It is an odd thing to wear a red shirt and realize that there are many others out there that are part of the same "family." Another reminder why it is important was getting home to find someone had sent a comment on my YouTube account stating, "You shouldn't be alive gayboy!" So perhaps it is a good thing to stand in solidarity once in a while ... safety in numbers, where because the gay presence is so obvious that two girls holding hands can do so without the scorn of parents, who with the typical safety of numbers (theirs) would not hold their tongues. It sort of reminds me of the day when we ran into the ladies who wear purple hats. One or two and it would seem odd, but 30 women moving in one giant pack of purple dresses and red hats together can really impact and impress!
With the free time between jobs (me, not Frank), Frank and I decided to take a quick trip to Southern California to see Mickey Mouse and catch Disneyland's 50th anniversary. We missed the celebration by one week but got to see the new Dreams campaign and it turned out to be Gay Day at the Disneyland Resort. This is not officially sponsored by the park, just a loose group of about 30,000 people arriving on the same day wearing red shirts.
Frank looked into staying at the one of the Disney Hotels and there was no availability and the prices, in my opinion, not reasonable! Using the unemployed card, I requested that we find a more affordable (not cheap) place to stay and guess what? Bargains can still be found near the park! We stayed at one of America's Best hotels for only $49.00 a night and as fate would have our hotel room became the resting place for my brown-dual toned shoes. Our hotel, a mere 15 minute walk from the entrance of the park was acceptable, not a place one wants to spend hours and hours hanging out in but suitable. My poor feet, after two 15 hour days at the park, were in desperate need of a foot massage ... I don't know how my parents survived three kids wanting to stay until the park closed and then drove home!
I haven't been to Disneyland in a few years having had the opportunity to drop in at Disney World in conjunction with a work function. And after spending more time at Disney World, the Disneyland park is very compact by comparison. With that said, there are plusses and minuses. The new Pirates is great and the Nightmare Before Christmas makeover of the Haunted House was incredible and having two days to Park Hop between Disney's California Adventure meant that we could have Mickey Mouse pancakes and margaritas all in the same day! Space Mountain is smoother than before and has more stars. Tom Sawyer's island is on the chopping block to become a pirate island and the jungle cruise has piranhas! Add to the day all of the red shirts, our friend Eric and of course the Halloween theme ... a good time was had by all, except perhaps the Fundies who thought they owned the park.
Disney Trivia
- In the 1950s all the orange trees except for one were cleared so that Disneyland Park and Hotel could be built. That one tree is still there today, in the gardens of the Disneyland Hotel.
- Disneyland had only 18 attractions when it opened on July 17, 1955
- The streetlights on Main Street are over 150 years old. DIsney bought them for $.02 a pound in Baltimore, MD.
- The names on the second story windows on Main Street are all names of men who helped build Disneyland.
- Walk Disney wanted live animals for his Jungle Cruise attraction. Adventureland zoologists convinced him that real animals could be sleeping during the park's operating hours.
A bit of History on Gay Day
Years ago, Disneyland used to have a private party one night of the year for gays and lesbians. When the event was canceled in 1998, we created Gay Day Anaheim. We based the happening on our big sister event in Orlando, which attracts over 100,000 gays and lesbians from around the world each June.Like the Orlando event, Gay Days Anaheim is a "mix in," meaning gay people and straight people mingle together; the park is open to the general public. Also like Orlando's Gay Day, we wear RED shirts to identify one another and show our numbers.The first Gay Days Anaheim in 1998 attracted about 2,500 people. In 2005, we had about 30,000! Pretty amazing. What was once a small one-day gathering has become a full weekend event with parties, gatherings, group photos, scavenger hunts, private meals, and much more! Remember, this event isn't sponsored by Disney (hence why it's "unofficial") so if you call Disneyland asking for information about Gay Day, they will tell you that this is not a Disney event.
- From the Gay Day Anaheim website
