Disneyland Grad Nites 2026: Dates, Crowds, Ticket Prices

Grad Nite at Disneyland is a special ticketed event for local graduating seniors that takes place every year on select nights throughout May and June. We now have the 2026 Disneyland Grad Nite dates. The Grad Nite parties take place in Disney California Adventure after park closing, and graduates can opt for tickets that add on time at the parks during the daytime. On event nights, Disney California Adventure will close early to accommodate the graduates.

Read on for the most updated information for 2026 Disneyland Resort Grad Nites, including the dates, details of the event, and how to avoid the Grad Nite crowds. Grad Nites does increase the crowds at the resort, as it brings larger numbers of graduates and their families to the theme parks.

We visit Disneyland weekly and have been in the theme parks often when Grad Nites were also taking place, so we can share tips on how to navigate these special events as an attendee, but also as a regular park guest with visit dates that align with this popular event.

Grad Nites at Disneyland 2026 Overview

The Grad Nites at Disneyland provide an opportunity for graduating high school seniors to celebrate with after-hours access to attractions, special foods, DJs playing music, character meet and greets, special photo ops, and more. 

Graduates have three different ticket options they can choose from. They can attend the Grad Nite party only, which takes place at Disney California Adventure at 9 PM on event nights. They also have the option to add on day access to Disney California Adventure, or both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park, on those same days.

On the days when Grad Nites take place, Disney California Adventure will close to regular guests at 9 PM for the event, which takes place from 9 PM to 2 AM. Typically, Disney California Adventure closes at 10 PM on regular park days during the summer. Aside from Disney California Adventure closing an hour early on Grad Nite dates, the event doesn't impact anything else on Disneyland's schedule. Guests can even enjoy World of Color on nights when Grad Nites takes place.

The biggest thing that Grad Nites may impact is the atmosphere and crowd levels at the parks, as guests will noticeably see an increase in teenagers on these event days, especially during the evenings prior to the event.

2026 Disneyland Grad Nites Dates and Registration

The 2026 Disneyland Grad Nites dates are listed below for both May and June at Disneyland 2026. These dates have now been released.

May Grad Nites 2026

• May 8, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 28, 29, and 31, 2026

June Grad Nites 2026

• June 3, 5, 7, 10, and 12, 2026

See the Disneyland student travel website for all registration information.

Pricing For Disneyland Grad Nites 2026

There are a few different Disneyland Grad Nite ticket options offered, which all include the private event but give varying access to the theme parks. The pricing for the 2026 Disneyland Grad Nite tickets is below. 

Ticket Option 1: The Grad Nite Private Party Experience at Disney California Adventure Park

This ticket option includes admission to the Grad Nite Private Party at Disney California Adventure—beginning at 9:00 PM and ending at 2:00 AM. It includes a one-hour mix-in at Disney California Adventure, as well as the Grad Nite Private Party.

• Ticket Prices: Weekday Dates (Mon-Thurs): $129 per person
• Weekend Dates (Fri and Sun): $134 per person

Ticket Option 2: Full-Day Disney California Adventure Park Ticket, Plus Admission to Disneyland Resort Grad Nite Private Party Experience at Disney California Adventure Park

This ticket option includes a full day at Disney California Adventure, plus admission to the Grad Nite Private Party, beginning at 9:00 PM and ending at 2:00 AM.

• Ticket Prices: Weekday Dates (Mon-Thurs): $159 per person
• Weekend Dates (Fri and Sun): $179 per person

Ticket Option 3: Full-Day Park Hopper Ticket, Plus Admission to the Disneyland Resort Grad Nite Private Party Experience at Disney California Adventure Park

With this ticket option, you can access both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure on the same day during normal operating hours, and enjoy admission to the Grad Nite Private Party at Disney California Adventure, beginning at 9:00 PM and ending at 2:00 AM.

• Ticket Prices: Weekday Dates (Mon-Thurs): $239 per person
• Weekend Dates (Fri and Sun): $259 per person

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Tips for Graduates Enjoying Grad Nites 

A member of our Mickey Visit team has attended Grad Nite as a chaperone, and we wanted to share the following tips for students attending the event! The park and Cast Members treat this event like a typical Disneyland After Dark event, but this one is extra special because it's just for graduating students and select chaperones rather than the general public. 

• Pay attention to the special, strict security rules for this event, which differ from the usual rules for Disneyland guests. If you do not follow these rules, they will send you home or make you dispose of anything that does not comply. We were surprised by the level of security before the event started and during the event. There are a lot of security guards, and the security checkpoint after you exit the bus is intense, to ensure that the event is safe for everyone. 
• Make sure you don't miss all the special photo ops and character meet and greets. These are very unique to Disneyland, like Mater in a graduation cap!
• Don’t skip the amazing World of Color show! The entire show is unique just to this event. There is no need to wait early for a spot either, as there is plenty of space, and it runs at least 2x during the event.
• Wait times were short except for Guardians of the Galaxy and Incredicoaster. Tackle these BEFORE the event officially begins during the mix-in time.

• If you like to dance, head to Cars Land, where a live DJ spins some great tunes, and there are multiple student dance-offs!
• This is a very late night. Get plenty of rest before the event and don’t forget a portable phone charger! 

Tips for Regular Guests Visiting on Grad Nite Dates

When guests find out that Disneyland Grad Nites coincide with their trip, their first reaction is usually to worry about crowds or potential misbehavior from graduating students. While you can easily find plenty of stories about bad behavior on Grad Nites or large crowds, Grad Nites are often more manageable than many people might think. As both a regular park guest and chaperone, we have not witnessed any debauchery—the kids were just there to have fun! The biggest inconvenience about Disneyland Grad Nites for regular park guests is the fact that Disney California Adventure closes one hour early. 

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These are the most important things to keep in mind if you're visiting on a date when Grad Nite is taking place. 

Disney California Adventure Closes Early

On nights that Grad Nites are taking place, Disney California Adventure will close to regular daytime guests at 9 PM instead of 10 PM for the ticketed event. The event takes place from 9 PM to 2 AM. You will notice Disney California Adventure start to fill up with more graduates as it gets closer to 9 PM, and Disneyland Park may see an increase in crowds as regular guests hop over to Disneyland. However, so many families leave the parks after the fireworks at Disneyland (which typically take place at 9:30 PM), so Disneyland will clear out pretty quickly after the fireworks, despite it being a Grad Nite day. See our Disneyland evening strategy if you intend to stay until park closing. 

Avoiding Grad Nite Crowds

If you want to avoid the increase in crowds, then it's essential that you arrive early and take advantage of our Disneyland morning strategy or Disney California Adventure morning strategy. And if you are staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel, then you should also make use of Early Entry to the theme parks.

Since graduates have the option of purchasing a single-day Disney California Adventure ticket or a park hopper with their grad event, it's hard to predict which park will see the most crowds. Starting the day at Disney California Adventure is usually the wise choice, and then you can prioritize the rest of the day at Disneyland Park.

We have been in the theme parks during Grad Nites before and were pleasantly surprised to see that it truly was manageable. You do notice large groups of teens present in the parks, typically as the day goes on, but I personally never witnessed any issues. Most of the teens are there to simply celebrate their graduation and not cause problems.

Look for Short Queues

Utilize Disneyland Lightning Lane Multi Pass to cut down on the lines. If you arrive early, you can find shorter queues and pick up Lightning Lane return times in between. Don't forget about Single Rider lines as well. Disneyland Park offers this option at several different locations, including Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, and Indiana Jones Adventure. Disney California Adventure Park has Single Rider lines at Grizzly River Run, Goofy's Sky School, Incredicoaster, Soarin', WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and Radiator Springs Racers.

Noise Level for Disney Resort Guests

You will be able to hear the DJs during the Grad Nites event if you have a hotel room at the Grand Californian that faces Disney California Adventure. The party takes place until 2 AM, so depending on where you are located, it's possible you may hear some noise. I happened to stay in a Disney California Adventure-facing room during a Grad Nite, and we were able to hear the music pretty clearly from our room. Turning on the AC usually drowns the noise out, but you will hear it if you have your door to the balcony open.

Grad Nite History at Disneyland

 

Disneyland Grad Nites started in the 1960s as a way for high school seniors in Southern California (and surrounding states) to commemorate their educational achievements with good old-fashioned Disneyland fun. Live bands were common up until the 2000s, when radio stations then came in with popular DJs. Students and chaperones would stay all night enjoying Disneyland Park. The tradition continues, but Disney has streamlined the event for attendees.

Disneyland Grad Nite Guidelines

Students must adhere to the dress code and behavior guidelines outlined for them and their chaperones. Chaperones must be over the age of 25, and there must be one chaperone per 10 students. For every 20 student tickets purchased, the school will receive one complimentary chaperone ticket of the same option.

The Disneyland Grad Nite parties are an exciting experience for graduating seniors and a perfect way to celebrate this milestone. For regular theme park guests, you can avoid the Grad Nite crowds if you plan ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions