Gay Days in Gay Anaheim

A sea of red.

That's all I could think as I recently walked through Disneyland in Anaheim, California during what is fondly called Gay Days Anaheim.

Over the course of a three-day weekend, the happiest place on Earth was just a little bit more happy...and gay...and red.

What is Gay Days Anaheim?

It's not only a celebration of being gay but also a chance to come out and show our numbers in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire world.

While the first Gay Days Anaheim brought out approximately 2500 attendees, this year the number was closer to 30,000. And you could truly feel that unity present in the air over the entire weekend.

Gay Days Anaheim is held over a three-day weekend in October for a few reasons, the first being that DisneyLand itself is traditionally not overcrowded with tourists as it would be in the middle of the summer. It's also the perfect climate in October to still have warm weather, yet not the peak of summer heat.

DisneyLand can keep you pretty busy whenever you go, but with Gay Days Anaheim in full force, there were a variety of fun events held throughout the park such as group photos, teen gatherings (sponsored by The Trevor Project), scavenger hunts, Gay Days Pin Trading - and what gay weekend would be complete without a lesbian ice cream social?

On the surface, the weekend might still seem to be merely time at DisneyLand but what I felt over the course of the weekend was the camaraderie of, well, us. It's a time when we can all mingle amongst everyone else and (my favorite part) not have to wonder if the red-shirted cute guy in the cotton candy line is gay or not.

On the flip side, I found it pretty obvious when I came across the few unsuspecting straight guys who happened to wear red t-shirts and probably spent the day wondering why everyone else in red kept looking their way.

But then again - not one of the guys I designated as straight seemed to mind the attention!

On a personal note, while there's always a magic feeling to spending time at DisneyLand, I thought about the connection between feeling like a kid and being gay, which are two parts of all of our lives that don't come together very often.

Most of us figured out we were gay way past childhood but one of the great things about Gay Days Anaheim is it gives us a chance to be kids and be gay at the same time!

And while you're reliving your childhood, don't be surprised if you cross paths with more than a few celebrities walking the park and hanging out at the after hours' events.

This year, Rose McGowan, Bruce Vilanch and drag queens Miss Coco Peru and Momma visited the park and kicked up their heels (for Bruce, tennis shoes) with the other red t-shirts.

What’s in a Name - and Why Red?

The event is touted as Gay Days Anaheim, instead of Gay Days Disney - and there is an actual reason for this: DisneyLand does not endorse any group visiting the park. Period.

Disney may reserve space and help with hotel room blocks and other organization details, but they generally do not officially endorse any event that comes to the park.

That said, the park is aware of Gay Days Anaheim and is more than happy to keep their doors open to everyone.

Why do we wear red t-shirts? The idea actually originated in Orlando at Disney World for their Gay Days event. The primary reason is simply that red stands out in a crowd and is memorable without making a big political statement. All I know is every time I looked out into the crowd and saw hundreds of red t-shirts, I felt a sense of pride and joy that I was there in my red t-shirt to be a part of the weekend.

After Roller Coasters and Mickey Mouse, It’s Time to DANCE!

After a day of Space Mountain and Splash Mountain, ice cream cones, and strutting your stuff in the warm Anaheim sun, what could possibly be next?

Like any good gay event, Gay Days Anaheim had some kick-ass dance parties over the weekend where you could toss back a cocktail or two and dance the night away with celebs and drag queens...and some hot male dancers!

On the first night of the weekend, Wonderland kicked off the party at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, which is located in Downtown Disney. With the fabulous Rose McGowan hosting the VIP lounge and DJ Ray Rhodes spinning the best music, it was a great way to mix and mingle (and maybe bump and grind a bit) in a way that you couldn't quite do in FantasyLand.

Another plus from this event? Proceeds went to The Trevor Project.

On the second night, Gay Days Anaheim took over the House of Blues in Downtown Disney. Kicking off the night was music by American Idol contestant LaKisha Jones and there was also jaw-dropping performance by the hot guys from the Cirque Du Soleil Las Vegas show Zumanity. The hilarious and hugely talented Jenifer Lewis performed to the masses as well as DJ Kimberly S. rocking the house until the wee hours of the morning.

The entire night had a fun, Vegas feel, which should be no surprise since the night was sponsored by none other than Las Vegas!

Splash Me at Gay Days Anaheim

So far over the weekend, we've had the red sea of the LGBT community, a few dance parties, Bruce Vilanch and a drag queen or two. What else does a gay weekend need? A pool party!

This was the first year that Gay Days Anaheim had a pool party built into the weekend and it was a fabulous time! The event, called Plunge, happened Sunday afternoon and was held in the California Adventure park next to DisneyLand.

A slew of speedo-clad studs mingled and danced to the prime choices of DJ Zach Moos as well as Momma and her bathing beauties. Nothing like getting a little sun before the end of Gay Days Anaheim, right?

Sponsor This!

The whole weekend would not be possible without the generosity of many of the sponsors of Gay Days Disney.

Undergear was the presenting sponsor of this year's events and other great companies like Absolut Vodka, Howard Johnson Anaheim, The Red Lion Anaheim, The Anabella Hotel, Knott's Berry Farm, Las Vegas and the Anaheim/Orange Country Visitor and Convention Bureau contributed their time and resources to the event. Media sponsors are Gay.com, Frontiers, PIX, Odyssey Hawaii, Rage, and Q Vegas.

(If you have a company and want to be a sponsor, you can find details at GayDaysAnaheim.)

While this year's Gay Days Anaheim may be over, next year's event is already in the works. The dates for Gay Days Anaheim 2011 will be from September 30 - October 2nd. Further details can be found at GayDaysAnaheim.

I know I'll be there as one of many in a sea of red, so I hope to see you there, too!