Mid-June Strategy

[WLodgeLizard]

We are headed to DL for 6/13-16.

Now we realize that EVERY night has an hard-ticketed event:

6/13 - Pride Night - DL
6/14 - Grad Nite - CA
6/15 - Pride Night - DL
6/16 - Grad Nite - CA

Just wondering park hopping usually helps when dealing with hard-ticketed events?

 

[chezcurrie]

We are headed to DL for 6/13-16.

Now we realize that EVERY night has an hard-ticketed event:

6/13 - Pride Night - DL
6/14 - Grad Nite - CA
6/15 - Pride Night - DL
6/16 - Grad Nite - CA

Just wondering park hopping usually helps when dealing with hard-ticketed events?

Park hopping helps in general, and especially for hard ticketed events. The good news for your dates are they are the first week of Mkey blackouts for the lower 2 tiers of keys. So the week prior will likely be crazy with that week a nice sweet spot of local Mkey holders not able to go.

 

[Harmacist]

Yeah I'm going the 12th-16th. Having only one "standard" disneyland day on Monday. Honestly it's pretty disappointing since I'm not local and had to request vacation back in January for the summer, I would've chosen the next week if I knew.
The only rationale I see for putting the Pride after dark events the same week as the final grad nights of the year are that they are expecting heavier summer crowds the next week with more schools around the country having off. This is probably them utilizing their park reservation data.
I bought 5 day park hoppers w genie plus last year before the price hike, so I am not too worried about getting done. Our plan is to zig when the crowds zag at the parks and make the most of the vacation. My girlfriend and I are hoping to snag after dark ticket thursday if we are fortunate, I love after-hours at WDW. Hoping this will be as good and support the community.

 

[godfather927]

Is there a way to find out what nights have these types of events? I have a trip booked in July that I can still switch around dates for until next week.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Is there a way to find out what nights have these types of events? I have a trip booked in July that I can still switch around dates for until next week.

Enter your dates into the Calendar if the park is closing before midnight its an event

 

[mdmost]

I would try to hit up one of the Pride nites if you can get a ticket, unless you have an objection to it. You could go over to DCA during that time if you don't get a ticket but it's only open till 10 normally. I would say do DL then switch over to DCA, definitely do DL on the Grad Nite since you'll be kicked out early if you chose DCA that day, DCA on the 3rd day with the other Pride Nite, and DL on the final day with the Grad Nite.

 

[godfather927]

Enter your dates into the Calendar if the park is closing before midnight its an event

The calendar here only goes until the end of May, hence why I was asking as the OP seems to have found a way to check for nights in June.

 

[mdmost]

The calendar here only goes until the end of May, hence why I was asking as the OP seems to have found a way to check for nights in June.

You will most likely be fine in July. Grad Nites end in mid-June and I don't recall any ticketed events in July previously. Maybe on the anniversary of Disneyland's opening (July 17th) but nothing's been announced yet.

https://touringplans.com/disneyland-resort/events

 

[chezcurrie]

Is there a way to find out what nights have these types of events? I have a trip booked in July that I can still switch around dates for until next week.

There are not currently any after dark events listed for July, but of course they could add one as they did this past week for Pride night: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/after-dark/
Grad nights are May and June, they do not run into July: https://www.disneycampus.com/programs/field-trips/dlr/grad-nite-disneyland/

 

[godfather927]

Good to know, thanks all!

 

[WLodgeLizard]

One site is recommending NOT hopping, because the Grad Nite hopper ticket is $200, while the DCA only option is $130, assuming that most kids will not want to pay the extra $70 for a partial day at DL.

This does make sense. Any other thoughts?

 

[Butterfly123]

We have a grad night on our upcoming trip as well, and we are planning on DCA that day. Pre pandemic when we visited on Grad nights I noticed quite a few kids at DL, and maybe because the park feels "tighter" than the wider paths at DCA, I felt like I noticed the groups of kids more. I have no bad stories of any of those grad nights...just excited kids. We focused on the bigger rides early, and it worked out. If I was a kid going to grad night I for sure would pay the extra to go to DL during the day, especially since DCA is the only choice for the after hours party.

 

[chezcurrie]

One site is recommending NOT hopping, because the Grad Nite hopper ticket is $200, while the DCA only option is $130, assuming that most kids will not want to pay the extra $70 for a partial day at DL.

This does make sense. Any other thoughts?

Park hopping would still be beneficial for those “mix in” hours - which can be some of the most miserable/crowded hours. For $60/person ($15/day for your 4 day tickets) for me park hopping would be a no brainer. So nice to have flexibility during the day as well.