How does one plan for a NYE trip?

[BroganMc]

So following reports of the pool party at SSR NYE, I made a short long weekend ressie. A studio somewhere in SSR Sun Dec 30 - Wed Jan 2.

It was to be just my dad and I. Since the parks are ultra crowded and we've already been there are requisite month of the year, we limited our aims to just the season's highlights: Osborne and EPCOT fireworks.

But now my cousin is coming along (a Disney newbie) and I find myself tempted to work in a few rides. I've already warned everyone in my party that it will be beyond crowded. And then I read the park schedule during the trip:

Sunday - Magic Kingdom open until 1am with evening EMH (making it 4am)
Monday - EPCOT open until 1am
Tuesday - MGM open late with EMH

The tempting thing for me is Magic Kingdom. Both my cousin and I are avowed nightowls (I'm a web designer always working through the night when the net is least busy and he's a landscaper who does his best work overnight). It's easy to see us up until 4am and still having the energy as if we were at 7pm.

Since MK will most likely fill to capacity that Sunday and close sometime, and we don't arrive until noon, I was thinking perhaps we'd nap on arrival than go out late night. Do people generally leave the parks by 9-10pm and it reopens to onsite guests?

Anyone go specifically for NYE and have a plan worked out?

 

[mamaprincess]

I have never been on NYE, but I would suggest that you also post this question on the Theme Parks Board as there will be many experts that will give you some great strategies.


Found this good link about WDW on NYE
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1628266

 

[dianeschlicht]

NYE is super crowded, but Epcot is the easiest to negotiate, and we really love the extra NYE fireworks there. Also, since you will be able to access the Handicapped viewing area, you can go to WS and pick which Handicapped area you prefer. You leave your name with the attendant (usually available around 2 PM), and then you can enjoy your evening until about 20 minutes before midnight, when it will be time to take your place in your nice reserved area! Last time we were in the one just to the left of Rose and Crown, and there were only about 7-8 people in there! It was like having a nice private area with lots of elbow room. Even if only one person is on a scooter or wheelchair, the whole party can reserve the area.

 

[3pirates]

We've gone for several New Years, and no....the parks don't close and reopen they stay crowded right through the day, and just get more crowded in the evening. So much so that we have tended to leave around 9 - 10 p.m. because we had younger children. We'll be there this year and now that the children are older may stay longer...and may not. (We can see the fireworks nicely from our resort.)


Magic Kingdom always seems to close almost before it opens on New Years Eve Day.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree that MK is probably a place to stay away from on NYE. We found Epcot to be easier, except for NYE on the Millennium change.

 

[BroganMc]

Thanks for the info guys.

Right now our plan is to avoid all the parks on NYE. We're going to SSR specifically for the pool party view of PI's fireworks after all. And I expect I'll be making the round of phone calls to family back home with our good year wishes. (Family tradition.)

It's the day before NYE (Dec 30) and the day after (Jan 1), I'm thinking of doing a little park touring. Do they stay late at MK on Dec 30 too?

This will be my first ever NYE trip anywhere. I've always just spent the night with family. But after last year's drinking game debacle (no one should ever play a drinking game, especially over 35... unless you like being sick and waking up like a zombie), my dad and I decided we'd give something else a try. My cousin's coming solely to see Osborne and get his first taste of Disney. He's under the mistaken impression that Disney is like a Six Flags filled with nothing but roller coasters.

 

[LIFERBABE]

We go every year for NYE and our plan is to pretty much avoid the parks until Jan 1st.

Jan 1st last year, we had a great time and it wasnt crowded, because people were so hung over and tired from staying in the parks all day NYE

We always stay at SSR and attend the party and just hang out at the resort and Community Hall doing NYE activities.

We will probably do 1 park day from Dec 23-31 while we are there and we always hit the waterpark and mini golf. We have the DDP and will visit the resorts and just hang out as a family.

Also love DTD during the holidays so we will definitely be there.

Just know that if you do go anywhere on NYE, traffic gets really bad onsite, and I would definitely not go offsite and try to return after 4pm.

I think the park hours will be longer that whole week. NYE is pretty much sold out on Disney property and MK always has the special parade and fireworks that whole week. Epcot also shows their fireworks all week.

Disney does an excellent job of gauging demand and extending the hours

Have a great trip

 

[global_mom]

hi guys - I dont want to get ya'll off topic but can you tell me about the party at SSR on NYE?

We will be at SSR Dec. 31-Jan. 3. We dont plan to go to the parks except on Jan. 2nd and have heard that there are extra activities at SSR. Any info. would be much appreciated!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

It's the day before NYE (Dec 30) and the day after (Jan 1), I'm thinking of doing a little park touring. Do they stay late at MK on Dec 30 too?

Go to the MK on December 30. They do a test run of the New Year's Eve fireworks on that night. I think they start at 11:50 P.M. You get to see exactly what everyone else will see the next night but with about 10% of the people.

We go often on New Year's and will be doing this again this year.

HBC

 

[robinb]

I have been at the parks on NYE for 6 out of the last 7 years (we took 2000/2001 off). The MK is a GREAT park for 12/30 as it has the very same fireworks as 12/31. We always (even on 12/31) leave the parks around 2pm for a break and return around 5-6pm. I would say that as long as you arrive after the 3pm parade you should be fine. My other suggestion is to watch the crowd and move into a spot between the hub and Casey's when it starts to coalesce. The CMs keep people moving for a while in that space and then they give up and allow people to stand to the right. Get your spot then ... it's perfect! It's about 60-90 minutes before the fireworks. After midnight the place is still busy, but you are still enjoy the crowd and the rides. You are probably stuck on "B" rides as the "A" rides like Space are still pretty crowded.

We were at the MK last year until after 2am . Which meant that we were not at Epcot until about noon the next day:

Scary Pictures Follow:

In retrospect, I think I might have gone home earlier so I could be up earlier so I could actually ride something. You may be nightowls, but you really need to be up early if you want to be able to see anything on NYE. Sorry .

I would recommend that you get to the MK ASAP (the bus drivers will know) and then leave after the fireworks. You really won't see much more on the EMH. Then get up early the next day and get into Epcot in the first hour that it's open. Don't worry, you can alway rest in the afternoon and come back for dinner and fireworks .

 

[dianeschlicht]

We LOVE Epcot on NYE, and I could never be staying on site that night and NOT go to at least see the midnight Illuminations. I highly reccommend it!

 

[3pirates]

Like I've said, we've done several New Years...and have caught the fireworks from several locations because we go to a spot at our resort that gives us visiblity to several parks!

We also often do MK on December 30th because it is MY birthday(mama gets to vote!), because they still have the Christmas parade, because they have fireworks, and because NYE is TOO crowded. Although, I will say that the crowds I've seen on the 30th are the worst I remember seeing on a Disney property. It is open late....all the way through from morning.

I also agree with the person that posted and said that starting January 1 the crowds die down....and we love that part of it... But park hours shorten as well.

 

[tomandrobin]

We've gone the last 2 years on NYE and love it. It is very crowded, but we take advantage of the EMH. We get up very early for all the early EMH, leave the parks by noon, and don't return til dinner time. EPCOT has special fireworks all week, so we go to EPCOT on the 29th, MK has the same fireworks on the 30th and 31st so we go to MK on the 30th and MGM only has fireworks on the 31st so we hit MGM on the 31st. It's great, we get 3 spectacular firework shows. But be prepared, on NYE, all the parks are very, very crowded. Last year we couldn't leave MGM til the fireworks were over because there were so many people, we couldn't get through. But it's all well worth it and we are going back again this year. We can't wait!!

 

[BroganMc]

But be prepared, on NYE, all the parks are very, very crowded. Last year we couldn't leave MGM til the fireworks were over because there were so many people, we couldn't get through. But it's all well worth it and we are going back again this year. We can't wait!!

What about the fireworks at SSR / PI then?

Right now I'm thinking of MK on the 30th, perhaps MGM on the 31st (for Osborne then back to SSR for the pool party), and EPCOT on the 1st.

 

[tomandrobin]

What about the fireworks at SSR / PI then?

Right now I'm thinking of MK on the 30th, perhaps MGM on the 31st (for Osborne then back to SSR for the pool party), and EPCOT on the 1st.

Fireworks at DTD are only on the 31st. Going to MK on the 30th is a terrific choice, since A)it has the same fire work show as the 31st and B) it is open to 4 am. I think that where ever you go on the 31st, the fireworks and celebration will be great.

MK will be ridiculously crowded, you will not be able to scoot around....you can hardly squeeze thru the crowds at all. EPCOT is so huge that it just swallows the crowds. MGM is the forgotten park, since it does not have fireworks during most of the year, people overlook the park (Yes I know there is Fantasmic, but not everyone can view them like wishes and illuminations).

All of the parks and resorts give out noise makers and hats. MGM and DTD will have DJ's which give them more of a party atmosphere. EPCOT has an expanded Illuminations and MK has that special feeling.

 

[tigger2esq]

We did EPCOT on NYE in 2001/02 and really had a nice time. we went knowing we should not plan to really ride anything and just take it easy. we chose EPCOT as we had no kids and wanted someplace we could get a beer!!! We found good spots to catch the parades, had some really nice meals (morrocco for lunch, france for a late dinner) then grabbed some primo spots by 10:30/11 for the midnight fireworks which were incredible. I dont remember doing much of anything else other than waiting in line for the NYE pin, grabbing fastpasses for test track and just taking it easy....

 

[NJAviator]

What about the fireworks at SSR / PI then?

Right now I'm thinking of MK on the 30th, perhaps MGM on the 31st (for Osborne then back to SSR for the pool party), and EPCOT on the 1st.

We've done MGM the last two NYE and had a great time. The band that plays there...Mud, Sweat and Shears.. is a blast. I don't dig the DJ all that much though. Hope they boot him this year...

It's more crowded at MGM on NYE than normal, but I really didn't think it was over-crowded. We had a great time and the fireworks at MGM were great.

The crowd thins out at midnight, so that's a good time to catch a few more rides. Sleep in on the 31st and stay up late.

After NYE.. yes.. the parks and resorts thin out quite a bit, although last year there was some sort of soccer tournament or something in the area, and it was busier than years past.

This year, we'll be at SSR for the 29th and 30th, then Fort Wilderness until the 5th with ou RV. If you've never walked though some of the RV spots at FW, make some time for that if you can. Most guest decorate their sites. Some impressive work done in that area for sure.

Have a good time.