ANAHEIM, Calif. – During its 12th annual event, Gay Days at Disneyland expects to attract more than 30,000 LGBT visitors from across the U.S. to Disney’s famous theme park in Anaheim, Calif.
The unofficial event — neither publicly sanctioned nor supported by the Walt Disney Co. — is scheduled for Oct. 2-4.
Gay Days Anaheim is a “mix-in” with the park’s other weekend guests, but gays and lesbians are encouraged to wear red shirts in order to identify each other and to show strong numbers. Official T-shirts are available at the official Gay Day at Disneyland website, GayDaysAnaheim.com.
Both days in the park will have gathering times for specific groups including gay youth (sponsored by The Trevor Project, the only 24-hour suicide prevention hotline in the U.S. devoted to GLBT youth), families, women, singles, couples and bears. There will be scavenger hunts and a group photo inside the park. A complete schedule is available at the Gay Days website.
The weekend opens Friday with “Wonderland,” a dance party with DJ Ray Rhodes (Tiger Heat, KBIG 104). The party will be hosted by Los Angeles drag diva Momma and will benefit The Trevor Project. The action begins at 9:30 p.m. and will run until 1 a.m. at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, located in Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort. Tickets are $20 at the door.
Saturday will be Gay Day at Disneyland, culminating in “Kingdom,” the weekend’s signature dance party with music from renowned DJ Kimberly S and live headliners. Previous guests have included Matt Zarley, Shoshana Bean and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. The event will take place at the House of Blues Anaheim in Downtown Disney from 9 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $35 in advance; $45 at the door.
Sunday will be Gay Day at Disney’s California Adventure.
Other events slated for the weekend include free screenings at the Gay Days Entertainment Center (located inside the Trillium Room of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel) and a Gay Days Pin Trading event on Sunday at the Gay Days Info Center (also located inside the Trillium Room).
Discounted hotel rooms and park tickets are offered at GayDaysAnaheim.com.
Sponsors for the event include Holiday Inn Buena Park, Howard Johnson Anaheim and the Anaheim/Orange Country Visitor and Convention Bureau. Media sponsors are HX, Frontiers, PIX, Odyssey Hawaii, Gay Chicago magazine, The New York Blade and Q Vegas.
