Advice on Grad Nite and late May

[littlejewel]

Family of four (kids 13 and 16) and We’ll be in Southern California the end of May (22-31). we’re planning on going to Disneyland May 23, 24, and possibly 25, before heading down to San Diego. I see that a Grad Nite is scheduled for Thursday, May 23. So my question is, when should we go to what park?

Option 1: Avoid May 23 altogether and just do the parks on 24 and 25 (Friday and Saturday)

Option 2: Go to Disneyland on May 23 and DCA on May 24 (as originally planned)

Undecided on park hoppers but we’ll def have Genie+ (or do we need both, or maybe hoppers but not Genie+??) Also, we’ll prob rope drop. I’m a total DL newbie as we’ve only been to Disney World. Thanks for any advice!!

 

[alleighboo]

Definitely rope drop! It is INSANE how much you can get done during rope drop. WDW could never haha. Genie+ also works soooo much better in DL than WDW. I don't think you HAVE to have park hoppers but I enjoy it because the two parks are yards from each other. Being able to cross over and hop on a ride in DCA and then cross right back over for a lunch in DL is amazing and takes minutes!

If Grad Nite is the only thing preventing you from doing 2 vs 3 days, I would always pick 3 days. But if you're only planning on 2 days total, I would stay out of the parks on Grad Nite days.

Grads can have a few different types of tickets, the most expensive being an all-day park hopper. I thought that being the most expensive would mean most of the grads would only be in DCA, but Disneyland was also pretty crowded. Grads also don't have to move over to DCA when their party begins if they have park hoppers. They can (and will) say in DL until it closes at midnight and then move to DCA.

We had only been to WDW and did our first DL trip in Oct 2022. I went back for a girl's trip in June and two of our days were Grad Nite parties. Just be prepared for obnoxious teens. I didn't think the crowd levels were bad at all...just loud, pushing, generally rude teenagers in big packs everywhere. I went to Grad Nite in WDW in 2007 and I refuse to believe I was that way

 

[Cal-Pie]

I haven't been on a grad night before, but the first one this year will fall on our DCA day, because our dates weren't flexible (and because it's my b-day and I want to be there). Our course of action will be to rope drop and complete all headliners that teenagers will be flocking to later. Then we'll go back to the hotel for a break (I'm sure it will be much needed because we'll be at Star Wars Nite the night before), I'll stack Genie+ rides while we're at the hotel. We'll return to the park, redeem our Genie+ stuff and do WOC dessert party. The way I understand it, there will only be one showing of WOC for regular guests that day.

 

[LKing]

Grads can have a few different types of tickets, the most expensive being an all-day park hopper. I thought that being the most expensive would mean most of the grads would only be in DCA, but Disneyland was also pretty crowded. Grads also don't have to move over to DCA when their party begins if they have park hoppers. They can (and will) say in DL until it closes at midnight and then move to DCA.

I've been in Disneyland on a grad night. They made several announcements over the PA for the grads to make their way to DCA. Of course, they can't force them, but the announcements were to the tune of "Congratulations graduates! Your party is now beginning...."

I think the crowds will depend on which HS are there that night. If there are local HS with a lot of MK holders, both parks will be more crowded. For a weekday, Grad Nite costs $109. Grad Nite plus the day in DCA only costs $30 more ($139). If someone wants to park hop it is $100 more ($209).

Grad Nite costs

 

[cmph]

Our (very large) district in AZ will be there on May 22nd. I realize that's not on your list of dates, phew! FWIW, they only do the all day park hopper option. So I think it just depends on the organization they are booked through, and ours definitely doesn't give options - you sign up for the package as-is. I'm guessing others that drive from further away (like us) for a full "grad trip", of which DL grad night is just one portion, tend to go for the most expensive ticket option more than, say, locals would. No way for you to know in advance what any particular night's make-up will be, though.

I posted about my daughter's experience last year, b/c I was kind of shocked how value-less she thought DL grad night was. She thought it was pretty awful in terms of crowds and lines, and that was in comparison with our Christmas week trip 5 months earlier. It was sadly the lowlight of their grad trip. They all went to DL upon arrival until grad night was about to start over in DCA. Her complaints were both about how crowded grad night was in DCA and how awful DL was that afternoon leading up to it.

 

[disneychrista]

I too will be there in May and dealing with two grad nights. I honestly think that it is a roll of the dice which park will be best to visit. The one negative about visiting DCA on a grad night is that it does close early for the party. As with most trips to Disneyland it is best to go with a plan and be flexible.