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Thread: Grad Nite Update at Walt Disney World [Event canceled after 2011]

  1. #1
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    Grad Nite Update at Walt Disney World [Event canceled after 2011]

    For many years, weve been thrilled to host high school graduation celebrations at Walt Disney World known as Grad Nite. And I know many Disney Parks Blog readers (like myself) have been part of the tradition - its become a rite of passage for seniors. Thats why today we wanted to share an important update; we will no longer be hosting Disney Grad Nite at the Walt Disney World Resort after this years event. With more leisure guests visiting in the springtime, its become challenging to schedule special events during April and May. Instead, graduates will have new opportunities to celebrate with us in the parks at more flexible and convenient times.

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    Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix
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    As you can see in the link posted above, Walt Disney World just announced that 2011 will be the last year of Grad Nites for the Florida Resort. The post says that the event will continue at Disneyland.

    This is big news for local high schools, and likely to be a huge disappointment for the Class of 2012 and beyond. Disney says, "Through special pricing, well be offering students the flexibility to visit and celebrate their achievements here at the parks when they want to," and mentions that they're seeing more school groups plan longer Senior Class trips.

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  4. #3

    Do the grad nights go all night, or is it just an evening thing?

    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

  5. #4

    theyre an all-night thing...at Disneyland its like 10:30 - 6am or something like that


  6. #5
    Registered User wishiwasthere's Avatar
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    I know that the high school in my town now goes when it is not Grad Nites. I don't know what happened pre-9/11 (They wouldn't allow us to go. They started again with the class of 2007). I am pretty sure that they don't attend Grad Nites and just go for 4 nights/5 days. I am going to have to investigate further with some kids I know to see if they did attend Grad Nite. So if they don't attend Grad Nites now are they still allowed to go? They have no agenda to go like it says in the blog. It is just 150 HS seniors on vacation (with rules!).

    Kristin

  7. #6
    Gravity release me... tappenfeat's Avatar
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    More and more of students in my area are going on Graduating Trips to Greece, Ireland, and Europe, etc anywhere from 1 week to two weeks. Not as many students are attending the WDW Senior Trips as they used to.

    I'd still choose the WDW trip...

    Interesting update on Grad Night.




    Stephanie

  8. #7
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    They say it was 'harder to schedule' around others - but that doesn't ring very true to me. If they were still doing Pirate and Princess Parties, then maybe, but I don't see the big deal of closing MK 'early' a few evenings.

    I think it may be that they got tired of dealing with complaints from the MK resorts about the noise carrying across the lake or the attendance started slipping below the 'cost effective' level.

    Cathy

  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    I think it may be that they got tired of dealing with complaints from the MK resorts about the noise carrying across the lake or the attendance started slipping below the 'cost effective' level.
    Ding ding ding ding ding, Johnny, tell 'em what they've won!

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  10. #9
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    Now if they would only get rid of Nights of Oy!

    Disneyland Trips: 13 trips for 49 nights.
    But I live less than 20 miles from Walt Disney World! And work there part-time.

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  11. #10

    I will say that my kids (even though they're only in 6th and 3rd grades) were quite upset at this.

    Day trips to Disney parks are pretty common here, it's only about a 2 hour drive, so they start going young! My son's 5th grade trip was to Epcot, 6th is Typhoon Lagoon, 7th grade is going to Islands of Adventure and grad nites are a huge deal.

    Oh well. Hopefully they'll bring them back!



    Jenn
    Who moved to SoFl to be closer to WDW

  12. #11
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    I'd have to say that it inconvenienced me on my weekend getaway last year to have the Magic Kingdom closed on both Friday and Saturday nights. I know they give you enough notice, but this was the weekend that we had available, so it wasn't a matter of finding another weekend. We certainly occupied ourselves and have been there many times, so not having the MK wasn't a tragedy. That said, think how disappointed you would be if you only had that weekend, don't visit often, and came only to find the Magic Kingdom closed on both Friday and Saturday?

    Coincidentally, that weekend has become an anniversary of sorts for my wife and I and we would like to go back this year to celebrate, only to find that once again, Friday and Saturday night, the Magic Kingdom will be closed. Our celebration is completely centered around Wishes, so we're kind of shut out. We're contemplating going down on Thursday evening now, just to get a night in the MK. You can't please every guest all the time, I know that. I just think that both nights on one weekend is a bit much.

    I guess for my future anniversaries I won't have to worry about that now will I.?


  13. #12

    I know Im in the minority but Im glad about this. We often do a weeklong trip in May. Twice we have encountered resorts that were basically taken over by seniors on their class trips. It was not pretty. The senior classes often stay for several days. The noise level at all hours is horrible. At All Star Sports last year there were always large groups taking over the pools and playing football on the fake football field. There is no way it would be safe to have a small child in the pool with these teens who were too busy messing around and having fun to be careful around a little kids. The chaperones we encountered were worse than the teens. It was difficult if not impossible to escape the noise and commotion these groups provided. I get that they are just kids tying to enjoy a senior trip and most of this was just innocent fun. However, when youre paying thousands of dollars for a Walt Disney World vacation package this is not what you want to deal with. I witnessed several resort guest complain and complained myself. Disney basically did nothing. I think the cast members were just as frustrated as the guest with these groups. It was bad enough that we will no longer stay at the value resorts. If our budget cant afford a mod we stay off site.

    Mily


  14. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by momof three View Post
    Disney basically did nothing.
    I'm not really sure what Disney could do. I don't think I'd want to attempt to quiet down a loud group of teens. Their only solution is the one that they're currently using - just eliminate the nights altogether.
    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
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  15. #14
    Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix
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    Quote Originally Posted by momof three View Post
    I know Im in the minority but Im glad about this. We often do a weeklong trip in May. Twice we have encountered resorts that were basically taken over by seniors on their class trips.
    Yet if you look at what Disney said in their announcement, it seems pretty clear that they see these class trips as a growth opportunity. When they said, "Weve recently seen more and more students visiting Walt Disney World as part of a broader senior class trip," I don't think that was a complaint, I think that was a clue that these "broader class trips," where teens spend more days and money in the Resort, are where Disney wants to focus their marketing effort.

    Why go to the considerable hassle and expense of hosting an after-hours special event, where the teens only visit one night, when you can get the teens to come on longer class trips, spending more time and money in the resort hotels and parks?

    But to your point about the All Stars, I agree that they should designate one of the value properties as a "no youth groups" property so that families won't have to deal with hordes of kids, be it senior class trips, little leagues, cheerleaders or whatever.

    AVP
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  16. #15
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    I'm not really sure what Disney could do. I don't think I'd want to attempt to quiet down a loud group of teens.
    But if they are disrupting other guests, or causing safety issues for other guests, then someone at Disney does need to take responsibility and quiet them down. If necessary, call in security. I wouldn't want to do it either - but then that's just one reason I wouldn't want to work in security in that sort of a situation.

    I like the idea of a 'no youth groups' value, Adrienne!
    Cathy

  17. #16

    I agree that would be a brilliant idea, Adrienne.

    I also think Disney should put some time and effort into building an area of the resorts these groups stay in that is for them to hang out in when they are not in the parks, especially if they are going to be marketing to more of these groups. The biggest issue I find is that there is no where they can go on the property to just hang out and be teens without bothering other guest.

    I'm currently in the process of putting a family reunion together for about 90 family members in Orlando this July. I'm the Disney freak in the family & I'm the person who picked where we be staying for five nights. We are staying offsite because I know when we get together we will be up late at night and we will create noise. I picked an offsite property that had affordable gathering room space so we don't disturb other guest. If Disney offered this, at an affordable rate, I would have book this onsite in a heartbeat.

    Mily


  18. #17
    Self-proclaimed Diz nut TinaMouse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cheshire Figment View Post
    Now if they would only get rid of Nights of Oy!
    What's wrong with Nights of Joy? I hope to get to that one of these years....not a lot of people come???? Rowdy? What's the issue?
    Working hard for that next WDW trip!

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