Grad Bash Crowds and Restaurants

[eliezra]

Looks like Grad Bash closes both parks at 7pm, Friday, April 20. Students can get in as early as 4pm. Are the crowds significantly affected at the parks and city walk during these events? Any restaurants I should avoid that evening?

Thanks so much!

 

[macraven]

I’ve only gone once during this event

I left the park about 5:30 as many start the grad bash at 4:00

Many do come early and the crowds will build up to 7:00

Not an issue to eat in the park from 4 to 6
Eateries were not that full time I was there

 

[christophfam]

Since parks close for us at six, I am wondering what city walk will be like. Would be a nice evening to eat at city walk and shop since we can’t be in the parks, but not if it’s over run with teenagers. Do these events affect city walk or are all the kids in the parks?

 

[macraven]

Would think most teens would be in the park for the event

Have not read past threads stating City Walk packed with teens on the Grad Bash nights

Cover charges for a few of the places start later in the evening
City Walk passes are sold and they allow holders to enter the places that charge

Believe a couple have a 18 and over requirement if not with a parent

For the lower cost areas such as Moes, Burger King, etc would probably draw in the teens

 

[eliezra]

I was also wondering about City Walk. According to Universal's website, the students get exclusive access to City Walk from 5pm - 8pm. Not sure if this means all of City Walk or just a portion of it. I have copied and pasted below what I found on Universal's website.

CityWalk™ Pre-Party | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Get your celebration started off right with exclusive access to the Grad Bash Pre-Party at Universal CityWalk™. Admission includes an unlimited buffet dinner, live street entertainment and DJs spinning your favorite music.

 

[mjhtvchick]

I was also wondering about City Walk. According to Universal's website, the students get exclusive access to City Walk from 5pm - 8pm. Not sure if this means all of City Walk or just a portion of it. I have copied and pasted below what I found on Universal's website.

CityWalk™ Pre-Party | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Get your celebration started off right with exclusive access to the Grad Bash Pre-Party at Universal CityWalk™. Admission includes an unlimited buffet dinner, live street entertainment and DJs spinning your favorite music.

We experienced this a few years ago - it was a bit crazy around Citywalk at that time. Not everything was blocked off but a good bit of it was. I think we ended up heading back to the hotel early and hanging out around the pool.

This year we are going later in May but will still run into Gradventure, which is the middle school event. I don't think that will be as bad but we are already planning to still close to the resort that night - maybe eat at Jake's or head to Cabana Bay for some bowling.

 

[Seeker615]

We were there last year when grad bash was going on. Parks were fine during the day. We did have express since we were at Royal Pacific so any longer lines were quickly cut. The only area we found crowded was the new Potter area at the Studio side. Even then we rode Gringotts with a short wait.
City walk was a bit of a mess. There were areas sectioned off for the teens and it was hard to get around in some areas. We ate an early dinner and went back to our resort.

 

[macraven]

Teens have a section in city walk blocked out for them for 3 hours as mentioned in the above posting

Once it is 8:00, it’s usually opened to the public

 

[CarrieAP]

Were there last year. I expected City Walk restaurants to be busy as non-grad folks left the parks early, which they were, but not horribly so. We strolled over to Antojitos about an hour after the parks closed and were told we'd have over an hour wait for dinner. Ended up being less than 30 min and boy did the restaurant empty out shortly after being seated. City Walk was livelier than on other nights, but I don't recall any issues with access and such.

Only "mistake" I made was not noticing a change in park opening time to an hour earlier. We stayed at Sapphire Falls so not EP for us. We like to hit the gates before they open and was surprised they already were when we got there.

I see we have a grad night again for our visit this year, but not concerned because the impact, if any, was minimal.

 

[houseofthrees]

We run into this every year and have never had a problem. I think a few years we have taken that evening to go roam around Disney Springs, enjoy an evening at the pool, or take in a movie.

 

[keishashadow]

Decided against visiting 1st night of our upcoming trip end of April due to grad night

Had thot to add a day onto the end the trip early May. Ha, there’s nights for middle school “Gradventure” too & the hotels have a 2 night min for non suite rooms in place at this point.