New Years Eve

[gkjones]

Will be in Orlando for xmas and new year, we cannot decide where to go on New Years Eve, we have a 12 year old son (going on 16!!) Does seaworld have anything special going on? We have friends who will be staying on International Drive and we will be staying about 20 minutes drive away and wondered where we could meet up for the night. I think that one of the parks would be ideal instead of a hotel on International Drive. We have also considered booking into a hotel for the night, as we are worried that a cab would cost too much for the 20 minute journey to where we are staying and if we would be able to get a cab on the New Years Eve night. Any suggestions?

Karen (UK)

 

[Deb & Bill]

How about the Doplhin or Swan on NYE and going to Disney Studios? We did that last year (we moved to VWL on NY day) and had a blast. Music, loads of fun, party favors and great fire works. Plus, three showings of Fantasmic.

 

[gkjones]

Originally posted by Deb & Bill
How about the Doplhin or Swan on NYE and going to Disney Studios? We did that last year (we moved to VWL on NY day) and had a blast. Music, loads of fun, party favors and great fire works. Plus, three showings of Fantasmic.

Hi, sorry if I sound stupid, but what is VWL?

 

[JulieWent]

I'm sorry I can't answer your question about SeaWorld on NYE, but if you plan to go to any of the Disney theme parks, I'd definitely advise booking a room on Disney property for the night. It is very difficult to get in and out of Disney parks NYE if you are staying off property.

Julie

 

[Hieatt]

We were at the Dolphin for NYE last year, and we are going back this year. It is a great place to stay - if you keep watching, they should release some AAA or entertainment rates and you should be able to get a room for around $150, even on NYE! There's no Deluxe Disney resort that I know of where you could get that rate.

We were at Epcot last year - it was packed and high energy. Had we not had young children with us, I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. As it was, things were just a bit too crazy for our family.

Epcot does Illuminations twice on NYE, once at 7:30 and the other at 11:40 (with Midnight finale). We caught the early show and put the kids to bed early. Then we went down to the pool area of the Dolphin and watched the Epcot and MGM fireworks simultaneously - it was awesome!

 

[Hieatt]

Anyone else out there going over NYE??? There doesn't seem to be many boards out there with NYE tips... anyone have any to offer?

 

[funhouse8]

We were in Epcot last year. I had a 13yo ds, 14yo dd & an 18yo dd. We had a blast. Had diiner at tappanki in japen then steps outside to one great big party with a dj, large screen. It was great. We hepled bring in the new year with 75,000 of our closest friends. Wish I could join you this year. If you want stay at the allstars cheap. You will only be in there to sleep. Make your ps's as early as possible. Enjoy, Gina

 

[HumphreytheBear]

Originally posted by gkjones
Hi, sorry if I sound stupid, but what is VWL?

VWL is the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge.

NYE is VERY busy at the Disney Parks most of the parks will be closed for capacity VERY early in the AM so if you are planning on going plan to be there as early in the morning as you possibly can be and don't leave... they will not guarantee that you will be able to return.

With WDW resort guests in the past they have allowed you to return to the park that you originally started at. For example you get to MK right at park opening but you get tired and head back to the hotel mid day, as long as you have your hand stamped, your ticket was used at MK that morning and you have your resort ID card they will allow you back in, but there is no guarantee that they will be doing this again this year.

As Hieatt mentioned most parks have 2 fireworks displays on NYE. At MK they have been doing Wishes as the early fireworks display (9pm or earlier) and Fantasy in the Sky as the Midnight show (as FITS does not take as long to load in the fireworks bunker as Wishes does).

 

[Hieatt]

Yes, I believe both the Magic Kingdom and MGM filled to capacity last year... Epcot is so huge, people were able to get in all day, but boy was it packed. We got there at 7:30 in the morning (Early Entry), and the FastPass return times for Mission: Space were already into the afternoon.

That said, I agree with funhouse8 - it was quite a party, but we had an infant and toddlers - our oldest was 5 years. Having done it, I wouldn't recommend taking kids that age.

One cool thing about Epcot is that I believe they celebrate NYE in each country at the time it is in that country, at least the European ones... e.g., at UK Rose & Crown, they celebrated at 7PM.

 

[KCMiller]

Epcot was awesome last year for NYE! We got VERY lucky with our PS's, and got to watch the outstanding fireworks show from ringside on the Rose and Crown Patio.

It was VERY crowded later in the day. We entered the park at gate open, went right on the rides we wanted to ride, got Fast passes for a later ride, and by noon, they were posting wait times of up to THREE hours for Test Track and other rides (even Maelstrom <g>). We had not had breakfast (a quick pastry and cup of coffee/hot chocolate from a counter place), and we had a noon PS at Restaurant Akershus, which we LOVED. We took it pretty easy in the afternoon (caught a snooze in the Hall of Presidents!), and wandered wherever caught our fancy until our PS at 9:30 at R&C. We waited until about 10:15 to be seated, and really enjoyed our view! We missed the England NYE celebration, but we did hear that they did it. At midnight, each country blew off special fireworks first, in the order of when it would have been NYE in their country, then WOW! What a show!

Afterwards, we took our time getting the check and such, then meandered around the park enjoying all the people and fun - there was still a big DJ party going on. My DH and DS and I decided to go back to TT to see if it was still running, and it was! We were the last riders that night, and it was almost 2:30 am before we got back to our car - and there was still a wait to get out of the parking lot (we were staying offsite - MOWC, a great hotel!).

All in all, we'd do it again - but take the advice - do the rides first thing, then just enjoy the park for the rest of the day, and make PS's for all your meals.

KC

 

[Hieatt]

We had a 6:20 PS at Rose & Crown with the plan of getting a table to celebrate UK NYE at 7:00 and to watch the 7:30 Illuminations show. What a madhouse. There was a 10 minute line just to check in, then you had to come back to get a buzzer. We got there a little after 6:00 and didn't get seated until about 10 till 7:00. I made several requests for an outside table, and when we were finally called, we they gave us inside. I insisted that the whole reason we made the PS there was to sit outside, and that we were willing to wait. The CM said that all she could do was put us back on the list, which could be up to another hour, and even then it would again be chance whether we would be outside. So we took the inside table, and the waitress failed to bring us drinks before 7:00 p.m., so no "midnight" toasting. Even acknowledging the busy time, the service was excruciatingly slow and the food was lukewarm and mediocre. It was an EXTREMELY frustrating and disappointing experience given all the effort and advance planning on my part.

Now, on the other hand, without the PS, there was no chance of eating there at all... but if you book this restaurant on NYE (or any other table service resaurant), be prepared to check in early, to be seated well after your PS time, and to be happy with the luck of the draw - no requests regarding tables, seating areas, etc. will be taken.

 

[snoopy5386]

It is very difficult to get in and out of Disney parks NYE if you are staying off property.

We were at MK in 2002 for NYE. Left immediately after the midnite fireworks. We were in our car, and out of the world in less than 30 mins.

 

[gkjones]

If we book and pay for PS in Epcot and do not get into the park if it is full, would we get a refund on our PS. I don't want to book ps and find we cannot get into park because it is full!! We don't know what to do. Would we be able to get anything to eat in the park, even if it was just a hotdog or pizza from anywhere?

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

Thanks for all this great info! My DH and I are planning on going to Epcot on NYE for the first time this year. It sounds like great fun! We did Pleasure Island one year for NYE and it was also a blast.

We do have our PSs, but we're not staying onsite. I really don't want to get there first thing in the morning because it's such a long day. For those of you who have been there, would you say we'd still be able to get in around 11 am or noon?

Thanks again for all of your advice!

 

[sugermouse]

We will be there again this NYE, planning on spending the evening in Epcot!

 

[funhouse8]

We got into the parks last year at 10:30 and didn't have a problem. I think they were letting people in all day. Epcot doesn't fill up as fast as the other parks because of it's size. there were I believe 75,000 people there last year. They said they broke a record. Let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year!

 

[gkjones]

Thanks for the info, we are optimistic about getting into Epcot now! Really looking forward to our Xmas and New Year, this will be our first time in Orlando for the holidays. I cannot think of anywhere more festive than at one of the theme parks. Hope you have a great Xmas and New Year also!

Karen

 

[gkjones]

I have just telephoned and made a PS reservation for Rose and Crown at 6.50pm on New Years Eve, hopefully we will still be in there at 7.30pm as that is the time the UK will be cheering in the New Year!!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I thought the UK was 5 hrs. ahead of us. I made a PS at 6:30 hopeful of catching the celebration also. It should take us at least an hour to eat anyway. I'm glad I know about the time difference ahead of time, so we wouldn't be wondering what happened at 7pm.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Originally posted by Hieatt
We were at the Dolphin for NYE last year, and we are going back this year. It is a great place to stay - if you keep watching, they should release some AAA or entertainment rates and you should be able to get a room for around $150, even on NYE! There's no Deluxe Disney resort that I know of where you could get that rate.

That's funny - we stayed at the AKL for $109/night last NYE. It was an AP rate, and you had to checkin on or before 12/26. Even got a free upgrade to Deluxe Savannah from standard !

We were at Epcot last year - it was packed and high energy. Had we not had young children with us, I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. As it was, things were just a bit too crazy for our family.

Agreed. We had two 10 y/o girls with us, and found the amount of drinking and smoking to be somewhat objectionable. Might do Epcot again if it was just me and my wife, but with children I would probably pick M.K.