Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

[Radiobarry]

Back in the day...at least until as recently as the 80's and perhaps early 90's...

Companies and large groups would rent out Disneyland on Friday and Saturday nights for groups of about seven-to-ten-thousand people.

On Fridays, the park, in the off season, would close at 6pm and re-open from 8pm to 1am for the "private party". Saturdays, with a 7pm closure, the park would often re-open 8:30 PM to 1:30 AM.

Did any of you take part in these events? Or know anyone who did?

As a rule, all park restaurants and attractions normally open during the off-season were available (if not closed for annual rehab or the like).

I worked a lot of those party nights. With those crowds it was pretty easy money compared to summer and holidays!

Many times on Sunday they'd have what they called a "mix-in" party...with the park closing at 7, the "party" would be from 4pm to 12 midnight. They'd stop selling tickets to the public at 7pm, but no one was asked to leave til midnight.

Anyone else remember "Angels Disneyland Fun Day"? Decades before Disney owned the team, there was a special Sunday promotion once a year. Buy the special comination ticket, and you got a seat at the Angels day game, and as soon as the game at Anaheim Stadium ended, admission to the park and all rides until midnight. I did that one at least twice.

I've given you a lot to remember, possibly, here.

--Barry

[spunkymonkey]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

My father worked for GTE in the early 80's. Every year they would have a private party, and me and my brothers would go on everything at least twice. The park was totally empty (by today's standards). I remember gooing on mission to mars 4 times in a row.

[SusieP.]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I remember being there during private party nights and not having to leave. We would go up in high school with the marching band, find out it was a later night, and then everyone would have to call home to get permission to stay and get rides home. That was the coolest, since we were already getting in the park for free. )

[Moonliner]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I went on one with [email protected] back in the day. As I remember it was just as crowded (or even more so) than an average day.

[SusieP.]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

Sorry about that, Moonliner. Must have been all us high school kids that they let stay for free!

[LuvsLilo]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

My parents would take us to LAPD parties. Those were some fun times. The only thing is that I now look back in horror that my family wore matching sweatshirts.

[musiken]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I went to many of the private nights. Somtimes crowded, sometimes not. I found an old ticket stub from one of the partys I went to in the 70's. Admission? $5.00 for unlimited rides (in the days of ticket books.) What a bargain!

[hebessica]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

My dad worked for 1-800-Dentist when Indiana Jones opened and they were an advertiser for K-BIG 104.3. On Halloween, K-BIG rented out the park for a private party and my dad was able to get us tickets for the event. One of the best parts about it was walking onto Indiana Jones with no wait whatsoever. There were only something like 5,000 people in the whole park. It was practically empty. The park had a lot of really neat little plusses that night. Since it was Halloween, there were stations all over with candy so that kids (who were allowed to dress up) could trick-or-treat. Also, I remember that there were CMs in costume inside Pirates that would jump out and "scare" the passing boats. There was even a CM that replaced the drunk AA with dirty feet that sits on the bridge during the "We want the redhead!" scene. He would yell out coments to the boats about the redhead and the more buxom of the wenches as boats passed underneath.
That private party at Disneyland is one of the best memories of my childhood.
***On a side note, you can still rent out DL and DCA for events like that, but the prices are INCREDIBLY steep. I just got a wonderful packet today from my rep at Disney Meetings that talks about renting out the parks for your special event. I have to say, working with the sales reps at Disney Meetings has been fabulous. They sure do know their stuff!

[Tom Chaney]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

Rohr Corporation was a large employer in Chula Vista, CA when I was growing up. Each year they would take over Disneyland for Rohr Night.

In 1968, I was in my high school band and we won the right to represent San Diego in the 1968 Rose Parade. (Another great memory!) In a gesture of civic pride, Rohr invited our entire band and marching units to be their guest at Disneyland.

The plan was for us to don our uniforms and march up Main Street. Alas, it rained that day and we could not perform. I'll always regret missing out on that. But, we had a great time in Disneyland.

(That spring, we performed a special concert for the Rohr people to thank them.)

[avadakedavra56]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

My dad worked for Voit in the mid 90s and they had a party with all the business people at Disneyland one night. I remember being really jealous that he got to go ride all the rides that night when I had to stay home.

He said it was really funny to watch everyone in suits and ties being thrown around on Indy (when it was still brand new and much more wild).

[hollywood1939]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

Not renting out the park, but I remember when my mom working for Security Pacific Bank and we got to eat lunch near where the Space Mountain queue entrance is now.

[Tinkerbell]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I worked a couple private parties while I was a CM there. One was some Japanese lingerie company that, I was told, rents the park out once a year, flies all their employees out, and basically they stay on the company's bill. SWEEEEEET!!! They were very nice people who requested a lot of 80s songs be played throughout the park. I also worked a party in which Home Depot rented the park out and I was so disappointed by the people who attended. Not only did they try to get as much free stuff (shrink) as they could, they were argumentative, disagreeable, insulting, and rude. That was the worst night I ever worked! All of us were never so glad to see a night end. I needed a day off after that party!

[makeminemusic]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

Rohr Corporation was a large employer in Chula Vista, CA when I was growing up. Each year they would take over Disneyland for Rohr Night.

In 1968, I was in my high school band and we won the right to represent San Diego in the 1968 Rose Parade. (Another great memory!) In a gesture of civic pride, Rohr invited our entire band and marching units to be their guest at Disneyland.

The plan was for us to don our uniforms and march up Main Street. Alas, it rained that day and we could not perform. I'll always regret missing out on that. But, we had a great time in Disneyland.

(That spring, we performed a special concert for the Rohr people to thank them.)

Hi Tom,

I also went to DL Rohr nights when my then step dad worked there. Found me a ticket on ebay a few years ago and had to get it!

I also was in marching band (72-74) at CVHS, but alas never got to the rose parade! Where did you go to school?

Ken

[Pinniped]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I recall going to a private General Telephone party once (before it was GTE) -- my grandfather worked there. It was probably around 1968, as I think it was my first experience of the "New Tomorrowland" -- also, I think, the first time I visited the park at night. I don't really recall much other than riding the Autopia.

I also remember being at the park one Friday in the mid-80's, when we were expecting it to close at 6:00 -- but the time rolled around, and no announcement was made. We finally asked a CM, who explained about mixers. Cool! We stayed a couple more hours. (I made a point of visiting on further Fridays, but never happened on one again.) (That was the same trip we discovered an unlocked door near the Haunted Mansion, which I think was one of the emergency exits. We snuck through and crept up a hallway, but chickened out before we got anywhere very interesting.)

However, a friend of mine had a REALLY awesome experience at the time of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. They had a closed party for people involved in the games, including athletes and I presume sponsors and the like. A friend of his somehow got an extra ticket and he went along. Not only was the place virtually empty, but he discovered the refreshments were free! I was pretty envious of that one.

[HDAlien]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

Yes, my dad owned a trucking company and for one of their conventions held at the ACC they rented out DL for the night, I remember it being soooooooo not crowded, you could walk on any ride you wanted, totally awesome!

HDAlien

[Disneyland Daddy]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I do remember this. They used to have City of Anaheim Nights - went to one of those in early 1980 (Dad worked and STILL works for City of Anaheim).

Also, my friend Rebecca and I went in January 1986 on a rainy rainy day.....and Disneyland was going to close at 6 pm but then it cleared up and there was some big company function and for some reason, Disneyland ended up staying open until Midnight - and guests that were in the park that day that were STILL in the park, were allowed to stay.

Very cool (and a tad wet). Good times!

[Never Grow Up]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I went with my family to a private party for Ford in 1977! It ended up being the day Space mountain opened!

The line went all through the queue, down the moving walkway, through Tomorrowland and all the way down Main Street! It was a 3.5 hour wait.

For some reason my parents didn't want to go on it.....

[TacAlert]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I remember going a few times as a kid when my mom worked for California Federal (now CitiBank). Never a wait for a ride.

[Radiobarry]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I recall going to a private General Telephone party once (before it was GTE) -- my grandfather worked there. It was probably around 1968, as I think it was my first experience of the "New Tomorrowland" -- also, I think, the first time I visited the park at night. I don't really recall much other than riding the Autopia.

I also remember being at the park one Friday in the mid-80's, when we were expecting it to close at 6:00 -- but the time rolled around, and no announcement was made. We finally asked a CM, who explained about mixers. Cool! We stayed a couple more hours. (I made a point of visiting on further Fridays, but never happened on one again.) (That was the same trip we discovered an unlocked door near the Haunted Mansion, which I think was one of the emergency exits. We snuck through and crept up a hallway, but chickened out before we got anywhere very interesting.)

However, a friend of mine had a REALLY awesome experience at the time of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. They had a closed party for people involved in the games, including athletes and I presume sponsors and the like. A friend of his somehow got an extra ticket and he went along. Not only was the place virtually empty, but he discovered the refreshments were free! I was pretty envious of that one.

That must have been one great party!

By the way, most of the "mix-in" private parties like the one you referred to took place on Sundays during my years there.

--Barry

[twainrider]

Re: Remember "Private Party" Nights at Disneyland?

I worked for General Dynamics from the 70s thru the early 90s and the private parties were, in many cases, the only time I went to Disneyland. You got so spoiled by having relatively small crowds for the private parties, that you hated going on regular days when the crowds were much bigger.