Best park to go to on 12/31/04

[emilysmom09]

We are taking our first ever trip to WDW the week of Dec. 27th (we must be crazy) Just wondering which park would be the least crowded on Dec. 31st?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[Disney Doc]

I'll be there that week as well. From what I understand, the better question is... which park will be the last to fill to capacity on 12/31/04? We're doing Epcot - planning to be inside the gates by late morning.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We went to AK on halloween a couple of years ago and the crowds were not that bad. Photo ops with Pooh and the gang had them all dressed in costume.

 

[wintermom]

We did Epcot last year on NYE, got there at the opening from
the World Showcase side. We walked to the other side to get FP
for test track. By the time we got to test track to get
our FP it was only avaliable after 3:00pm.

This year we will be there as well, my current plan, which may
change, is to not do the parks on NYE. They are just so crowded.

I thought maybe we would play miniture golf and explore some
non park options.

Wintermom

 

[CindyAnn]

Hi emilysmom09 and welcome to the DIS! Our NYE strategy the last two years has been to go to Animal Kingdom for the day and then make a PS for a meal at one of the hotels. Last year we chose 'Ohana at the Poly and it was great. AK wasn't crowded at all on NYE because there's no evening entertainment - just normal crowd levels. On New Years Day the last two years we've headed to Epcot and that's been just fine, too. The worst park by far over that period is MK, so I suggest you save at least one MK day for after New Years day, when the crowds really thin out (or New Years day itself if you're leaving on the 2nd).

Have fun!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Sorry for my airheaded reply--I misread the thread title and thought you were speaking of Oct 31st.....

halloween party on the brain--sorry!

 

[WDWguru]

Originally posted by CindyAnn
AK wasn't crowded at all on NYE because there's no evening entertainment - just normal crowd levels.

We would've thought that too, but this past NYE they closed AK to capacity at 10 am according to the CM we checked with at Epcot. They also closed AK two days earlier in the week. I think everyone has figured out your secret! This year was also a big bounce-back in tourism. The week between Christmas and NYE they recorded the largest crowds EVER at the WDW them parks!

We went to Epcot for early entry and stayed until 1 am. We make PSs for lunch and dinner, did rides very early and took the hidden Mickey book. We also entered from world showcase and got there early enough to get one of the last lockers. This was SO nice to have when shedding layers, trading cameras, etc.

 

[Connears]

We have been to WDW for NYE for the past 2 years. 2002-3 we started at MGM and around 4:30 headed to Epcot . had PS at Teppanyaki and it was pouring so we had a long wait(over an hour) even with PS then we just took boat to BW while DH went to MGM to get car to pick us up. Rain spoiled most of the Epcot outdoor bands, so we headed back to OKW watched ball drop in NY and watched fireworks from our balcony. 2003-4 we were at MGM all day..touring was fine with FP and live band started around 5:30..We ate at Brown Derby and watched last Fantasmic (without the package.20 minute wait in line). We shopped a while then took boat back to Swan and watched FITS (awesome!)from our room and some of Epcot fireworks from the Swan docks. MK amd AK had closed to all guests by 10am that day. Epcot can handle larger crowds. If you go to MK:go early and plan to stay until the end;make a PS at exactly 90days for in park(if you go to resort, you may not get back in);be prepared for HUGE crowds.