Another Gay Days weekend has come and gone, and as usual I have mixed feelings about its passing. I usually dread getting up early on Saturday, dread the fatigue that will inevitably come after a day of walking around the Magic Kingdom in the stuffy heat of Orlando in June. I look forward to the experience, though, of walking around the park in a sort-of alternate universe in which gays aren’t in the minority. That experience and the usually pleasant company of friends is what brings Patrick and I back now for the sixth year in a row.

This year was a bit different, as we stayed on property at the Wilderness Lodge. The convenience factor in doing this was awesome, though still not worth what you’d normally have to pay for it. Thankfully, because of splitting our room with CJ and Alfred and finding a really good deal for Florida residents, it did turn out to be worth what we payed. The lodge is gorgeous inside, but the rooms are quite unremarkable and disappointing for what I expected. Likewise, the main restraurant was also disappointing in terms of cost vs. quality.

Apart from a few minors sources of drama (people being absent-mindedly inconsiderate, bickering about what to do next, etc.), the weekend was successful and mostly enjoyable. The group got to ride all the big attractions, thanks in part to an incident on Pirates of the Carribean where we discovered and exceeded the weight tolerance on the ride (ie. the whole group on one boat). Dinner at Bohma’s was delightful as always, though painfully expensive for a buffet. Finally, the new fireworks at the Kingdom were quite a welcomed improvement over what came before. Thanks to those who stuck around to see them with us, despite the rain and fatigue.

Sunday was a bit of a flop due to some unexpected delays and inclement weather, but we still managed to get into trouble by the end of the evening (ie. Fairvilla). Pictures from this weekend’s adventures can be found here. Thanks again to Patrick for coordinating the plans, Aron, Josh, Brandaen, and Joe for getting people into the parks, and Aron again for planning dinner. Also thanks to Hope for driving up from West Palm Beach and Kerri for driving from downtown to join us.

Tags: flickr, Gay Days, Patrick

Categories: Public

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