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MiaTurner
10-17-2006, 08:01 PM
Okay, here's the deal :)

Our high school has been discussing for a long time where we should go for senior trip. I'd heard about Grad Nite at Disneyland and REALLY wanted to go. I held my breath when the comittee started thinking about New York instead, but a memo just went home to our parents today and we're definitely going to Grad Nite at Disneyland. I'm really excited!! What better way to end a crazy four years of high school than at the happiest place on earth? I'm probably the most excited senior at the school; I can't get enough Disneyland.

So I was wondering if anyone had heard anything about Grad Nite or has had any experience with it? I'm definitely going no matter what... I would never in a million YEARS pass up a Disneyland trip. But I was still curious as to what others had to say about it or what you know about it :) All I've heard so far is that we get a two hour party at DCA and then we get Disneyland from midnight to 6 AM :D That's about it so far...

jcruise86
10-17-2006, 08:13 PM
I used to work at grad nights and after 2 or 3 a.m. all the teens were like exhausted zombies. Most teens want to go on the same fast rides and the have very long lines. My niece went this year and hated it.
I'm curious where (and how wealthy) your school is that you would decide between one night in Anaheim and a trip New York. . .City, I presume. The whole senior class goes to NYC? As much as I love Disneyland, NYC with friends would be more interesting.

MiaTurner
10-17-2006, 08:21 PM
Well our school isn't overly wealthy :) We just opened two years ago so our senior class this year is only 25 students, which makes it a LOT cheaper with fundraising. I'm still gonna have to save some pennies from holidays and my birthday though.

I was a little worried about being tired too :eek: I'm a pretty hardcore Disneyland go-er, so I think I could handle it. But the lines are a bit of a worry too... I'm assuming the single rider line doesn't apply on grad nite? ;) That's usually how I get all of Disneyland done in a short period of time. Hmm... would fastpasses be working on grad nite?

Darkbeer
10-17-2006, 08:32 PM
FASTPASS is not offered on Grad Nites.......

Hope you have a great time!

Tinkerbell02
10-17-2006, 08:49 PM
You will LOVE grad nite...I went with my highschool when I graduated in 2002 and it was the best two days of my life. I live in San Francisco so we spent the whole day on the bus to Anaheim then went to dinner at Medieval Times (sp?) but Disneyland was by far the best six hours. You will be exhausted but it's so much fun. Once you get there and just experience it the lines, the crowds wont make any difference. My highschool has been doing the disney grad nite for as long as i can remember and it's something I will NEVER forget. It's so worth it but remember it's very different then experiencing Disney with the general public. Grad Nite was the last senior event for my highschool so it was really the last hurrah before we all went on to college. It will go by fast but take tons of pictures and just have fun, you will love it!:D

Omnitographer
10-17-2006, 09:27 PM
Dont go on grad nite, bad idea. Go sometime when the park is open until 11pm or later, but its before june (is that possible?) for the best overall experience. if you wait until after mid-may to early june, the lines *will* pick up as more schools start letting out for the year.

joannabanana
10-17-2006, 10:03 PM
I went to grad nite in 1998 and I loved it. I live in the SF Bay area. We drove down to Magic Mountain and went there for 6 hours. Then we went to a hotel and changed for dinner and Disneyland. We went to Disneyland from midnight to 6 am and it was a blast. I have a picture of me and some friends with Mickey in a cap and gown. I also bought a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal that was in a cap and gown. I had so much fun dancing on the double decker bus on Main Street. They had Djs playing good music. It was a big party. Definitely a very fun memory. Go and have fun!

Malcon10t
10-17-2006, 10:50 PM
I went in 77, and my kids have gone, te most recent last year. He has a PAP, but really enjoyed being there with everyone. The music and fireworks are different, and its a different atmosphere.

kikid
10-18-2006, 04:57 AM
Well our school isn't overly wealthy :) We just opened two years ago so our senior class this year is only 25 students, which makes it a LOT cheaper with fundraising. I'm still gonna have to save some pennies from holidays and my birthday though.

I was a little worried about being tired too :eek: I'm a pretty hardcore Disneyland go-er, so I think I could handle it. But the lines are a bit of a worry too... I'm assuming the single rider line doesn't apply on grad nite? ;) That's usually how I get all of Disneyland done in a short period of time. Hmm... would fastpasses be working on grad nite?
My goodness...GO! Have Fun, forget about lines and being tired (you have years ahead of you to be tired).....You will only do this once with your fellow graduating seniors!! The night will become what you want it to be:D

Malcon10t
10-18-2006, 06:10 AM
Well our school isn't overly wealthy :) We just opened two years ago so our senior class this year is only 25 students, which makes it a LOT cheaper with fundraising. I'm still gonna have to save some pennies from holidays and my birthday though.

I was a little worried about being tired too :eek: I'm a pretty hardcore Disneyland go-er, so I think I could handle it. But the lines are a bit of a worry too... I'm assuming the single rider line doesn't apply on grad nite? ;) That's usually how I get all of Disneyland done in a short period of time. Hmm... would fastpasses be working on grad nite?There's 2 sides to the coin. The companies that make the packages prefer larger groups. My sons went to smaller high schools. Son #1s graduating class was 63 and son #2's was 101. It cost $195 for their package. They had transport to Disneyland, 2 hours in DCA with food, then 6-7 hours in Disneyland. My daughter went to a big high school (graduating class of 534.) Her package was $205, and included transport down, Medieval Times dinner, Disneyland, a hotel room from 6am to 10am, then over to USH til it closed, then home. She graduated between son #1 and 2 so it wasn't a cost increase for them. (#1 graduated 2003, #2 2004, #3 2006.)

ShirleyFilms
10-18-2006, 07:43 AM
I went on MY grad night about 10 years ago... and have mixed feelings about it.

It was a great time... one of my best high school memories... but at the same time is was really annoying to have to deal with all the different teenagers from around the country.

Looking back on it... I would be afraid to go on grad night now. There is just no control of the kids running around... and that can lead to disaster... but.... the flip-side is that it IS fun for the teens.

Boo's Mommy
10-18-2006, 09:39 AM
Wow, I know I'm dating myself but I went to Grad night in the 80's!! it was sooo much fun. The park (back then only DL) was open in the evening only to those schools participating that particular night and was a blast. You dressed up (kind of, no jeans/shorts/casual, but not prom dress-up either) and there wasn't really any wait on the lines...
We didn't get back home until the wee hours of the morning and we definitely were all tired!
Oh, i remeber the days....!
Have fun at your grad night!

hbquikcomjamesl
10-18-2006, 10:22 AM
I did Grad Nite in 1980. Enjoyed it. Don't remember a whole lot about it, but I do recall that the dress code is a bit stricter than it is during regular operating hours. The music was different -- special live bands, as I recall, which is to say that none of it was to my taste. Rode PotC in the same boat with a bunch of guys singing along -- with some rather raunchy lyrics they'd made up, that were probably a lot closer to the way real pirates behave.

marklodi
10-18-2006, 12:52 PM
GradNight '86 - WOW! That was a blast.

Of course, I was a certified Disney-holic way back then, so being there after dark was a real treat.

If I recall correctly, we flew out of Sacramento in the afternoon, arriving at John Wayne airport and taken via bus to Disneyland. We waited in the parking lot for a bit, then were escorted through the turnstiles, then made a right turn just past City Hall and were led backstage to Tomorrowland. Now I'm not sure if this is still there or not, but this is the area underneath/around Space Mountain. Lots of orange tables and seats, I remember that pretty clearly. :) (As an aside, can someone tell me of where I'm thinking? It's not Tomorrowland Terrace...)

Other schools were either already there or joined us, and soon there were a BUNCH of kids. Dress code was suit or blazer jacket, dress shirt, tie, slacks and dress shoes for boys. A dress, skirt/blouse or pantsuit with nice shoes for girls. They opened up Space Mountain for us and it was a blast!

They then opened up the rest of the park and Grad Night proper started. I was attending solo, so I hit a lot of attractions, but also made a point to see the entertainment. The two bands that stand out in my mind clearly were Mr. Mister (Kyrie! Broken Wings!) at Videopolis, and Miami Sound Machine (before Gloria got top billing) performing on the "River Stage" - a stage setup where the main Fantasmic show is now on Tom Sawyer Island. There were bleachers, I think, across the water for us to sit. Other bands that night included Klimaxx, Papa Doo Run Run, Starpoint and Crash. You could also catch the Polynesian Revue!

I still have the program and Grad Night button somewhere. Here's the link to my Webshots album of my Grad Night ticket, info brochure, Program and, yes, a picture of me with a friend from that night. Oy, was I really that nerdy looking back then? http://family.webshots.com/album/554932198CzHhei

The rest of the night was a blur, but I do remember a very tired group of kids wandering back to the busses, then to the airport, where we had numerous plane issues and delays. We finally made it back to Sacramento, only to find the busses the school had sent to pick us up left when we weren't there on time and, because it was a Sunday morning, no one knew how to reach them to come back. I vaguely remember my parents arriving in the van and several kids who probably didn't even know my name let alone were friendly to me at Grad Night or school suddenly become my bestest buddies, begging to a ride home....

Ah, the memories. Go. Have a great time. Save all the brochures and goodies and take pictures like crazy. The night is only one, but the memories are forever. :)

Mark šoš

PinkFloyd
10-19-2006, 08:31 AM
[QUOTE=hbquikcomjameslThe music was different -- special live bands, as I recall, which is to say that none of it was to my taste.[/QUOTE]

Taylor Dane and MC Lite were at our Grad Night. My sister saw Wang Chung at Videopolis and I was so jealous!

I remember dressing up, which was fun for the girls. It did get to be a long night and I recall trying to take a nap over by Space Mountain/Captain EO and a CM telling me I had to get up. Otherwise, it was a great time and your class should go and have a blast!