Gay Days at Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World has always been a gay and merry place, but this early June, the theme parks will receive a boost of a different kind of gay. The first week of June through Sunday, June 7, marks the annual Orlando event known as Gay Days, which unites members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and supportive community in enjoyment of a day at the Disney parks. Since 1991, GLBT visitors and supporters have worn red and gathered at Magic Kingdom. Today, the event is bigger than ever, bringing an estimated 75,000 visitors to Orlando and encompassing all four parks and several Orlando resorts with meet-ups and special events.

This year, the Gay Days calendar is packed with expos, concerts, comedy shows, and parties all over Orlando. At the parks, however, the event rotates to a different Disney park each day. On Thursday, Gay Days is at Animal Kingdom; on Friday, the event moves to Disney’s Hollywood Studios; on Saturday, the traditional (and biggest of all) Gay Days takes place at Magic Kingdom; and on Sunday, Gay Days winds down at Epcot.

What this means to those unfamiliar with Gay Days is that a large amount of GLBT visitors will be visiting the designated Disney park on that specific day, where they’ll ride the rides and have fun like everyone else. The daily parade usually serves as a gathering point, especially on Saturday when Gay Days guests will “meet at Cindy’s place” (Cinderella’s Castle) for the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade at 3 pm.

While for GLBT visitors to the park, Gay Days is a chance to don their rainbow-colored Mickey ears, the event has stirred up some controversy in the past. Some Gay Days guests have been known to engage in public displays of affection, which sometimes make other guests and families with children uncomfortable.

For those who feel like Gay Days might taint their Walt Disney World experience, we advise steering clear of the specific meet-up park on the day you want to visit. For example, you may want to visit any other Disney park besides Magic Kingdom on Saturday. Visiting the parks early is also a good idea, as the crowds will be particularly thick in the afternoon.

It’s important to note that Gay Days is not sanctioned by or affiliated with Walt Disney World. Still, as Gay Days participants and GLBT Disney lovers know, the parks do an excellent job of treating every guest the same. Mickey loves you no matter what your sexuality is.

Ultimately, for those participating in the event, Gay Days is a fun and festive opportunity for the GLBT community and its supporters to get together, show their pride, and have some good, old-fashioned Disney fun. And if the event doesn’t bother or affect you, feel free to go and enjoy the parks among its red-wearing visitors like you would on any other day.

As always, you can save on Walt Disney World tickets -- for Gay Days or a regular magic-filled visit to your favorite park – right here on DWTickets.com.

Summer Sounds Envelop Epcot

There is always something special going on at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Epcot frequently tops the list when it comes to musical entertainment. Fresh off the fun of the International Flower & Garden Festival and its Flower Power Concert Series, Epcot is ready to rock your summer with the sensational Sounds Like Summer Concert Series.

This year’s annual summer music extravaganza features fabulous cover bands rocking and rolling to all of your music favorites, like Elton John, Bon Jovi, The Eagles and more. Best of all, Epcot’s Sounds Like Summer Concert Series is included with any Disney ticket for Epcot admission.

The Epcot Sounds Like Summer Concert Series will have three nightly shows beginning on June 9 through August 10. Show times are 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. at the America Gardens Theater, located in Epcot’s America Pavilion. Here’s this summer’s line-up:

June 9-15
2U, a tribute band that will get you moving, grooving, singing and swaying to all of your favorite U2 tunes.

June 16-22
Stayin’ Alive, an 80s lover’s dream come true tribute to the Bee Gees.

June 23-29
Hotel California, an authentic and satisfying salute to one of America’s favorite rock bands, The Eagles.

June 30-July 10
Bjorn Again will have you dancing the night away to all of your old ABBA favs.

July 11-20
Slippery When Wet, also known as “the ultimate Bon Jovi tribute.”

July 21-27
52nd Street brings you the best Billy Joel sound in town.

July 28-August 3
Captain Fantastic performs the best of the Queen’s favorite, Sir Elton John himself.

August 4-10
The Sounds of the Supremes bring The Supremes and their awesome sounds to life under the skies at Epcot.

A Disney ticket is required to attend any of the Sounds of Summer Concert Series shows at Epcot. For the best prices in town, get all of your Disney tickets and any other attraction tickets you need for your Orlando vacation right here and now at OrlandoFunTickets.com, the Web’s finest Disney ticket seller.

Enjoying live music and dancing with the whole family is a fabulous way to enjoy a summer evening during your Orlando vacation, so make sure that an Epcot evening is on your Disney vacation list and get those Disney tickets today!

The Force is With Disney’s Hollywood Studios During Star Wars Weekends

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be swarming with Star Wars characters as they host their annual celebration of The Force this June. Star Wars Weekends are fan-packed, family-friendly gatherings that are so popular around Walt Disney World, even Jedi Mickey Mouse shows up. All you need to be accepted into the fold is a Disney ticket.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the home planet of Star Wars Weekends, and the Star Tours attraction is home base. This year your Disney ticket will get you in to see Star Wars favorites like Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Chewbacca, Queen Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, R2-D2 and more droids and villains than you can shake a lightsaber at.

If you call yourself a Star Wars fan, you better get online and get your Disney tickets today so you don’t miss any of the action at Disney’s Star Wars Weekends. Check out these special events happening only during Star Wars Weekends:

• “Behind the Force” gives you an inside peek at how the films were made.
• The “Padawan Mind Challenge” sends kids under 12 before the Jedi Council.
• “Legends of the Force” motorcade cruises with your favorite Star Wars VIPs.

Star Wars Weekends is a great time to check out the “Jedi Training Academy,” which is a regular feature at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The “Jedi Training Academy” teaches future Jedi’s the techniques required for lightsaber battles and then lets them see how much they learned by going up against the super evil Sith Darth Vader or Darth Maul.

Every weekend throughout the month of June, Star Wars Weekends features Star Wars celebrities. One you have your Disney ticket, you can pick a weekend and head out to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to meet & greet your favorites, get a photo or an autograph or participate in a Q&A session. Warwick Davis, aka “Wicket the Ewok” in Star Wars films, is the emcee and host of the entire event.

These Star Wars celebs will join him on the following dates:

June 6-8
Jeremy Bulloch (“Boba Fett”)
Daniel Logan (young “Boba Fett”)

June 13-15
Peter Mayhew (“Chewbacca”)
David Prowse (“Darth Vader”)

June 20-22
Amy Allen (“Aayla Secura”)
Matthew Wood (“General Grievous”)

June 27-29
Dave Filoni (director of the upcoming “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”)

A Disney ticket is required for admission to Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.