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

[tjmw2727]

We spent the week between Christmas and New Years at WDW last year and a few days this year and IMHO it was MUCH more crowded this year.

Thursday the 29th at Epcot was crowded but not unmanagable if you had a plan and some FP's. We arrived about 9 (drove from Tampa) and got FP for soarin at 1-2. When we returned to ride the wait was 3 hours for soarin. This is the longest wait I have ever personally witnessed at WDW. It also make for some unruly comments as we passed through the fp line and I have to wonder why they designed the stanby line over the exit allowing for trash and other worse projectiles on those of us exiting. Anyway I digress.

We usually spend the 30th at MGM in the AM and MK in the evening for the pre- NYE fireworks and it was manageable last year, a highlight of the trip. Unfortunately we had to leave a day early so I can't comment on this year.

If I could watch the fireworks from my porch that is where I would be as well!!

Thanks for the update
TJ

 

[Feralpeg]

<<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.

The Orange County schools go back on Jan 4.

 

[Poohbear123]

For your Posts on Holidays at the Parks. I look forward to seeing these, as if I lived as close, I would be there too!

 

[imdizzy4disney63]

that's why I NEVER go to WDW during Christmas time!!

 

[imdizzy4disney63]

DD and I went to Epcot today. Why? I don't know. Maybe I have some sort of wish to be tortured. We got there about 10:30 am. I knew it would be crowded and really didn't expect to do any rides. It was a good thing. By 10:30am, the fast passes for Test Track were for 10:30 to 11:30 pm. The standby line was 90 minutes. We decided to go over to The Land around 1pm to see Circle Of Life. No problem there. We got right in. As we entered The Land pavilion, the CMs were standing out front yelling to the crowd that all fastpasses for Soarin were gone and the wait for the standby line was four hours. Why would anyone wait in a line for four hours?

After Circle Of Life, we went over to the Wonders Of Life pavilion. We got to see Cranium Command. That was the highlight of the day. After that, we started walking around World Showcase. We had to walk single file through the crowd. We dodged people continuously. I thought for sure, I was going to lose a few toes to an EVC. It was just miserable. People were laying all over the grass areas. Some were sitting. Some were eating. Some were smoking. The smoking was a real problem. I would imagine it was hard getting into a smoking area. Therefore, people were smoking everywhere. Nothing like lit cigarettes in a crowd!

At one point, we got to see a couple have a rather large fight in front of their children and a great many other people. Nice!

It was finally time for our ADR at LeCellier. While waiting to check in, we got to hear another argument. A family had made an ADR for six people. At some point, they decided to invite an additional four people to dine with them. The CM at LeCellier told them they could not accommodate another four people. The guy got irritated. The CM explained to them that they had already over-booked the restaurant tonight by 200 people to cover the no-shows. Unfortunately, many people were showing up. They were turning people away in droves. They guy got really bent out of shape and asked for a manager. It turned out that he was talking to the manager. She told him that his original party of six could dine or they could leave. That was the way it was going to be. Good for her!

Dinner was great. When we came out of the restaurant, they had started handing out hats and horns. I swear I may never hear properly again. People were blowing those stupid things non-stop right next to other people's ears.

We left the park about 6:30 pm and came home. I will not be going back next year on NYE. It wasn't worth it.

Unfortunately that's the price you pay for going to WDW during the holidays!

 

[palmtreegirl]

We had the best time ever last night at the Magic Kingdom, it was so much fun!!!! The fireworks were AMAZING and the kids loved the little dance parties all around the world, it was a blast.

 

[cranbiz]

DS and I were at EPCOT yesterday. I agree with Peg that it was very busy, BUT, I really did not think that the crowds were as bad as I expected.

Yes, ALL of the major attractions were crowded with long lines but what that did was make us stop and appreciate the shows and street performers. We were able to see most of the performances, which is something that we don't always do. We explored a lot of nooks and crannies, which was a great way to get away from the crowds. We planned for this, guessing (and then finding out) that the biggies were not worth doing because of the lines. DS and I ate a large lunch before heading to the park, and then just snacked at the small stands. The longest line that I waited in was for a beer in Norway about 45 minutes prior to the first Illuminations (there way about 15 people in line). I went back a little later and it was much shorter. I would not have wanted to try to eat at the CS places due to the crowds and it was the same at the sit down restaurants.

We arrived at 12:30, the toll plaza was backed up about 20 cars deep and it was bumper to bumper into the lot. The CM's did a fine job in moving things along considering the volume of cars. They were checking bags out before the ticket booths so the turnstiles moved fine.

DS and I had just driven down from MA the day before and had only a little bit of sleep the night before so we were tired by 7pm. We decided to leave after the first Illuminations. It was a great show, this years holiday ending was just fabulous. They opened the back way by Mexico to allow us to exit out by Test Track to help with traffic.

The people with the horns were annoying, but one has to expect if you give people noisemakere, they will use them. Also the EVC's were a menace, I did have myself run over several times.

We were able to see Body Wars and Cranium Command which was great, I expect (and the CM that I talked to expected as well) that this way the last you will see of the Wonders of Life pavillion.

Because I was expecting the crowds, It was not as bad as I expeceted. We had a good time and wish we were not as tired so we could have enjoyed the rest of the evening. I would do it again but would consider staying onsite if we did.

 

[Pryncess'mom]

my husband, his DS and DN and I went to Disney 20 years ago at christmas. We were just married, had money, no kids, etc..... and decided to take the 16 yo's with us. We had a really great week. Stayed at the CR, off course it was only MK and EPCOT back then!1

But we did the MK on NYE. Actually the only thing I remember is watching the fireworks and leaving. We found a place to watch the fireworks fairly easily, from the back of the castle, take a left down the path. We sat along the wall, and were fine. But upon leaving we began making our way down Main Street to the entrance. By the time we got to the train station we were shoulder to shoulder. AS we got outside the train station and were making our way out the entrance, it began to rain. When we finally got back to the resort the only part of us that was wet from the rain was our head and shoulders. We had been packed so tightly the rain never made it to the bottom of us!!

Of course, we swore we would never do that again, and in the last 20 years, NYE has become a family time with friends locally. (Actually, I keep trying to get my husband to go away somewhere for the holiday, but he won't!! "But honey, we'll miss the party!!!" ) I can only imagine how many people are actually there now that there are so many resorts available. I would find it interesting to know exactly how many people were on disney property last night!! (And to have a nickel from each one of them, I could finance my next trip when the crowds are lower!!!)

I hope everyone has a happy new year!!

deb

 

[NashvilleTrio]

Sorry to hear about the bad experience. I've never been to WDW on a major holiday, but I can imagine how crowded and frustrating it must have been.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We tried MGM once on NYE and had about the same experience. We try to pick a little less crowded places now.

 

[stitchthesnitch]

haha magic kingdom was in a phase 3 yesterday.

Guests are told while making dining reservations that we cannot accomodate more than what the table is booked for.

 

[stitchthesnitch]

actually the weekend after new years is the disney marathon. There are no resorts left to be booked and most dining reservations are gone. The weekend after that is also bad. That is the Who Wants to be a Millionaire tapings. Try the weekend after that.

=)

 

[mugsymagoos]

<<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.

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

Actually, not all schools return on the 10th here in Florida. Here in Pasco county we do go back on the 10th, but most of the other counties in FL go back tomorrow or on the 3rd! For some reason our winter break and just a few other counties in FL started late this year (the 23rd of Dec.) and everyone else got the week before us off and has to return to school the week before we do...(tomorrow or Tues). So this week will really not be bombarded with locals!!!

 

[qtwns]

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

 

[rcraw45425]

gtwns, hows the weather up there right now? Our tornado watch is cancelled, it's65 degrees though!

 

[qtwns]

rcraw45425--Tornado watch?!? Yuck! Glad it was cancelled and all is well. We are about 55 and overcast. Just a little rain today, but mostly drizzle. My boys were able to get in some flag football, so all was not lost in starting 2006!

We started discussing our May '06 trip at dinner tonight!

Happy New Year!

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

My sister was at MK with about 20 family members from her husbands side of the family (I warned her that it would be a mad house, especially with a 1 and a half year old)... Needless to say I got the phone call at 11:45am (they got there at 7:30am) that she was "DONE" and could I come and get her. We were afraid that if her hubby drove her home he would never get back in, so I went and got her and the baby. The rest of the family stayed all night and had a BLAST. The only thing they really complained about was food. I warned them no ressies means you are getting counter service with huge lines...having been forwarned they patiently waited 45 minutes for breakfast, over an hour for lunch and I think they skipped dinner all together. I personally would not want to be at any of the parks on a major holiday, but I guess if you know what you are getting yourself into, while frustrating at times, it is doeable.

 

[cstraub]

We were there last year (2004/2005) for NYE. We booked the "Spirit of Aloha" dinner show to ring in the New Year. After the show was over we rode the monorail over to our resort the CR and watched the fireworks from there. It was one of the best nights ever. I would never go into the parks on NYE. Way not fun especially with young children.

 

[TDC Nala]

There are rumors (not confirmed) that the Wonders of Life pavilion will close permanently after this holiday season.

 

[DisneyPhD]

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

Oh I hope so. We arive on Wednesday!

2 year ago we checked in VWL on new years day. We avoided the parks that day (we had AP so it wasn' the cost.) By Jan 2nd things weren't so bad.


We already have most of our ADR's, and any others we can do with out (or eat TS, or even in the room, we are DVC after all )

Oh, one year we tried PI on St. patricks day. That was a bad plan. DH had his 1st and only panic attack in the crowds. I don't remcomend that either.