LGBTQIA+ Guests Share Stories of Harassment at Disney Parks

Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Walt Disney World Resort celebrated Pride Month in a big way this June. The Walt Disney Company not only marched in over a dozen Pride parades worldwide but committed to adding merchandise to its first-ever officially-titled Disney Pride collection year-round! 

Related: FIRST-EVER Transgender Pride Treat Now Available at Walt Disney World!

In previous years, Disney’s Pride Collection was titled “Rainbow Disney,” and only a portion of the proceeds went to LGBTQIA+ organizations. This year, through the entire month of June, 100% of the proceeds went to charities supporting LGBTQIA+ youth!

Unfortunately, some Guests aren’t fans of Pride at the Disney Parks. u/Bakedpotato286 shared his negative experience on Reddit and asked fellow LGBTQIA+ Disney Park fans if they’d been harassed by other Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney Springs.

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He reported being called a “groomer” for asking about Pride photo walls and overhearing nasty comments from Guests not wanting their children to see himself and his boyfriend holding hands at the Disney Parks. Cast Members, however, have reportedly been excellent at showing Disney’s new “Inclusion” value. 

Related: Gay Days Takes Over Disney World Despite Florida Battle

Many Guests reported similar experiences. u/Partylucky7101 wrote:

Yep During June I went and I was wearing my pride ears, Pan/Non-binary shirt with overalls with pride buttons on the overalls, my service dog had rainbow vest with Disney pride theme patches.

Guest came up to me saying “this is not a holiday for you people” “you have a service dog because your gay” “your service dog shouldn’t be infected by you gays.” It just hurts that the guest is like this but the cast members is amazing.

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u/KidGodSpeed1011 said he and his husband were called a homophobic slur at EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival:

My husband leaned in to kiss me and a minute or so later a lady walked over to us and asked us to move somewhere else as she didn’t want her kids seeing two f*gs make out in public.

This year, the Walt Disney Company’s Pride celebrations came amid tension with one of its home states, Florida, and Governor Ron DeSantis, following the Parental Rights in Education Act – also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Some former Disney fans vowed to boycott The Walt Disney Company due to their support for LGBTQIA+ youth. 

Related: Abigail Disney Slams Disney, Says They Are “Complicit” With Anti-LGBTQ Legislation

Disney remained silent at first, leading to protests from Cast Members and LGBTQIA+ Disney fans. When Disney released a statement, embers of the LGBTQIA+ community were frustrated, as it didn’t directly mention or condemn Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Pixar staff wrote The Walt Disney Company a letter asking the company to take a stronger stance against the bill.

One day later, The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek called Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to tell him that Disney does not support the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which was later passed and signed into law. Disney promised to pause political donations in Florida due to the controversial bill after donating $4.8 million to Florida campaign funds in 2020.

It’s never appropriate to harass other Guests at Disney Parks. If you see other Guests being harassed, it’s best to report it to the nearest Cast Member so that security can intervene.