Crowd Levels on Grad Bash Nights?

[SquashBanana]

Good afternoon! One of our park days is this Friday, a Grad Bash night, with both IOA and US both closing at 6:00. I am debating between...

1) going to both parks anyway, hopping in a line (Hagrids, VC, etc.) around 5:55 or so, and having dinner at and exploring CW the rest of the evening.

OR

2) Spending the day at VB instead.

How does a Grad Bash night typically affect crowd levels that day since there's no MG parade and the park closes early? Thanks!

 

[Smugpugmug]

I had the same question as well since my Universal day on my upcoming trip has some sort of event where the parks are closing at 6. I saw that April 1st was a Grad Bash night so I checked Thrill Data and the waits were really reasonable, including Hagrids and Velocicoaster.

In case you were curious, here is how Hagrid's looked compared to today:
https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...magicalcreaturesmotorbikeadventure/2022/04/01

https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...venture/jurassicworldvelocicoaster/2022/04/01
Velocicoaster

https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...adventure/theincrediblehulkcoaster/2022/04/01
Incredible Hulk Coaster

Escape from Gringotts seemed to look about the same, if a little better
https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...rrypotterandtheescapefromgringotts/2022/04/01

 

[SquashBanana]

I had the same question as well since my Universal day on my upcoming trip has some sort of event where the parks are closing at 6. I saw that April 1st was a Grad Bash night so I checked Thrill Data and the waits were really reasonable, including Hagrids and Velocicoaster.

In case you were curious, here is how Hagrid's looked compared to today:
https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...magicalcreaturesmotorbikeadventure/2022/04/01

https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...venture/jurassicworldvelocicoaster/2022/04/01
Velocicoaster

https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...adventure/theincrediblehulkcoaster/2022/04/01
Incredible Hulk Coaster

Escape from Gringotts seemed to look about the same, if a little better
https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/a...rrypotterandtheescapefromgringotts/2022/04/01

Interesting... I've never seen this site before... Thanks for the info!

 

[Stressed!!]

How does it work when it closes early? We just found out our one night there they are closing at 6 for a grad bash (we have the following day but can’t stay for the evening). Do they start moving you out so the park is empty at 6? How do they know you can’t be there (aside from the fact we don’t belong to that age group)? Can we still be in line at 5:45 for a ride?
I am debating calling to see if we can cancel the one day of our 2 day ticket as I booked it only a few hours ago (should have read these boards first)

 

[SquashBanana]

How does it work when it closes early? We just found out our one night there they are closing at 6 for a grad bash (we have the following day but can’t stay for the evening). Do they start moving you out so the park is empty at 6? How do they know you can’t be there (aside from the fact we don’t belong to that age group)? Can we still be in line at 5:45 for a ride?
I am debating calling to see if we can cancel the one day of our 2 day ticket as I booked it only a few hours ago (should have read these boards first)

We were there on a Grad Bash night a few weeks ago and we were able to get in line for Hagrid's at 5:50. As long as you are in line by 6 you should be fine. The Grad Bash guests wear a bracelet that they check for starting at 6. After we got off the ride, there were a decent number of security guards directing people without bracelets out of the park.

 

[Pooh's World]

We were there on a Grad Bash night a few weeks ago and we were able to get in line for Hagrid's at 5:50. As long as you are in line by 6 you should be fine. The Grad Bash guests wear a bracelet that they check for starting at 6. After we got off the ride, there were a decent number of security guards directing people without bracelets out of the park.

Could you just stay in the park when Grad Bash starts?

 

[SquashBanana]

Could you just stay in the park when Grad Bash starts?

Probably not for very long. Team members/security were announcing that the park was closed to non-grad bash guests and to please make our way towards the exit. The bridge between Hogsmeade and Jurassic Park was closed unless you had a bracelet, so we were forced to exit via Lost Continent/Seuss Landing. You may could hang out in a shop for a bit, but I'm not sure. We had a dinner reservation at CityWalk and did our shopping there.

 

[lisam70]

Probably not for very long. Team members/security were announcing that the park was closed to non-grad bash guests and to please make our way towards the exit. The bridge between Hogsmeade and Jurassic Park was closed unless you had a bracelet, so we were forced to exit via Lost Continent/Seuss Landing. You may could hang out in a shop for a bit, but I'm not sure. We had a dinner reservation at CityWalk and did our shopping there.

I’m here now there’s a grad bash tonight I don’t know if that’s affecting crowds but today is the most crowded day this week. It’s awful I would avoid if possible.

 

[zillayen]

I’m here now there’s a grad bash tonight I don’t know if that’s affecting crowds but today is the most crowded day this week. It’s awful I would avoid if possible.

Big cheer competition this weekend, hotels have been sold out for weeks.

 

[lisam70]

Big cheer competition this weekend, hotels have been sold out for weeks.

Glad I am leaving today !