Tips for Travelers with Special Needs

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 are supposed to wear red on Gay Day to signify their support of the gay and lesbian community. You can get information on the event 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. In the Company of Women (tel. 407/331-3466; www.companyofwomen.com) and Gay Orlando Network (www.gayorlando.com) are two other planning resources for travelers. Watermark (tel. 407/481-2243; www.watermarkonline.com) is another gay-friendly publication; it can be found in many bookstores.

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 International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) (tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to their website and click on "Members."

Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian travelers. Above and Beyond Tours (tel. 800/397-2681; www.abovebeyondtours.com) is the exclusive gay and lesbian tour operator for United Airlines. Now, Voyager (tel. 800/255-6951; www.nowvoyager.com) is a well-known gay-owned-and-operated travel service.