Gay Days: 20 years of celebrating at Disney World and beyond
Featured, Matt Palm, Nightlife, Things to do — By Matt Palm on June 3, 2010 at 4:07 pm
This is the time of year when the tourist corridor turns red, as in the red shirts that Gay Days participants wear. The big day is Saturday at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, where visitors throng around the Cinderella Castle hub to watch the afternoon parade.
In 2003, Gay Davs revelers listened to the marching band before the Magic Kingdom's afternoon parade.
About 150,000 people are expected to attend Gay Days this year, says Chris Alexander-Manley of gaydays.com, and that’s nearly 10 times the number who showed up 20 years ago.
Back in 1991, Orlando resident Doug Swallow and a group of friends planned a social outing in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, “much like many groups of 15 to 20 people might conceive of going to Disney together,” Swallow recalled in a Web post years later.
They promoted the idea in gay nightclubs, made plans to wear red shirts so those who attended could find one another, and between 1,000 and 1,500 people showed up.
“The mood of the country wasn’t the best toward gays and lesbians,” recalls Alexander-Manley. “I don’t think anyone looked ahead to the future to what it would mean and how much it would mean to so many people.”
After two decades, the party continues in an expanded, weeklong format. [It started Tuesday.] And it continues to grow.
This year, Alexander-Manley says, the event’s headquarters had to move hotels to offer more rooms to visitors and more space for the free business expo, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, which features everything from fashions by Bloomingdales and Macy’s to pet adoption and health services.
“We’ve just totally outgrown the Royal Plaza,” where the festivities were hosted for many years, Alexander-Manley says. “We just knew we had to grow.”
The new host hotel, the Doubletree Resort, has more rooms set aside for visitors and more free parking for those who attend the expo.
“It looks like it’s going to be a banner year for us,” Alexander-Manley said.
For more about Gay Days including milestones in Gay Days history, check out Theme Park Rangers
Thanks for posting this for 2 reasons...1) The history of this event (I never knew it's been going on for this long!) and 2) AVOID THE ADDITIONAL CROWDS IN MK!
We went to the Adventurers Club on the Gay Week night it was scheduled 2 years ago (we didn't know it was that night). The acts and people were a riot, but the club was packed in like sardines. We ended up leaving just because we couldn't move, but everyone there was having a blast. But it sure does get extra crowded that week. _________________ When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
--Walt Disney
It usualy takes place the last week of May, or the first week of June.
We too have been caught off gaurd by this event.
We didn't have any trouble with these people. It just was hard trying to explain to two kids, why men were in the lady's restroom.
Before that happened, we were completely oblivious to them. After that I realized we were surrounded, and out numbered.
SOOO, every since, I try to tell every one I know, so they won't plan their trip on these dates.
According to one blog I read, it was real nasty (sexual), a few years back. Even had cops at the hotel with drug dogs.
We never saw any of this.
I know there have been problems in the past, but for the most part, this event is well behaved, but it's a HUGE event. It is tough to explain to the little ones, and I know a lot of people find it "disgusting" (idiots), I just try and avoid the area due to the additional crowds.
One year, without realizing it, I wore a red shirt. It was a little awkward _________________ When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
--Walt Disney
Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Connecticut, USA
Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:27 am Post subject:
daveypoo wrote:
I know there have been problems in the past, but for the most part, this event is well behaved, but it's a HUGE event. It is tough to explain to the little ones, and I know a lot of people find it "disgusting" (idiots), I just try and avoid the area due to the additional crowds.
One year, without realizing it, I wore a red shirt. It was a little awkward
People who disapprove are not by default idiots. How they react can be idiotic but I would not include everyone who disapproves with such a broad paintbrushing. The facts however are that Disney is private property and if people dissaprove they should avoid the parks on that day...
For that matter, even on regular days, many people are "put off" by some "excessive PDA" that takes place between some of the "adults" who vist the parks. The sexual preference is not always the problem. Many time the problem is just people who do not know how to behave properly in public
Actually, I said people who find Gay Days Disgusting, not disapproving. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and beliefs, and can disapprove, but no one should find a person disgusting just because of THEIR beliefs, especially if it's not hurting anyone.
And you are correct, there are MANY people who behave in a manner not appropriate for a family environment, or a public environment for that matter. But that is another discussion all together. _________________ When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
--Walt Disney
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Utilidors Audio Broadcasting / Utilidors.com / uabmagic.com are in no way affiliated with, endorsed or promoted by the Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.
All Music and requestable media Copyright the Walt Disney Company or their respective artists / Composers.
