Grad nites affecting Pleasure Island??

[js82]

I will be in Disney when grad nite starts in April. I was planning on going into Pleasure Island that Saturday night. Do the grads cause any congestion in Pleasure Island or Downtown Disney?

 

[marmar]

The biggest impact we've ever had on our trips that coincided with Grad Nights (3 years in a row) is that they close the MK early. AND thereare BUSES AND BUSES AND BUSES headed for the MK. It was quite a lot of traffic. Thank heavens we were on the monorails from Epcot and on to the GF. They slip a letter under your door at the GF & Contemp warning that you may hear music & Noise late at night (we did not and we were in the building closest to the MK at the GF).

The convention centers at Yacht Club, GF, Coronado Springs, Contemp were used for gathering points for the grads as they arrive, but they get shuttled off in buses to the MK at the appropriate time. We've been at the other parks at this time so it did not impact us at all.

 

[marmar]

I believe Grad Nights are only for the MK. We had a chaparone tell us the Kids are not allowed to leave. There used to be a strictly enforced dress code also. (If they are dressed nicely they are less likely to cause trouble?)
The chaparone told us the kids are also searched for drugs & alcohol, and that there are undercover folks on duty watching over closely.

But I've heard some pretty wild stories about fun in the dark behind the shrubbery.

 

[drusba]

Grad night is MK and the crowd is basically there almost all night. You can get some spillover to Pleasure Island but that is usually some college kids or family members other than the mainly high school group that attends. Pleasure Island will just be its normal crowded self at that time of year for a weekend night.

 

[tjmw2727]

Many of the schools get to WDW earlier than the start of grad night and PI (or parts of it) are closed to the general public for the grad night participants. No alcohol but private parties and dinner for the kids.

My sil teaches at a HS in clearwater and one of the packages they can buy includes a pre-party and dinner at PI before the MK grad night.

So - grad night will cause the MK to close on time and could cause PI to open a bit later. After 8ish then PI is usually back to normal.

TJ

 

[TDC Nala]

The past few years, at least, they have had a private party for the grads at PI before they go over to MK. The entire island is closed to the public for them.

PI has generally opened around 9:00 - 9:30 on Grad Nights.

No idea what the schedule is for this year.