New Years Eve

[longhorns2]

I'm in the wasn't as bad as I thought it would be camp.

We had a late start and I expected to be turned away at the gates but we weren't at all. We were in dl from 11-4 and yes, it was crowded and our space mountain fp was for 1:10am (lol) but we managed some rides and a great meal at big thunder ranch. They even accommodated our 3 hr early arrival and honored our reservations.

jingle jamboree was a delight for the kids! Pics with Pluto and played games while I listened to billy hill billies. It was not crowded st all back there!

I left at 4 with my youngest who didnt feel well.

Went back at 8:30pm with my oldest. Cruised through bag check and gates with no problem.

Biggest line all day that we waited in was for a locker.

That evening was controlled chaos. Dl cms had a traffic pattern going on to keep things moving. Slowly. But we moved around park just fine. Tried to take train a couple times and abandoned that plan quickly! Too many others with same idea.

Going in, my expectations were low. I wanted in for the experience and ended up having a blast!

Rode Matterhorn, autopia, dumbo, teacups, pirates, haunted mansion 2 times and space mountain. And watched captain EO (um... Wow)

Plus watched countdown and midnight fireworks from the front of haunted mansion.

I would go back. The bands were great and everyone we were around seemed to be having fun.

However, I would not go back with a kid in a stroller or a very short child. Way too easy to lose someone in the crowds. Adventure land was a huge gridlock and i could not imagine being in it with my younger kids. But my 11 year old was the perfect age (and height) to enjoy nye at dl!

My assessment- dl nye maybe not for young children unless you get there early and grab a spot to camp out on main. Moving around was a challenge but not shoulder to shoulder in *most* places in my experience. It happened but it was not like that everywhere.

Exiting fantasy & walking through the back side of btmrr was practically empty all night. Fastest way to get to no sq.

 

[ParkHopper1]

In my opinion, it's all about perspective and what works for the individual person.

Perspective and what park you were in. DL was a ZOO, DCA was eerily quiet.

...but you are right..two people can have the SAME exact experience and have two totally different reactions based solely on what their expectations were.

 

[cmpeter]

We were there. We only did DCA since it was a one day trip and I was worried the crowds would make park hoppers useless.

We arrived at 11:00, they weren't charging for parking (nice surprise.) We managed to ride RSR (single rider 20 minute waits) twice...once in the dark, so cool. Did TOT twice with fast passes. Soarin', Screaming, Little Mermaid (to keep warm before WOC), Monster's Inc (because we were back there to get drinks), Toy Story and saw Aladdin and WOC.

Touring Plans said the crowds would be a 10, but I never felt like it was that crowded. They only time it felt crowded was around the Pier between WOC shows. We walked right into Flo's for lunch and didn't have to wait for anyone. When we got dinner at Pacific Warf it was only about a 10 minute wait.

I was so worried about the crowds...it was a totally last minute surprise trip from my dh for my birthday. He told me the night before we left. I am a huge rope drop fan and would have never picked NYE for a trip, but after going this year, I would totally do it again.

 

[Malcon10t]

Of course folks are going to say it wasn't that bad. They probably just dropped a load of money for the trip and need to make the best of it.

Just to be clear, we go every year. I am used to wall to wall people. I am used to the turnstile closures at 3pm. We spent the morning in DL (10-11am, we hit HMH and Pirates), then had lunch. At 1:30, we grabbed the train from NOS and headed to Tomorrowland, where the kids did Space, Star Tours, and I joined them for Buzz. At that point (3p) my DIL took my granddaughter to the hotel via the Monorail, while the rest of the crew headed to DCA (took train to Main STreet.) Once there, we hit Soarin', TOT, Screamin', Toy Story, Maters, Racers, then grabbed ice cream and headed to the Carthay Lounge about 745p, where we had "dinner." We hung there until 1045p. We chatted with Tony Baxter there, and also saw Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas. At 1045p, we headed out of DCA back to DL. No turnstile closures, or even restrictions the entire day. When we entered DL, Main St was not busy at Town Square. VERY quiet. Caught the first train without issue. Exited at NOS, and had no problem navigating to Fantasmic! area. While the crowds were minimal at night, in the afternoon, it felt like heavy summer crowds, but no where near normal NYE crowds.