Late Dec/Early January?

[dor1]

Hi all-very excited as ive booked for 10 nights next year from 27/12/06-has anyone stayed in orlando at this time and if so any tips.
Any suggestions on where to go new years eve would be welcome,as would any idea on what the crowds/weather will be like.
Roll on next christmas!

 

[disneyholic family]

Hi all-very excited as ive booked for 10 nights next year from 27/12/06-has anyone stayed in orlando at this time and if so any tips.
Any suggestions on where to go new years eve would be welcome,as would any idea on what the crowds/weather will be like.
Roll on next christmas!

Christmas is THE most crowded time of the year at WDW.

although that wouldn't stop me from going, if that's when i could go.

 

[gilld]

We found it started to become markedly less crowded after January 3rd - before then it was dreadfully busy.

Personally, we avoided any parks on NYE, they were dangerously busy and closed the gates to anyone, including on-site guests, by 9.30 am.

It's lovely to see all the decorations, and I'm sure you'll have a great time, but we'd never go at that time again.

 

[Miffy2003]

Hello,


Well you have picked an exciting time to go! It will be extremely busy for the first say 4-5 days or so but hopefully the last half should be lovely and peaceful and you will be able to get tonnes done

The Christmas decorations are superb as are the Osborne Lights at MGM. I am not sure if you will arrive while the Candlelight Processional is still on (which I recommend wholeheartedly) and I think you will just miss MVMCP.

We spent NYE round the pool at our resort and then headed over to Epcot for the evening. The atmosphere was brilliant but with 6 of us including 2 youngish children I think I would chose differently next time. We got into Epcot at 6.30pm with no troubles but queuing for refreshments or toilets was another story, LOL. Perhaps MGM? Something to be aware of is that it can be challenging to get into the WDW parks at certain times of day due to overcrowding.

The weather was colder than we had anticipated - out of 23 nights there we only had 4 or so "nice" days which were OK for shorts and vest tops.

Hope that helps!

If you want to read in any more detail, I did do a trip report which may give a little insight on our NYE experience. I will dig out the link if that would help you?

Cheers

Karen

 

[dor1]

Thanks Karen-i was starting to worry before your reply but i think we'll have a great time-the holiday is what you make it.
My 2 girls are aged 11 and 7 at time of travel so maybe we may see new year in outside disney(maybe seaworld)as it may be too long to get in a park early and stay all day.
I think your correct about MVMCP-it ends before we arrive which is a shame as it sounds fab.
Once again thanks for the feedback-much appreciated.
I would love the link for your trip report.

 

[Miffy2003]

Oh my well I have re-read NYE and please excuse it for coming across a bit more negative than I would have liked - can you please put this down to three solid weeks with my inlaws?

Seriously, it was very busy but it was excellent fun. I think as well - because you know it will be busy - you will cope with it. I think it could be a shock if you weren't expecting it though


Here's NYE from my Trippie

and if you are really really bored and have nothing to do for a few hours Here's the whole thing

 

[dor1]

Will read your trip report later-but first must congratulate you on spending 3 whole weeks with the in-laws.
That's some achievement!

 

[Miffy2003]

Will read your trip report later-but first must congratulate you on spending 3 whole weeks with the in-laws.
That's some achievement!

LOL believe me, by the end of it we knew it was something never to be repeated

 

[Camac]

Hi dor1,
Everyone is right so far, NYE is exceptionally busy. You asked for suggestion as to how to spend NYE.

This is what we did: We avoided the parks by spending the monring shoping and the afternoon relaxing poolside then we made our way over to Wilderness Lodge where we admired the decorations and had a quiet drink in the bar whilst the kids (14 and 10) watched disney videos in the lounge area. We then caught the boat over to the Pioneer Hall and went to the 9.30pm sitting of the Hoop Dee Doo show. The show is a bit corny but great fun with plenty of audience participation and lots of food. At 11.30pm we were taken back to Wilderness Lodge by bus then we wandered back down to the jetty where we were in time to see the fireworks at midnight.

It was a really good way to spend the day and evening without any crowd hassle. I'm sure others will be along with their suggestions and you will be spoilt for choice as to how to spend New Year.

Camac

 

[dor1]

Thanks camac-im prepared for the crowds but what you did sounds good so im hoping for more suggestions so i can have a few options.
Many thanks

 

[florida sun]

We also went at Christmas and New year 2 years ago and loved every minute of it, I can honestly say it was the best Christmas and New year we ever had. We arrived a little earlier than you on the 19th December, the crowds were fine with the exception of Christmas Day and New Years Eve, from New years day on it was wonderful, so I think you will find the latter half of your trip will be easier on crowds. In fact im sure Easter is far more busy than Christmas with the exception of Christmas day and New Years Eve.

The atmosphere was wonderful and we were very very lucky with the weather, it was in the mid 70's most days, just got a little chilly in the evenings, but we certainly came home with a good tan.

On New Years Eve, we went to MGM for the day and by 11am the crowds were building to an uncomfortable level for us, so we went and had a lovely meal, which we pre booked at Downtown Disney and then made the decision to spend the evening at the pool side, a lot of the other guests had made the same choice, so we were all sat around the pool, and at 12 midnight everybody joined hands and welcomed in the new year, it was wonderful.

Have a wonderful time, Im sure you will


Sue

 

[dor1]

Sue,
The more i think about it the more im leaning towards a day away from the parks-was DTD really busy when you went?

 

[benjosam]

We've booked to leave on 25th December '06 for 14 nights. Very interested to hear the tips for NYE. We were thinking of arriving at epcot for the evening to see in the British new year at the Rose and Crown, have our meal there and stay for the fireworks at midnight. Is this a good idea? also has anyone got any tips for Xmas evening. Is anything special happening in any of the parks.

 

[florida sun]

Sue,
The more i think about it the more im leaning towards a day away from the parks-was DTD really busy when you went?

Hi there

Well we got there about lunch time and although busy, it was'nt uncomfortable, in fact after lunch I believe we even went into Disney Quest for an hour and it was fine as I believe most people were at the parks. Of course I imagine that the night would be very busy esp in Pleasure Island, but I was drinking a nice glass of Merlot by the pool then

Hope this helps


Sue

 

[janeyb]

We arrived at Disney on 26th December '02, and to be honest it wasn't as busy as I'd expected. We had a fabulous time and it was all SO magical, definately my favourite time to visit Disney.
The weather was really quite comfortable, we spent the days in sweatshirts/t-shirts, however I do remember the evenings getting quite cold when we watched the shows.
New Years we had decided on Universal making the most of out 2 day ticket, however that night there were terrible thunder storms so we gave it a miss!!
One word of advice for Universal. If you get there for when the parks open, you can pay a little extra and purchase a fastpass ticket, which for us made the day so much more fun. It let us do three times as much as we would have been able to do otherwise, and skip the big queues!!