New events in the Gay Days lineup

In many ways, Gay Days Weekend is a miracle. The planâ┚¬â€to meet at the Magic Kingdom wearing redâ┚¬â€could've fallen apart in any number of ways back in 1991. Instead it grew, fueled in 1995 by publicity created by protestors attempting to stop it.

â┚¬Å”The whole thing started as just a way to collectively go to the theme parks and have fun,â┚¬Â said originator Doug Swallow.

Over the years, inspired ideas and impeccable timing have contributed to the success of what has for years been the largest annual gathering of LGBTs in the nation.

In 1997 Watermark and Jeffrey Sanker both hit on the idea that the weekend could support a big nighttime theme park party. A year later, GayDayS.com guessed correctly that visitors would want to stay in resort hotels where they could be gay, and that the burgeoning Internet would be ideal for promoting the event throughout the globe. Both notions changed the event dramatically.  

In 1999, Mark Baker added a Sunday night event at Hard Rock Live and bet that an after hours component would succeed. And in 2001 Baker surmised that other attractions would want a piece of the action and expanded the party outside Disney. His Starz Party at Universal Studios remains the biggest single Gay Days Weekend party to date.

In 2002, new owners at the Parliament House brought RuPaul in for a Gay Days concert and attracted 6,000, proving that the weekend is a gold mine for local business.

In 2005, Johnny Chisholm booked the huge Buena Vista Palace and established Gay Days as a beachhead for the national and international party circuit. Four years later Chisholm imploded, leaving a trail of ill will. But new promoters stepped up, aided by theme parks that had grown fond of the lucrative weekend.

In 2007, Alison Burgos bet that Girls in Wonderland could support two parties at major Downtown Disney venues. And that same year, the Bears staked a claim to their own water park event at Wet â┚¬Ëœn Wild.   

And so now hear we are in 2011, year 21 of Gay Days Weekend. Will any new events or developments scheduled for this year change things going forward? Let's take a look.

Mr. Sisters Signs In
The popular and much-talked-about dance club and restaurant on E. Colonial Dr. jumps into Gay Days Weekend this year with a series of high profile events. Sisters teams with GayDayS.com to host the Gay Days Kickoff Party on Wednesday night. Then they bring in recording artists Kelly Rowland on Friday and Deborah Cox on Saturday for concerts benefitting Come Out With Pride.

Hard Rock Takes a Break
In recent years, Hard Rock Live has booked comedians like Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho and Joan Rivers during Gay Days Weekend. Citing â┚¬Å”scheduling and artist availability,â┚¬Â the high-profile venue at Universal Studios Orlando chose to sit this year out. Will that continue?

GayDayS.com Starts Earlier, Ends Later
According to Chris Manley, national and international guests are arriving earlier each yearâ┚¬Â¦ and they're ready to party. This year, pool parties at the 23-acre Doubletree Resort start on Wednesday, and the huge GayDayS Expo continues through Sunday. Manley also hopes a Taste of Gay Days benefitting The Center of Central Florida will be a classy annual event.

Bears Book Their Own Den
The organizers of Tidal Wave at Wet â┚¬Ëœn Wild have booked their own bear-tel for the first time this year. The beautiful Royal Plaza Hotelâ┚¬â€former host hotel for GayDayS.comâ┚¬â€will be filled with big, furry guys. We call it a pool party; they call it â┚¬Ëœbear soup.' There's also a Booty Call Underwear Party after hours on Saturday night at Pirates Dinner Theater. And there's a full bear lineup at the GayDayS.com hotel, too.

Downtown Girl Jam
Alison Burgos proved that Gay Days girls just want to have fun. Pandora Events and Phish-Phest Entertainment have something for locals and early arrivals with their Traffic Jam party on Thursday night at the huge Beacham Theater on Orange Ave. Ladies can control amorous advances with red, yellow and green glow sticks.

Mark Baker Moves In
â┚¬Â¦ to the Buena Vista Palace, former headquarters for Johnny Chisholm. The huge resort hotel has played host to some of the best pool parties in history. Baker's after hours parties will be right at BVP, in a hotel convention hall staged to look and feel like a permanently installed nightclub. With DJs and dancers from around the globe, Saturday night's Matinee: Ibiza Rising at Universal Studios Orlando is billed as an â┚¬Å”international gay dance music event.â┚¬Â Is the circuit officially back? Baker promises to raise the bar with his Wonderland Weekend.      

Cirque Salute
Cirque du Soleil is offering a meet-and-greet with the gorgeous cast of La Nouba for any Gay Days patrons attending their Friday 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. shows.

Retro T-Dance
The producers of Riptide at Typhoon Lagoon invite you to â┚¬Å”drink around the worldâ┚¬Â on Sunday at EPCOT before diving into a T-Dance and ending the day with the famous Illuminations fireworks display. Could this become another signature event for the weekend?