I Will Not Go To A WDW Theme Park On NYE Again!

[Disney711]

I attempted Epcot as well tonight. I ended up with a day shift today and don't work til late tomorrow, so I thought I'd attempt it and see what it was like and get some Moroccan food. I saw a line of about twenty people at what I thought was the drink stand. Turned out it was the bathroom. That was my clue to get out of there.

I parked at the Boardwalk, in the overflow self-parking which is also cast parking. I'm glad I parked there cause I found out that's a great place to do NYE. I didn't stick around for it cause everyone I know is working tonight, so I was by myself. But Boardwalk is a great place. They had set up outside bars, they were still giving out hats and horns, and they had a dj out on the grassy area between the lobby and the bike rental area. Next time I'm available on NYE down here, I'm spending it at the Boardwalk.

 

[chrome64]

Given how today was, what do you think the parks will be like tomorrow night? We will be getting in town around 8:00pm and we are spending our first night in the Hilton at Downtown Disney. Then we will be moving to the Contemporary the next night. How crazy will DTD be on the 1st?

Sorry, you had a bad day! Maybe we will see you later this week after everyone is gone!!

 

[OrlandoMike]

Things will slow down after tomorrow, by Tuesday the place will be empty! Yea! I can go back to the parks again!

 

[eeyore45]

Thanks Peg for sharing your experience - it makes me feel less sad that I cant be there!! *grin

I truly enjoy reading anything that you post!! Thank you for taking the time!! It makes my day!!

 

[Meezers]

Since WDW is on Dick Clark's New Year's Eve show....my co-worker and I were just saying...the only way we would be there is if we had a nice room to stay in and watch the chaos!

I don't want to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras either...pre or post Katrina!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

Well than I am really glad that we decided not to head on over today. I figured it would be busy that is just crazy.

 

[Feralpeg]

Thanks Peg for sharing your experience - it makes me feel less sad that I cant be there!! *grin

I truly enjoy reading anything that you post!! Thank you for taking the time!! It makes my day!!

Glad to oblige! DD and I watched Wishes from our front porch. It wasn't crowded at all, if you don't count the mosquitos! Great show!

I'm off to bed. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[Meezers]

'squitos?!

Is this something I need to worry about later this month! DM has a very yucky reaction!

 

[ehaley]

As I sit here listeing to all the automatic gunfire in the city - I really wish we had left today for DW (leaving 1/1). Even if we just hung out at the hotel it would still have been fun. I had the same experience at AK on July 4th last year. It was amazing - no waits for anything including Safari and Dinosaur - walk right on. It picked up around 2-3 in the afternoon, but until then it was GREAT.

 

[DisneyMomOK]

Is Cranium Command only open during certain seasons now? I LOVE that show (and the Muppets), but have not been since 2003. I would hate, when I go back, to miss CC.

Sharon

 

[lucyanna girl]

OK, now I'm jealous. It would be my dream come true to be able to watch Wishes from my front porch. I would really be jealous if you weren't such a nice person. Happy New Year!

 

[LKFRK]

Wow, Feralpeg I'm sorry you had such a bad time for new years at Epcot. I know it's VERY crowded but I can't think of a better place to spend NYD than at Disney. Hope you have a Happy New Years 2006.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Wow! We saw some clips of Disney World on Dick Clark's New Year's Eve show and I even said to my mom, "No WAY I'd go to Disney for NYE." Wall to wall, can't move crowds, is not my idea of fun either. Sorry it was so awful!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

You know, MGM wasn't nearly as bad as Epcot today. Sure, FPs for the new stunt show were pretty far out, but was able to get onto just about everything as a walk-on or early FP today. I guess everyone was with you, Feral Peg!

I was at Epcot yesterday (friday) and it was almost as bad as you described, though. Did well earlier in the week, but it fell apart yesterday. Soarin' was a nightmare! It was a walk-on 2 days earlier at the same time of day!

 

[LKFRK]

You know, MGM wasn't nearly as bad as Epcot today. Sure, FPs for the new stunt show were pretty far out, but was able to get onto just about everything as a walk-on or early FP today. I guess everyone was with you, Feral Peg!

I was at Epcot yesterday (friday) and it was almost as bad as you described, though. Did well earlier in the week, but it fell apart yesterday. Soarin' was a nightmare! It was a walk-on 2 days earlier at the same time of day!

I have some friends of myne at Epcot tonight and they said the soaring wait was super long. I told them to try to check it out since the ride is worth it. Any other park I have never been to for NYE..

 

[Tinkerbell10403]

I don't want to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras either...pre or post Katrina!

Oh wow you are missing out!! I had never been to Mardi Gras before until last year....and it was amazing!! The detailed floats, street performers, and all the culture that that place has....and the chaos really isnt that bad. You really should try it! I can't wait for this year!!!! Hurricanes arn't enough to cancel Mardi Gras!!

 

[rcraw45425]

Man, I had to snicker at her comment about the mosquitoes. As I posted earlier, we had to go over to the Central gulf coast area to pick up a boat. The location is a tiny fishing town above Cedar Key around the Suannee River. When we got out of the truck at the boat storage facility I thought, boy, the weather is great. When we left our home south of Atlanta that morning, it was ~45 degrees. Upon arrivan the temp was a balmy 65 with a decent breeze. When DH was standing at the shed door the critters started. THese 'skeeters' were, I kid you not, the size of hummingbirds! As a rule, they leave DH alone, not these guys though. I started swatting them on him, then the storage guy toldme to look at older DD, she had a huge one on her eyebrow. Well, naturally, you swat it, right? Poor kid thought I'd lost my mind! Why'd you hit me, mom??? Makes me feel a little better to know that these weren't mutant skeeters

 

[Franne]

We were there last night too, and I thought Epcot was 100 percent better than the time we went to MK 2 years ago. Even though it was crowded, we weren't shoulder to shoulder with people while we waited for the fireworks, and even got to sit down while we waited. Maybe we didn't think it was that bad because we were there at 8 and had no expectations to get anything done. When we got there they were giving FP for Soaring, (we got to go on 2 times with them later in the day with no wait at all). Test Track was a 50 minute wait, and Mission Space was 10 minutes. So we did all of that before 11. Then we did all the countries, by the time we got to Great Britian, it started to get crowded but we were almost done
The WORST part of the day was the drive out of the parking lot!!! It took us 1 1/2 hours just to get out of disney! They had roads closed and were diverting everyone all different ways. We unknowingly followed the signs for 536 (where we had to go) and wound up by MGM and then got stuck in that parks traffic. Mind you, this was all at 2:00 in the morning!!! It took 2 hours to get back to the hotel which is 15 minutes away!

 

[Feralpeg]

We were there last night too, and I thought Epcot was 100 percent better than the time we went to MK 2 years ago. Even though it was crowded, we weren't shoulder to shoulder with people while we waited for the fireworks, and even got to sit down while we waited. Maybe we didn't think it was that bad because we were there at 8 and had no expectations to get anything done. When we got there they were giving FP for Soaring, (we got to go on 2 times with them later in the day with no wait at all). Test Track was a 50 minute wait, and Mission Space was 10 minutes. So we did all of that before 11. Then we did all the countries, by the time we got to Great Britian, it started to get crowded but we were almost done
The WORST part of the day was the drive out of the parking lot!!! It took us 1 1/2 hours just to get out of disney! They had roads closed and were diverting everyone all different ways. We unknowingly followed the signs for 536 (where we had to go) and wound up by MGM and then got stuck in that parks traffic. Mind you, this was all at 2:00 in the morning!!! It took 2 hours to get back to the hotel which is 15 minutes away!

Yes, timing is everything! If MK was worse, I won't be doing that either. A lot of it is perspective. If I were on vacation and only had so much time in the parks, I'd do it in a heartbeat and just take the crowds in stride. Since I'm really able to do the parks whenever I want, I haven't the same patience. I never wait more than 20 minutes for a ride any more.

DisneyMomOk, Cranium Command is only open when they expect huge crowds. Body Wars and Making Of Me were also running yesterday. I noticed a lot of little things different yesterday. For instance, they had a back door open at The Land and were funneling people out of the pavilion that way. I went past a big generator and a loading doc. They had put little trees in pots to kind of block the view of those things. They were very lenient on where people sat. I've never seen so many people in the grassy areas.

All in all, I thought the Disney CMs did a wonderful job given the crowds. I stood in a really long line to get DD and I drinks. When I finally got to the front, I asked the CM if I could have a Coke and a Diet Coke. She looked at me and said "No". Then she started smiling. I said "I bet you've been wanting to do that all day." She told me that she had. She hadn't had a break for hours and she just wanted to break the monotony. She told me I looked like someone she could say it to and I would realize she was kidding. We laughed about it. She was supposed to get off work at 10:30pm, but they had told her they were extending her until 1:30pm. That's a long day on your feet. Thank goodness the weather was so beautiful!

 

[GalDisney]

<<Things will slow down after tomorrow, by Tuesday the place will be empty! Yea! I can go back to the parks again! >>
The local schools return to their schedule on Jan 9 so with the local population going to WDW until then, I dont think the crowds will be gone as of yet. I am planning on going for the day on the 10th just for this reason.