Calling all NYE Veterans

[stamot]

Hi! I will start saying that I'm an obsessive compulsive Disney planner. I plan very early and with the dinning reservation window approaching fast I need to figure out this.
We have been at Disney on Christmas before but we never stay up to NYE. My question is which parks are better to visit January 1 and 2??
So far our schedule looks like this:
12/24- HS
12/25- AK
12/26- MK
12/27- EP
12/28- MK
12/29- HS
12/30- EP
12/31- AK
1/1- ?
1/2- ?

 

[stamot]

bump!! no one??

 

[Rcmalm]

MK looked pretty empty last year first thing in the morning on 1/1. We didn't actually go in but passed by on our way to Ohana for breakfast.

 

[amymugica]

We have been there on NYE several times and have always tried make ADRs for Ohana or the Luau, or even Yachtsmans Steakhouse (in other words, a resort restaurant).
One year we went into MK JUST for the 1st set of FW, then left immediately (MainStreet was a nightmare) and headed over to the Boardwalk. We rented a surrey bike, enjoyed the activities on the BW and went into EPCOT thru the UK entrance. Then watched the midnight FW from there, which was a great view. We were then able to walk back to the BW and catch the fireworks from HS.

During the day on NYE and NYD we have done both EPCOT and HS. Both get extremely crowded (as you would expect) - think shoulder to shoulder back in the WS at EPCOT.

My advice is to schedule some FP+ reservations, an ADR somewhere out of the parks in the evening, and brace yourself for the chaos if watching FW in the parks is important to you.

 

[lam0037]

I've done MK on NYE and it was as expected: wall to wall people. That day I think we rode maybe three rides total? And we we went ahead and just sat in our spot for the fireworks starting around 6 or 7? I can't remember which, but it was already pretty full when we got our spot which was between Casey's Corner and Crystal Palace. But it's amazing to see the fireworks with the castle.

On the 30th we saw the NYE fireworks at Epcot following Illuminations and they were amazing. Both parks tend to do their fireworks December 30th as well so you can always go to one after AK if you have a park hopper.

Another option if being in the park wasn't important to you but you still wanted to see MK fireworks would be to watch them from the beach at the Poly

 

[tjmw2727]

We have done NYE a few years in a row - we skipped last year but are planning this year again.

Plan for large crowds - book your 3 FP+ and some dining reservations and bring your patience but it is also alot of fun.

We usually go to the MK on the 30th and do the "pre NYE" fireworks on that day its a bit less crowded and the same show. That said it is still very crowded so again plan for a long day.

We have done Epcot 4 of 5 years and usually just stay for the 9:30 pre fireworks and then some time afterward but leave prior to midnight and enjoy the resort for midnight (if we make it) instead! Two years ago we were at the Studios for NYE and stayed till closing but found it more of a "party" atmosphere than Epcot which I found surprising.

This year we will be at Bay Lake Tower for NY week and plan to again hit MK on the 30th and Epcot for the 31st.

I bring a backpack although we don't usually carry one with snacks and drinks as the lines can get long. The kids load up with games on their phones to pass the time in lines and I bring a portable phone charger to keep us charged as well.

 

[karenklo]

WE did the MK on the 30th to see the "NYE" fireworks there, then did Epcot for actual NYE. It is wall to wall people on NYE, but we found 1/1 the parks were pretty empty until 11am or so! We will be there this NYE again!