Getting into parks on NYE question

[metus]

We have been to WDW on New Years Eve before and did the 'get there early and stay there because the parks close' loooong days. After last time (when noisemakers were handed out at 4pm resulting in 8 hours of people blowing htem into my ears) I was wondering if/when the parks (especially MK) would reopen as the crowds died down later on? I would like to catch Fantasmic @ MGM and then go back to the MK for the midnight fireworks, but I am unsure if I will be able to get in, or if the park will be closed due to capacity all night. I heard that when the park closed for capacity on NYE in 2003, it was only from noon to around 3PM. If this is true, then I would love to avoid being at the park all day, and still make it to the incredible midnight fireworks show. I hope someone knows if this is possible. Thanks in advance.

 

[GoldenOldie]

There's really no sure way of knowing whether or how long the MK will close. It's done on a capacity control formula that the managers at MK use. They might close the park for an hour or two or they may close it for the entire night. There's no way to predict it.

Park managers keep readjusting admission based on actual people movement within the park, not gate count. That means that if 200 people leave while the park is closed, another 200 aren't let in.

The odds are that it won't be closed for the entire night but just when they allow readmissions and first time visitors to the park that day is completely arbitrary.

 

[Luv2Roam]

We did the MK NYE LONG day last year too. I am glad we did it once, but can't say either of us want a repeater. It is too long and too crowded, and heck to leave.
I think I enjoyed the first part of the day more so than the later half. By the end most are just burned out, tired. And all day it is almost impossible to find a place to sit or eat. Finding a place to sit can almost cause a riot.
Last year, we just happened to be at the front of MK late afternoon. I saw guests being allowed to enter. (And just a few were trickling in. No masses by any means.)
I told DH I am willing to chance it this year. Go and leave when we want. If we can't make it in, so be it. Still better than dragging out a too long and crowded day.
Although our persepctive is different than those here on vacation.

IF we were crazy enough to stay all day again, this would be a time I would bring our own food.

It was a one time thing. Glad we did it. But not in a hurry to do it again. It's not for the weak or wimpy.

 

[Got Quattro?]

we did MGM for NYE in 97-98 and EPCOT for NYE 99-00.

NEVER AGAIN. You can do nothing but bump into people all day long. We had to stake out an illuminations spot 3 hours before the show and wait.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I was really surprised regarding safety issues and leaving MK NYE. We finished the night standing in front of Casey's on the corner.
Friom there to our car took us an hour. It literally is shoulder to shoulder, chest to back, crammed in, a slow shuffle forward.
To make matters worse, with THOUSANDS leaving all at once, you would think Disney would open up the exit gates. Nooooooo... Crowd control freaks that they are, they make it even MORE constrictive. Guests may find it a case they have to follow along with the crowd, whether that is what they want to do or not.
Heaven forbid anyone would fall (if they could), or a medical emergency would occur. A child might be able to fall and they may be lost. I don't know how an adult could fall.
If anyone wanted an easier access, I think it would have to be a case where they either LINGER and wait for some of the crowd to leave, or leave early and miss some of the fireworks.
NYE is NOT for claustrophobic guests.

 

[whacked]

The reason they don't open up more is there is no place for people to go when the get out. Roads are full, busses are full, sidwalks are full.

If they opened up more exits, you'd still move at the same speed. If Disney could get people out faster, they would.

 

[disneyelaine]

Last year they did a run thru of the MK NYE Fireworks at midnight the night before NYE. I read about it here, so we knew to go. Main Street was not crowded at all and we got to see the same Fireworks show as NYE....even the taped Micky Countdown was included. So if they do that again this year, I'd try that and avoid MK on NYE. Now on NYE, we just avoid all parks during the day, and stroll over to Epcot around 11pm to see the Midnight Illuminations. We always stay at BWV or BCV, so that is easy for us. Our 1st NYE there, we did what everyone tells you....pick a park and stay all day! That was just not working for us! Huge Mistake! I have heard from the Disney Bus drivers that NYE is absolutely gridlock. If you can walk to/from your hotel, ie Contempory to MK, then I'd say you would probably be ok to show up late and get into the MK. I have no idea on the monorail ride times on NYE. We had some cool fun listening into my husbands hand held scanner on NYE and hearing the CM's talk. We got all the park closing/crowd level info that way!