June 15, 1961 – The First Grad Nite is Held in Disneyland
Image credit: http://vintagedisneylandtickets.blogspot.com
“You only graduate once. So get your friends together, party with other high school seniors from all over the country and don’t miss this celebration of a lifetime!”
On June 15, 1961, the first Grad Nite celebration is held in Disneyland. Celebrating the graduation of high school seniors, the first event had 8,500 students congregating at the happiest place on earth. This number grew extensively in the decade, with 100,000 students soon going to celebrate all night at Disneyland. In 2009, over 5 million grads had come to celebrate at the park. Any school is able to participate, and students must adhere to a dress code. Walt Disney World had their own version of Grad Nite that began in 1972, but ended in 2011.
disneydetail 