Advice on NYE please

[hunter1722]

We have a 5:10p Crystal Palace. What time do we need to leave POP? Should we take the bus to MK, our car to TTC or something else? Thanks!!!

 

[Gehrig1B]

Do not take your car, in my opinion. Getting out of there will take hours. You may be waiting an hour or more for bus transportation afterward but you will not be stuck in your car. If you plan to stay for NYE fireworks at MK I would plan to stay well after and exit after 1:00 am by bus.

As far as when to leave POP, I would say give yourself a couple hours but honestly, we have never stayed at POP and have no personal experience of getting to the parks on NYE from that area. I have seen the long line of cars though from the monorail and read reports of being stuck in that traffic for an hour or more. Those with personal experience hopefully will chime in about driving.

Enjoy MK on NYE, we will be at Epcot this time around!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I was at WDW NYE this past year. My opinion - don’t drive AT ALL that day unless it’s super early in the morning.

We left Epcot and headed back to Poly via the monorail around 2-3pm that afternoon. All DIS hyperbole aside - traffic I saw on World Drive below heading to MK was CRAZY. Major backups. Buses are in that same traffic.

The new flyover will help bus traffic this year, but it’s still a crazy day.

I don’t know exactly what to recommend as far as how long it will take you, other than to say I’d budget longer than you think it will take.

Good luck.

 

[Alesia]

Take the bus. I would give it a couple of hours -- traffic will be horrendous.

 

[hunter1722]

I was thinking 2 hours at least. Will take the bus...I forgot about the flyover. Thanks everyone!

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

We took a bus on 4th of July from Pop, and it wasn't too bad. I would say give it 2 hours just in case. Pop! is a very crowded resort, but the buses going will be better than coming. I would make an effort to stay as long as possible if you stay for the fireworks. Last year on the 4th they were offering half price snacks to try and keep people in the park. I would imagine NYE is more crowded? Maybe? The transportation back to Pop! will be a mad house coming back. You could always walk to the contemporary and take a LYFT back to Pop!

 

[hunter1722]

We took a bus on 4th of July from Pop, and it wasn't too bad. I would say give it 2 hours just in case. Pop! is a very crowded resort, but the buses going will be better than coming. I would make an effort to stay as long as possible if you stay for the fireworks. Last year on the 4th they were offering half price snacks to try and keep people in the park. I would imagine NYE is more crowded? Maybe? The transportation back to Pop! will be a mad house coming back. You could always walk to the contemporary and take a LYFT back to Pop!

Oooh...Lyft from Contemporary. Good idea! How far in advance can you book that?

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Oooh...Lyft from Contemporary. Good idea! How far in advance can you book that?

You can schedule a pickup in the lyft app, but I don't have any experience pre-scheduling. Usually, there's a lot of lyfts in the area because they anticipate a rush of cusotmers. I usually choose lyft over uber in the parks, because lyft is a bit cheaper.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I would imagine NYE is more crowded? Maybe?

Having done both (last two 7/4s and 12/31 last year)....and I don't mean any snark by this... but 7/4 vs 12/31 is like night and day. 7/4 - while still crowded of course - to me is a relative breeze compared to 12/31.

I still scratch my head how 'easy' 7/4 is overall, relatively speaking.

 

[Alesia]

We took a bus on 4th of July from Pop, and it wasn't too bad. I would say give it 2 hours just in case. Pop! is a very crowded resort, but the buses going will be better than coming. I would make an effort to stay as long as possible if you stay for the fireworks. Last year on the 4th they were offering half price snacks to try and keep people in the park. I would imagine NYE is more crowded? Maybe? The transportation back to Pop! will be a mad house coming back. You could always walk to the contemporary and take a LYFT back to Pop!

The 4th of July is not even close to NYE in terms of crowds.

Keep in mind that surge pricing will be in effect if you take a lyft, so it's going to be expensive and it's not going save you much time over the bus.

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Having done both (last two 7/4s and 12/31 last year)....and I don't mean any snark by this... but 7/4 vs 12/31 is like night and day. 7/4 - while still crowded of course - to me is a relative breeze compared to 12/31.

I still scratch my head how 'easy' 7/4 is overall, relatively speaking.

Exactly why I said “maybe”— I wouldn’t know. I would imagine that period just before Christmas to after New Years is an absolute nightmare. Personally, I’m blocked out those 2 weeks, and I’m obligated to work at least an eve and a day. So I wouldn’t know personally, hence why I put maybe.

Another good option (though it might be a real challenge to book) is getting a reservation at Poly, Contemporary, or GF and watching the NYE fireworks from there.

Surge pricing for lyft is the price you will pay if you choose to lyft over the crowds at the bus. I’d personally choose the bus. The line ends eventually. I only lyft if I’m with certain family members.

 

[hunter1722]

Okay so you guys are convincing me to go bus roundtrip. We have the dessert party garden view for 11:50p fireworks. My plan was to hang around until 1a*ish and then head out. We NEVER go this time of year but unfortunately Shinedown having a 3 night concert event at Disney Springs HOB got me overruled. :/

 

[BLLB]

We stayed at Pop Last year 12/26-1/1 . We have been to Disney dozens of times but never on NYE. I cannot explain the traffic. It took us 1 hour and 45 minutes, by bus, to get from Pop to Epcot at 10:00 in the morning.

We had dinner reservations at WL for NYE dinner, rather than try the bus (because of the morning experience) we thought we would take the monorail to the Contemporary and boat over to WL.

They wouldn’t let us on the monorail at 4:00 pm, since MK had closed at 11:15 am due to capacity, without giving our ADR number. When we walked up the ramp of the monorail station at Epcot we were the only ones there, and the only ones on the monorail.

It was so strange. All of that to say, I wouldn’t drive at all. The traffic and crowds are insane and we go Spring Break every year. I’ve never seen anything like it!

 

[soniam]

Don't get in any car on NYE, whether it's your own, Lyft, Uber, or a taxi. The buses have much more mobility than the vehicles. I would just wait for a bus at MK. Maybe wait a bit before leaving the park by shopping. I would grab a snack to have while waiting for the bus. Be sure to have something to do while waiting, like maybe the Play Parks app. Remember to hit the bathroom before leaving. This is coming from someone who almost always drives to every park, including MK. However, NYE is a completely different beast.

 

[djc9699]

We stayed at Pop Last year 12/26-1/1 . We have been to Disney dozens of times but never on NYE. I cannot explain the traffic. It took us 1 hour and 45 minutes, by bus, to get from Pop to Epcot at 10:00 in the morning.

We had dinner reservations at WL for NYE dinner, rather than try the bus (because of the morning experience) we thought we would take the monorail to the Contemporary and boat over to WL.

They wouldn’t let us on the monorail at 4:00 pm, since MK had closed at 11:15 am due to capacity, without giving our ADR number. When we walked up the ramp of the monorail station at Epcot we were the only ones there, and the only ones on the monorail.

It was so strange. All of that to say, I wouldn’t drive at all. The traffic and crowds are insane and we go Spring Break every year. I’ve never seen anything like it!

I am going to piggyback on this. We have an ADR at 11:45 1900PF on NYE and we are doing the Pixar Party at the Contemporary at 8:00pm. Had planned on hanging around MK for the time between. If MK is closed for capacity after our meal, will we be stuck? I didn't think MK had closed due to capacity for several years.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I am going to piggyback on this. We have an ADR at 11:45 1900PF on NYE and we are doing the Pixar Party at the Contemporary at 8:00pm. Had planned on hanging around MK for the time between. If MK is closed for capacity after our meal, will we be stuck? I didn't think MK had closed due to capacity for several years.

Depends on what kind of ticket you have. There was an early phase closure for a bit on 12/31 last year... I think the one that covers single day tickets (don’t quote me on that though).

 

[Alesia]

I am going to piggyback on this. We have an ADR at 11:45 1900PF on NYE and we are doing the Pixar Party at the Contemporary at 8:00pm. Had planned on hanging around MK for the time between. If MK is closed for capacity after our meal, will we be stuck? I didn't think MK had closed due to capacity for several years.

MK hasn't reached stage 4 closure since 2009. It will usually hit stage 1 or 2 for a short time on NYE. I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[CERS]

I am going to piggyback on this. We have an ADR at 11:45 1900PF on NYE and we are doing the Pixar Party at the Contemporary at 8:00pm. Had planned on hanging around MK for the time between. If MK is closed for capacity after our meal, will we be stuck? I didn't think MK had closed due to capacity for several years.

Stuck you'll never be, in any case you would need to go over another park, say Epcot, which is also Monorail Connected. However, Stage 1 is only that they stop selling new tickets, while they still allow people in. Stage 2 still allow people with FP+ and ADRs, so just have a couple of FP+ just in case.

It usually hits closure stages right when you plan on going though, as the 6:30 pm fireworks show on NYE is one of the more crowded ones.

I'm spending NYE on the "Countdown to Midnight" event, we decided against braving the crowds on any of the parks on that day. Lol. We MIGHT use our FOP FP+ that we got for that morning, but still not even sure about it. Lol. I think we'll probably leave Disney property altogether for almost the whole day, and be back to get changed and go over the event by Bus.

 

[hunter1722]

Great advice everyone! No car...got it! I hope the flyover helps for getting there.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

what is the flyover?