Gay Day at Disney World Goes Off Without Incident, Park Aide Reports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — An unsanctioned Gay Day at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom went off without problems, a park spokeswoman said Saturday.

“It went fine. We had a lot of people with that group,” said Jane Adams, a Disney spokeswoman. “I have no idea exactly how many, because it’s hard to tell who’s with the group and who isn’t.”

Organizers had expected as many as 20,000 homosexuals to visit the park in what has become the unofficial kickoff to local celebrations of Gay Pride Month.

Signs in front of ticket booths notified visitors that a gay and lesbian group would be visiting.

Adams said there were a few complaints from visitors who were unaware of the event. She said she did not know the exact number.

Although some Christian activists had mounted a media campaign against the event during the last few weeks, there were no protesters outside the park Saturday.

David Caton, director of the American Family Assn., said he decided several weeks ago not to have protesters at the park on the day of the event. But he said his group did send a few “non-confrontational observers.”