2020 Grad Nites Now Cancelled - Tradition Since 1961

smooch

Well-Known Member
I have fond memories of my grad night. It's really sad for graduates of all levels to be missing out on the ceremonies and events surrounding their accomplishment.

Without knowing when it would be safe to open would make this a logistical nightmare, but it would be nice if Disneyland was able to invite grads as their first guests back. it could be used as a practice round for cast members to train on any new social distance measures.

My older brother is graduating in May. I live up by Sacramento and he went to school in LA. A few weeks ago we moved him out of his apartment back home because the school stated they aren't having any in person classes the rest of the semester. As of now there's no set plans for any graduation ceremony, they stated they're looking into ceremony alternatives / postponing the ceremony to a later date. He doesn't really care, but personally if my graduation was cancelled and there was no alternative date set I would be pretty upset. It's a pretty important thing to be able to celebrate your achievement, and I have seen him struggle a bit over the years with some of his classes for Computer Science so it is definitely a well earned celebration. Obviously I would prefer no graduation right now to holding a graduation and everyone there getting infected, but it's still sad.
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
I have fond memories of my grad night. It's really sad for graduates of all levels to be missing out on the ceremonies and events surrounding their accomplishment.

Without knowing when it would be safe to open would make this a logistical nightmare, but it would be nice if Disneyland was able to invite grads as their first guests back. it could be used as a practice round for cast members to train on any new social distance measures.
That would be a nightmare, most of the kids at gradnite have no respect for the parks or the rules as they are and there would be far more rules and restrictions in place that they wouldn't follow.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
I’m sorry to hear that! I can oddly relate. I attended my uncles funeral on my high school graduation day. I know you re graduating college though right?

Yep! Though these events have made my senior year of college interesting- and there are a few decisions I would not have made had I known the impact this pandemic would have on my schooling, I'll be graduating at the end of the summer semester.

Though instead of walking in the school ceremony, a long multi hour event that is incredibly boring for all involved, I'll have to make due with a nice dinner with family, and a trip to Club 33 with friends.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Where do non So Cal kids have grad night?

My high school, though in So Cal, does their grad night on a yacht they rent for an evening. This posh event has limited capacity so not every senior can actually attend, costs more than grad nite at Six Flags or Disneyland, and is geared towards the wealthier half of the community that attends the school. From what I remember, the expensive grad nite that couldn't even accommodate the entire graduating class was somewhat controversial among students and parents.

I didn't go, I elected to attend Disneyland with some friends that same night as we were all AP holders and decided a day at the park would be far better than an overpriced evening on a yacht.
 

smooch

Well-Known Member
Where do non So Cal kids have grad night?

I'm in NorCal and like I said in my previous post my school has done Disneyland Grad Nites for years. They rent out charter buses and drive the kids down to the park during the day so they arrive at the correct arrival time. Except, for the 3 year window when they didn't do Disneyland Grad Nites for some reason they just rented out a bowling alley for us to go to for the night for "Safe and Sober Grad Night". I didn't end up going, I just hung out with some friends at one of our houses to celebrate graduation our own way. From what I heard from others, they rented a hypnotist, people that airbrush temporary tattoos, and a few other things like that to do on top of bowling for free all night. While I do love bowling, I am glad I chose to spend the time with my friends at the house because from what I heard people got bored somewhat fast and they couldn't leave early so there was a section of the alley where a bunch of kids just went and slept for the night 🤣
 

smooch

Well-Known Member
Yep! Though these events have made my senior year of college interesting- and there are a few decisions I would not have made had I known the impact this pandemic would have on my schooling, I'll be graduating at the end of the summer semester.

Though instead of walking in the school ceremony, a long multi hour event that is incredibly boring for all involved, I'll have to make due with a nice dinner with family, and a trip to Club 33 with friends.

Very nice Club 33 flex. Just curious have you been before or would that be your first time going? Like most Disneyland fans, it is 100% on my bucket list. Someone in my office has a relative that's a member and they have mentioned helping get me in for my graduation so hopefully we're able to follow through with that plan.
 

waltography

Well-Known Member
I remember my Grad Night four years ago! It was honestly such an amazing time, but also I was absolutely exhausted. The most surreal thing was riding Soarin' Around the World twice the day of its grand opening and waiting only 5 minutes for it. Even though it can't compare to Soarin' Over California, I still have a lot of love for it because of that memory.

I'm definitely sad I won't get to walk this year (my college is doing a virtual graduation), but my college did postpone an in-person commencement to sometime in 2021 so I'm still hopeful of celebrating after this mess.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
I remember my Grad Night four years ago! It was honestly such an amazing time, but also I was absolutely exhausted. The most surreal thing was riding Soarin' Around the World twice the day of its grand opening and waiting only 5 minutes for it. Even though it can't compare to Soarin' Over California, I still have a lot of love for it because of that memory.

I'm definitely sad I won't get to walk this year (my college is doing a virtual graduation), but my college did postpone an in-person commencement to sometime in 2021 so I'm still hopeful of celebrating after this mess.

That’s wonderful of your school to postpone the ceremony. Hopefully it works out!
 

Sailor310

Well-Known Member
I've read two people say they were exhausted after Grad Nite. I HAVE to tell my story...

My dad had gotten transferred to Ohio six months before I graduated in Palos Verdes. So I stayed with friends of the family to finish my senior year. Everyone came out for graduation. After Grad Nite, we rode the bus back to school. I walked in the door around seven am. Dad said, 'Get some breakfast, then get in the car. We're leaving.' We got in our '60 Mercedes 220S and headed east. The temp gauge had been out for some time, so first indication something was wrong was clouds of white smoke pouring out the back. We had cracked a cylinder head- 90 miles outside of Vegas on the Baker grade. We were towed into Vegas to a friend's house. They put me on a plane to fly back to LA. I picked up a 70 Chevy Impala that we had left with friends. I drove the Impala to Vegas. Dad said, 'Get some dinner, then get in the car. We're leaving.' We drove all that night, all the next day and until 1AM the next morning when we finally stopped and got a hotel.
I really WAS exhausted after Grad Nite!
 

Sailor310

Well-Known Member
My school forgot to register for a Grad Nite so we just ended up taking a day off of school and going from 9AM to 9PM with regular crowds. Honestly I think I preferred that more than what actual Grad Nite would've been like.
I think you are right. You get so tired being on your feet all night long. One year, DL closed at 12. So my school went to DL and then went to a rented ballroom nearby until 5am. They had a band-Blue Moon's Image ( Their one hit was "Ride, Captain Ride."). There was dancing and a buffet. As time went on, everyone ended up sleeping on the carpet in a corner.
 

smooch

Well-Known Member
I think you are right. You get so tired being on your feet all night long. One year, DL closed at 12. So my school went to DL and then went to a rented ballroom nearby until 5am. They had a band-Blue Moon's Image ( Their one hit was "Ride, Captain Ride."). There was dancing and a buffet. As time went on, everyone ended up sleeping on the carpet in a corner.

I mentioned in my post on here that apparently people at my Grad Nite in a bowling alley also congregated in a sleeping corner, and since I wasn't there I wish I could've at least gotten a Snapchat of the corner to see how many people decided to call it a night early. Almost all my friends were at my friend's house for our grad party so I didn't really know anyone there to ask for a picture, but to be fair I guess it would be kinda weird to ask someone to take a picture of a bunch of classmates sleeping in a corner even if it would disappear after 10 seconds.

From what I gathered there wasn't any sort of band or live music, like not even a DJ like they do at school dances now. I guess the staff there just played the normal music they usually played? I know I've gone bowling some late nights where they turn down the lights and have laser shows with a live DJ but I never heard a single person mention a DJ in terms of entertainment, and people listed everything including a balloon animal maker so I feel like I would have heard something about a live DJ. That's one thing that I definitely am jealous of people who went to school back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth (I'm just teasing) and there wasn't a constant stream of people with laptops who arranged a playlist of censored songs to play as a DJ. Even at my aunt's wedding a couple months ago there was just a DJ, I am sure it is much cheaper to have a DJ and you can have a much wider range of music, but as someone who was in a band for a few years I definitely think it's impossible to recreate the energy and sound a live band creates.
 

waltography

Well-Known Member
There was dancing and a buffet. As time went on, everyone ended up sleeping on the carpet in a corner.

Nothing's really changed, except for maybe the locations. I remember by 1am half of my group was lying at a bench by California Screamin' just waiting for the Grad Nite Goodnite, which wasn't until 2. (Of course, the other half was riding Screamin'.)

Little did we know the PTA had rented out the ESPN Zone until 5am! 😂 What a time.
 

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