With hundreds of activities and events in town, Gay Days Weekend is clearly a cash cow for many. Some of us are able to feed that bovine some green, but these days many of us aren’t. No matter your budget, we’ve got suggestions on how to make the most of your Gay Days Weekend.
Deep pockets
If you’ve got the money to spend, the first place you’re likely going to spend it is on event tickets. Say what you want about the relocation of several of Johnny Chisholm’s events, but the man does know how to throw a party. The $750 One Mighty Weekend VIP Party Pass gets you into all of them, and includes open bar privileges at many.
As for One Mighty Party not being at the Studios, consider this: the American Idol Experience is the only new attraction at the park, and it wasn’t going to open for One Mighty Party anyway. So you’re not missing anything—or anyone—you haven’t ridden before. And will you really miss indoor attractions you can visit during the day when a mini-concert by Kelly Rowland is the trade-off?
Still, we can’t get too excited about the thought of Beach Ball “Luau” not taking place at a water park. The price for Let’s Go Play at Typhoon Lagoon ($69) or Tidal Wave at Wet ‘N’ Wild ($70) is actually less. All three are Friday night.
We’ve known some Disney aficionados who can hit the major attractions at all four theme parks in one day, so three is a piece-o-cake. Since you’ve likely done plenty of cardio to lean out your Gay Days Weekend body, now’s the time to take advantage of the $262 3-Day Park Hopper Pass. Just make sure you’re at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday in time for the 3 p.m. parade.
And whether you’re from Orlando or Omaha, the best way to experience Gay Days Weekend is to get a room on Disney property. At last check there were still a few rooms at most of the official host hotels in Lake Buena Vista, with prices ranging from $99 to $240 per night. And in most cases, your room will get you into round-the-clock pool parties for free.
If the idea of waking up Saturday morning and taking a monorail to the Magic Kingdom appeals to you, there are available accommodations at the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian, with prices starting at around $200 per night and going up… way up.
Empty pockets
If your pockets aren’t quite so deep—or if you just want to make Suze Orman proud—you just have to be a little more selective. There are plenty of free events, and others that don’t cost quite so much.
The main problem with doing Gay Days Weekend on a budget is that, in most circumstances, event tickets just get you past the door, where you’ll then have to deal with a cash bar. That’s why we recommend the Lush-A-Liscious Wine Tasting on Wednesday. The event’s $30 ticket covers drinks (samples of numerous wine varietals) and food (hot and cold hors d’oeuvres). It’s also one of the most irony-filled gatherings of the weekend as proceeds from the event benefit the Orlando Youth Alliance—none of whom are old enough to attend.
Unless you wake up in a hotel room, most every pool party this weekend comes with a cover charge. But on Thursday, June 4, you can join the boys at the Royal Plaza Hotel and the girls at the Regal Sun Resort pools for the only free pool parties of the weekend. Granted, these are evening parties, but when you’re on a budget, free is the right price any time of day. And the eye-candy is the same day or night.
But you can also see a hot body sweat and glisten from labors other than just laying out in the sun. That’s why we recommend joining forces with the Orlando chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans (even Obama-supporters are welcome!) for their Habitat for Humanity Build a House Days. On Wednesday, June 3, and Saturday, June 6, earn some good karma and help a charitable cause without spending a dime.
All that tightening-the-purse-strings got you down? Then a good hearty laugh is just the cure. Gay Days Weekend comedy events are among the most reasonably priced. Bear comic Marc Peurye ($20) and lesbian stand-up Kate Clinton ($40) bring their acts to the Royal Plaza and Regal Sun, respectively, on Saturday, June 6. But the smart money for “most-talked-about-event-of-the-weekend” is on Wanda Sykes ($35) at Hard Rock Live Friday, June 5. Thanks to her recent rants at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, she’s the hottest ticket going. Sykes’ wife just had twins, giving her even more material.
When you’re on a budget and can’t afford name brands, sometimes you have to make do with substitutes. In terms of laughs and enjoyment, you may not notice a difference. The “Illusions in Review” show Saturday, June 6, at Hamburger Mary’s presents celebrity impersonators. The show kicks off “Leigh Shannon’s Variety Dinner Show,” a new weekly outing at Mary’s that will fete a cavalcade of iconic performers like Bette, Barbra, Cher, Reba, Roseanne, Donna, Dolly and Madonna. Best of all, the show is free (though the folks at Mary’s hope you’ll enjoy one of their burgers and a few drinks as well).
If you’re a Florida resident you can get into the Magic Kingdom on Gay Day for $67. But if your budget allows, upgrade to the 3-Day Play Pass for $129 that includes three one-day, one-park admissions to any of the four WDW theme parks. You can use the pass any three days you like for six months from first use, meaning you can come back as late as November and enjoy the parks when they’re decorated for Christmas… and the weather is a heckuva lot cooler.
And just maybe, by then, you’ll have more money to spend on souvenirs.
