One of the most popular, and my favorite circuit event in the country, Gay Day at Disney World in Orlando is making a comeback. Mark Baker was once one of the principal party producers before it was taken over by Johnny Chisholm in 2005. Back in 2005, Chisholm also took over the popular www.gayday.com which he let die over the years so he could instead promote his One Mighty Weekend branded website.
While Gay Day at Disney World began in 1991 on local computer bulletin boards by creator Doug Swallow, the nighttime party phenomenon began in 1997 when Jeffrey Sanker helped create the iconic Beach Ball at Typhoon Lagoon. Later promoter Mark Baker created the Sunday night sell-out event Coliseum Party at Hard Rock Universal.
Watermark has the full breaking story.
The respected party producer created several Gay Days Weekend parties in the late 90s and early 00s, including groundbreaking events at Hard Rock Live and Universal Studios. In 2010, Baker will produce major parties at the House of Blues on Thursday and Hard Rock Live on Sunday, as well as late night parties at Arabian Nights throughout the weekend.
Mark Baker will be moving Gay Day from Buena Vista Resort (formerly Wyndham) to the newly renovated Holiday Inn in the Walt Disney World Resort.
Also this year, GayDayS.com, the main competing event for Gay Day Orlando, will be moving from their normal host hotel of the Royal Plaza Hotel to the Doubletree Resort on International Blvd.
This annual gay event in Orlando attracts hundreds of thousands from all over the world and brings in tens of millions of dollars to the area.
I have gone to Gay Day in Orlando every year since 1998, except fortunately last year in 2009, which was plagued with problems. I am feeling pretty good about this new change. And it also looks like the folks at GayDayS have taken over Beach Ball and are now calling it Let’s Go Play. Beach Ball was my favorite circuit event in the world.
Confused? Probably. I’ll be back with more details as I get them.
Info on Gay Day 2010 is available at www.markbakerevents.com.
Info on Gay DayS 2010 is available at www.gaydays.com.
1 major error in your story; Jeffrey Sanker did not create BeachBall @ Typhoon Lagoon, that was Watermark. Jeffrey started the One Mighty Party @ MGM Studios. Just a clarification.