Tell me about grad nights.

[wowzadisney]

Hey everyone,

We are planning a trip from Canada and 2 of our days are grad night days. Are these days big on crowds? Are they ticketed after hrs events that force the parks to close earlier?

Thanks

 

[DizneeRailFan62]

Hey everyone,

We are planning a trip from Canada and 2 of our days are grad night days. Are these days big on crowds? Are they ticketed after hrs events that force the parks to close earlier?

Thanks

Two out of the three days on our DLR trip in May this year are Grad Nights. Since 2013 Seniors get passes for both Disneyland and DCA for daytime use, and a special night pass for DCA, where that park closes to regular guests at approx 9 PM. Then they get a special World of Color show and have the whole DCA park to themselves. They are not excluded from Disneyland, they don't have to move over to DCA if they don't want too. During the day Disneyland and DCA will have normal to moderate traffic, as it is pretty busy almost every day now, and the seniors tend to show up in the mid to late afternoons. But if it is on the weekend (Friday - Sunday) it will seem crowded anywhere in the parks. It is our plan (wife and I only) to get the high traffic attractions done early morning if possible, then we can take our time later in the day. I'm not sure how this will work out on Saturday, May 21 - which is our scheduled day in DCA, but choices are limited and we'll make the best of it. Hope this helps.

 

[starlite_]

Hey everyone,

We are planning a trip from Canada and 2 of our days are grad night days. Are these days big on crowds? Are they ticketed after hrs events that force the parks to close earlier?

Thanks

Be prepared to be surrounded by loud groups of teens. I don't say this in a negative way, I went 3 times and all 3 were awesome but I do acknowledge we were loud and in groups of mostly 5 or more.

 

[Mister Skellington]

I’m curious as to how the noise is at hotels
In the middle of the night when it’s over. I’m trying to decide between Westin and Hojo for 3 nights. Two of the nights are grad night so I want to stay somewhere quiet. Leaning toward the Westin for those reasons. Any thoughts anyone?

 

[LalaLane]

They sold world of color dining packages for the 9pm show on grad nights so I don’t know how that’s supposed to work out since the park should close at 9 to non grads

 

[bardays]

I’m curious as to how the noise is at hotels
In the middle of the night when it’s over. I’m trying to decide between Westin and Hojo for 3 nights. Two of the nights are grad night so I want to stay somewhere quiet. Leaning toward the Westin for those reasons. Any thoughts anyone?

Just was at the Westin after Easter. Our first 3 night were quiet but then the convention crowd arrived and it was loud and crowded. Beautiful hotel though and the room was pretty peaceful but I travel with earplugs. We were ugraded to a themepark view which was super cool!

 

[Mister Skellington]

Just was at the Westin after Easter. Our first 3 night were quiet but then the convention crowd arrived and it was loud and crowded. Beautiful hotel though and the room was pretty peaceful but I travel with earplugs. We were ugraded to a themepark view which was super cool!

Thanks so much! We fly out this afternoon! Hope you had a great trip!

 

[CoachBeard]

All I remember is 22 years ago we went through the graduation ceremony outside in the heat. Then we take some photos with the family and at 7:00 they load us on some buses and we drove down to Disneyland. We weren't allowed back on the bus until 5am and we got dropped off at school atound 7 or 8am. DCA was under construction back then so I can't comment on that but I do remember having 2nd degree sunburns and just going to sleep on a park bench on main street since I couldn't go back on the bus. Wish I could have a re-do but I still have a fond memory of it. They had a dress code back then too. My folks both did grad night there in the 70's and enjoyed the experience.

I know this doesn't really relate to how the crowds will be now but, it is fun to remember back then.

 

[fivelittles]

Just was at the Westin after Easter. Our first 3 night were quiet but then the convention crowd arrived and it was loud and crowded. Beautiful hotel though and the room was pretty peaceful but I travel with earplugs. We were ugraded to a themepark view which was super cool!

My son is going to a grad night in June and they are meeting at his school, then loading into a bus to head to Disneyland. At the end of the night, they return to school via the bus and parents pick up/kids drive home from there. So, from what I have heard, I don't know of any schools that are staying in hotels. There certainly can be some that I am unaware of, but I think the bulk of the kids are from areas close enough to take a bus back to school. If some are staying. hopefully there won't be enough of them to make an impact on noise in the hotels.

 

[starlite_]

My son is going to a grad night in June and they are meeting at his school, then loading into a bus to head to Disneyland. At the end of the night, they return to school via the bus and parents pick up/kids drive home from there. So, from what I have heard, I don't know of any schools that are staying in hotels. There certainly can be some that I am unaware of, but I think the bulk of the kids are from areas close enough to take a bus back to school. If some are staying. hopefully there won't be enough of them to make an impact on noise in the hotels.

We were brought over in buses too and lived about 3 hrs away. I don't recall any schools close to mine staying over in hotels either.

 

[CoachBeard]

We were brought over in buses too and lived about 3 hrs away. I don't recall any schools close to mine staying over in hotels either.

Same. We were just over in Ventura county

 

[pharmama]

Since 2013 Seniors get passes for both Disneyland and DCA for daytime use, and a special night pass for DCA, where that park closes to regular guests at approx 9 PM.

This is not exactly correct. Schools have the option of offering tickets that just allow admission to the Grad Night itself at DCA ($89 per ticket), a ticket that offers them access to DCA all day plus the Grad Night ($119/ticket) OR a park hopper ticket that allows access to both parks in addition to the Grad Night event ($179/ticket). Not all schools offer the park hopper ticket as it can be pretty pricey for some families.

As mentioned, Grad Night schools are typically local and grads are bussed to and from the parks so should not impact hotels (other than perhaps some noise at GCH).

In the past for Grad Nights they have done WOC at or just before park closing of 9pm and usher the WOC crowd out of the park afterwards. Looks like they are doing 8:45pm shows this year on grad nights. Then there is another special WOC style show (Grad Nite Goodnight) at 1:50am for grads just before the event ends at 2am.