Entering and Leaving Parks on New Year's Eve

[Jodi1980]

Is it true that once you enter say, Epcot, on NYE, and leave, you may not be allowed back in due to crowds?

 

[peachgirl]

Yes, it's true. Entering the park doesn't do anything to help you get back in if you leave.

 

[seashoreCM]

Not been there but told it is possible during absolute peak times such as New Years Eve, Christmas, and Thanksgiving.

When the turnstiles register a certain guest count, additional guests are denied entry. It is not absolutely precise since people leaving might not be counted accurately, but still, due to fire and safety laws, all places including theme parks have a maximum legal capacity.

There are some procedures that cause off site guests to be denied entry before Disney resort guests, but there can still come a time when everyone is denied entry. The most obvious way of denying offsite guests first is turning away private cars at the parking lot entrance. On site guests are guaranteed access to some park. Not sure whether Animal Kingdom is kept open on New Years Eve for that purpose.

You can wait outside and after a number of other people have departed, a batch of people outside may be let in.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[SueM in MN]

We've been to WDW twice on NYE, this past year and 1998. We stayed on site both times and had an information sheet put under our door both times to "warn" us that we would be able to get into a park on NYE, but it might not be the park of our choice, especially if we went after noon or if we park hopped.
From what I've figured out/been told by CMs and other guests, the hierarcy of what happens when it's full goes like this:
-when a parking lots get full, it closes and that park is closed to guests coming by car
-other parking lots that have room remain open and people coming to the closed lots are re-routed to another park
-the parks have more capacity than the parking lots do, so even though parking is closed, the park might be still open if you are using WDW transportation or walking
-when a park becomes full, WDW transportation stops taking people to that park and takes tehm somewhere else instead (we talked to some people who got on a bus going to MK and during their ride, the destination was changed to Epcot)
-when a park is really full, access to it may be denied even to people who are walking there
-as people come and go during the say, the parking lot or park might re-open
-there was also something about park hoppers in the mix, but I'm not sure how to explain it. If they are limiting park access, if you have already been in a park that day, you would get in before someone who has not yet entered a park (I guess, the idea is that someone who has already used a day of their pass gets in before someone who has not used their pass yet).
We were told that Epcot has the most capacity and was least likey to close.

 

[Geoff_M]

On Dec 31, 2002, we were in AK (avoiding the massive crowds at the other parks) and were told that MK closed around noon that day. Your best advice is to get to the park you want to spend NYE in as soon as you can, and be prepared to not do much in the way of attractions.

 

[CarolynFH]

We were at Epcot NYE 2001 and found even it to be very, very crowded. In the evening after dinner it was hard just to walk through World Showcase due to the crowds. We gave up and went back to the BW and watched the crowds from our balcony! Reminded me of Bourbon Street at Mardi Gras in New Orleans -- I don't like that press of people! I can't imagine being at MK or MGM!

 

[Jodi1980]

Does each park have different types of entertainment? If we might not be able to do many rides, do you suggest we just hang out at the Dolphin that night or somewhere else on WDW property???

 

[peachgirl]

We were at WDW this past Christmas and NYE. On NYE we went to MGM studios at about 10 am.

The bus driver explained to us in great detail how and when they close the parks due to capacity. I don't recall it all, but in general they have several stages of closure.

Parking lots close first then off site guests entirely. After that, the park will be closed to onsite guests. He did say they may open and close on and off depending on crowd flow.

He definitely said that once you leave the park, you stand no better chance of re-entering than anyone who hasn't entered the park that day.

I was told the same thing on the phone before we left and again at our resort. I asked because we had scheduled the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package at Epcot for Christmas Day, but didn't want to spend the entire day there. We were told that it made no difference whether we had PS, pre-paid packages (such as the CP) or whether we entered the park and then left, once they were full, no one got in. According to what we were told, the only thing that gave us priority on gaining entrance was being an onsite guest.

Last year, by the time we were headed to MGM at 10am on NYE, the MK was closed to everyone. The driver got notice during the drive to MGM that Epcot was at some level that put them on notice that it was close to having the parking lot closed. According to him, MGM studios wasn't a problem.

 

[OregonDucks]

Its hard to believe, but true. We were at Epcot 5 or 6 years ago and it was closed to all admittance. It didnt matter if you had been in before or not. It was kind of sad, because there were families that were split for the NYE kiss, as some had left to go and freshen up and we not allowed back.

By all means, pick where you want to be and stay put! Its so much fun, and you dont want to be left out.

 

[robinb]

I have been to WDW for 2 NYEs (1999/2000 and 2002/2003). Both times we went to Epcot very early and had no problem re-entering the park at 5-6 pm. Since we stayed at BWV and BCV respectively we simply walked to the International gate. I can see how closing the parking lots and/or re-routing bus transportation would be effective in blocking most people from the parks.

This was posted on rec.arts.disney.parks newsgroup a few years ago by a CM. I'm not sure if it is still valid ... maybe a current park CM will know.

> On Tue, 01 Dec 1998, Drake Whimsy <drake@access1.digex.net>
> (Robyn Johnston) posted
>Seven Levels:
>The official line (as the MK gate computer sees it) is:
>Defcon 0: normal operations
>Defcon 1: (not used)
>Defcon 2: parking lot closes
>Defcon 3: ticket sales alerted not to sell for today's entry
>Defcon 4: park hoppers re-entering at MK & resort guests only
>Defcon 5: re-entering MK guests & resort guests only
>Defcon 6: re-entering MK guests only
>Defcon 7: closed

 

[peachgirl]

Both times we went to Epcot very early and had no problem re-entering the park at 5-6 pm.

I believe the reason you had no trouble re-entering Epcot last year was because Epcot never closed...at any level.

 

[swatts1]

My family was there twice for NYE (1999/2000 & 2001/2002). We stayed on-site both times. We wanted to be at MGM to hear the bands and went early in the day, ate lunch, returned to our hotel and then came back for the evening entertainment and fireworks. We never had any trouble at all even tho MGM had "closed" around 1:00 to new guests. MGM never felt crowded except right by the main stage. Make SURE you have dining reservations for all meals (and maybe even a snack or dessert) before you go. Otherwise you'll be in long lines for counter service.

 

[Jodi1980]

I think we will pick MGM to visit on NYE - I also wanted to be able to walk back to our resort, Dolphin. Epcot seems like it will be too crowded.

Swatts1 - Do you remember what groups were playing last year at MGM? Maybe lunch at Brown Derby or Sci-Fi.

Thanks!

 

[swatts1]

I'll have to ask my daughters who were teens both times that we went. They enjoyed the bands, tho. The first NYE we had lunch at Mama Melrose's, Dinner at Brown Derby and dessert at Fifties Prime Time. The last time we lunched at Brown Derby (much less crowded) and dined at Fifties Prime Time. We adjusted our dinner time to be much later in the evening so that we'd have something to do until it got closer to midnight. Trying to ride rides was nearly impossible. It was fun, though. Since our girls are in college, I doubt we'll do WDW again at NYE (they'd rather be with their friends) but it is a fun trip. I'm so sorry that the Osbourne lights won't be at MGM this year. That was the best of all!

 

[SueM in MN]

-there was also something about park hoppers in the mix, but I'm not sure how to explain it. If they are limiting park access, if you have already been in a park that day, you would get in before someone who has not yet entered a park (I guess, the idea is that someone who has already used a day of their pass gets in before someone who has not used their pass yet).

I wrote that earlier, but I really didn't explain it very well. I can't find the written info that was under our door at Yaught Club, so I'll try again to explain it. This only applied for on-site guests who had been in a park already that day. It didn't have to do with getting into a park that was closed (or the park of your choice); it had to do with getting into a park that was getting close to capacity. It goes along with what robinb posted about

>The official line (as the MK gate computer sees it) is:
>Defcon 0: normal operations
>Defcon 1: (not used)
>Defcon 2: parking lot closes
>Defcon 3: ticket sales alerted not to sell for today's entry
>Defcon 4: park hoppers re-entering at MK & resort guests only
>Defcon 5: re-entering MK guests & resort guests only
>Defcon 6: re-entering MK guests only
>Defcon 7: closed

The bottom line is: go where you want to spend the evening early in the day and and stay there.

Last year (NYE 2002-2003) it poured from early evening until almost sunup, so I don't think the usual NYE conditions probably didn't occur. I know a lot of people left Epcot and went back to the Epcot resorts (that's what we did), intending to come back later if the rain ever let up (it didn't), so it probably wasn't full there.

At Epcot, there were bands in almost every country. I don't know what they were doing in Future World, but I think they had DJ's. When DD and I were at MK for NYE in 1998-99, there were also a lot of different entertainments, DJs, bands and characters. It was really neat and we were disappointed to have rain this year.

 

[luckytso]

Does "on-site" include Swan and Dolphin?

 

[Jodi1980]

Bump. We're staying at the Dolphin.

 

[faithinkarma]

I have been to Disney many times for New Year's Eve, although not since1997. Without a doubt, EPCOT was the most crowded and unmanageable.

We were staying at the Boardwalk and walked to the entrance. At that point they were only admitting on site guests. And that did not include Swan or Dolphin guests.

The entrance was swarmed with people tyring to get in. Swan and Dolphin guests were understandably upset learning they would not be admitted after having paid hundreds of dollars for a room . The crowd became an angry mob. We could not even get near enough to show resort IDs. It was actually quite frightening.

The two older CMs on duty finally just gave up, opened the gate, and let everyone in.

We stayed for the fireworks, but I would never do that again under those circumstances. The crowds were so intense, you could barely move. We literally just found a spot to stand, got to know our companions very well, and did not move until closing.