Orlando is a Southern town, but the entertainment industry and the theme parks have helped in the building of a strong gay and lesbian community. Same-sex dancing won't draw any unwelcome attention at most of the clubs at Pleasure Island, especially the large, crowded Mannequins. Many of Universal's CityWalk establishments are similarly gender blind. The tenor of crowds can change, however, depending on what tour is in town, so respect your own intuition.
The popularity of Orlando with gay and lesbian travelers is confirmed by the expansion of the June "Gay Day" celebration at Disney World into a weekend event that includes Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. Park-goers can wear red on Gay Day to signify their support of the gay and lesbian community. Additional information on the event can be found at www.gayday.com or www.gaydays.com.
For information about events for that weekend or throughout the year, contact Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Community Services of Central Florida, 934 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803 (tel. 407/228-8272; www.glbcc.org). Welcome packets usually include the latest issue of the Triangle, a quarterly newsletter dedicated to gay and lesbian issues, and a calendar of events pertaining to the gay and lesbian community. Though not a tourist-specific packet, it includes information and ads for local gay and lesbian clubs. Gay Orlando Network (www.gayorlando.com) is another planning resource for travelers. Watermark (tel. 407/481-2243; www.watermarkonline.com) is another gay-friendly publication; it can be found in many bookstores.
For more gay and lesbian travel resources, visit www.frommers.com/planning.
