April 25, 2011
Girls In Wonderland Orlando Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary With Real L Word Cast
Robert Doyle READ TIME: 2 MIN.
MIAMI, FL - Once upon a time, three passionate lesbians went to Disney for fun and adventure. They witnessed lots of amusements for gay men, but sadly realized that Orlando didn't cater to the female gay crowd. "Why do men get to have all the fun?" they wondered, and promptly set out to make changes.
Today, these women, at the helm of Pandora, are the leading event and destination weekend LBT women's producers in the country.
Girls in Wonderland is a lesbian tradition. Orlando plays host to 7,000 gay women who travel the globe to party like rock stars in the city of princesses and dreams come true. Pandora Event organizers have watched the party grow. Their mission, to connect and strengthen the lesbian community in a carefree atmosphere, has been consistent, and they are beyond excited for the upcoming 10th Anniversary.
The fest gets underway on Thursday June 2. Girls in Wonderland guests take over two big hotels in the Courtyard Village in Lake Buena Vista where the price is a palatable $99 a night. Each hotel has its own vibe. The Marriott Courtyard has a rambunctious reputation and the Fairfield Inn is a tad mellower. Both hotels host lively pool parties by day, featuring DJs, fun and games, and all hotel guests have complimentary access to both splash bashes.
At night, ladies get out of their bikinis and into their party clothes. This year's excellent evening entertainment includes appearances by the stars of Showtime's "The Real L Word." These ladies will be hosting the weekend's flagship anniversary party at House of Blues. On other nights, Rocker Melissa Crispo, Baby Blue, and others will be performing live. The dance parties feature some of the most amazing DJs on the planet like DJ Lisa Pitman and DJ Pat Pat, and as always, Pandora go-go dancers are there to gawk at. A fleet of shuttle buses will chauffeur partiers to evening destinations. Party organizer Amy Alonso says, "No one needs to worry about drinking and driving."
Proceeds from the Girls in Wonderland weekend benefit NCLR, a national legal resource center that advances the rights and safety of lesbians and their families through litigation, public policy, and education. NCLR also provides representation and resources to gay men and bisexual and transgender individuals on key issues that support lesbian rights.
LINK: Girls in Wonderland
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.
