"GRAD,NIGHTMARE. 2015

[dtnrhi]

I'm sorry but that is a stretch! I highly doubt you are going to have that much of a smoke stench by simply walking by someone that you will get fined.

Maybe I didn't read what you said correctly, so I apologize if I did.

No, you read it right. It's not so much the walking by, but how the smoke travels with a little bit of a breeze.

It's only stupid until it happens, though.

Side note, this did actually happen. There was a foreigner who lit up a cigarette in Adventureland THIS WEEK, and we could not get around them. Crowds were thick, and we had to follow them (Parade time crowd funneling). People around them complained, but "No English", and for whatever reason, no CM seemed to notice. We ditched them at the Penny Arcade. When we got back to our hotel about 15 minutes later, the people at the front desk commented on how we smelled like smoke, and reminded us again of the $150 for smoking in the room. I don't think there would be as much of a chance of this happening if there was just a no-smoking policy in place.

 

[Disneyland4TmB]

I had the opposite experience when I bumped in to a grad nite kid. We chatted and she told me about her two day adventure of how her school traveled by school bus to Disneyland!

 

[frank430316]

We were there last week as well and had no real problems with the graduates, but it did tend to ruin EMH when it was at DCA. They stayed open until 2AM for the grad nights, and there simply was not enough time to do the required maintenance on the rides. We talked to several cast members about this, since Tower of Terror, Radiator Springs Racers, California Screaming, and Soaring were all down during EMH. I suppose we could have used the hour on Toy Story Mania, but since it was the main one open, everyone seemed to be heading there, after riding twice the wait was over an hour. EMH was definitely not worth getting up early for! But once they finally got everything running, it was great!

 

[l4dyj8]

My grad night was... Umm in the 90's. They closed the park to other guests and we were required to dress nice. Boys in dress shirts and ties and girls in dress (heeled) shoes and dress pants or dresses with blazers. Oh the 90's! Our choices were actually limited. This dress code was suppose to keep us tamed. Ha

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

Disneyland is like Pleasure Island, from Pinocchio, when the grads invade the park!! Lol

 

[SkyelarRae]

Disney definitely needs to do something about Grad Night. I was there all day yesterday and it was already crowded, but the teenagers running around and screaming, using flash on rides, being obnoxious, etc, just made everything so much less enjoyable. Fortunately, I go often because I have an annual pass. But what about the people who only go to Disneyland once every few years?
Another thing I noticed, the rides kept shutting down, like more than usual. I can only assume because of the grads doing stupid things during rides, like throwing things or being dangerous. Overall though, it was certainly worse at night. They were being so crazy, to the point of causing danger to others by nearly running right into me and several other people and screaming for no apparent reason, as if in danger. Kids should be allowed to have fun, but I hope Disney regulates it more so it doesn't interfere with the experiences of other guests.

 

[LizzyS]

Disneyland is like Pleasure Island, from Pinocchio, when the grads invade the park!! Lol

But do the kids turn into donkeys?

 

[LizzyS]

Disney definitely needs to do something about Grad Night. I was there all day yesterday and it was already crowded, but the teenagers running around and screaming, using flash on rides, being obnoxious, etc, just made everything so much less enjoyable. Fortunately, I go often because I have an annual pass. But what about the people who only go to Disneyland once every few years?
Another thing I noticed, the rides kept shutting down, like more than usual. I can only assume because of the grads doing stupid things during rides, like throwing things or being dangerous. Overall though, it was certainly worse at night. They were being so crazy, to the point of causing danger to others by nearly running right into me and several other people and screaming for no apparent reason, as if in danger. Kids should be allowed to have fun, but I hope Disney regulates it more so it doesn't interfere with the experiences of other guests.

Disney could very well be losing customers via the once every few years crowd if they choose to visit on a Grad Night day, tbh. Why can't they do a thing where only the kids doing Grad Night are in the park after normal operating hours? Don't other theme parks handle it like that? I think my coworker's daughter went to Six Flags Magic Mountain last year and the park was closed just for them all night.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Disney used to do it after hours I don't know why they ever changed it. They need to go back to Grad nights After hours only.

 

[Tmbs03]

Great! I have 3 Grad Nights when I am there next week. I have heard so many horror stories. I am really dreading my trip now. I was looking forward to it but not any more. I'm thinking about canceling and just not dealing with the Grad Night mess. If I cancel I will loose about $1600. Not to mention I had planned for the time off. I really wish I could have gone on vacation another time but I couldn't. Next week was the only time that would work for me. So frustrating!

We were there for grad nights the past 2 years. If you are staying at a Disney resort property, take advantage of early admission. Up until about noon, not very crowded at all and you can get a lot of rides in during that time. Grad night congestion came in later in the day.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

2boysmom1998 i hope you still are going. Let us know what you decided to do please and good luck if you went and I hope you have a lot of fun

 

[dotfurio]

We just got back from 4 days, two of which were grad nights. Overall it was a little more crowded, and they tend to run in large packs (and stop in the middle of the walkways to chat!) but other than that it was fine. I did notice more big rides were down the next morning, but IDK if it was directly related to the grads acting goofy.

I do remember my parents refused to let me attended my grad night at DL because of rumors of drunken craziness!

 

[Gisele]

But do the kids turn into donkeys?

I wish one would, so the missing donkey at the POTC can be replaced!

 

[offwithyourhead]

Why? What bothers you so much about the smoking area? How long are you actually there? The reason for banning smoking in certain areas is the presumed health affects of second hand smoke. But that's from repeated long term exposure. Simply walking past someone smoking for 30 seconds of your life isn't likely to harm your health. And if you're that fragile there are alternate routes to avoid these areas.

So I am left to presume that your indignation is attributable to the smell? Well let me tell you I have been forced to stand in line with many many people and their children who obviously didn't bathe that day. And that smell is far more unpleasant and unavoidable. I can sit in a restaurant that's no smoking but how do I possibly avoid the unwashed masses???

The point is that we all encounter something unpleasant along our life paths. Suck it up and deal. We can't control everything nor should we expect rules to cover every unpleasantries we may encounter. It's called being human. No I don't smoke. But I do know some fabulous intelligent articulate people that do. And they all bathe daily.

Jeez, calm down. The particular smoking area I mentioned, the one near the entrance to Fantasyland, is a rock face behind the smokers so the smoke can only blow one way (back to where people are walking) or hang where it is. It's fine walking through on a quiet day if you have one or two people smoking, but when it's busy and there's a dozen or more people puffing away and you're shuffling along slowly in the crowd, it can get bothersome if you're sensitive at all.

I'm clearly not blaming the smokers nor am I calling them unintelligent or inarticulate! That idea seems plucked straight out of your Pooh Corner. I'm saying Disney should find a better way to place the smoking sections like this one so they're off the main walking trails.

And there are a hundred reasons why someone may not like being forced to walk too close to someone smoking. Disneyland is full of children of all ages, people who have asthma or other respiratory issues, and yes, there are some who just do not like the smell.

The difference is, Disney can choose where they put the smokers. They can't choose where the 'unwashed masses' decide to go.

 

[LizzyS]

I wish one would, so the missing donkey at the POTC can be replaced!

Haha!

 

[sweethannah]

omg Pooh Corner.

 

[Gisele]

Or is that poo corner? Unwashed masses....get it? Lol.

 

[Alinasan]

We were there May 30 to June 3, and had several rides break down, one which the friendly CM at the exit told me went down due to Selfie sticks. I am sure Grad nights increase the odds of someone doing the wrong thing with those sticks but it could happen anytime I suppose. The grads we met in line or filling our car due to single rider seemed polite and nice enough, but we only stayed past 10 one night. We saw people filming when told not to do so or cutting lines who did not appear to be Grads, just pretended they did not speak English or actually did not, definitely middle aged people, so again there are going to be people who do not follow rules and not sure Grad Nights had much effect on our experience but we are more every few year types so perhaps we did not know enough to see the difference!

 

[Jdismom]

We just got home from our 1st DL trip, which we loved as much as WDW. I forgot that Wednesday was a grad night, but thinking back on it, we didn't notice any bad or rude behavior. It was more crowded than the next day, but I can't say it disturbed our trip at all. We just got there at rope drop and made good use of FP. (We really miss those good old regular FPs!)

 

[Disney Dory]

One of the worst places to get stuck with the "unwashed masses" is in two places while waiting in line for Peter Pan. 1. When you get stuck in the center of the little human knot that forms when you get to the far right side of the line. ( I'm not that tall and I have even jumped up to try to get fresh air there!) and 2. When you are in the line below the people on the last stretch of the line before boarding the ship! Butt level is not a safe place to be! lol