“Pleasure Nite” is formally coming to the Happiest Place on Earth in June.
Disneyland introduced Thursday that it’ll maintain its first official LGBTQ Pleasure Nite on June 13 and 15, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets for Pleasure Nite, a part of the theme park’s “Disneyland After Darkish” sequence, will go on sale April 20 for $139.
The Anaheim park drew inspiration from its Parisian sibling for Pleasure Nite, based on Disneyland officers. In 2019, Disneyland Paris was the primary to carry an official delight occasion. After a three-year hiatus, the occasion will return this summer season.
Disneyland’s announcement comes because the Burbank leisure firm continues to face backlash in Florida for opposing the state’s “Don’t Say Homosexual” regulation.
Florida and its governor, Ron DeSantis, have been in a dispute with Disney because the firm opposed a state regulation final yr that prohibits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identification from kindergarten by third grade. Underneath strain from Disney workers, Disney’s then-Chief Government Bob Chapek mentioned he referred to as DeSantis to “categorical our disappointment and concern” over the invoice, which was signed into regulation final spring.
In response, DeSantis and the state dissolved the particular tax district the place Disney operates Walt Disney World, Epcot and different resorts, with close to full autonomy.
With Disneyland’s announcement that Pleasure Nite was coming to the West Coast, the response on social media was combined. Many expressed pleasure and prompt which Disney characters, just like the Nation Bears and Ursula, ought to make an look.
“Higher late then by no means,” wrote Twitter consumer @nate_lawlor.
Others posted homophobic and transphobic feedback, with some stating that they’d not attend Disneyland on these days.
Pleasure Nite will embrace a dance celebration with characters in “particular apparel” and picture alternatives with “pride-themed backdrops,” Disneyland officers mentioned.
Pleasure Nite comes greater than 25 years after the unofficial however immensely well-liked “Homosexual Days,” which started as an after-hours occasion when the park might be rented out for personal events.
Homosexual Days is now held throughout park hours and attracts hundreds of LGBTQ attendees every year.
Organizers of Homosexual Days Anaheim responded positively to the announcement of Pleasure Nite.
“Within the wake of all the things that’s taking place to the nation, that Disney is popping out in help of the neighborhood and alluring the neighborhood in, on this manner, I feel is a good factor,” mentioned Eddie Shapiro, organizer of Homosexual Days Anaheim.
“Disney is clearly saying out loud, ‘We as an organization usually are not cowed by [events in Florida],’ nor ought to they be,” Shapiro mentioned. “I’m glad that they’re saying that.”
However Shapiro additionally famous the irony of Pleasure Nite being held in related style to the primary iteration of Homosexual Days.
“I feel it’s sort of humorous that 25 years later, Disney is prepared to not have an unofficial factor however an official factor, and we’re again to having an after hours, late night time occasion,” he mentioned.
Though Shapiro expressed some ambivalence about Disney entering into an area Homosexual Days has been filling efficiently for greater than 20 years, he additionally mentioned the occasions can and can coexist.
Disney can placed on lavish and theatrical productions with LGBTQ themes, Shapiro mentioned, whereas Homosexual Days can host its personal occasions and events outdoors the parks.
“I feel we’ll each proceed to have the ability to do issues that the opposite can’t,” Shapiro mentioned.
