What to expect on a Grad event day/week

[adelaster]

Read a lot of stuff about these events, and wanted some recent experienced feedback. Considering going on May 16 and 17, but the 17 is a Grad event day. We are only doing DL, not DCA. The idea was to relax and take our time with the park/Downtown Disney. Will this event greatly impact our trip? The event is sold out for that date. Any idea how many teens that means?

Our other option would be possibly postponing until September, but May is the best option all year.

Thanks!

 

[Nevada Jen]

September is usually pretty good. I happen to love high school kids. I have only experienced one grad night and will avoid them in the future. First it was a different kind of crowded. Instead of groups of 2 to 4 people constantly cutting us off it was righte packed groups of 20. With a wheel chair it was really hard to get anywhere. And then lines that looked reasonable would have 20 people jump in line at the last minute. I waited in a lounge of 6 people for Bengal BBQ for at least a half hour. Every time one would get to the counter 10 people would join and pay separately. We have up and left by 6 that night.

 

[SMD]

With the Disney Arts program there are now groups of teens in the parks practically every week day that isn't what used to be typical peak season. Depending on when you go in September you could just as easily run into a day with Halloween Party crowds.

 

[adelaster]

With the Disney Arts program there are now groups of teens in the parks practically every week day that isn't what used to be typical peak season. Depending on when you go in September you could just as easily run into a day with Halloween Party crowds.

I want to just say "eh, it'll be fine." but I have seen so many stories like the ones shared here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Disneyland..._grads_who_attend_grad_night/#bottom-comments


The official Disneyland site makes it seem like there should be one chaperone to every 20 kids, and all kids should be in "good standing" with the school. If that's true, it would probably be ok. However, I don't know how many "sold out" means. I would much rather go in May (tight work schedule), so we may risk it unless I hear overwhelmingly it truly isn't worth it.

Do the local hotels fill up for these events too, or are the groups primarily bused in?

 

[SMD]

Kids over 14 are allowed to be in the parks alone, so during the day you likely won't see chaperones with them in the park. The chaperones are during the actual DCA party, and they stay in a designated area. The rules used to be you had to arrive with your group, and a believe that they do use buses, but I'm not sure it's 100% required.

I get cut in front of pretty much every time I'm in the parks. And it's mostly families. One parents waits in line and then after 20 minutes the other parents, 4 kids and grandparents cut in. Disney doesn't do anything about line cutting. If you're waiting in line for food and an adult walks up and cuts in front of you, the CM will take their order. It's happened to me at Bengal BBQ after waiting over 30 minutes (24 hour day, not a typical wait) and this summer at Hungry Bear.

Ask yourself, if you go in September and it's hot or crowded or Disney adds an event are you going to spend a lot of your trip wondering what May would have been like. My approach is, pick the best travel dates for your schedule and budget, plan for the worst, hope for something better.

 

[gatorlisa]

I am by no means a Disneyland expert. However, I was there for 5 days last May, similar dates to yours, and of those 5 park days, 3 or 4 were Grad Night days. I did not encounter large groups of teens, just small groups of 4-6 for the most part, and they were not any more inconsiderate than anyone else I encountered. I'm a WDW person, and the groups I encountered at DL on Grad Night days were way better than the huge groups of international cheerleaders I've encountered at WDW. I would not hesitate to go at the same time again. If May is what works best for you, go with that and just try to make good use of rope drop and fastpasses.

 

[agamble]

We have been that week in May twice and it's alright. Obviously it'd be better to not go on an event day, but I think May grad nights are better than June ones. For one it's just school groups (more than grads) where as in June you'll have school groups and tourists making the park super busy. Keep in mind that most schools are still in session in May, so the kids may have to go to school in the day and then be bussed to Disney in the afternoon. They do have to arrive as a group and it's up to the school whether they arrive at 9AM or 6 PM, Disney lets them have all day access whenever they decide to show up. Most schools do not show up early in the morning, so same general traveling tip for any visit-get there at opening. Are you only going in the park for one day?

 

[adelaster]

Thanks @gatorlisa & @SMD! I think taking our chances is probably the right call.

 

[adelaster]

We have been that week in May twice and it's alright. Obviously it'd be better to not go on an event day, but I think May grad nights are better than June ones. For one it's just school groups (more than grads) where as in June you'll have school groups and tourists making the park super busy. Keep in mind that most schools are still in session in May, so the kids may have to go to school in the day and then be bussed to Disney in the afternoon. They do have to arrive as a group and it's up to the school whether they arrive at 9AM or 6 PM, Disney lets them have all day access whenever they decide to show up. Most schools do not show up early in the morning, so same general traveling tip for any visit-get there at opening. Are you only going in the park for one day?

We're driving in from San Diego Tuesday morning and heading back to San Diego Thursday morning. Just a quick Southern California jaunt-flying in Monday and flying out Friday. Plan on getting two mostly full days in at the Disneyland park only. Sounds like we should be ok, but Wednesday afternoon/night might be a little rough. Oh well, right?

 

[SplashMtn40inches]

Wow. Dumb luck on my end up but just saw that our trip avoids grad nights altogether. (Grad night May 10. We arrive May 11. We leave May 16. Grad night May 17).

 

[VandVsmama]

September weather in So Cal can often be a lot hotter than a lot of people realize. In many parts of the country, September can be very pleasant and weather starts to cool off, but in Southern California, September is often a month filled with sporadic Santa Ana winds, which blow in hot air from the deserts east of the LA basin. So one day the weather can be pleasant and mild and then you'll get a stretch of 3 days in a row of temps over 90 degrees.

I think that you should go in May. Better & more consistent weather (i.e., temperate, not too hot, not too cold). Don't sweat it re: the Grad Nights. It's often hyped up so much that one might conclude that there are hordes of raving, hormonal 17-18 year olds wreaking havoc all over the parks. It's fine.

 

[agamble]

Wow! Lucky week.

Wow. Dumb luck on my end up but just saw that our trip avoids grad nights altogether. (Grad night May 10. We arrive May 11. We leave May 16. Grad night May 17).

 

[adelaster]

Following up on this: The morning was fine, the afternoon/evening was very crowded. I would do a grad night again only if I had plans to skip afternoon/evening, which is pretty much what I did anyway.

 

[cinderlexa's mom]

Adelaster--thanks for the grad night update!

What day of the week did you attend grad night?

Which park?

What time in the late morning or early afternoon did it get really busy? TIA!