Avoiding grad nights

[skuttle]

We are planning our first Disneyland trip for probably next summer. Originally planned early June, but from what I've read it seems like we should avoid grad nights if at all possible. I see the grad night schedule for 2018...do they ever add more nights?

I want to make sure if I book the first week after the last grad night thatvmore won't be added!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Booking that close you're gambling because they add Grad Nites often- even as late as a month or two before they start I think.

 

[skuttle]

Booking that close you're gambling because they add Grad Nites often- even as late as a month or two before they start I think.

Ugh! Not what I wanted to hear!

Do you agree that we should avoid if possible?

 

[Julylady]

We were at Disneyland for a 6 night visit last June. Two of those nights were Grad Nights. I did two things to prepare: 1) I splurged for the World of Color dessert party for one of those nights and 2) I bought park hoppers so that we could switch parks if the crowds got too heavy. Honestly, the fact that it was a Grad night was just a blip on our radar. We didn't notice any concerning behavior or that the parks were more crowded.

 

[tnzzz]

We were there for a grad night this last June on a Friday and I honestly hardly noticed. When we were leaving DCA I did see a good amount of teens coming in, but that was it. I was worried when I planned that trip as well, and I have heard some accounts of the negative impact grad nights have had on the parks, but we didn't have any issues.

 

[skuttle]

Thanks for your input. When it comes to WDW I usually ignore the "horror stories" because I know everyone has different expectations and some are more easy going than others. We were at WDW last year for thanksgiving and went to MK on thanksgiving day (an alleged big no-no) and had a fabulous time!

We've never been to Disneyland so I find myself paying more attention to the things to avoid.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Ugh! Not what I wanted to hear!

Do you agree that we should avoid if possible?

I've done a couple trips over grad nites. My takeaways:
-no Disneyland on grad nites, hop to DCA. We tried to DL on a grad and it turned into the only horrible night I've ever had in DL. NEVER. AGAIN. We literally hunkered down at a table at Plaza Inn (a quick service restaurant out here) from about 8pm to 11pm. It was a madhouse and the grads that night were downright nasty (shoving people and kids) it was really ridiculous. Now we do DCA, table service dinner in DCA or WOC dessert party would be great options for those nights
-you will notice the presence of grads in DL and grizzly river rapids starting around lunch time and they slowly grow until that night
-sometimes they're perfectly well behaved, sometimes they aren't. The ones we've met during the day were generally well behaved but once nightfall hits things seem to change. If you get a poorly behaved group you'll hear them shouting a variety of 4 letter (and even other) words in the lines and there were even reports of them flashing a ride camera or two therefore ruining a ride photo (Disney edits those out and won't show them if something vulgar happens in the photo). Whether they are well behaved and so few they're barely noticeable or they turn your night into total misery is luck of the draw.

In your shoes: how big of a deal is it to move your trip to the end of June? That's what I'd look at do if it was my first/only for sometime trip to DLR. I don't mind grad nites because I've learned to work around them and the large influx of teenagers that are brought to the parks, but I would not want to deal with them on a once in a lifetime trip.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I went several times in early June when it wasn't even grad night and still the parks were filled with grads. I didn't personally witness and bad behavior but large groups of teenagers roaming about made for some very congested areas, basically near rides that teens find fun like CA Screamin and others. This was always in the late afternoon/early evenings. Mornings seemed fine.

 

[HydroGuy]

Good to be thinking about this ahead of time. This thread OP and replies may have some useful info in helping you decide:

"The Scoop on Grad Nights at DLR in May and June" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2298400

 

[skuttle]

In your shoes: how big of a deal is it to move your trip to the end of June? That's what I'd look at do if it was my first/only for sometime trip to DLR. I don't mind grad nites because I've learned to work around them and the large influx of teenagers that are brought to the parks, but I would not want to deal with them on a once in a lifetime trip.

We are planning 5 full days at Disneyland. If we go early June, three of the five have grad nights.

Moving trip to later June is an option. I just know at WDW the later you go the hotter and more crowded it becomes. I assume it's the same at Disneyland.

This will likely be our one and only trip with our oldest (HS freshman). Flying with five from Louisiana isn't cheap. We can do WDW much cheaper. I don't anticipate returning for many years.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

We are planning 5 full days at Disneyland. If we go early June, three of the five have grad nights.

Moving trip to later June is an option. I just know at WDW the later you go the hotter and more crowded it becomes. I assume it's the same at Disneyland.

This will likely be our one and only trip with our oldest (HS freshman). Flying with five from Louisiana isn't cheap. We can do WDW much cheaper. I don't anticipate returning for many years.

You never know here in SoCal because weather is all over the place, but late June isn't much different than early June in terms of weather. In fact, we have June gloom here, which can be a lot of overcast and cool days in June.

If you plan to come after the lower level APs are blocked you might experience somewhat lighter crowds due to fewer locals in the parks. I think this happened around June 9 this year.

 

[skuttle]

You never know here is SoCal because weather is all over the place, but late June isn't much different than early June in terms of weather. In fact, we have June gloom here, which can be a lot of overcast and cool days in June.

If you plan to come after the lower level APs are blocked you might experience somewhat lighter crowds due to fewer locals in the parks. I think this happened around June 9 this year.

Thanks!! I'll have to look into the AP dates too.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We are planning 5 full days at Disneyland. If we go early June, three of the five have grad nights.

Moving trip to later June is an option. I just know at WDW the later you go the hotter and more crowded it becomes. I assume it's the same at Disneyland.

This will likely be our one and only trip with our oldest (HS freshman). Flying with five from Louisiana isn't cheap. We can do WDW much cheaper. I don't anticipate returning for many years.

I'd definitely go at the end of June then. Late June will have full hours and a full entertainment schedule. It will feel equally crowded either way. The weather will (probably) be hot-ish either way.

 

[smartlabelprint]

There was one night for sure on a Trip a few years ago I could definitely notice more teens. More f bombs.

It wasn't highly disruptive. But I'd try another time. Although in summer it seems like the park will be full of teens in general. Possibly with the exception after some ap's are blocked. Teens with families is one thing. Those let on the loose is another.

I'm going to keep watching this thread since I may be taking a solo trip next may/June.

 

[HydroGuy]

We are planning 5 full days at Disneyland. If we go early June, three of the five have grad nights.

Moving trip to later June is an option. I just know at WDW the later you go the hotter and more crowded it becomes. I assume it's the same at Disneyland.

This will likely be our one and only trip with our oldest (HS freshman). Flying with five from Louisiana isn't cheap. We can do WDW much cheaper. I don't anticipate returning for many years.

The perfect days next summer are when we are going June 19-23. After grad nights end and after AP blockout starts.

Do not assume crowds or weather at DLR will parallel WDW. Summer is much more tolerable at DLR. Much! And crowds are fluky because of AP holders that are unlike anything you see at WDW. Finally, when you make the right hotel choice you can stay ahead of a lot of crowds. The leverage on a hotel is much more at DLR than at WDW because DLR draws many more SoCal day trippers.

See "Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983

 

[skuttle]

The perfect days next summer are when we are going June 19-23. After grad nights end and after AP blockout starts.

Do not assume crowds or weather at DLR will parallel WDW. Summer is much more tolerable at DLR. Much! And crowds are fluky because of AP holders that are unlike anything you see at WDW. Finally, when you make the right hotel choice you can stay ahead of a lot of crowds. The leverage on a hotel is much more at DLR than at WDW because DLR draws many more SoCal day trippers.

See "Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983

Thanks!! Going read this now. We plan on staying at the Disneyland hotel.

 

[FM1981]

obnoxious teenagers stay away from those grad night dates by any means necessary.