thanks for the reply. Can you confirm if the 730 Illuminations is the same enhanced display shown at midnight?
We are staying our first three nights at GF and transfering to the Swan for 12/31. We will have seen the "regular" illuminations a couple of days earlier(and several times prior), but 12/31 would be our only chance to see Osborne lights and Fireworks at the studios(we have never seen either before)
If the 730 Illuminations is "enhanced/worth it"(opinions please) we would try the park hop scenario you folks did(good advise to get there immediately after EPCOT). In short my fear, is getting actually turned away at the studios.
Also, can you confirm a direct launch from EPCOT to Studios or do they all stop at the resorts on the way? Thanks alot.
This was a direct launch because of the night and time. They were trying to move guests as efficiently as possible from one park to the next because they knew we were park hopping. The other ferries dispatched that night stopped at the resorts.
Whether they do it every NYE, I can't say. I've only done that once and that was last year.
The previous year we went to early bird EPCOT fireworks then hopped to DTD for those fireworks and back to DHS for EMH. We were never turned away from any of our destinations.
Honestly, I don't know that EPCOT does anything different at midnight from 7:30pm on NYE. We've always been told by CMs (we pre-register for a wheelchair viewing spot) that they are the same. It seems like they are just the regular Illuminations followed by the seasonal Peace on Earth tag. What is more special are all the parties that start up around the countries. After dark that place is hopping with party people. We go for the atmosphere and it is our only night to see Illuminations during our NYE trip.
One thing to keep in mind, the bathrooms are absolutely jammed from 40 minutes before fireworks. I got caught last year when we sat for our 7:30pm spot (arrived at 6:45pm and thought I could pop over to the bathroom). Whatever you do, don't hold it in expecting to go later. If you see an empty bathroom after dark, use it.
If you get caught like me, the bathrooms at the International Gateway (outside the park) are usually empty. I never thought I'd be so grateful for indoor plumbing.
Given what you said, I'd recommend you skip EPCOT and stick to DHS that day. Go for the 6pm start to Osborne. That way you can see the opening ceremony and appreciate the street transforming at night. Plan to eat at DHS and chill. Maybe try for a ride or two. They have EMH that night so the rides and osborne are going until 3am. (After 2am, Osborne is pretty much empty. We got fantastic pictures last year just hanging on the street all by ourselves.) Also if you stay for EMH you'll avoid most of the traffic that floods out of Disney come 12:30am. Last year, the traffic jam on I-4 lasted 4 hours. The year we hopped from DTD it took our bus driver 90 minutes to get through. We arrived after 1:30am and stayed till 3.
We pace ourselves NYE and sleep in that morning. We know we'll be putting in a 12 hour day starting in the afternoon.
