'Gay Days' at Disney World Worries Many

May 20, 2004 03:47 PM EDT

Evangelical Christians are heavily focused on striking down the dark culture these days as rallies against same-sex marriages continue to proliferate in metropolitan areas and state capitals. Probably one area they are overlooking is the place that has potential to the most vulnerable audience to the whole same-sex debate.

Gay Days will be held at Disney World, June 1-7, concurrently with the time schools will be bringing students to the theme park for end-of-the-year trips.

Some parents from Broward County schools have already brought the matter to the attention of school officials only to be told the date was to too late to change. They are afraid children will be exposed to indecent behavior from homosexuals at the park witnessed by many vacationers at Disney in the past during Gay Days.

Joanne Williams of Deerfield Beach, the parent of a seventh-grader, is upset her child’s school would pick such an untimely date for the trip.

"If [students] were going to New Orleans, you wouldn't pick the week of Mardi Gras," she said.

Some Christian organizations are warning the public of the expected activities.

Family Research Council posted an article, “Dark Days at Disney World,” telling the story of a college student named “Terry” who volunteered as a life guard during the week-long event, ended her intern program short after being fed up with so many homosexuals violating the hotel security code by heavy drinking, partying and sexual activity. She also reported being taunted many times of Christian faith by the homosexuals.

One Christian group, the Christian Action Network, displayed pictures of homosexuals committing indecent acts in front of the state Capitol to call on the Florida government to do a better job of enforcing its indecency laws within the park.

Williams said bringing children to such an enivironment is "inappropriate".

Although an estimated 140,000 people will storm into the park in early June, Terry 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.