Dark Days at Disney World

Summary: Written from a perspective of a young woman who was an intern worker at Disney World, this article shows how the Disney corporation is slowly abandoning its family friendly image. The young woman describes the atmosphere of partying and reveling at the apartments where she was housed, and how she decided to leave after witnessing sexual activity performed in public by homosexuals.

With "Gay Days at Disney World" and other gay-friendly events, the theme park has become a destination of choice for the homosexual community. The young woman says she was told that Disney World would not refund any money to unsuspecting families who were disturbed by what they experienced in the park during "Gay Days."

Each Spring recruiters from Disney World fan out across the country seeking young college students who desire to be a part of the "Disney experience," advertised as "where fantasy comes to life and vacations always end happily ever after." The new recruits join the ranks of hundreds of young men and women for a six-month internship at the giant amusement park.

According to the mother of a daughter who signed up for the Disney World College Intern Program, the new recruits quickly discover that, instead of the family-friendly environment that the company projects to the public, they are in for an experience more akin to Pinocchio's "Pleasure Island."

"Terry," a twenty-year-old student from Glendale Community College in Phoenix, answered the call from a recruiter who visited her college last February. She agreed to work as a lifeguard at one of the Magic Kingdom's resorts. The young Christian woman was assured that she would be housed and work in a safe and pleasant environment, and that underage students would be segregated from those of legal drinking age--which is 21 in Florida.

"It didn't take long for me to discover," said Terry, "that my 'dream job' was beginning to look more like a nightmare." Despite being promised her own room, she was assigned to a cramped, Disney-owned apartment with five other underage women. Moreover, on her days off she was required to attend compulsory Disney training.

Although the other women in her apartment were under 21, the apartment directly across the hall was occupied by drinking-age men. Alcohol, drugs, and sexual activity became a regular routine in the apartment complex. "A favorite spot for late night partying and sex--both heterosexual and homosexual--was around the apartment building's swimming pool," Terry said. "The pool Jacuzzi was a frequent locale for open sexual activity."

Homosexuals represent a significant part of the staff at Disney--one of America's most gay-friendly corporations. Terry's Christian faith led to frequent taunts by homosexuals living in her apartment complex, and one bizarre encounter convinced Terry to end her Disney internship and leave after only two weeks on the job.

As Terry explained, "One afternoon, while walking in the courtyard outside of my apartment, my friend and I were met by two gay men, who proceeded to offer their usual taunts about my faith. Unexpectedly, the pair dropped their pants and proceeded to enact a sex act in front of us." The crude and repulsive exhibition was the last straw for Terry, who decided to end her employment with Disney.

I asked Terry about the security provided by Disney for residents of the apartment complex. She responded, "When I was hired, the recruiter told me that apartment security would not allow heavy partying or underage drinking, and that no drugs would be allowed. In fact, they only provided gate security. There was no security presence in the building as far as attempting to hold down the partying, drinking, drugs, or sexual activity."

Terry's story illustrates the directional shift at Disney. When the company fell on hard times in the 1980s, Roy Disney--Walt Disney's nephew--turned over leadership of the company to entertainment executive Michael Eisner, who brought Disney out of its doldrums and is now the company's largest individual stockholder. Mr. Eisner incorporated his own agenda--one that is distinctly at odds with the family values image carefully nurtured by founder Walt Disney.

All is not well at Disney. Last fall, Roy Disney was forced to resign from his position on the board of directors. In a bluntly written statement to the board, Mr. Disney blamed Eisner's leadership for the sharp drop off in the price of Disney stock, declining ratings for its ABC Television network, and lower revenues from its theme parks.

Disney took his fight to remove Eisner to the company shareholders meeting held March 3, 2004, in Philadelphia, where he was narrowly defeated in his bid for reelection to the board. As a result, Eisner was forced to give up his position as board chairman and was replaced by former Maine senator George Mitchell. Mr. Eisner remains the corporation's CEO.

Unfortunately, Roy Disney's arguments for change focused only on disappointing financial returns and poor management. Other than a nebulous call to "restore Disney's image," little has been said about the company's increasing hostility toward family values.

Walt Disney World has become a destination of choice for the homosexual community because of its gay-friendly policies. The company offers domestic partner benefits to its homosexual employees and has a corporate-sponsored "gay pride" program that provides "resources, learning opportunities, and a supportive network" for gay and lesbian employees

Each summer the theme park opens its doors for "Gay Days at Disney World," when tens of thousands of homosexuals descend upon the park for a week of "gay" frolic featuring adult parties, alcohol, and sex (the 2004 event is scheduled for June 1-7). During "Gay Days" 2003, the Christian Action Network shot footage of Disney cast members engaged in homoerotic performances.

According to Terry, Disney has no interest in warning the public about the homosexual events: "We were told not to say anything to park patrons about 'Gay Days' and that Disney World would not refund any money to unsuspecting families who were disturbed by what they experienced in the park.

"Gay Days" at Disney have proven so popular with homosexuals that Disney has agreed to host "Gay Family Days," which is advertised as an opportunity to "advance the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered parents and their families." The event is scheduled for Father's Day weekend--June 17-20, 2004.

Another sign of the retreat from wholesome, pro-family values at Walt Disney World was the discontinuation in 2002 of regular church services at the Polynesian Resort. The popular services had been a tradition with vacationers since 1975.

Miramax Home Entertainment is the "R" rated film production arm of the Disney Corporation. The film company has produced a number of films that hold religion--particularly Catholicism--up to ridicule. Such movies as Priest, The Magdalene Sisters, 40 Days and 40 Nights, Dogma, The Order, and Stigmata feature anti-Christian, profane, and sexually related themes. The recently released movie duo, Kill Bill and Kill Bill II, have been called the most violent and bloody films ever made.

The Disney Company also owns the ABC television network, which often portrays Christian and pro-family values in a negative light. In 1997, ABC television took an irreverent look at the Catholic priesthood in its drama series, Nothing Sacred. The series was cancelled after its first season following dismal ratings and harsh criticism by some Catholic groups.

In June 2000, the network aired Peter Jennings' The Search for Jesus, which featured theologians and biblical scholars who cast doubts upon historic Christian teachings.

In November 2003, ABC News aired a special presentation titled, Jesus, Mary, and Da Vinci, based on the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code. As with The Search for Jesus, the program sought to discredit the portrait and mission of Jesus as recorded in the gospel accounts. Clearly blasphemous, the documentary suggests that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and fathered children by her who later became part of French royalty.

Walt Disney would certainly not recognize the company he left to his heirs, which was intended to support the faith heritage of the American people. Before he died, Walt penned the following:

Whatever success I have had in bringing clean, informative entertainment to people of all ages, I attribute in great part to my Congregational upbringing and my lifelong habit of prayer...To retreat from any of the principles handed down by our forefathers, who shed their blood for the ideals we still embrace, would be a complete victory for those who would destroy liberty and justice for the individual.

If this was reversed, the "offenders" would have been arrested for a "hate crime" and Disney would have been sues for sexual harassment.

I'm sure this point will be lost on a great many people, but Disney World does not sanction or promote "Gay Day." The "Gay Day" people buy blocks of tickets just like any other group who wants an outing at WDW. While I will not take my family to WDW during Gay Day, I don't think we want WDW asking people buying tickets who they like to have sex with.

If WDW ever starts raising rainbow banners and signs saying "Welcome Homosexuals!" then I'll be upset.

Apparently this person has not heard of "Gay Week" at Disney? This has been going on since at least the 90's. If you get a Disney travel book you will see in each one of them a mention for you not to travel there with your kids during that week unless you want to see same sex couples looking for attention. This was not started by Disney but started by Gay people and Disney has let this go on for years now. No protest from them at all. So as far as I am concerned Disney is very pro-gay!

This seems a little too slanted.

You don't hear many people just 'droppin drawers' and going at it, just to taunt someone's religious beliefs. And don't even start mentioning the blasphomy of fictional stories like The Da Vinci Code. Fiction means false; not fact.

I'd say there is another side to the intern story and, yes, Disney isn't as family friendly as they were in the old days. But sadly enough, who is?

Walt must be spinning in his grave. He was a good man, with strong principles...unlike Michael Eisner.

Btw, welcome to Free Republic :-)

If WDW ever starts raising rainbow banners and signs saying "Welcome Homosexuals!" then I'll be upset.

Hey sweetie, do me a favor. Find the Disney Gay Day web site and take a quick peek at those mouse ears. Then, I want you to set up your own web site, using those same mouse ears and tell me how long it is before you're shut down.

Each summer the theme park opens its doors for "Gay Days at Disney World,"

If the Army had just called it "Gay Days at Abu Ghraib World", a lot of unpleasant publicity could have been avoided.

You are 100% correct. I live about 15 mins from the parks and I stayed at the POP Resort after a concert last night at House of Blues. Disney DOES NOT sanction the Gay Days. They have absolutely NO CONTROL over this.

Dianna I agree on this. It is a load of crap that they are allowed to use the mouse like it is representing Disney. Someone should just sick a lawyer on it for the hell of it to see where it goes and the public can see once and for all where this all goes.

I wouldn't call it whining. She was misled about the type of enviroment that she would be living and working in. Unfortunately in some places, Disney stands for decency and family values, lmao!

There are a lot of things that Disney doesn't promote or sanction. But any outfit that even allows "Gay Day" should be boycotted.....I haven't been back to Disney World in several years..but it is my understanding that now in the "Hall of Presidents" exhibit, patrons are not treated to a short speech by Abraham Lincoln toward the end of the presentation but instead are forced to listen to a speech by Michael Eisner's good buddy, President Bill Clinton...Several years ago, according to another widely circulated story...Walt Disney's daughter had written letters to both of Nixon's daughters and said if her father had been alive, there would have never been a movie done about Nixon in the way that Oliver Stone being underwritten Eisner and the Disney division "Touchstone Pictures" portrayed the former president...So, you see, Michael Eisner has been nothing but a disaster for the Disney company and the only way he will be forced out is--if folks like us boycott his company.

They can go ahead and have Gay Days until they are rainbow in the face. Why waste the big bucks on Disney and their agenda when there are so many other great parks? I will NEVER step into a Disney theme park until the Wayback machine is perfected and I can step into a long ago era when Walt ruled the roost.

"This seems a little too slanted.

You don't hear many people just 'droppin drawers' and going at it, just to taunt someone's religious beliefs."

Indeed. Considering the source, this may not all be true. No doubt Disney hires some gay employees. They house their employees in apartments. I'd guess you'd be likely to see some sexual activity in an apartment building full of young folks.

Now, maybe these two guys did do this. Maybe not. Maybe the person making the claim called them "faggots" one too many times and they pulled this as payback.

I don't know. I do know that I don't necessarily believe stories like this without question.

I remember as a kid in the 60`s they wouldn`t even let hippies in, now they got gay day. Judging by the annual gay pride parade here in NYC (the only time Hitlery shows her face)it`s so wonderful knowing that now children get to see not only Mickey Mouse but "Mr. Gayman" as well wearing nothing but a pink thong. Yes, nothing wrong with that. Maybe we can have heterosexual parades as well and have heterosexual men and women walk around nude, oh but that`s right, then it would be illegal.

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