Disney Grad Nites at Typhoon Lagoon in 2017

[flynnibus]

yet...they still make it happen

Disneyland also has far more history with the event.. and is also located within a region with over 22 MILLION residents. Contrast that with Central Florida's 8 million.

All of Florida schools have 2.7 million students. Cali has 6.3 million. LA Unified District has over 630k students alone. That's one metro area with nearly 1/4 the student population of the entire state of florida.

Disneyland has over 17 nights of Grad Nights due to how popular the tradition is.

Grad nights at Disneyland goes back to 1964! This is not an apples to apples comparison by any means to compare and contrast why one park does thing while another does not.

And note.. Grad Night has been under heavy handed changes at DLR in recent years. From moving which park it was in, to the change of making it start sooner while the park was still open to normal guests.

 

[Andrew C]

Disneyland also has far more history with the event.. and is also located within a region with over 22 MILLION residents. Contrast that with Central Florida's 8 million.

All of Florida schools have 2.7 million students. Cali has 6.3 million. LA Unified District has over 630k students alone. That's one metro area with nearly 1/4 the student population of the entire state of florida.

Disneyland has over 17 nights of Grad Nights due to how popular the tradition is.

Grad nights at Disneyland goes back to 1964! This is not an apples to apples comparison by any means to compare and contrast why one park does thing while another does not.

And note.. Grad Night has been under heavy handed changes at DLR in recent years. From moving which park it was in, to the change of making it start sooner while the park was still open to normal guests.

so...it can work at DL and not WDW because DL has a long history of it and there are more students in the LA metro than around Orlando? This is all correct information obviously, but that shouldn't prevent WDW from being able to have their own successful grad nights in any way at all. If anything, it should be a clear indicator that WDW should be able to handle it if DL has been able to since the 1960s.

If WDW cannot handle it, it seems that has more to do with the the disney team in Orlando rather than the issues that some kids may cause.

 

[Next Big Thing]

So here's details more in full:

"Walt Disney World is reimagining a rite-of-passage event and introducing a new way for high school seniors to celebrate their graduation with their friends and classmates. Beginning with the class of 2017, Disney Grad Nite H2O will debut at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park on select Friday nights in April.
Themed as a beach party, this event will feature Disney characters, music, DJ entertainment, and dance parties, along with the water park’s fun attractions.

The special ticketed event will be offered for $55 plus tax. This ticket price is comparable to prior years (when the event was held at a theme park) but it will also include more extras that were not available before, such as complimentary food and beverage offerings and a commemorative mug.

According to some early reports, the event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and end around 12 a.m. (midnight).
Like Grad Nites in the theme parks, there will be a dress code for this event. More details on the specific guidelines are expected to be released once schools are reserved.

Interested schools will soon be able to register online by visiting Disneygradnite.com to reserve space. Afterwards, seniors may purchase their tickets to this event directly through their high schools."

Here's the H20 Grad Nite website: http://www.disneyyouth.com/our-prog...ps/sp/grad-nite-h2o/#categories-grad-nite-h2o

 

[Next Big Thing]

It is worth noting that this ends a lot earlier than the old Grad Nites. I believe Grad Nites at MK ended around 4 or 5 whereas this ends at midnight.

 

[flynnibus]

so...it can work at DL and not WDW because DL has a long history of it and there are more students in the LA metro than around Orlando? This is all correct information obviously, but that shouldn't prevent WDW from being able to have their own successful grad nights in any way at all. If anything, it should be a clear indicator that WDW should be able to handle it if DL has been able to since the 1960s.

If WDW cannot handle it, it seems that has more to do with the the disney team in Orlando rather than the issues that some kids may cause.

Ok, I didn't realize I need to break it all down for you... but since apparently it's required.. here it is in smaller bite size nuggets for you

- Disneyland has been doing this for over 50 years.. that means
- disneyland prominence and age has given it a long history of being intertwined with the local population's experience of growing up in SoCal. It started in a time of regional travel instead of national travel.. so DL has always been dominated by the region and has grown its identity mixed with the region. (Contrast this with WDW which was built in the swamps and has primarily been a tourist destination from the start.. and grew in the era of far greater travel - it does not have locals identity that DLR does).
- this connection of Disneyland and their youth, has given many of the locals the 'this is our park' mentality and DL is an icon in their experience of living and growing up there
- the experience of grad nights is well engrained in the local population as 'the norm' and most have fond memories of their own grad night experiences. It spans generations now
- the locals participation and sense of ownership in DL makes them very defensive to changes and removal of things they see as tradition

All of the above contribute to a far greater inertia to continue to do Grad Nights, even in lieu of potential negative aspects the resort has to deal with. With this legacy, the initiative is to adapt and update the experience.. where something that were problematic and new, with no legacy would be much more willing to just kill vs fight to save.

- Disneyland's location and population
- Disneyland's location puts them within reach of far far far more graduating seniors, meaning a far far larger customer base to tap from - making it a more viable product
- Disneyland's product is so well engrained, and with such a market around it.. it can fill up more than 15+ events ever year. Contrast this with WDW that only ran for FOUR nights in 2011 when they last ran the event
- Disneyland would run the events during a period that was not peak tourist season, and being dominated by regional vs tourist visitors, has less contention for park availability vs WDW which has been steadily making every month a busy season.
- WDW has many other options for trying to drag not just youth grads, but entire families to property all throughout the year with their sports complex and competitions opportunities.. which don't require closing the park off. Basically there were other opportunities with greater potential and less opportunity cost.

All of the above points highlight that the business opportunity is far greater in Cali, they have a far larger customer base, and a far greater track record of success in selling more tickets... all while having less opportunity cost because the property is not as crowded as WDW has been during those periods. WDW had to face selling discount tickets, at the expense of displacing their normal tourist customers.

It boils down to Grad Nights was far less at risk of being canceled, even if it brought lots of baggage, at Disneyland than at WDW. The culture, business, and history all build up a tolerance for tolerating the negatives without threatening to kill it all. WDW had history, but lacked the same culture, business, and kind of history that DLR had.

So.. lets stop acting like the two businesses are equals with the same opportunities and tolerances... even tho they are both Disney parks and both dealing with teens.

THEN.. let's talk about the difference between teens in a theme park and teens in a water park not designed to be used at night.

Let's get back up to speed here...

 

[Andrew C]

Ok, I didn't realize I need to break it all down for you... but since apparently it's required.. here it is in smaller bite size nuggets for you

- Disneyland has been doing this for over 50 years.. that means
- disneyland prominence and age has given it a long history of being intertwined with the local population's experience of growing up in SoCal. It started in a time of regional travel instead of national travel.. so DL has always been dominated by the region and has grown its identity mixed with the region. (Contrast this with WDW which was built in the swamps and has primarily been a tourist destination from the start.. and grew in the era of far greater travel - it does not have locals identity that DLR does).
- this connection of Disneyland and their youth, has given many of the locals the 'this is our park' mentality and DL is an icon in their experience of living and growing up there
- the experience of grad nights is well engrained in the local population as 'the norm' and most have fond memories of their own grad night experiences. It spans generations now
- the locals participation and sense of ownership in DL makes them very defensive to changes and removal of things they see as tradition

All of the above contribute to a far greater inertia to continue to do Grad Nights, even in lieu of potential negative aspects the resort has to deal with. With this legacy, the initiative is to adapt and update the experience.. where something that were problematic and new, with no legacy would be much more willing to just kill vs fight to save.

- Disneyland's location and population
- Disneyland's location puts them within reach of far far far more graduating seniors, meaning a far far larger customer base to tap from - making it a more viable product
- Disneyland's product is so well engrained, and with such a market around it.. it can fill up more than 15+ events ever year. Contrast this with WDW that only ran for FOUR nights in 2011 when they last ran the event
- Disneyland would run the events during a period that was not peak tourist season, and being dominated by regional vs tourist visitors, has less contention for park availability vs WDW which has been steadily making every month a busy season.
- WDW has many other options for trying to drag not just youth grads, but entire families to property all throughout the year with their sports complex and competitions opportunities.. which don't require closing the park off. Basically there were other opportunities with greater potential and less opportunity cost.

All of the above points highlight that the business opportunity is far greater in Cali, they have a far larger customer base, and a far greater track record of success in selling more tickets... all while having less opportunity cost because the property is not as crowded as WDW has been during those periods. WDW had to face selling discount tickets, at the expense of displacing their normal tourist customers.

It boils down to Grad Nights was far less at risk of being canceled, even if it brought lots of baggage, at Disneyland than at WDW. The culture, business, and history all build up a tolerance for tolerating the negatives without threatening to kill it all. WDW had history, but lacked the same culture, business, and kind of history that DLR had.

So.. lets stop acting like the two businesses are equals with the same opportunities and tolerances... even tho they are both Disney parks and both dealing with teens.

THEN.. let's talk about the difference between teens in a theme park and teens in a water park not designed to be used at night.

Let's get back up to speed here...

Thank you for this information. You have made a strong case for why grad nights have worked well over decades at DL, and why there is greater opportunity for this at DL compared to WDW. I am on board with this.

On the other hand, I don't think this provides solid evidence as to why it cannot work at a WDW waterpark in some form or fashion. The most common comment on this thread seems to be this will be a disaster because kids will be out of control doing drugs and having sex (rather than "this event doesn't make sense financially, etc"). This is what I was responding to...and I am not buying that...

 

[ChrisFL]

Thank you for this information. You have made a strong case for why grad nights have worked well over decades at DL, and why there is greater opportunity for this at DL compared to WDW. I am on board with this.

On the other hand, I don't think this provides solid evidence as to why it cannot work at a WDW waterpark in some form or fashion. The most common comment on this thread seems to be this will be a disaster because kids will be out of control doing drugs and having sex (rather than "this event doesn't make sense financially, etc"). This is what I was responding to...and I am not buying that...

Potential for really bad P.R. if something severe happens, with social media, any story can spread like wildfire...something DL or WDW didn't really have to deal with as much a decade ago

 

[JohnD]

So here's details more in full:

"Walt Disney World is reimagining a rite-of-passage event and introducing a new way for high school seniors to celebrate their graduation with their friends and classmates. Beginning with the class of 2017, Disney Grad Nite H2O will debut at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park on select Friday nights in April.
Themed as a beach party, this event will feature Disney characters, music, DJ entertainment, and dance parties, along with the water park’s fun attractions.

The special ticketed event will be offered for $55 plus tax. This ticket price is comparable to prior years (when the event was held at a theme park) but it will also include more extras that were not available before, such as complimentary food and beverage offerings and a commemorative mug.

According to some early reports, the event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and end around 12 a.m. (midnight).
Like Grad Nites in the theme parks, there will be a dress code for this event. More details on the specific guidelines are expected to be released once schools are reserved.

Interested schools will soon be able to register online by visiting Disneygradnite.com to reserve space. Afterwards, seniors may purchase their tickets to this event directly through their high schools."

Here's the H20 Grad Nite website: http://www.disneyyouth.com/our-prog...ps/sp/grad-nite-h2o/#categories-grad-nite-h2o

What is the dress code at a water park? Trunks for the guys and a one-piece for the ladies?

 

[flynnibus]

Thank you for this information. You have made a strong case for why grad nights have worked well over decades at DL, and why there is greater opportunity for this at DL compared to WDW. I am on board with this.

On the other hand, I don't think this provides solid evidence as to why it cannot work at a WDW waterpark in some form or fashion. The most common comment on this thread seems to be this will be a disaster because kids will be out of control doing drugs and having sex (rather than "this event doesn't make sense financially, etc"). This is what I was responding to...and I am not buying that...

Your point of 'well it works at DL.. why not this too?' hinges on similarities... where I've highlighted the events are very different from a corporate tolerance perspective and financial perspective. The glaring difference you turn a blind eye to is the lack of similarity between the venues... and why people right away questioned this.


TL is a water park built to be natural appearing, with all kinds of hidden nooks, secluded areas, and varying terrain. Put that together with a crowd you want to be able to keep an eye on effectively and chaperones can effectively monitor kids throughout.. and you should see the problem there. TL is not an idea environment for keeping tabs on excited teens.

There is a reason most states limit how many teens a new driver can have in their vehicle with them.. and why people dread the tour groups... teens together amplify behavior and often lead to people advancing what they might not otherwise do. Add that in with the YOLO mentality of this is some once in a lifetime party... people are willing to push even further.

The amp'd up teens will be hard to keep in the proper traveling areas and not climbing on things or going off intended surfaces. The intrinsic design of TL makes that even more difficult.

The hinderances to monitor people will make it more difficult to keep a presence to keep kids in check. It will be far easier to find that secluded area with no oversight to do things they are not supposed to be doing.

TL is a water park whose primary use is to run to dusk... not through the night. Contrast this with a theme park built to run day or night, with ample lighting, footing, and barriers intended to be used day or night in both light and heavy crowds.

Then you have the increased difficulties of running a pool at night vs day. Then add into that the patrons are wound up teens, not your usual 'afraid of the rules and getting busted' kids .. so not only is the environment worst for safety, but your patrons themselves are going to be less worried about safety and rules and lead to even more risky behavior. It's taking what might normally be seen as your worst possible type of patron to guard and keep safe... then put them in a huge group that amplifies their behavior... and then do the whole thing while your ability to keep them safe is REDUCED by operating at night.

THEN lets look at the idea of teenagers.. and lets start the night off by removing the majority of their clothes. Do we think the nearly naked ladies is going to increase or decrease the males' interest in trying to get some action?

Then lets look at 'easy access' when it comes to teens deciding if they want to continue with the sexual advances or not.. there is no denying that the less in the way.. the easier it is to 'access' and do sneaky naughty things.

Then lets take ALL of the above.. and mix in the CELEBRATION and its the biggest event of our teen lives so far.. and lets get wild attitude.

And all of that is from the teens who are following the law.. let alone those looking to sneak their drinking, smoking, and other illegal activities.

So do you want to tell me again why you don't understand people seeing the potential for problems here?

 

[GrumpyFan]

As dangerous as this sounds, I'm going to go with the assumption (dangerous, I know), that TDO has thought about and understands the risks with this and are making appropriate plans to host an organized and safe event. I hope I'm not proven wrong on this.
I can't fathom how they will manage to do this, but I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Question for the Disneylanders who might know, do the kids receive breathalyzer tests before they enter the parks on grad nite?

 

[Biff215]

I'd like to say I'm surprised but with WDW grabbing at any extra revenue they can recently, it's hardly a shock. They're announcing this now so presales go right in this year's profits.

As a former BB/TL lifeguard, I cringed when I heard this news. The park is difficult enough to guard in broad daylight, even though it is set up for evening events. I have to imagine they'll be packing them in to make it worth their while. Of course the wave pool will be of particular concern, but the lazy river scares me just as much with the length and turns it takes. They better double the number of lifeguards and place security between each one just in case.

Hate to be so pessimistic as I believe 99% of attendees can enjoy this safely, but as usual, it's those few who will mess it up for everyone. Hope I'm wrong!

 

[NelsonRD]

I can hear the ad wizards that came up with this one now - what do we have that Uni does not? A waterpark!

 

[MaryJaneP]

We think it is unlikely that this ticket-selling opportunity would go unaddressed. If the foregoing is the case, which park should close early and be subjected to the projected abuse? Are night-vision goggles going to be required for lifeguards? Mixing high-energy teens with water deep enough to threaten safety seems like a recipe for trouble. However, having such an event at a park otherwise closed to the general audience makes sense. Perhaps telling travel agents and/or schools that they will be precluded from future participation if their charges misbehave will reduce some of the difficulty. As a family that was at CR during previous grad nites, and who had the "Stay Away" memo slid under our door, it is a problem to schedule around. Does it make sense to choose a park already devoid of many rides (i.e. DHS) to host this instead of TL or BB?

 

[Next Big Thing]

Question for the Disneylanders who might know, do the kids receive breathalyzer tests before they enter the parks on grad nite?

During the last Grad Nite at WDW in 2011 they certainly didn't. Of course security has beefed up since then, but with the thousands that attend, that would be an ops nightmare.

It hasn't really been mentioned much what these kids will likely truly be doing instead of drinking (besides maybe beforehand): Molly. They just want to have fun.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Question for the Disneylanders who might know, do the kids receive breathalyzer tests before they enter the parks on grad nite?

Nope.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I can hear the ad wizards that came up with this one now - what do we have that Uni does not? A waterpark!

Not for long...

 

[NelsonRD]

Not for long...

We know, that was part of the joke! Disney is trying to capitalize on it while they can.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If Gay Days can happen at Typhoon, I think Grad Nite will be fine.

The sexuality of the individual is irrelevant. That individuals maturity are what's relevant. Even the most conservative perspective has to realize that an adult homosexual is far more mature than most high school seniors.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

We think it is unlikely that this ticket-selling opportunity would go unaddressed. If the foregoing is the case, which park should close early and be subjected to the projected abuse? Are night-vision goggles going to be required for lifeguards? Mixing high-energy teens with water deep enough to threaten safety seems like a recipe for trouble. However, having such an event at a park otherwise closed to the general audience makes sense. Perhaps telling travel agents and/or schools that they will be precluded from future participation if their charges misbehave will reduce some of the difficulty. As a family that was at CR during previous grad nites, and who had the "Stay Away" memo slid under our door, it is a problem to schedule around. Does it make sense to choose a park already devoid of many rides (i.e. DHS) to host this instead of TL or BB?

Now I see why NOJ was moved to WWOS