Gays prepare to descend on Disneyland

Homosexuals are being urged to converge on Disneyland Paris on Saturday 4 October for the theme park's first unofficial "gay day".

The idea, promoted originally by gay magazines and websites in the Netherlands, is based on similarly unofficial gatherings at Walt Disney World in Florida, which have angered American conservatives.

Disneyland Paris said it had not encouraged the gay jamboree but saw no reason to discourage it. There would be no official recognition of the gay day and no special offers for gay visitors, who would be expected to obey the park's family-oriented rules (including appropriate dress and no overtly sexual behaviour).

A spokesman said: "It's a day like any other. There is no discrimination at Disney either on the grounds of politics, religion or indeed sexual orientation. There is no reason for us to treat these visitors differently from any others."

Some tour operators are offering special travel packages and websites are encouraging gays towear white T-shirts so they can recognise one another.

The Walt Disney Corporation has become a frequent target of American fundamentalist religious groups. They object to Disney's tolerance of the gay events in Florida and to its practice of extending corporate benefits to homosexual organisations.