Does MK Close Due To Capacity on New Years Day?

[jojomoore]

My family and I will be in WDW Dec 26 through Jan 2. Our plans are to visit MK on the Dec 27th (arriving for early EMH) and Jan 1st. This is our 5th trip but first during this week. We would like to sleep in a little on NewYears day. We have our fast passes scheduled from 3 to 6pm (in adventureland and frontierland) and have wishes dessert party scheduled for 7:20. Thought we might do haunted mansion after wishes and parade. Is there any danger of the park closing due to capacity that might require us to arrive earlier than 2 pm?

We didn't start planning this trip until a little over two months ago so it was difficult to get BOG reservations. Just this week I was finally able to get a 10:20pm dinner reservation but today found a lunch reservation for 11am. If there is a chance the park will reach capacity, then I could cancel dinner reservation and keep lunch reservation and arrive earlier. If not, then we could just stay with original plan. Although, we may not want dinner after dessert. I will keep trying for a later lunch that would be ideal.

 

[hakepb]

Are you staying on-site?

Since NFL (new Fantasyland) opened, parking seems to be the biggest problem at MK.

I'm guessing it should be ok if you plan to take a resort bus, and you have an existing ADR.

 

[WEDWDW]

No.

 

[siskaren]

Just to expound a bit on WEDWDW's answer , there are 4 stages of closure and since you're staying on property, you would only be locked out on the fourth stage, which is when no one is allowed in. According to a post from Touring Plans, the last time a stage 4 closure occurred was at MK on April 7, 2009.

 

[jojomoore]

Thank you. Now to decide what each person in my family prefers- sleeping in and eating late or arriving earlier and eating early.

We are staying on site at the Beach Club and plan on parking the car and leaving it to avoid traffic. DD and Ddbff are 15 and 16. Probably their last trip to WDW as children. Although, everyone gets to be a kid at Disney. I was wondering if any one staying at BC or other Epcot resort ever takes monorail at Epcot entrance to The TTC and then to MK or if it's just easier to take the bus? We stayed at BC in 2010 and bus rides to MK were long due to multiple stops. I'm just trying to fine tune some details since it will be crowded. Having plans and sticking to them seems to reduce chaos.

 

[hakepb]

Thank you. Now to decide what each person in my family prefers- sleeping in and eating late or arriving earlier and eating early.

We are staying on site at the Beach Club and plan on parking the car and leaving it to avoid traffic. DD and Ddbff are 15 and 16. Probably their last trip to WDW as children. Although, everyone gets to be a kid at Disney. I was wondering if any one staying at BC or other Epcot resort ever takes monorail at Epcot entrance to The TTC and then to MK or if it's just easier to take the bus? We stayed at BC in 2010 and bus rides to MK were long due to multiple stops. I'm just trying to fine tune some details since it will be crowded. Having plans and sticking to them seems to reduce chaos.

I've read reports that Boardwalk now has (mostly) dedicated MK busses, so that should mean less sharing of BC busses, too.
(AK and Springs busses may still be shared)

I'd only walk through EPCOT if you want the walk

 

[siskaren]

I was wondering if any one staying at BC or other Epcot resort ever takes monorail at Epcot entrance to The TTC and then to MK or if it's just easier to take the bus?

You would need a park hopper to do that since there's no way to get to the monorail from the Epcot resorts without entering Epcot.

 

[disnut8]

We were at Disney World a couple of times over New Year's. The first time, we all (we were a family party and had multiple parties all over the place New Year's Eve) decided on New Year's Eve to go back to our accommodations and enjoy our own celebration there. Since our parties were all in different parks, we compared stories and all were about how crowded it had gotten to be as the day went on, etc. The next day, my son and his family and my husband and I went to Epcot for New Year's Day. It wasn't early and we expected crowds. When we walked in, my son said, "where the heck is everyone?"

For our second trip over New Year's, we just didn't care what we did New Year's Day and just went to whatever park we wanted with no problems.

 

[d-train]

We did MK on New Year's Day in 2009. We drove ourselves from CBR and got a parking spot in the first row, first thing. Must have been right when RD was happening. Did the Monorail over and walked right in. I thought to myself several times, where's the crowd...very little waits for anything, until about 4pm... Then things got crazy busy very quickly. Thankfully we had reservations for the wishes dessert party! Kept us out of a lot of it that evening!

Would I do WDW at the holidays again? Yes! Good luck and have fun!

 

[thptrek]

We are going the 28 - jan 3rd. Got all my ADRs, FP+, etc. We are all adults so planning lunch in the parks and the rides in the afternoon. Then hanging out at the condo (staying at BLT). Then hitting the parks late. MK is open till 3am on the 30th. Crowds really start clearing out past midnight once the last fireworks shows are done. Our main goal during this trip is to just relax and enjoy the sights and stuff. We realize things will be packed but we will just relax and Let it Go.

 

[Karabear15]

We will also be there the 27th-2nd! I chuckled because I have been trying to get BOG reservations for quite some time and definitely saw the 10:20pm ones open and thought, no way do I want to eat such a late dinner. We are doing MK on NYE...heard from many that I am crazy, but I'm not scared! Hope you guys have a great time, however which way you decide to go about your planning!

 

[Dr Gunnie]

We were there last New Year's Day and did the rope drop at 7:00am. We knew most people probably stayed up the night before so we thought it would be pretty quiet in the morning, but we were shocked at how few people were there - especilly before 10:00am. It did get busier as the day went on, but it was a great morning to be at the park. We left around 4:00, and while there was a sizable line to get in, I don't believe they were in any of the stages of closure.

Here's a pic from the morning:

 

[Lucius Best]

I would suspect exactly what other people here are reporting: that MK will be deserted in the morning of Jan 1, with crowds getting really big in the afternoon when the late sleepers get out of bed, but not crowded enough to close due to capacity. Personally I would probably get up early to experience the low crowds in the morning, then midday relax/nap back at resort, then return to MK late afternoon with 3 FP+ in hand.

 

[okilydokily]

I would suspect exactly what other people here are reporting: that MK will be deserted in the morning of Jan 1, with crowds getting really big in the afternoon when the late sleepers get out of bed, but not crowded enough to close due to capacity. Personally I would probably get up early to experience the low crowds in the morning, then midday relax/nap back at resort, then return to MK late afternoon with 3 FP+ in hand.

That is what I am hoping. I will be there first thing in the morning and would like some relative quiet park time.

 

[Robo]

We were there last New Year's Day and did the rope drop at 7:00am. We knew most people probably stayed up the night before so we thought it would be pretty quiet in the morning, but we were shocked at how few people were there - especilly before 10:00am. It did get busier as the day went on, but it was a great morning to be at the park. We left around 4:00, and while there was a sizable line to get in, I don't believe they were in any of the stages of closure.

Here's a pic from the morning:

Great pic!
Below, I've enhanced it a bit to bring out the kiddo's faces.

 

[Dr Gunnie]

Great pic!
Below, I've enhanced it a bit to bring out the kiddo's faces.

THANK YOU!

 

[rickym]

Going to be there the 27th to the 1st! I have a breakfast BOG and a dinner at 5:00 at BOG for New Years Eve!