring world we would live in if we were the same in all our choices.

[readytogo2]

Wrong,wrong, Wrong

[crazykids]

Wrong,wrong, Wrong

[cetacean01]

Right on Disney!!!!!!!!!
For once again proving that dicrimination is not a family value. For recognizing that people are capable of love regardless of what others might think! For recognizing that gay men and women are valuable assets to our society, For recognizing that LBGT people are no threat to the American way of life, nor a threat to our children by allowing this to happen at an American Icon that caters specifically to families with children.

[Ian]

Hey all, this is obviously a hot potato of a topic.

We need to restrict our comments to the news item only and not insert our own views (whatever they may be) into the post.

Either way you're very likely to be offending a portion of INTERCOT's family and that's not what we're about here.

[teresa955]

I am not worried about being "politically correct." I think it is wrong (aside from my personal beliefs) because it is being touted as a "marriage" ceremony when it has been clearly established that the marriage is not legally binding. I don't think it would be discrimination on Disney's part to not offer something that is not legally recognized by the government. I am not sure why Disney would want to open themselves up to so much criticism--except now they are going to make a few more bucks.

[Bill George]

When I first found this article, I was very excited to see Disney taking the next step towards cultural diversity. You see, the thing I love about Walt Disney World is the fact that they pay so much attention to this subject. All of their attractions send this message whether it is in reference to differences in races and nationalities or space beings. The message is there and strong.

America is made up of many cultures and people with different beliefs and religions. I may not always agree with these beliefs, but I accept these beliefs as the beliefs of my neighbors and not necessarily my own. The problem we have is many people in America think that only their own beliefs are correct. Therefore, anyone who thinks differently from their own beliefs is wrong. This is sad. It is the difference in the way people think that make this country a great place to live. It is what makes us who we are as a nation. It makes us FREE.

I always hear that marriage is a religious thing. If this is completely true, than why do we need to obtain a license from our government to get married? Secondly, which religion say two same sex people can not get married? Is that religion correct? I am sure that religion is correct to the people of that particular religion however; how about the people from another religion who say differently. Which religion is correct? All of the Christian religions use the same bible, but all interpret it differently. What of those in the Jewish or Muslim faith? What does the Curran say about the topic? Is that correct? I don’t think any of us can ever answer that question.

What I am trying to say is that if you don’t think two people from the same sex should marry, than don’t marry someone from the same sex. However; don’t limit your thinking to disallow two people who love each other and want to spend their lives together from standing before their family and friends and proclaim their love for each other and before whatever god they choose.

I applaud Disney for making this step, and I applaud each and every one of you for speaking your mind on this topic. My hope is that in time, everyone will open their minds and come to the understanding that everyone is different, and everyone deserves a chance to spend their lives in a way that makes them happy. After all, is that not the principle of what this country was founded on?

Thank you for listening,

Bill George
Business Owner, Local Politician, Openly Gay and WDW Fan.