UPCOMING EVENT: 16th Annual Gay Days

October 4-6, 2019

Gay Days is one of the most popular “unofficial” events at Disneyland, drawing crowds annually the first Saturday in October and again in March for "Mini Gay Day," for those who need a little red shirt boost in the spring. The Gay Day events are not presented by Disney, who does not endorse any group that meets during regular park hours. Disney does not offer information about the festivities, but Disneyland Resort is supportive of the events and the many guests it brings to their parks, hotels and restaurants. Because this is an unofficial event, the parks are still open to the public, so you don’t need a special ticket to visit the parks.

There is a schedule of events for each day, with one park playing "host" each day during normal operating hours. There are family-friendly events, informal chats, cocktails, a concert and other events. You can find all of the fabulous details on the Gay Days Anaheim website. Whether you are planning to attend Disneyland Gay Days or just visit the parks this same weekend, here are some important details to get you ready!

Disneyland Gay Days do bring in quite a few people, and the impact it has on crowds is growing — along with the general higher crowds the parks see on weekends. The crowd levels can vary each year. When Gay Days aligned with Columbus Day weekend in 2018, there were massive crowds — we saw 300-minute waits for Haunted Mansion Holiday! But other years, it is not as busy. Based on park hours, Disneyland usually plans for a busy weekend with long park hours. If you already have vacation plans for the Gay Day weekends, don't let it stop you, but make sure to arrive ahead of park opening for each day of your trip. Take advantage of the lowest crowds early in the day by riding the most popular rides when you first arrive. Use our tips for maximizing your time at Disneyland, which always come in handy whether the park is crowded or not. If you're really concerned about the crowds and have a trip planned on these days, make sure to avoid the park that Gay Days is being hosted in. If Gay Days is at Disneyland on Saturday, then go to Disney California Adventure that day (although with popular Park Hopper tickets, those red shirts may hop between both parks). Even with more crowds, Gay Days create a fun, festive atmosphere.

There is an official Gay Days red t-shirt that you can purchase, but if you don’t have or want the shirt, the organizers suggest you stick to red shirts. The red shirts help Gay Days participants to identify each other and show their numbers. You’ll see a lot of rainbow colors, and you can even purchase rainbow Mickey ear headbands and hats in the parks if you need the perfect Disney accessory for the event. It goes without saying, but you don't have to officially be part of the event to show your support by wearing red!

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