In 2015, Disney made yet another bold statement, but hardly anyone noticed.
The AFA insinuated it would revive the boycott they had churned up against Disney from 1996-2005, from the moment the company began giving benefits to same-sex employees in domestic partnerships until the time the “culprit” CEO Michael Eisner left the company. "We are in the hospitality business and our parks and resorts are open to everyone,” said a Disney spokesman. “America continues to slide toward the abyss. However, when Disney announced that it would sell its theme-wedding package to same-sex couples in 2007, the opponents reacted predictably. The event's economic clout cannot be ignored: if organizers' estimates are correct, Gay Days draws more people than Orlando's biggest trade convention, the International Builders' Show, which draws about 100,000 participants when it's in town.Īlthough the Gay Days were - of course - condemned by the Religious Right, they did not announce a boycott in this case. "It's a piece of business that we love hosting, and we enjoy having their business in our portion of the community." "For our 626 rooms, it has a great impact," he said. Bookings were flat compared with the year before, but General Manager Jay Leonard said that's "pretty remarkable" when compared with how other annual conventions have fared so far this year. The same year, SeaWorld Orlando's Discovery Cove theme park purchased a modest USD 5,000 marketing package and was listed as a Gay Days “partner”.Īnd the 626-room Regal Sun Resort, which hosts the women of Gay Days, was expecting a near-sellout for the weekend. Calling Gay Days a "significant annual event" in Central Florida, Blue Man Group said it wanted to extend a special offer to thank those attending for their patronage in the past. In 2009, the 2-year-old Blue Man Group show in Universal Orlando's CityWalk entertainment district became a “bronze-level sponsor” - the first top-line attraction to become such. After years of discrete participation, Orlando's attractions industry took a more visible and active role in the annual gathering. The huge success of this event pretty soon attracted the attention of companies, interested in sharing in the - financial - success. Growth in attendance also reflects the growing number of LGBT families with children. The popularity of the event is seen by some attendees as a way of "reclaiming" normal joys of childhood lost to homophobia in their earlier years. (Governor DeSantis: “I will not allow a woke corporation based in California to run our state.”) But the effect would backfire:ĬNN said, “It’s going to cost the taxpayers billions of dollars, an additional tax burden that’s estimated $2,200 to $2,800 per family.” CEO Chapek first made the curious assertion that the most impactful thing Disney as a company could do in this moment would be to continue producing “inspiring content” and to keep supporting organizations “including those representing the LGBTQ+ community.” Disney then stepped up to condemn the law.Īs a reprisal, Florida legislators passed a bill on Thursday that would revoke Walt Disney Co’s special tax status, allowing Disney to self-govern a roughly 25,000-acre Orlando area. Disney spoke out against this restriction of LGBT freedom - but not after it became public they contributed some $200,000 to the Florida Republicans behind the bill.
This became especially relevant after the state of Florida issued the law that became known as "Don’t Say Gay".