Despite Being Told To Stay Away, the LGBTQ+ Community Is Still Coming to Disney World for ‘Gay Days'

In 2023, the NAACP, Human Rights Campaign, and Equality Florida issued travel warnings for the LGBTQ community heading to the Sunshine State. That warning remains in effect on the NAACP’s website, stating that Florida “is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.”

Last year, Visit Florida, Florida’s official tourism website, quietly removed the LGBTQ Travel section from its website without notifying anyone. The Orlando Sentinel reported that destinations like South Florida, Key West, St Petersburg, and Wilton Manors make millions off LGBTQ travel, and many businesses featured on the Visit Florida website make millions from LGBTQ+ tourism.

Despite those ominous signs from the state, the LGBTQ+ community has still chosen to head to Walt Disney World this coming weekend to celebrate Pride Month. According to Florida Today, more than 180,000 members of the LGBTQ+ community are heading to Central Florida to celebrate “Gay Days” from June 5 to June 8.

While events are scheduled at Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando Resort, none of the three theme parks sponsor them. Unlike its sister park in California, Disney World does not host an official “Gay Day” event, while Disneyland hosts an after-hours Pride Night event in June.

Despite not sanctioning the events, Disney World does release a line of Pride-themed clothing and food items to celebrate Pride Month.

The event schedule is:

Thursday

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom – 10 a.m. through 2 p.m.
• SeaWorld – 10 a.m. through 2 p.m.

Friday

• Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios – 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Universal Studios’s Islands of Adventure – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Saturday

• Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom (wear red!) – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Universal Studios – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday

• Walt Disney World’s EPCOT – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Epic Universe

The most impactful event takes place on Saturday at Magic Kingdom. The initial “Gay Day” celebration started in 1991, and event organizers told attendees to “wear red” so they could recognize each other. Now, the day has turned into a massive celebration, with thousands flocking to Magic Kingdom in their red shirts.

Despite the upcoming celebration in Central Florida, there is still concern over heading to the Sunshine State. According to SafeHome.org’s annual rankings of states that are the most friendly to the LGBTQ+ community, Florida ranks dead last. The website states:

Under Governor Ron DeSantis, the Sunshine State has become increasingly cloudy for the LGBTQ+ community. The climate of the state is so comparatively hostile that certain LGBTQ+ advocates and human rights organizations issued a travel advisory for the state. Additionally, Florida has the lowest percentage of hate crime reporting in the country with 44% of law enforcement agencies submitting hate crime data to the FBI in 2023.

Despite the warnings, the LGBTQ+ community will be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in Central Florida next weekend, and “Gay Days” will continue.