Disappointed in Epcot NYE fireworks

[civileng68]

Ok, now please mind you, I go to the parks VERY often as an AP holder who makes a point to ALWAYS visit during July 4, and NYE because I LOVE the fireworks.

This is the first time I've EVER been disappointed in Epcot's showing.

On years past it was simply incredible. July 4, 2005 they literally dropped my jaw (and Im not even new to it), but this one just left me waiting.

in fact, after the finale, I was thinking they were going to do the finale.

Over at MGM you could see their show and it was incredible and you could even see the MK's show which was impressive.

I dont know what the deal was this year but, while the finale was good. If you have ever been to the NYE show (if you haven't you'll likely think it was great) did anyone else notice the same thing?

The finale arrived much quicker than in years past and it was much shorter than in years past. In fact, I read about the testings for the show and the finale during the testing was bigger than the actual show.

Did anyone else feel the same way?

 

[Laurajean1014]

I haven't been to WDW at NYE, but was there for 4th of July, Christmas, Labor Day, etc.

We love MK fireworks on those days because of the peripheral fireworks on these occassions. They cannot do this at WS.

 

[civileng68]

I haven't been to WDW at NYE, but was there for 4th of July, Christmas, Labor Day, etc.

We love MK fireworks on those days because of the peripheral fireworks on these occassions. They cannot do this at WS.

Actually they "can" do perimeter fireworks at Epcot though they dont (at least not full scale).

I saw MK's July 4 show and Epcot's July 4 show (MK did theirs on July 3 as well) and while the perimeter fireworks were great at MK, the MK finale was very short while Epcot's finale on July 4 was just awe inspiring.

This NYE show was simply a let down in my opinion.

 

[civileng68]

Just bumping so the week day readers can comment if they like.

 

[Franne]

I thought the same thing and I thought it was only me! MK Holiday Wishes was SOOO much better. Illuminations was so dragged out, who needs to see the earth come out so slowly and then rotate for what seemed like forever. We were all anxiously awaiting the grand firework display, but it never happened. It was nice when they did the fireworks over all the pavilions and the ending was nice but it doesn't in any way compare to MK. In fact, I told DH that if we ever get to do it again, we should go to MGM, they had a great display because we could see it while ours was going on.

 

[jade1]

That really bites. We are planning for next year and need to choose between VWL and BCV. 1/2 the stay for XMAS and the other 1/2 for NY. We could care less about crowds and have never been to MK for NY (or XMAS EVE actually). Which would you recommend-is MK a slam dunk better show and should be done once for NYE (meaning VWL the second half)? Or is MK for XMAS Eve have a special FW show also? Thanks.

 

[civileng68]

That really bites. We are planning for next year and need to choose between VWL and BCV. 1/2 the stay for XMAS and the other 1/2 for NY. We could care less about crowds and have never been to MK for NY (or XMAS EVE actually). Which would you recommend-is MK a slam dunk better show and should be done once for NYE (meaning VWL the second half)? Or is MK for XMAS Eve have a special FW show also? Thanks.

I dont know what to tell you because typically Epcot's show is BY FAR the most impressive. I mean the MK had a good show last year and on July 4 but the finale was very short (I mean litearlly like 5 seconds long).

Epcot typically has the show that is just something to be in amazement about.

As the previous poster said, MGM had an incredible show. In fact, it started JUST BEFORE the finale did at Epcot and it literally dwarfed Epcot's finale (and MGM wasnt even at Finale yet, it was still in the regular show).

However MGM normally doesn't have a massive show either. I mean it's big but like MK on July 4, MGM's finale was short.

I just dont know what to do for the future. I guess I'll give Epcot another try before bailing out on it, but they really didn't do anything impressive this year. Just completely disappointing.

 

[Luv2Roam]

We were at Epcot for NYE. We liked the fireworks, but that was our first NYE at Epcot, and we were at MK for July 4th.
I agree of all the fireworks shows, MK July 4th '05 was the best we had ever seen.

I was only disappointed with Epcot in that the final show was Illuminations (again) for the first portion.
But we enjoyed it. And I would take the Epcot crowd and leaving any day over MK NYE crowd and exiting.

 

[jade1]

We were at Epcot for NYE. We liked the fireworks, but that was our first NYE at Epcot, and we were at MK for July 4th.
I agree of all the fireworks shows, MK July 4th '05 was the best we had ever seen.

I was only disappointed with Epcot in that the final show was Illuminations (again) for the first portion.
But we enjoyed it. And I would take the Epcot crowd and leaving any day over MK NYE crowd and exiting.

You have me leaning towards EPCOT and staying at BCV for NYE, and XMAS prior to that at VWL.

Just so I understand do you think leaving MK (NYE) and getting on the boat to VWL would be that big of a wait? Or is it just getting through MK that would take so long? Also how early in the day would you need to get to MK compared to EPCOT (before they close) Thanks.

 

[MrNonacho]

Yay, I'm not the only one let down! This was my first NYE in Epcot after wanting to be there for the past 5 years or so. I got to the park at 9:30 in the morning pretty much so that I'd be guaranteed to be there for the fireworks. I got my spot around the lagoon a good 2.5 hours beforehand.

I've seen the 4th of July show for the past five years and loved it each time, and the Peace on Earth tag is probably my favorite fireworks thing overall. From what I'd been hearing, the NYE show was supposed to blow everything away. I found them boring, to be honest. I don't really even count the stuff fired from the countries, since that's mostly roman candles and smaller pieces. The finale was lacking in color, and while it did get pretty loud for a few moments, I never got that incredulous "holy #()*& this is crazy" feeling that I got from the other tags I've seen.

A good show, but not worth what I went through to see it, and definitely not up to the hype. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

 

[jade1]

Have you been to MK for NYE? How did it compare if so?

 

[civileng68]

Yay, I'm not the only one let down! This was my first NYE in Epcot after wanting to be there for the past 5 years or so. I got to the park at 9:30 in the morning pretty much so that I'd be guaranteed to be there for the fireworks. I got my spot around the lagoon a good 2.5 hours beforehand.

I've seen the 4th of July show for the past five years and loved it each time, and the Peace on Earth tag is probably my favorite fireworks thing overall. From what I'd been hearing, the NYE show was supposed to blow everything away. I found them boring, to be honest. I don't really even count the stuff fired from the countries, since that's mostly roman candles and smaller pieces. The finale was lacking in color, and while it did get pretty loud for a few moments, I never got that incredulous "holy #()*& this is crazy" feeling that I got from the other tags I've seen.

A good show, but not worth what I went through to see it, and definitely not up to the hype. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Well, seriously something must have happened with the funding, because Epcot is normally the premier place on NYE due to alcohol sales.

I agree the fireworks over the countries (which they do every year) are small in nature but the overall finale was just bad. First of all, the show between Illuminations and the finale finale was lacking and as you said the finale really had no color.

It was primarily all white and lasted a brief period. I seriously wonder if their NYE budget was cut.

 

[Luv2Roam]

The fireworks NYE at MK are great. But I still liked July 4 the best.
And leaving MK --- Not a pretty site.
It took us an hour just to get from the front of Casey's to our car in the parking lot. And it was shoulder to shoulder, front to back. A situation where no one could really fall. But if they did (such as a child) there probably would be serious harm.
It really was not a safe environment. This was NYE MK 2004.
This is the one day of the year I would also suggest anyone making an all day event of this bring their own food or make ADRs.

A guest told us the Pincchio (sp) Haus was so jammed they refused entry when they wanted to eat lunch.

 

[Luv2Roam]

We noticed the last Illuminations show was sponsored by Sylvania.
We did not recall that annoucement for the first Illuminations.

There were LOTS of DJs all around Epcot. That lightened up the mood too.
But CMs and guests alike were surly and just looked battle worn. And that goes along for NYE at WDW. I think everyone is holiday weary and tired by then.

 

[civileng68]

We noticed the last Illuminations show was sponsored by Sylvania.
We did not recall that annoucement for the first Illuminations.

There were LOTS of DJs all around Epcot. That lightened up the mood too.
But CMs and guests alike were surly and just looked battle worn. And that goes along for NYE at WDW. I think everyone is holiday weary and tired by then.

I agree many employees were not very friendly later in the day but I couldn't blame them. They had to be so tired, I dont know if I could have done it, so hats off to them.

I don't know that the sponsorship would matter, since Im sure Disney would require the sponsorship costs to cover whatever it is Disney needed to do.

Just baffles me. Again, if you've never seen the shows there it would have looked great but if you have seen other shows there (previous NYE shows and especially the July 4, 2005 show) you would have known the lack of pyrotechnics.