Grad night - one-off bad experience or the norm?

[Aurora0427]

Correct, not just CA. We're CA-adjacent but our area schools have been doing this trip for some time. We have an organizer per school, but the high schools in our district all travel together. They travel in big ol' buses to CA (and the non-DLR activities), but they stay in the good neighbor hotels, so they walk to the parks.

I asked DD, and they didn't have to check in with their chaperones at the parks. I'm sure they buy the all-day hoppers+grad night b/c they think it's the best use of their time.

I must have read some old rules or something!!!!

 

[Chickinvic]

One of the reasons I asked is b/c I don't want DLR similarly ruined for my younger child, via a future grad night! I didn't know if this year's grad night experience was normal/to be expected, or bad compared to other years. We had zero family history until this past week, but it seems to be such a fond memory for so many.

I joke with DH that it's just going to be the 2 of us going on Disney vacations, but things really are heading in that direction.

I was there on a couple of grad nights 6 years ago and it was nothing like that (they happened to coincide with our trip). This sounds sad/pathetic. Disneyland experience has really gone down the crapper.

 

[austinf]

I'm supposed to go with my wife and special needs 5 year old next Wednesday...I just saw it is a grad night. Should we try to switch to Tuesday which isn't a grad night? Will it make that much difference?

 

[Chickinvic]

I'm supposed to go with my wife and special needs 5 year old next Wednesday...I just saw it is a grad night. Should we try to switch to Tuesday which isn't a grad night? Will it make that much difference?

Yes, you should switch based on everything in this thread.

 

[katejc]

I’ve been on grad nights in the past and never had any issues. But just be aware that DCA will not be available with normal hours. If you’re park hopping, you may want to switch your day.