June in Orlando has no shortage of reasons to be here, but Girls in Wonderland stands apart. Billed as the country’s premier music and lifestyle festival for queer women, it draws thousands of attendees from across the country for a long weekend of daily concerts, pool parties, comedy shows, and brunches — all anchored at a resort hotel in the Orlando area. The vibe runs from sun-soaked and loose during the day to full celebration on the dance floor well into the night, making it one of the most complete festival experiences the city has to offer.
What is Girls in Wonderland?
Girls in Wonderland is a multi-day music and lifestyle festival built specifically for queer women and their communities. It has grown over the years into a nationally recognized event that draws headlining musical acts, comedians, and a whole architecture of programming designed to fill every hour of a long weekend.
The festival centers on a rotating lineup of live concerts, DJ-driven dance parties, resort pool parties, comedy performances, and morning brunches that let attendees ease into the day before the next wave of programming picks up. The result is something closer to a curated queer resort takeover than a traditional single-day festival.
Girls in Wonderland is explicitly inclusive of all women — cis, trans, and non-binary attendees are welcome and represented throughout. The festival has made that inclusion part of its identity, not a footnote, and the crowd reflects it. If you want more detail on the current official inclusion statement, check the festival’s site directly at girlsinwonderland.com.
The event also attracts couples, friend groups, and solo travelers equally. It has the kind of social density that makes it easy to meet people whether you arrive with a full crew or just a carry-on.
When and where
Girls in Wonderland 2026 is expected to take place in June, typically falling in the early-to-mid part of the month — often the weekend that follows Gay Days Orlando and lands at the start of the broader Pride Month cluster of events in the region.
Note as of 2026-04-28: Specific dates and the host hotel had not yet been officially confirmed for 2026 at the time this post was written. Always verify current dates, venue, and ticket availability at girlsinwonderland.com before booking travel.
In past years, the host hotel has typically been located in the I-Drive or Universal area on the west side of Orlando, though properties near the Disney corridor have also been used. The host hotel is the heart of the festival — most programming happens on-site, and the pool party experience in particular is tightly tied to being at the venue itself.
Festival passes give access to most programming, though some individual events may require a separate ticket or reservation. Travel and accommodation logistics are worth planning early, as the host hotel tends to book quickly once the festival goes on sale.
What to expect day by day
The exact schedule varies from year to year, and specific DJ lineups and performers are announced closer to the event. That said, the structure of a Girls in Wonderland weekend has been fairly consistent:
Thursday: arrivals and opening party
Thursday is arrival day for most attendees. Programming typically kicks off in the evening with an opening party — a chance to get your bearings, find your people, and set the tone for the weekend. Expect a DJ set, a full bar, and the particular energy of several thousand people who have been looking forward to this for months all landing in the same place at the same time.
Friday: first pool party, evening concert
Friday is when the festival hits its stride. The first major pool party of the weekend usually takes the afternoon, with attendees claiming space around the resort pool for music, sun, and socializing. By evening, programming shifts indoors for a live concert or headlining DJ set in the main ballroom or event space.
Saturday: peak day
Saturday is the centerpiece of the weekend. The main concert of the festival, typically featuring the top-billed headliner, anchors the evening. Pool programming often runs through the afternoon, and the late-night dance party that follows the concert tends to run the longest of any night. If you are going to be at the festival for one full day, Saturday is the one.
Sunday: brunch and closing party
Sunday slows down a little by design. A brunch event — often ticketed separately — gives attendees a relaxed morning before the closing party in the afternoon or early evening wraps up the weekend. The closing party tends to carry a bittersweet energy that longtime attendees will recognize: everyone is exhausted and no one wants to leave.
Tickets and passes
Girls in Wonderland typically offers a full-week (or full-weekend) pass that bundles access to most events into a single purchase. Single-day options and event-by-event tickets are often available as well, which can work well for Orlando residents or attendees who are only in town for part of the weekend.
Note as of 2026-04-28: Ticket tiers, pricing, and availability for 2026 had not yet been confirmed at time of writing. For current ticket options and purchase links, go directly to girlsinwonderland.com. Passes for prior years have sold out before the event, so it is worth checking the site early once tickets go live.
Getting around — the festival hotels and downtown
The geography of Girls in Wonderland is worth understanding before you plan your trip. Most of the festival’s programming takes place at or around the host hotel — typically somewhere along the I-Drive or Universal corridor on the west side of the metro area. This is roughly 20 minutes west of downtown Orlando via I-4.
Downtown Orlando, including the North Orange Avenue nightlife corridor where Anthem sits, is a separate zone. Rideshare (Uber and Lyft both operate well in Orlando) is the standard way to move between the festival hotel and downtown. The ride is straightforward and typically runs $15–25 depending on time of day and surge pricing.
If you are staying at the host hotel, it is worth noting that the pool parties and some other events are genuinely easier to access from a room on-site. Having a host-hotel room also means you can duck out of a late-night event and be back in your room in minutes rather than waiting for a car. That said, many attendees stay off-site — the practical difference is mainly felt during the pool day programming.
For a broader look at what is happening across the city that month, the LGBTQ events Orlando guide covers the full June calendar.
What to pack
A Girls in Wonderland weekend in Orlando in June means dressing for two very different contexts across the same day.
- Pool day fits: swimwear and coverups that are comfortable for hours of standing, dancing, and socializing around a crowded resort pool.
- Evening looks: the nighttime events tend toward expressive, elevated fashion. Check the daily theme list once it is released — themes are taken seriously and are part of the fun.
- Sunscreen: June in central Florida means intense sun and high humidity. Apply before you leave the room and bring a small bottle for reapplication poolside.
- Comfortable shoes: the host hotel can be large, and you will be on your feet across a full day of programming.
- ID: most events at Girls in Wonderland are 21 and over. Your ID will be checked consistently throughout the weekend.
After-festival nightlife — Anthem and the downtown scene
Girls in Wonderland programming is genuinely dense. Between pool parties, concerts, brunches, and late-night sets, there is rarely a gap in the schedule. For many attendees, the host hotel is the entire weekend, and that is completely fine — the event is designed that way.
But some attendees, especially those who have been to multiple years of the festival, find themselves wanting a different environment one night of the trip. The host hotel scene has a particular social atmosphere that some people want to step outside of, if only for a few hours. That is where downtown Orlando comes in.
Anthem is downtown Orlando’s upscale LGBT nightclub, located on North Orange Avenue. Queer women and femmes are well-represented in the crowd and genuinely welcome — this is not a space where women feel like guests at someone else’s party. On any given weekend night you will find drag performances on the main stage, a well-stocked full bar, and a sound system worth dancing to. Saturday is Anthem’s signature night, which means it runs with more production and a larger crowd.
Practical details: Anthem is about a 20-minute rideshare from the I-Drive area. The dress code is elevated — think a night-out look rather than resort casual. Athletic wear and flip-flops are not appropriate. Weekend hours are typically 10pm to 2am, so there is plenty of time to catch the late portion of a Girls in Wonderland event and still make it downtown before last call.
Plan your night at Anthem.
FAQ
Is Girls in Wonderland trans-inclusive?
Yes. Girls in Wonderland explicitly welcomes trans women, non-binary attendees, and all who identify within the community the festival serves. Inclusion is stated policy, not just implied. For the current official language on the festival’s inclusion statement, check girlsinwonderland.com directly, as the specifics are updated annually.
Do I have to stay at the host hotel?
No — many attendees stay at nearby hotels or short-term rentals and Uber to the venue. The practical advantage of staying on-site is access to the pool parties, which are easier to participate in from a host-hotel room, and the convenience of being a short walk from the late-night events. Off-site stays are common and work fine for the concert and evening programming.
Are festival passes refundable?
Refund and exchange policies vary by year and ticket tier. As of 2026-04-28 the 2026 policies had not been confirmed. Check girlsinwonderland.com for the current terms before purchasing. It is worth reading the policy carefully if your travel plans are uncertain.
Are partners welcome?
Yes. Girls in Wonderland draws a mix of solo travelers, couples, and friend groups of all sizes. The festival is not structured around a singles dynamic — couples are a visible and normal part of the crowd throughout the weekend.
What is the dress code at the parties?
It depends on the event. Pool parties call for swimwear and casual coverups. Evening concerts and late-night parties trend toward more intentional looks, with many attendees dressing to a daily theme. The theme list is usually released in advance of the festival — check the official schedule once it goes live and plan accordingly. Some of the most memorable parts of the weekend are tied to how seriously people take the themes.
If you are building out a full Orlando Pride month itinerary, Girls in Wonderland pairs naturally with the rest of what the city has on offer in June. For everything happening downtown that month — including Anthem’s full event calendar — see our guide to things to do in downtown Orlando in June 2026.
Anthem is open every Friday and Saturday night. Whether you are a GiW regular working the festival circuit or a first-timer figuring out your week, the door is open. Plan your visit at Anthem.