GLBT Travelers - Anyone here been to gay days orlando

Is it worth going to or not really? I see the Doubletree is the host hotel at Sea World this year and they don't have many rooms left. Airfare isn't bad to MCO but not sure I want to be in Florida in June due to the heat. Debating between gay days (never been to MCO) or a long weekend trip to LAX in May.

Also wondering if I flew in that friday afternoon and left monday afternoon if that was enough time to have fun or if I should plan on staying a couple more days (there is no way I can leave before friday afternoon since it's the first of the month and I am an accountant but I could stay a couple more days).

I've never been but from what I've heard it kinda cool. Thinking about going though it's a long haul for me.. Sweden here :). I rather stay somewhere there is a bit of quietness soo no I would not be in the Host Hotel...

I've never been but from what I've heard it kinda cool. Thinking about going though it's a long haul for me.. Sweden here :). I rather stay somewhere there is a bit of quietness soo no I would not be in the Host Hotel...

Not sure if you'll find any quietness at any disney area hotel:) I would rather be in a hotel full of gays than kids:)

We're going, but mostly for the Tidal Wave (http://www.tidalwaveparty.com/) activities. We're staying at the Tidal Wave host hotel (http://www.tidalwaveparty.com/hotel.php), though plan on hitting the parks on Friday (MGM Studios) and possible Saturday (Magic Kingdom).

Is it worth going to or not really? I see the Doubletree is the host hotel at Sea World this year and they don't have many rooms left. Airfare isn't bad to MCO but not sure I want to be in Florida in June due to the heat. Debating between gay days (never been to MCO) or a long weekend trip to LAX in May.

Also wondering if I flew in that friday afternoon and left monday afternoon if that was enough time to have fun or if I should plan on staying a couple more days (there is no way I can leave before friday afternoon since it's the first of the month and I am an accountant but I could stay a couple more days).

I have been there.

First things first. There are TWO groups organizing events on the same weekend:

http://www.gaydays.com/Orlando/Featured/
(Host Hotel is the Double Tree)
http://markbakerevents.com/
(Host Hotel is the Buena Vista Palace)

I do not think that any of them has the rights to call themselves the "official" gaydays organizer.

I think at one point there were three organizers.

I stayed at the Buena Vista Palace and attended the events organized by MarkBaker. These events strongly lean towards the younger mostly all male circuit crowd. Not that everybody there is a stereotype "circuit boy".

The Buena Vista Palace sold out and it was lots of fun. Constant eye candy by the pool and the after-hours parties are now held in the hotel ballroom which can turn out to be very interesting.

The parties by MarkBaker were pretty good if you like that kind of stuff (Mob of shirtless boys, diva anthems, strobe lights, loud music and dancing). I think this year MarkBaker has one of his night parties at the Universal Studios Theme Park.

One party not to miss (and the least circuit-ish of them all) is the one held at Typhoon Lagoon on Friday night (Starts at 8PM).

You should expect RAIN/SHOWERS. June is rainy season and it is not rare to have a black cloud come by for a few minutes but then it goes away and it is shiny again (typical Orlando?).

I have not attended any of the parties organized by gaydays.com but from what I have heard the crowd is more diverse and mature and is less crazy than at MarkBaker's

Regarding the theme parks during the day, among thousands of tourists, it is hard to tell that it is a gay weekend with the exception of Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday where everybody wears a red t-shirt. Magic Kingdom day was just like any other at Disney but with many folks with red shirts around you. The Red-shirt crowd at Magic Kingdom is also VERY diverse and there are boys and girls.

If I went again I wouldn't miss the Typhoon Lagoon party on Friday night (lots of hot boys in speedos all over the park on the rides, etc and there is also a packed dance floor).


Lots more to say about gaydays orlando but I will just leave it there.

Cheers

I have not been in several years but I assume part of it is still a wild crazy circuit party but I emphasize that some others go there for the park and are not there for back to back partying.

Either way it can be a great experience. The parties are big and usually really good. I just marvel at how many good looking gay men are on this planet when I have attended in the past.

Get some sleep before you go and whatever you do plan to take a few days off afterwards. Back in 2005 I tried going back to work the next day and oh it was not pretty (ended up in bed for 24 hours due to exhaustion).

I have not been in several years but I assume part of it is still a wild crazy circuit party but I emphasize that some others go there for the park and are not there for back to back partying.

Either way it can be a great experience. The parties are big and usually really good. I just marvel at how many good looking gay men are on this planet when I have attended in the past.

Get some sleep before you go and whatever you do plan to take a few days off afterwards. Back in 2005 I tried going back to work the next day and oh it was not pretty (ended up in bed for 24 hours due to exhaustion).

I am far from the circuit boy (I just turned 46) age and probably should have stated that in my OP. I would like to go for the park since I have never been there and thought it might be cool to check out when it is full of gays and was hoping that being gay days would drive the families away that weekend since I am not big of places full of kids.

There is a huge amusement park by me (Cedar Point) that I lvoe and they have an unofficial gay day every June but unfortuantely it is always Fathers Day, which I always have plans with my own dad on every year, so unable to attend it.

I am far from the circuit boy (I just turned 46) age and probably should have stated that in my OP. I would like to go for the park since I have never been there and thought it might be cool to check out when it is full of gays and was hoping that being gay days would drive the families away that weekend since I am not big of places full of kids.

There is a huge amusement park by me (Cedar Point) that I lvoe and they have an unofficial gay day every June but unfortuantely it is always Fathers Day, which I always have plans with my own dad on every year, so unable to attend it.

I've never have done the park thing but its my understanding that unfriendly straights tend to stay away that weekend so you probably won't have Ned and Daisey from the Shady Tree Trailer Park staring at you.

However, many gay couples go with their children.

I am far from the circuit boy (I just turned 46) age and probably should have stated that in my OP. I would like to go for the park since I have never been there and thought it might be cool to check out when it is full of gays and was hoping that being gay days would drive the families away that weekend since I am not big of places full of kids.

There is a huge amusement park by me (Cedar Point) that I lvoe and they have an unofficial gay day every June but unfortuantely it is always Fathers Day, which I always have plans with my own dad on every year, so unable to attend it.

I think Disney's policy is that they do not endorse GayDays, however, they welcome everybody to their parks any time of the year.
So I do not think Disney makes any kind of special announcement to alert "families".

There are indeed lots of families w/ kids at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday and some are taken by surprise about the red shirts. The major congregation of red-shirts is the one that gathers to watch the 4PM parade in front of the Castle.


The only theme parks that close and open their doors exclusively for the gay events, that I know of, are Typhoon Lagoon and Universal Studios (for the night time parties). I would think that Universal will have only a few selected rides open. The rides are Typhoon Lagoon are all open during the party.

I think Disney's policy is that they do not endorse GayDays, however, they welcome everybody to their parks any time of the year.
So I do not think Disney makes any kind of special announcement to alert "families".

There are indeed lots of families w/ kids at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday and some are taken by surprise about the red shirts. The major congregation of red-shirts is the one that gathers to watch the 4PM parade in front of the Castle.


The only theme parks that close and open their doors exclusively for the gay events, that I know of, are Typhoon Lagoon and Universal Studios (for the night time parties). I would think that Universal will have only a few selected rides open. The rides are Typhoon Lagoon are all open during the party.

The religious right is very aware of Gay Days and has made a big offense out of it but yes Disney stays neutrel. So those following the church leaders (bigots) do tend to stay away. I'm not a big amusement park person by the Typhoon was really cool. Only issue was it was in the lower 60s that night and then started to pouring rain on the way to car.

Word of advise get to all events early. Fashionably late is not part of the Gay Disney experience.

I think Disney's policy is that they do not endorse GayDays, however, they welcome everybody to their parks any time of the year.
So I do not think Disney makes any kind of special announcement to alert "families".

There are indeed lots of families w/ kids at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday and some are taken by surprise about the red shirts. The major congregation of red-shirts is the one that gathers to watch the 4PM parade in front of the Castle.


The only theme parks that close and open their doors exclusively for the gay events, that I know of, are Typhoon Lagoon and Universal Studios (for the night time parties). I would think that Universal will have only a few selected rides open. The rides are Typhoon Lagoon are all open during the party.


I know Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio doesn't endorse gay days or recognize it as an official event but they don't stop the stop the promotion of it from outside groups either.

Disney is (or was at one time) very gay friendly and I know for a while the religious right was boycotting them over things like gay days and offering same sex partner health care benefits. Disney either didn't care what they thought or the gays were bringing in more money than the religious right, because it didn't stop them.

I love p**sing off the fundies so that would be an added benefit to me:)

I know Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio doesn't endorse gay days or recognize it as an official event but they don't stop the stop the promotion of it from outside groups either.

Kings Island's Gay Day is after they close for the regular season - it's just an evening event though.

Kings Island's Gay Day is after they close for the regular season - it's just an evening event though.

I thought KI's gay day was on fathers day as well. I would love a private event, but Cinci is a pretty far drive for just an evening event.

I thought KI's gay day was on fathers day as well. I would love a private event, but Cinci is a pretty far drive for just an evening event.

KI's gay day is usually in Sept (mid month). http://www.cincyglbt.com/pride-night