CRT on NYE…big mistake?

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

We have reservations for CRT @ 5:25 PM on NYE. It never dawned on me when I made the reservation that the fireworks would be @ 6:30 PM - rookie mistake.

Not that I want to rush dinner but is it possible we could finish before the fireworks start and make our way out?
We’re only planning on visiting MK for dinner (if we can even make it in) and I have no desire to get stuck in the castle for the duration of the fireworks

In all my years of visiting, I’ve never dined at CRT so have zero experience with navigating the closures, etc. and would welcome any tips or advice. Thank you!!

 

[robinb]

Are you planning to be there at midnight? If so, I wouldn’t worry and I wouldn’t rush.

Edited, it sounds like you’re only planning to be there for dinner and then out? I don’t think it will be too terrible in the castle during fireworks. The worst will be leaving after the fireworks either 25-30% of the park with little kids.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Are you planning to be there at midnight? If so, I wouldn’t worry and I wouldn’t rush.

No, we were planning to leave right after dinner and head back to our resort.

 

[hardcorestitch]

You really need to lock in your spots well in advance… as WDW will be brimmed to the rooftops with poor unfortunate souls wishing to be dazzled with new year’s fireworks.

Even so, are you going to remain in the Magic Kingdom for the countdown or are you going to succumb to Ryan Seacrest and that lame ball drop?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Potentially, maybe, if you sit down and tell your server exactly what you are ordering when you first see them and that you hope to be out before fireworks- but it’s a lousy idea. It’s such a unique experience why not seize the moment? Enjoy your meal, see the fireworks from inside the castle and then later see fireworks outside the castle? Epic NYE!

 

[robinb]

No, we were planning to leave right after dinner and head back to our resort.

If you don’t care about the fireworks, just go and enjoy dinner. I would wait about an hour to leave letting the families walk with children leave.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

You really need to lock in your spots well in advance… as WDW will be brimmed to the rooftops with poor unfortunate souls wishing to be dazzled with new year’s fireworks.

Even so, are you going to remain in the Magic Kingdom for the countdown or are you going to succumb to Ryan Seacrest and that lame ball drop?

I’m going with my young kiddo - so there’s no way we’d make it ‘til midnight in MK. But there will be no Ryan Seacrest for us - our resort has some fun NYE activities planned and we’ll watch the later fireworks from there if we can manage to stay awake!

 

[Disturbia]

We’ve been to MK on NYE Dec 22 staying at the poly. The park closed to new guests at 10 am. This is the first year that there are no park reservations for most guests (so it will be like 2019). If you leave the park and the park reaches capacity you will not be allowed in even with dining ADRs. Main Street will be closed around 10 pm to more guests (could be earlier with heavier crowds) so you are stuck in other lands for viewing (no projections and midnight is 360). Now if you are a passholder this year (rules for park passes keep changing) and have MK reservations for 12/31 then you have no issues getting back in (we are not).

At the poly you need to get your poly resort guest bands to access the beach area to watch fireworks on 12/30 and 12/31 this year. Non resort guests are not allowed. In some years past Guests with ADRs were not allowed (per a passholder) but may be allowed this year? They close wristband distribution maybe an hour or so before the midnight fireworks.

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/new-years-eve-disney-world-tips/

We are checking out 12/31 and doing NYE celebrations 12/30. We have the dessert pre party for the first fireworks show (highly recommend if you have young kids and there are last min cancellations). Our family doesn’t eat that many desserts and 2 kids have allergies and eat maybe a strawberry or two (the allergy friendly plate has Erin McKenna foodies which my kids find too sweet and too dry). We have CRT at 7:45 pm. Teen and I will stay back to hit some rides and little ones will leave with DH after that CRT takes 1.5-2 hours. Do not cancel your ADR (even lower demand ADRs are going to be hard to get and QS with little ones on NYE is not going to be fun-hours wait; no tables). Keep checking the app. Go up to the podium maybe around noon? to check if they can move it (several hours before the 2 hour cancellation window).

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

We’ve been to MK on NYE Dec 22 staying at the poly. The park closed to new guests at 10 am. This is the first year that there are no park reservations for most guests (so it will be like 2019). If you leave the park and the park reaches capacity you will not be allowed in even with dining ADRs. Main Street will be closed around 10 pm to more guests (could be earlier with heavier crowds) so you are stuck in other lands for viewing (no projections and midnight is 360). Now if you are a passholder this year (rules for park passes keep changing) and have MK reservations for 12/31 then you have no issues getting back in (we are not).

At the poly you need to get your poly resort guest bands to access the beach area to watch fireworks on 12/30 and 12/31 this year. Non resort guests are not allowed. In some years past Guests with ADRs were not allowed (per a passholder) but may be allowed this year? They close wristband distribution maybe an hour or so before the midnight fireworks.

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/new-years-eve-disney-world-tips/

We are checking out 12/31 and doing NYE celebrations 12/30. We have the dessert pre party for the first fireworks show (highly recommend if you have young kids and there are last min cancellations). Our family doesn’t eat that many desserts and 2 kids have allergies and eat maybe a strawberry or two (the allergy friendly plate has Erin McKenna foodies which my kids find too sweet and too dry). We have CRT at 7:45 pm. Teen and I will stay back to hit some rides and little ones will leave with DH after that CRT takes 1.5-2 hours. Do not cancel your ADR (even lower demand ADRs are going to be hard to get and QS with little ones on NYE is not going to be fun-hours wait; no tables). Keep checking the app. Go up to the podium maybe around noon? to check if they can move it (several hours before the 2 hour cancellation window).

Thank you - good suggestion to ask to move it up.

We are AP (Incredipass) holders and understand that even with that (plus our park reservation, ADR, staying onsite etc). there’s a chance we won’t be allowed in if we don’t go early.

 

[elaine amj]

The NYE fireworks are short - maybe 10 mins? You should have no problems enjoying a leisurely dinner, watching the 6:30pm fireworks from inside the Castle, then moseying on out at 7ish back to your resort after the worst of the fireworks crowds have left (Just try to stay inside the Castle until after 7pm).

The Castle DJ would have started up by then and you should have a bit of a fun vibe as you stroll down the hub and Main Street.

We were there last night on Dec 30th and the atmosphere was fabulous.

 

[erinch]

We were seated about 15 minutes past our ADR at CRT in November. It was mid-week and lower crowds. When you go in, you wait in line to see Cindy and get pic. So it was half an hour past our ADR before we were even seated. If you want to be OUT of the castle for the fireworks, I would feel anxious and rushed, and it is expensive for that.

 

[Lumpy1106]

We dined at CRT one time and happened to be headed out, minutes before the fireworks started. We got to the front of the castle and...WHOA! Not making it out through that sea of humanity! The CM's directed us to just take a seat. That's right, front row center, right in front of people who had been waiting for hours. Best fireworks ever!

That said, I think you are a little late for that approach if fireworks are at 6:30. CRT is really more of a dinner show, with princesses roaming the dining room and meals coming in courses. If your reservation was at 5:00 I think that would be about perfect.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

It's been a while since we've been to CRT, but the last time we were there for dinner, we waited a while to be seated. I think we were a good 20-25 min past ADR time when we were led to our table...and that was after checking in 15 minutes ahead of that time. My gut says that you will likely be inside the castle during the 6pm fireworks. As much as I personally love fireworks, I know my girls (when they were younger) would have picked CRT over seeing the fireworks. So, I'd go with the unique experience of watching from inside the castle, even if it's not like seeing it from in front.

Probably too late to take this approach, but when ours were young, we forced a midday break/nap back at the hotel so that they were well rested enough to go late into the evening/early morning hours. I know this doesn't work for everyone, but just an idea.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Reporting back to thank everyone who encouraged us not to rush dinner and hold out for the fireworks. We ended up getting seated around 5:30 with a seat by the window. We were literally directly in front of the fireworks - absolutely incredible! Well worth wading through the crowds post dinner.

 

[elaine amj]

That’s absolutely fantastic! What a magical night.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

That’s absolutely fantastic! What a magical night.

It really was - I’ve been visiting Disney regularly my entire life but have never been to the MK on NYE and this was just next level!

 

[FSU Girl]

Reporting back to thank everyone who encouraged us not to rush dinner and hold out for the fireworks. We ended up getting seated around 5:30 with a seat by the window. We were literally directly in front of the fireworks - absolutely incredible! Well worth wading through the crowds post dinner.

Did you take any pictures?

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Did you take any pictures?

We did but they have us in them so not posting! You’ll just have to trust me