Grad Night Park Hours?

[ClaraOswald]

Can anyone tell me what happens with the park hours on Grad nights?

 

[figment_jii]

Grad Nites are basically an after hours event in DCA, so there generally aren't any major impacts on the parks' hours for non-Grad Nite guests. For example, last year, DCA was open from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm regardless of the day in June.

These were the Grad Nite dates for 2016:
May 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, and 31
June 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, and 17

You can look at the historic calendar of hours for those dates here:
May: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=05&year=2016
June: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=06&year=2016

 

[Darkbeer1]

Grad Nites do have an impact on the day guests, as the event has morphed from a true after hour to dawn experience, to what is offered today.

And that is a Ticket that allows the Grad to visit the park that day during normal operating hours, and access to an after hour event that last a few hours after the park closes to those with a regular admission media. So the parks do get busier than normal on a weekday, and closes a bit earlier than normal, especially those held in June, which are busier than the off-season May dates.

 

[figment_jii]

So the parks do get busier than normal on a weekday, and closes a bit earlier than normal, especially those held in June, which are busier than the off-season May dates.

I was looking at last year's calendar and DCA closed at 9:00 pm regardless of whether there was a Grad Nite or not in both May and June. It opened at either 8 am on weekends or 9 am on weekdays in May and at 8 am in June. I agree that crowds can be impacted (especially as the day goes on and more of the grads start showing up), but it seems like the operating hours of DCA are not impacted by Grad Nites per se.

 

[Diszona]

Strategy question for grad nights: If we went on a day when there was a Grad Night, would it make sense to spend the afternoon/early evening at DCA, then switch to DL until park close, on the assumption that most of the grads will be in DL during the early part of the day before switching to DCA for the party? I don't know if that has been what people have witnessed during party days or not but there is logic to it, at least to me.

 

[figment_jii]

The Grads do have to go to DCA for the party, but I do think a good number of them stay in DL as long as possible (for the nighttime entertainment - if there is any - and the thrill rides). It might actually be a good night to try and see WoC because the Grads get their own showing, so they might be less inclined to see the one during regular park hours.