New Years at EPCOT - won't do this again!

[qqq]

I wouldn't consider this again unless we were staying at BWV or BCV and could bail out at will through the back entrance!!

Stayed through midnight. The New Year fireworks show was the standard Reflections of Earth with some extra minutes at the end - a bit disappointing.

Got to our car in the lot at 12:25 AM to head back to WLV. The lot was gridlock. WE COULD NOT MOVE OUR CAR ONE FOOT FOR OVER TWO HOURS!!! Most People turned off their engines. Some left their cars parked in the main aisle while they walked forward trying to make sense of this debacle.
We napped in the car. I fell asleep for about 40 minutes. When I woke up NOTHING had moved!
At 2:15 AM we saw a mother take her young daughter by the hand to a grassy area so the little girl could go to the bathroom!
We finally exited the lot at about 3:00 AM - Two and one half hours after we got in the car. It appeared all traffic had to merge into two lanes to exit - I'm guessing 20,000 cars had to squeeze into two lanes.

We talked to some neighbors back at WLV - they said they waited about 1 1/2 hours for a ride back from EPCOT on the bus.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I wondered what the traffic would be like. We were staying at BWV. I thought the show was so great that we're going to make it an "every other year" tradition!

Maybe parking at DHS would work, since that park was opened until 3AM for EMH, and you could take the boat to from the back entrance of Epcot. After Epcot's fireworks, we turned around and watched DHS's fireworks for about 3-5 minutes more, they had some good ones too!

Bobbi

 

[vbarry]

We were there also. CRAZY busy. Walked in the front gates and walked right back out the exit to the BCV. Way too busy for us!!

 

[edk35]

We had friends there that arrived on the 19th and left on 28th and every time she sent me an email it just didnt' seem bad crowds wise at all. I am just curious if the crowds pick up the week between Christmas and New Years.

 

[dcfromva]

qqq,
Wow! Sorry you got caught up in the traffic. That sounds worse than coming home after a launch!

 

[dcfromva]

We had friends there that arrived on the 19th and left on 28th and every time she sent me an email it just didnt' seem bad crowds wise at all. I am just curious if the crowds pick up the week between Christmas and New Years.

There were definately a lot of people at EPCOT this year. One reason was the weather was really nice. Even still, I don't think they closed during NYE. We went in and out several times during the day.

 

[edk35]

I don't think the crowds were like they were in past years. My son had friends go like three years in a row that week.....well different friends but he knew someone there every year and they came back with horror stories. I don't think they ever closed MK this year during that week.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I don't think the crowds were like they were in past years. My son had friends go like three years in a row that week.....well different friends but he knew someone there every year and they came back with horror stories. I don't think they ever closed MK this year during that week.

My brother just got back from a trip from 12/27 to 1/3. MK was closed early on NYE. They went to Hollywood Studios around 7p, stayed past midnight. They said it wasn't too bad there.

 

[Disneypirate85]

We checked in on the 18th left on the 24th. I noticed that the crowds picked up alot after Monday the 22nd. Wait times went from 10-15 minutes to 45-60 minutes and soarin was hour and half. Thank goodness for FP.

 

[CinderellaPug]

Staying at either BCV or BWV definitely helps on NYE. We watched the fireworks on the bridge heading to France. We were out of the park within a couple minutes of the fireworks ending and back into our room at BWV in no time.

CP

 

[JCLNJ]

We went to Animal Kingdom in the morning for extra magical hours from 7 till 2and had no problem getting on rides. At 9 went into Hollywood studios and after the fireworks stayed until 2:30 and got in line for boat back. We were able to get on the first boat that came. the only disapointment was that rock n roll rollercoaster broke down at 2 when we had fast passes. I was very impressed by the Osborne lights.

 

[jennilynn510]

At 2:15 AM we saw a mother take her young daughter by the hand to a grassy area so the little girl could go to the bathroom!
We finally exited the lot at about 3:00 AM - Two and one half hours after we got in the car. It appeared all traffic had to merge into two lanes to exit - I'm guessing 20,000 cars had to squeeze into two lanes.

thanks for the warning

 

[njmeisje]

qqq,
We left Epcot about 2pm on NYE afternoon...right about the time they wheeled out the port-o-potties into the International Gateway. When I saw that....it was a sign to GET OUT. This was my first Christmas/NYE experience at WDW, and I won't be doing it again. Sorry it was awful for you. Boy am I glad I left.

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for the warning!!! We are thinking about going for Christmas next year but may be home b/4 NYE, but if not this is good info to know!

 

[LSchrow]

qqq,
We left Epcot about 2pm on NYE afternoon...right about the time they wheeled out the port-o-potties into the International Gateway.

seriously?!?!

i've never seen that picture in the brochures

after reading this thread, i think NYE at WDW is officially off my "bucket list".

hope you had a great time otherwise

 

[dianeschlicht]

I wouldn't consider this again unless we were staying at BWV or BCV and could bail out at will through the back entrance!!

Stayed through midnight. The New Year fireworks show was the standard Reflections of Earth with some extra minutes at the end - a bit disappointing.

Got to our car in the lot at 12:25 AM to head back to WLV. The lot was gridlock. WE COULD NOT MOVE OUR CAR ONE FOOT FOR OVER TWO HOURS!!! Most People turned off their engines. Some left their cars parked in the main aisle while they walked forward trying to make sense of this debacle.
We napped in the car. I fell asleep for about 40 minutes. When I woke up NOTHING had moved!
At 2:15 AM we saw a mother take her young daughter by the hand to a grassy area so the little girl could go to the bathroom!
We finally exited the lot at about 3:00 AM - Two and one half hours after we got in the car. It appeared all traffic had to merge into two lanes to exit - I'm guessing 20,000 cars had to squeeze into two lanes.

We talked to some neighbors back at WLV - they said they waited about 1 1/2 hours for a ride back from EPCOT on the bus.

When we have gone to Epcot for NYE, we have always taken the bus back to OKW, and have never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus (been there 3 times for NYE, including 1999/2000. It must be worse to VWL.

For OKW, it would be a BIG mistake to drive! The gridlock in the parking lot is WAY WORSE than the wait for the bus. I guess maybe we know how to move through the crowds too. On NYE 1999/2000 it was the most crowded I have ever seen it, and we got back in the villa at OKW by 1 AM after watching the NYE Reflections of Earth and the countdown afterwards.

I wonder if they scaled back on the fireworks this year? It has always been about an extra 15 minutes before. We LOVE it at Epcot for NYE, and are thinking of planning that again for next Dec. 31.

 

[bobbiwoz]

...

I wonder if they scaled back on the fireworks this year? It has always been about an extra 15 minutes before. We LOVE it at Epcot for NYE, and are thinking of planning that again for next Dec. 31.

We never were at WDW for NYE before. The fireworks at Epcot began at 11:40. I do not remember if that was Reflections...or if it was with the announcement that some of the World Showcase countries have already rung in the New Year. This was the second showing of Reflections of Earth for the evening, they had done it previously at 7:30. At 7:30, they also had the Peace tag which is very special. We're told for the tag, they have just as many fireworks as they do for Reflections but it's shorter and therefore more concentrated. We had watched that showing of the fireworks show as well. Closer to midnight, when they announced the time and the countries that have already had the celebration, there were brief but gorgeous fireworks coming from each of the sites. We were standing by the bridge nearest Great Britain, and they were great, France's were wonderful! Then there was a countdown on the globe and spectacular fireworks to welcome in Canada, Mexico and America's New Year. I would do it again, we plan to for 2011!

Bobbi

 

[TINKERIFIC]

IMO, every day EXCEPT NYE was busy, but managable. I was at EPCOT on NYE and I will never ever, ever, ever, do that again!!! I wanted to stay until midnight, but I just could not handle the crowd in the WS. We watched the 7:30 illuminations and got out of there. At CSR, we were able to see the fireworks at HS from our window.

The good news is we became AKV members that day! I briefly mentioned to DH that I wanted that for Christmas 2009 when we passed by the kiosk in HS the Monday before NYE. He set up an appointment for the 31st early in the AM as a surprise. Next thing I know we are members!

 

[jade1]

We went as well, but did stay at BCV-5 minutes back to the room. Its was a great night, ADR at Japan-sooo good.

This was from that night.

 

[mtdewhead]

We were at WDW 12/28-1/2. We had planned to go the the parks on NYE but heard from some of the bus drivers that it would be a madhouse...so we decided to switch our days around. We took the bus from OKW to Hollywood Studios but didn't go in, took the boat over to Boardwalk. There was a live DJ, who did a great job, watched the EPCOT fireworks from there and took the first boat back to HS for a bus back to OKW. When we left the buses were being routed the opposite direction out of the parking lot, (passenger car lane wasn't moving at all) up almost to MK where we turned on the road that the campgrounds are on. When we turned on Bonnet Creek you could see the backup from EPCOT for miles. I was so glad we went what seemed like the long way around! It saved hours!
We felt the parks all week were the most crowded we had ever seen. We expected it to be crowded but wow...Thank goodness for extra magic hours..well worth staying up late!