I have been to hell and it is a theme park. I had the brilliant plan to spend an day at Disney For Gay Days on Saturday to do some sketching. Terry wanted to come along because she said she could go shopping. When we got to the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We found out after a cell phone call that we would have to wait an extra hour to get into the park. Terry got annoyed and I took it as an opportunity to sketch.
The line at the guest relations window was always long. Children cried and parents yelled at the kids and each other. “Why are you giving the kids grapes? I told you they were thirsty and all you keep carrying on about is those damn grapes!” “It always has to be about you doesn’t it?” The few that got past guest relations then had to face the turnstiles. Above them storm troopers repeated the same tinny recorded dialogue over and over. The troopers made fun of the parents calling them the children’s servants and questioning their taste in clothes. They brandished their plastic weapons and threatened to shoot if people didn’t move along.
Terry went to Epcot and I followed after I finished this sketch. We were to meet at France. As soon as I got to France it began to pour. I took shelter under the awning to a perfume shop. I sat on my stool and watched an amazing lightning display for the next half hour. I only saw one female couple holding hands and wearing red tee shirts. That was the only hint that it might be gay days at Disney. All the people I saw were anything but gay, they were annoyed, short tempered and wet. That mood quickly soaked into me as well. When Terry met me we decided to get out. As we quickly walked back toward the parking lot, a woman asked me “Would you mind taking our picture?” I shouted out “Yes!” and stormed off. The woman was perplexed.
6 thoughts on “Gateway to Hell”
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I accidentally showed up to Downtown Disney on Gay Days a few years in a row and all I remember is the huge crowds of men in neon colored tight jeans.
And I think I know right where you were standing – next to the archway beside this wall http://tinyurl.com/nkx9we
France is one of my favorite countries at Epcot 🙂
Epcot is much more bearable if you have wine at France, beer at Germany, saki at Japan and beer at Mexico. 🙂
I went to France last week. The real France. In, er……France.
I wih you HAD made inside the gate, Thomas. That's where I perform each and every day! A few more feet and I would have seen you there! How GREAT it would be to be sketched my you AGAIN…in a DIFFERENT character! LOL Anytime you want to come again…(on a nice day) just let me know. "Francis Floot" would love to be honored in a sketch.
BTW…still wondering whether the original of that Wayburn sketch is available? Is that even possible? I notice how your book is a two-pager…
Dewey,
I transferred the sketch to a large sheet of watercolor paper and just need to put down some washed. Re-doing the sketch offered me a chance to go back and improve certain areas in the comfort of my studio. Send me your e-mail address and I will contact you when it is done.
As far as the parks go, the Gay Days fun really happens at Magic Kingdom on the first Saturday of June. Next year, if you really want a hilarious people watching experience, try to sketch the 1pm take-over of Country Bear Jamboree, o the ocean of red in front of the castle for the 3pm parade.