Disneyland Grad Nite Could End as Guests Complain About Teen Behavior

Disneyland Grad Nite is an unforgettable tradition for many Southern California high schoolers. But many adult Disney Parks fans and Guests are tired of unsupervised teenagers at Disneyland Resort.

Throughout May and June each year, senior classes from around the state travel to Disney California Adventure Park. Though the teens come with chaperones, they are vastly outnumbered. The events aren’t private for the first few hours, meaning other Guests are still present as the graduates have free rein inside the Disney Park.

Reddit user u/old-manwithlego was present for the first Grad Nite on May 12 and was shocked by the popularity of line-cutting. “What a mess! Cast members don’t care about line cutting,” they wrote. “You can call me a Kevin because I didn’t let a group of teenagers cut in line but the CM let another group cut in line.”

Others recalled similarly negative experiences with Grad Nite students. “They’re so loud especially on the rides yelling extra hard. So immature! They have no respect,” u/rokunuk recalled.

“I went on one grad nite and it was a nightmare. They were cutting lines, screaming, one kid even shoved my 10 year old nephew as he walked by,” said u/muckl3t. “Never again. I personally don’t think Disney should allow this event to overlap with the general public, it should be strictly after-hours. Trying to enjoy an expensive vacation with hundreds of unsupervised teenagers running around is just a no for me.”

“Yesterday, Friday, was awful. Line cutting and extremely long wait time,” u/kym31279 agreed. “We were in line for Space Mountain for 2 hours when the app said 65 minutes. The students were rude and disrespectful. As a teacher and my husband a high school teacher we were appalled and will NEVER go back during grad night.”

The end of Disneyland Grad Nite isn’t off the table. Walt Disney World Resort discontinued its Grad Nite program in 2012 after years of Guest complaints about the teens’ behavior.

More on Disneyland Grad Nite

This year, Disneyland Grad Nite will take place on May 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 30, and 31, as well as on June 2, 4, 7, 9, 14, and 16. Disney Imagination Campus writes:

The Disneyland Resort invites the graduating Class of 2023 to celebrate with their class and to share a night experiencing iconic attractions, savoring amazing treats and eats, capturing fun photos and cherishing special moments while creating a lifetime of magical memories together.

Have you ever been to Disneyland Grad Nite? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments. 

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks Guest experience. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.