VERY Upset!!!!!!!!!

[txSleepingBeauty]

LOL Do they still have that horrid dress code?

yup, those were the best weekends I was there, it's the only time you can be slightly mean to a guest!

as for the schedule, yes the park closes at 7 and it really does close, no waiting around to shop nothing. if I'm not mistaken it should be open later on thursday and sunday to make up for it. You wouldn't want to be in the park that night anyway, it's absolute mayhem!!

nope no WISHES, the kids get a special firework display. And I'd stay away from DTD those two night too. MGM does usually stay open later to help wioth the crowds

 

[Terry S]

We have been down during this time before so we expected it. The good news is they usually have MK open later during one or two of week nights.

 

[DebbieB]

That time of year it doesn't get dark until about 8:30, so no Wishes or Spectromagic when they close at 7:00.

 

[eeyore0062]

Those 2 weekends are scheduled for Grad night every year.

 

[Immelman]

why isn't it fair to tourists? because disney actually continues a time-honored tradition by giving up 1 park after hours to the locals? kids down here wait their school years for grad night, it's a perk. like going to epcot on field trips. just change your plans.

 

[sunkissed212]

I was upset last September when I found out that I couldn't enter MK after 6pm when Night of Joy was going on. I'm sure I would have found out before had I known we were going then but because of the hurricanes, we had to rearrange our trip at the last minute. It all worked out but we weren't able to see Wishes from MK until our last night there. I was a bit bummed!

 

[Jillpie]

Nothing new here. We've been going to WDW late April/early May for 11 years this year and know to expect this. I think it's a great this that Disney does this. You do know that this affects PI too don't you. They have parties for the grad at PI too during this timeframe and it's closed to the public. there are things that go on at WDW all of the times which we are not privy to, but this one is one that most of us out of towners know about, along with the first week of June or Jersey week in November. I'll be there during the last 2 grad nights, and as always, MGM will probably be open a little later to accommodate us. Can't wait!!

We are planning on going to the Comedy Club on the night of the 21st(Thurs) after we get off the Wonder cruise. This is the night before the first grad night (22nd). Do you think it will be closed off for the grad parties? Is it a big mistake to even think about going on this night? Or should we just think about shopping at World of Disney and the other shops and forget about the Comedy club? thanks.

 

[TDC Nala]

There shouldn't be grad parties unless it's actually Grad Night, and that's on Friday, not Thursday.

Grad Night weekends in past years, PI would open to the public around 8:30 - 9.

 

[lclark0621]

We went during Grad Night last year. We did not know until we got there & we were only there for a long weekend.

This year we are going for 7 nights. And we booked so we are there for both Grad Night weekends.

I did not even think about it when we booked.

Oh well. At least we have the other nights we can do the MK.

 

[luvsgrumpy]

We will be there over the 22-23rd weekend too. I am not looking forward to MK closing early but it will hopefully "make" me take a break. Since we have three kids, we're doing Chef Mickey's for DS's 11th b-day dinner and then will probably hit the pools or check out some of the other resorts. (something I would probably not want to waste the time to do otherwise but will be worth it I'm sure) I'm trying to make the best of the situation, after all, we will still be in WDW. Good luck, maybe we'll see you there!

 

[mousehappy]

sorry about your plans being messed up. We went a few years ago during the cheerleader competition . I thing they all stayed in our resort. It was wild. Anyhow I am chaperoning a group on the 29th at grad nite . I'm excited but in order to get permission from my DW and DK's I have to take them in march.I have never been to a grad nite but I hear the entertainment is great.

 

[debbiedoo]

For those of us whowho didn't know, it is a shock. When your arrival date is planned and for those of us who have kids know, MK is the first park on their minds....

I think it is a great thing to do for schools, but up here in the NE, in NY graduation is in June, so I would've never expected something like this in April. Sat the 23rd, we are going to the HDR at FW so it is no problem, but on our last night (just like the first now) MK is off limits...It is the way we have always started and ended our Disney vacations....

It is a bummer to me...

Fl graduations are in June as well, this is a thing for the seniors as part of activities. And yes this is something that all the seniors look forward to. They bring in big groups and everything. This is still to this day one of my favorite times at the MK.

 

[debbiedoo]

I understand how disappointed you must be! We just went to WDW earlier this month, and MK closed at 7 PM. BUT we were there for EMH so we got to stay until 10 PM.

I never went to Grad Night even though I lived in St. Petersburg when I graduated from high school. There was no way I wanted to go to Disney in a DRESS. LOL Do they still have that horrid dress code?

It is no fun to have things come at you to alter your trip. MK had a special event one night we were there, MGM had cheerleaders, Millionaire was closed due to taping, lots of things in rehab, but we still had a GREAT time. I would think MK would still do Wishes before the park closes to the public, so hopefully that will work for you. Is it still dark by 7 PM that time of year? Try not to let it get you down. There are worse things that could happen. Just make the best of it!

jackskellingtongirl,

we had that dress code and everyone shared lockers and bought clothes there!!! Trust me we had a time back at the busses!! It was great!! We told the teachers that we HAD to have the shirts and HAD to try them out!!

 

[bigcrit]

Doe Grad night go into May. I am going to WDW on may 14th. Will that be a problem?

 

[Grog]

Thanks for posting this info. I'll be there from the 17th-24th, and had no idea that Grad Night was that weekend. I was planning on hopefully having a late night at MK one of those nights. I'll have to reorganize our off days if MK is open later one day during the week, but at least I have time to do it

 

[cruiseonmagic]

They don't have wishes for grad nite, but they did have perimeter fireworks (set off from the islands in seven seas lagoon as well as the normal places) which were great. I don't remember what time they were--midnight? Dealing with 17000 teenagers at 4am three out of the four nights did something to my memory. I can't remember what happened yesterday any more

Bill

 

[eeyore0062]

"I never went to Grad Night even though I lived in St. Petersburg when I graduated from high school. There was no way I wanted to go to Disney in a DRESS. LOL Do they still have that horrid dress code?"


They still have a dress code, but girls don't have to wear dresses. They cannot be showing the middrifts, if the girls are in dresses or skirts they must be of a certain length and they cannot wear shorts. Guys must wear collared shirts, tucked in with a belt and no hats for either. They are inspected at the gate and if they aren't in the proper attire, Disney will let them borrow something for the evening. Also, if they are still not in the proper attire when the try to get on the rides, they are turned away until they are.

They say it is one of the most fun evenings in WDW and one of the most well behaved, as well!

 

[disneyjunkie]

Why is Grad Nites only for 12th graders?

When I found the nights were during our Spring Break, I thought this would be the perfect class trip for my son's school. After doing research I found out they would not permit them to attend because they are graduating from the 8th grade, which is big deal here in NYC. Heck, graduating from kindergarten and 5th grade is a big deal here. We have a graduation ceremony, prom, class trip, yearbooks, the whole thing.

Since chaperones have to attend, there's a dress code, of course no alcohol in the MK, why isn't this event open to graduating 8th graders?

 

[sweetpeakaris]

Oh My, I am very sorry. Can't believe they would close early for something like that.

 

[tinkerbelltamara]

We are leaving for WDW soon and just found out that the Sunday that we're going to be down there all of the cheerleaders would be at MGM for some kind of thingy. We originally thought that Sunday was an evening EHM for MGM but when I called to ask about it that didn't have it scheduled. My sister and DD were very disappointed - all they've talked about since the evening EMH was established is how they're going to ride RnR and ToT until the cows come home. But we refused to let this ruin our vacation. We're just going to go to DQ that night or something. We'll play it by ear when we get up there. That's probably the only "unscheduled" time that we have now anyway.