New Years trip 2005 - Need help?

[disneydiz]

We are planning our first trip at NYE. We plan to arrive 12/28 and leave 1/2. DH and I will be at BWV, but two other couples coming with us are going to have to get rooms. They think they can get rooms cheaper than POP, possibly a Marriott Courtyard. This means staying offsite, and I have been telling them that it could be a nightmare staying offset during that time period. How crowded did it get this past year? I understand that the parks will be crowded, (we usually go Easter week and are somewhat use to the crowds), but I really am worried that they might have trouble staying offsite. Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

[tjkraz]

I'd say you are right to be concerned. When the parks begin to reach the capacity limits, Disney has a 4-stage process of closing the parks to different groups of guests. The first group to be locked-out are those staying off-site.

They'll also have to prepare for parking lot gridlock.

 

[disneyelaine]

We have been at BWV for the past 3 NYE's. Just wanted to mention that on NYE itself, no one was getting into the Boardwalk area to park unless you were a guest there. I am mentioning that in case your friends planned to visit you at the BWV on NYE. They had security checking cars before you got to the guard shack and also security standing all day blocking the BWV self park lot. We always valet park at BWV. We drove to Whispering Canyon on NYE for a 8 00 dinnner. We got back to BWV at 10pm and could not valet...it was full. First time that ever happened to us. We were able to self park though. Yes the parks are crowded. 2 hour waits on Mission Space, Rock & Roller Coaster, Test Track, etc. Worse than Easter. We normally go NYE week and Easter week. But we know what to expect. We spend NYE at the pool all day and walk to Epcot around 11pm just in time to see Illuminations. The NYE Illuminations show is unbelievable! I'd try and talk your friends into staying on site. MK normally is at capacity to off site guests by 11 am that week. Off site driving that week is just awful. Traffic jams everywhere on I4 and I drive.

 

[Ksp]

Staying onsite would be much better.
We've been down for 2 NY's at WDW so far....this past one we stayed on property and attended the member party at SSR and it was wonderful. They did a great job having games for all of us to participate in, and the fireworks were the best I've seen yet.
Not only did we get a better view of the Pleasure Island fireworks (the party was at the quiet pool and the fireworks barge was practically right in front of us on the water), but we could also see the other park's displays in the distance.
Beautiful!!

Since the party was just for DVC members, it wasn't terribly crowded.

NY"s eve the year before we attended the party at BW....wow....there were more people there than I've ever seen before. (DD and I joked that Orlando might tip over from weight of all the people there that night.)

We had parked at Epcot that day (we were staying at Vero and just drove up for NY's eve 2003.) The tram operator told us early in the day that Epcot was already 40,000 over cap; MK had closed already.

Cars were no longer parking in the usual named lots (like goofy, pluto, etc.) but were now parked on the grass at the far end of Epcot parking lot. The section was dubbed "'da boonies" by the tram drivers.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Not sure anyone else mentioned this, but when (not if) the parks reach capacity on NYE, no one staying off site will be allowed to drive into the parking lots. Also, there is a real possibility that the parks could become too crowded and also reach their occupancy limit. When we were at Epcot for NYE 1999/2000 that limit was reached mid afternoon.