In June, Disneyland hosted Pride Nites as part of their Disneyland After Dark events schedule, and now another Pride event will be coming to Disneyland next month.
While this is not an official event that Disney does not host, Gay Days typically take place each September at the Disneyland Resort. This year, Gay Days will take place from September 13th to the 15th. Each day, there are special events and giveaways for attendees. On Saturday the 14th, you may notice one specific color take over Disneyland.
So, what are Gay Days? According to their website, “Years ago, when Disneyland closed early more often, they would occasionally rent the park out for private parties. One such party was a “Gay Night,” and we attended, but we didn’t really love it: stores were closed, restaurants closed, no parade, no characters, no fireworks. It felt like less than the full Disneyland experience. So, when that event was canceled in 1998, we created Gay Day Anaheim. We based the event on our big sister event in Orlando, Gay Day, which attracts over 100,000 gays and lesbians from around the world each June.”
Each year, as part of Gay Days, people wear red shirts to the park. While the events take place all weekend, Saturday is the official Gay Day, where those attending and supporting the event wear red.
So why red? There is also a sister event that is held in Orlando, and the Anaheim version of the event follows suit, as red is the Orlando color choice. According to the Gay Days website, “Red stands out in the crowd. Because the park is open to everyone, it’s easiest to identify one another if we’re all wearing the same color.”
If you plan on visiting Disneyland between September 13th and 15th, you may see a lot of red, and you can show your support by also wearing red! Other events over the weekend include a scavenger hunt, lunch and ride meet-ups, and ticketed specialty events.
If you want to learn more about how you can attend this event, you can visit the Gay Days website to see the full schedule and information on where to meet.
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Have you attended Gay Days in Disneyland before? Let us know in the comments!
As I recall it, “Gay Day” at Disney drew tons of criticism by the groups one would typically expect to complain. Disney tried to defer the criticism by saying that they weren’t doing anything official, that this was an independently organized event. (Which they totally supported, as they do events like Night of Song and other events.)
It became casually known as “red shirt day” to not stand out, but still have a way of being a recognized gathering.
What a wonderful and fun time to be in Disney!
Aw we’re gonna be out of the parks by then. Would be nice to be there for it
L