Disney World cut “gay” from “Deck the Halls” lyrics in new holiday show

Mickey and Minnie Mouse are not saying “gay” in a new holiday show at Walt Disney World.

Last month, the entertainment giant launched “Jollywood Nights,” a separately ticketed event that took place on certain nights of the week at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios park through December 20. Taking place after regular park hours and geared more toward adult fans, Disney described the event as “Hollywood Glamour Meets Holiday Cheer.”

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The event reportedly got off to a rocky start when it launched in November, with attendees demanding refunds due to overcrowding and long lines.

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Among other attractions, “Jollywood Nights” includes an all-new stage show, “Disney Holidays in Hollywood.” Inspired by “the glitz and glamour of vintage Hollywood TV specials,” according to Disney World’s website, the outdoor show featured Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and other Disney characters performing new songs alongside holiday classics.

But the show put a potentially troubling new twist on at least one of those classics. According to Disney fan site Inside the Magic, one “Holidays in Hollywood” segment featured Mickey and Minnie Mouse singing “Deck the Halls,” replacing the familiar lyrics “Don we now our gay apparel…Troll the ancient Yule-tied carol” with “Don we now our cozy sweaters…I can think of nothing better.”

The omission of the word “gay” from the traditional song is, of course, notable given the context in which the show is being performed. Florida, where Walt Disney World is located, has been at the forefront of a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeping state houses across the country. Last year, Republican governor Ron DeSantis signed into law the “Parental Rights in Education Act.” Commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, it originally banned classroom discussions of sexuality and gender identity at certain grade levels but was expanded this year to cover all grades.

The Walt Disney Company came out against the law after it was passed, resulting in a protracted legal battle with the DeSantis administration.

In May, DeSantis signed another law authorizing the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation to revoke the business licenses of any venues that allow minors to see “adult live performances.” While the text of the bill did not mention drag shows, it was widely seen as targeting such performances. Its broad definition of “adult live performance” as any show that “is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community of this state” could certainly be interpreted as including any show that so much as mentions the word “gay.”

Last month, the Supreme Court refused to block a temporary injunction against the law. But the omission of the word “gay” from the Disney World holiday show is perhaps an indication of the chilling effect Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has had already.

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