Help me plan New Year's Eve (with kids) please

[momtotwinglesx4]

Looks like we'll be staying at the Dolphin on NYE because I was able to get a great nurse's rate on a club level (12th floor) Jr. Suite w/ a requested Epcot view. Dh & I will have 1 teen and 4 little kids with us (youngest will be only 18 mos.), so we're looking for ideas on what in the "world" to plan for NYE with our kids. We're totally open to any and all suggestions!

Don't you just love planning?

Sue

 

[Bimmy56]

last NYE I stayed at the Dolphin with my 2 daughters and 2 grandkids (2 & 4) We went to the Studios that night because I had read on these boards that it was not so crowded there ( and it wasn't) I bit the bullet and took the kids back about 9, while the girls stayed. The next morning is a good time to go to the parks, as it was fairly uncrowded for a holiday week.

although they did not stay up for midnight, we got the kids the noisemakers and hats that the park gave out, and the LOVED that.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

We went to DTD Marketplace on NYE with our kids. It was really fun and not crowded at all. We had a nice dinner, did some shopping, had ice cream, and then went back to the hotel early to avoid crowded buses.

One thing to remember, if you do plan on going to a park on NYE you have to go first thing in the morning and get your hand stamped so you can come back later.

 

[peachgirl]

One thing to remember, if you do plan on going to a park on NYE you have to go first thing in the morning and get your hand stamped so you can come back later.

We were at WDW this past NYE. We were told that a hand stamp will not get you back into a park if it's at capacity. Actually, nothing will get you back in...hand stamp, priority seating, paid event..nothing. As I recall, closings go in this order...parking lots first, then offsite guests, then onsite guests.

We went to MGM studios, but didn't get there till around 11 am. By that time our driver said that MK was closed to offsite guests, Epcot was nearing capacity, but that MGM was fine. Whether Epcot ever hit capacity or not, I don't know. MGM was extremely crowed in the late afternoon and early evening, but I don't believe it ever hit capacity.

The downpour hit around 8 or 9 that night and MGM was a virtual ghost town by the time midnight rolled around. It was wet, but it sure was fun watching the fireworks and walking onto the rides with no wait all evening!

I'd suggest whatever you decide to do, if you're going to MK be there when it opens. If it's Epcot, I'd get there fairly early. If you want to be in a park at midnight, stay once you get there. Unless of course you get hit with the rainstorms we had....then you can go anywhere you want!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Hmmm... they must have changed it because when we were there NYE '98 and NYE '99 they let in a certain # of people in the morning and gave them a hand stamp (or maybe it was a wrist band, I can't remember) until they reached capacity, and then those people could come and go from the park all day. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law went to MK around 8:00 am, got the stamp (or band?) and then left. They didn't go back to the park until about 8:00 pm.

I can't believe they don't do it that way anymore. Do they really expect people to get there at 8:00 am and stay until after midnight????

 

[KLR-wlv]

We were there this past NYE and after much debating - I decided to not try and brave the parks with 2 young children and grandparents. We spent the day at AK and the crowds weren't bad at all. We spent the evening at Wl (Where we were staying) and ate at Whispering Canyon and just enjoyed the lodge. When the downpour came, I felt very good about our decision! We watched 2 sets of fireworks from our balcony and stayed dry and went to bed...not the most exciting of evenings, but we don't like heavy crowds or being stranded in the rain, so it was ideal for us!

I'm sure whatever you do you'll have a great time - that time of year is a lot of fun!

 

[mikesmom]

... and if you are thinking "oh, it can't be THAT bad"... Oh yes it CAN. If you are not good with crowds, don't go!

We were in Epcot one year for NYE. The crowds were absolutely unbelievable. You could stand in line for 30 minutes to get a Coke from a kiosk. If you are short, you can't see anything except other peoples backs. It was elbow to elbow to watch Illuminations (although they were extra special!). With little ones I wouldn't try it.

The year I went, it was just me and DS, then 7, and we did alright, but the thought of keeping track of more than one child in that crowd gives me chills. Our rule was don't let go of Mom's hands for anything. You just don't have enough hands to keep track of multiples!

 

[jillhou]

We had a GREAT NYE there in 2001. Some went the parks that day for a while until the crowds were more than we wanted. But the best thing we did was make dinner reservations at Ohana's at the Polynesian. It was a nice atmosphere and good food - even for all the picky eaters (there were a total of 13 of us). We had the latest ressies we could get - if I were doing it again, I would go ahead and eat a bit earlier. Then we went out to the beach at the Poly and watched the most terrific fireworks show we had seen at the parks - it was great at midnight! The Poly had the music piped in and the glory of the display was just magnificent.

Eating a bit earlier would have allowed the kids to participate in the games they play ay Ohanas. Then we could have gone to the video arcade, taken a tour around the hotel or just marked our spot on the beach. We had chairs and a small cabana.

I would do this again in a minute!

 

[momtotwinglesx4]

Mikesmom-- no, I sure don't want to be in the parks with 5 kids when it's THAT crowded! Maybe a less crowded park--??MGM or AK?? Does AK stay open later on NYE? And about the fireworks--are they only at midnight, or do they have them in various places throughout the evening. I'm sure we'll be back in our hotel room long before midnight with the little ones. Hopefully, we'll be able to see something from our 12th floor room at the Dolphin. Is Illuminations at 9pm as usual, and again at midnight?

jillhou--I like the idea of Ohana's for dinner that eve. How far out can you make a PS for NYE at the various resort and park restaurants? Same as any other night?

Thanks to all for your input!


Sue

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Here's a link to the PS calculator.


http://pscalculator.net/pscalc.shtml