Posted on 05/31/2003 6:06:51 PM PDT by Sweet_Sunflower29
What makes Walt Disney World such a draw to gay and lesbian tourists is the fantasy in Fantasyland - not to mention other attractions around the resort. An estimated 135,000 gays and lesbians are expected to descend on Disney World's central Florida theme parks for the 13th annual Gay Days that start Thursday and run through the weekend.
Like any tourists, they have plenty of resorts and amusement parks from which to choose, but experts who have studied Disney's relationship with Gay Days say there's magic in the kingdom.
"The theme parks are a place where fantasy and escapism run rampant," said Sean Griffin, a cinema/television professor at Southern Methodist University. "It's not like just sitting in a movie theater; you can actually live inside the place."
The fantasy factor is just part of the attraction, according to two authors whose "ultimate gay and lesbian guide" to Disney parks in Florida and California was released in April. Disneyland's Gay Days are the first weekend in October.
Many of Disney's animated films feature outsiders as their heroes, said Jeffrey Epstein, who co-wrote "Queens in the Kingdom." That thematic approach strikes a chord with many homosexuals battling to gain society's acceptance.
Co-author Eddie Shapiro added: "That's all very, very academic, but I think gay people like the parks because they're clean."
Gay Days started out as a single day in 1991 when friends from a gay computer bulletin board service informally decided to get together at the Magic Kingdom. While Disney doesn't sponsor Gay Days, which includes several events planned around the weekend under no single organizer, the theme park is the center of its activities.
Disney, ever conscious of its family friendly image, briefly resisted the early gatherings. One year, management even went as far as to put up a sign warning straight tourists that homosexuals were in the park those days.
But the company's tolerance has grown.
Not only did it begin cooperating with outside promoters of Gay Days, the entertainment giant ignored protests and boycotts by religious groups over Disney employees receiving domestic partner benefits and the ABC television network, which Disney owns, airing "Ellen," a sitcom with a lesbian protagonist.
Now the policy at the parks is come one, come all.
Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney World, said: "What we try to do every day is deliver a product - whether it's entertainment, attractions, cleanliness, architecture, great service - that would appeal to a broad range of people across this whole globe no matter how old they are, how young they are, whatever their ethnic background is.
"We have a product that will really be attractive to every group of people who wants to come and visit us here."
The Family Policy Network in Forest, Va. plans to fly planes trailing banners telling homosexuals that embracing Christianity can provide "hope and healing for their destructive lives."
The federal government forbids planes from flying directly over Disney's parks in Florida and California to guard against terrorism. Network president Joe Glover said the group plans to go to court next week to try to open the air space before the start of Gay Days.
"There's several organizations that are working together to offer hope to these folks," said Glover. "We harbor no ill will toward people who are involved in sin."
In their book, Epstein and Shapiro noted that the parks still make a concession to heterosexuals during Gay Days. If a straight tourist unwittingly wears a red shirt - the preferred color of the homosexual visitors as a sign of solidarity - Disney will supply one of a different color.
Walt Disney World's four parks - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney/MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom - drew 37.5 million visitors last year, according to the trade magazine Amusement Business. So Gay Days' 135,000 attendees is but a blip in the turnstile count.
The "Queens" authors say it's a blip with deep pockets.
"We are a gold mine," said Epstein, a senior editor with Out magazine.
Added Shapiro: "We'll spend $7.53 on a veggie-burger and the rest on porcelain figurines."
State tourism officials say they don't track how much homosexuals spend compared with other groups of visitors.
Other theme parks in central Florida are trying to woo the Gay Days market. This year, a Universal Studios sound stage will be turned for one night into a Jurassic party, a dinosaur-themed event complete with erupting volcano.
"Disney's having to fight for the tourists," said Griffin, whose book "Tinker Belles and Evil Queens: The Walt Disney Company from the Inside Out" was published in 2000.
But for now, gays are devoted to Disney.
"When they put Hercules on a parade float," Shapiro said, "they know exactly the audience they're playing to."
With used condoms all over the ground, look out for the slip and fall accidents. Watch your step please.
A tongue in cheek remark if I've ever heard one.
Disgusting.
He might have a point.
I wonder how many homosexuals work for Disney?
Secret "homo word codes" in the cartoon movies kids go to see?
Walt is spining in his grave
Its amazing how less than 2% of the population has managed to infiltrate and force their agenda on the other 98%!
KKK days is the first weekend in July. Be sure to bring your hoods!
We got ambushed by Gay Days here in California. We were there a couple hours before we figured out what was going on. Raised hell in a letter to Disney and they blew it all off. Didn't have the time or energy to follow up on it. They need a high profile lawsuit filed against them by one of these Conservative law firms, like the Pacific Justice Institute, to force them to advertise through their media outlets that they are hosting this perversion on those days. But they won't do that willingly, that goes without saying, because the "gate" would be miniscule.
They'll only understand litigation. I'd be the first one to sign on to a class action lawsuit, if someone else had the time to get it going before October.
Illinois is about to pass the ERA Amendment. It has gone through the house and the Senate committee. It promises to usher in same-sex marriage, taxpaper funded abortion, and will eliminate all legal distinction between men and women.
No, I just think they like the huge selection of rides.
Ugh. Di$ney couldn't pay me $7.53 to eat a veggie burger.
Just in time for many California schools to be let out in the coming weeks.
And there are several schools that are letting out in June as well, in the Eastern part of the country.
It's times like these I'm glad I'm not a parent. I feel sorry for those who are, who have to deal with these matters with their kids.
Gee, and I wonder why they picked these particular days for "Gay Days?" /sarcasm
Are you serious? I hadn't heard this. If true, that really stinks.
I go weekly, never actually been there during the event, but have a hair cut scheduled for Friday, and the Lovin' Spoonful are playing this Wednesday, so I guess I'm about to find out.....
You are correct in that WDW can't keep them out, we live in a PC world, so make the best of it....they don't actually change anything I've noticed, so I'll report back next week, after....Going to Typhoon Lagoon next Sunday, my guess is it might show there....
Most gay folks are just gay, and do like the cleanliness and safety that comes with WDW, and don't act any different than regular folks....they are there all year, but don't do anyhting to stand out, actually, in most cases, the gays I have noticed there are very low key, not wanting to call any attention to themselves, and just want to have a good time.
The wide majority of gays keep their lifestyle to themselves, just like everyday people.
Ain't gonna happen. Put yourself in the legal begal, head honcho seat. At a meeting this is brought up. Your comment is gonna be, " We're gonna sue what?"
Any law firm that tries to bring this up is toast. Disney is just too big and powerful.
My god, what happened in Illinois?
The state needs prayer, big time!
I'll take Six Flags over that lame place anyday of the week.
Gays have a buttload of money, so to speak.
Yeah, right.
So not approving of someone's lifestyle = hating them. Where have I heard that before?
"Hatred"? "Treat another human being like" what? Either I missed something, or your condemnation and wrath were brought about by nothing more than the poster's implication that the Gay Days homosexuals -- you know, the kind who proudly strut their undeniably abnormal lifestyle in everyone's faces -- are something other than "normal."
"So-called Christians"? Do forgive us if we "treat" the Gay Days homosexuals exactly the same as we would any other unrepentant, in-your-face sinner (adulterer, pedophile, murderer, etc.). Don't expect me to be happy to shell out $400 for admission to a theme park, only to be surprised by sexual deviants boldly displaying their depraved passions in my children's faces all the day long. That's not my idea of a family vacation.
At least if we knew ahead of time, we could decide whether to avoid it, or use it as an evangelistic mission, taking the opportunity to hand out tracts to every one we find.
Pertinent tagline follows.
1. There would be plenty of complaints if someone tried to hold "wife beater" days at Disney World.
2. You need to switch to decaf and get back on your meds.
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