Getting in on New Years Eve.

[disneylover61]

My family will be arriving on New Years Eve. We fly in around 11 AM so won't be entering parks until afternoon. What are our chances of being able to get in to the parks?

 

[stormi65]

That is a good question, I have wondered how hard it is to get into the parks on 12/31 too.

 

[KathyFP]

Last year, my understanding that MK closed the gates around 11:00 am. I am not sure if they were opened later. I know that we were there early and stayed all day. Not taking any chances.

 

[snoopy5386]

as a new years veteran, i would say you have little to no chance of MK, but a good chance at epcot or MGM. are you staying onsite? then you are guaranteed admission to a park.

 

[Muffy]

I agree that your chances are better for Epcot or MGM on NYE. God luck and have a great time!

 

[Terk-1]

When I went in 1997, I arrived to WDW on the 30th. The CM checking me in told me to pick a park, get there early and don't plan to leave. I had already made PS for lunch & dinner at MGM and chose to go there for NYE. I got there around 7:45am, grabbed a locker (these ran out very fast) and threw my change of clothes in it (it was a little nippy in the morning). By around 10am, the park was pretty packed, and when I went to dine at both lunch & dinner, the CM's were either turning people away completely or telling them that the wait was a minimum of 1-2 hours. By around 1-2pm, the park was really packed at the waits for the attractions were very long. Later that evening, I was at the stage in front of the Great Movie Ride that one of the performers were going to be at. I panned my camcorder around and all you saw was a sea of people's heads everywhere! I started to leave just after that fireworks at midnight and it took me 2 hours to get from the GMR area back to my resort that night. The next day I went to the MK and the line at Space mountain was a 2 hour wait at 10am! When I spoke later with a CM, she informed me that both MGM & the MK had maxed their capacity by around 10-11am that morning. When that happens, they cannot admit any more people, until other people start leaving. She also said that even if you were at the park and got your hand stamped, if the park was full when you went back, you would have to wait to enter.

My advice would be:
1. Sit down now and plan your days. Select which park you want to go to on which day and where you want to dine. Make sure to come up with back-ups, in case your first choice is not available. Once the PS hits the 90 day mark, grab that phone and start calling.
2. Since NYE lands on a Wednesday this year, absolutely, positively make PS for any sit-down meal you plan to dine at from NYE through that Sunday. The parks are going to be packed and by having a PS already, will make this a little easier.
3. If you must hit a park, try EPCOT, since it seems to hold more people. Make a PS for around 7:30pm at the Rose & Crown and request a patio table. This way you can have a nice dinner, then sit back and enjoy Illuminations from the comfort of your table, rather than crammed in with hundreds of other people.
4. Have a great dinner at O'Hana's or the Concourse Steakhouse, then resort hop, check out the holiday decorations, then grab a seat on one of the beaches at the Polynesian and enjoy the fireworks.
5. Have a late dinner at the California Grill, then enjoy the fireworks from their private balcony.
6. Use Fast Pass everywhere on these days, but don't be surprised if it runs out early.