Just got back from an awesome trip from the 26th through the 1st. The parks were crazy crowded, but using what I learned here the trip was amazing!!
We were in the Magic Kingdom on New Years Eve. We arrived around 10 and the park was going to close to nonresort guests at 1030 so it was jam packed. We were able to fast pass 7 rides, including Splash Mountain, Big Thunder RailRoad, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, and the Jungle Cruise. We didn't wait more than 30 minutes for any ride or show that day and we basically did everything in the park. Didn't even wait in line for food as we ate during the parade (which we had seen earlier in the week) when the counter service restaurants were wide open. Fireworks were absolutely spectacular.
We had one Disney mishap on our trip. On the 30th we were in Hollywood Studios. Also an awesome day, we were able to get last minute dining reservations at the 50s Diner, and the Osborne Lights are way better than I imagined. We were going into Fantasmic and the Disney folks were funneling everyone into a smaller space. They did not separate the motor scooters into a separate lane, and I was struck by one. Didn't get much help from the Cast Members, and now my back is bothering me. When they are moving the crowds into a smaller space they really need a stroller/scooter lane for the safey of the guests. Many of the folks using scooters at the park do not use them at home and don't manage them all that well.
We were at Universal on the 28th and 29th, it made national news because the parks were so crowded. Let me just say, getting into Harry Potter was awful. The lined us up at a rope which they dropped at 8am. The park was open to their hotel guests at 7, so by 8 the wait to go on the big ride was already 75 minutes. When they dropped the rope it was like Black Friday at Walmart. VERY DANGEROUS. I actually saw a man running with his leg in some kind of knee brace. He had a large walking stick and from time to time would whack his child and the rump and yell "run faster!!!". Harry Potter was crowded but great. There was virtually no line to ride the dragon coaster, which is awesome. The rest of the park was a huge disappointment, ride lines of over 2 hours, not much to do except for those few rides.
This worked for us because our kids are teenagers. There were far too many people in the crowd with tiny kids in strollers who were just overwhelmed. I would say if you are planning a New Year's Eve trip with big kids it is great, but the stroller crowd should beware.
We were in the Magic Kingdom on New Years Eve. We arrived around 10 and the park was going to close to nonresort guests at 1030 so it was jam packed. We were able to fast pass 7 rides, including Splash Mountain, Big Thunder RailRoad, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, and the Jungle Cruise. We didn't wait more than 30 minutes for any ride or show that day and we basically did everything in the park. Didn't even wait in line for food as we ate during the parade (which we had seen earlier in the week) when the counter service restaurants were wide open. Fireworks were absolutely spectacular.
We had one Disney mishap on our trip. On the 30th we were in Hollywood Studios. Also an awesome day, we were able to get last minute dining reservations at the 50s Diner, and the Osborne Lights are way better than I imagined. We were going into Fantasmic and the Disney folks were funneling everyone into a smaller space. They did not separate the motor scooters into a separate lane, and I was struck by one. Didn't get much help from the Cast Members, and now my back is bothering me. When they are moving the crowds into a smaller space they really need a stroller/scooter lane for the safey of the guests. Many of the folks using scooters at the park do not use them at home and don't manage them all that well.
We were at Universal on the 28th and 29th, it made national news because the parks were so crowded. Let me just say, getting into Harry Potter was awful. The lined us up at a rope which they dropped at 8am. The park was open to their hotel guests at 7, so by 8 the wait to go on the big ride was already 75 minutes. When they dropped the rope it was like Black Friday at Walmart. VERY DANGEROUS. I actually saw a man running with his leg in some kind of knee brace. He had a large walking stick and from time to time would whack his child and the rump and yell "run faster!!!". Harry Potter was crowded but great. There was virtually no line to ride the dragon coaster, which is awesome. The rest of the park was a huge disappointment, ride lines of over 2 hours, not much to do except for those few rides.
This worked for us because our kids are teenagers. There were far too many people in the crowd with tiny kids in strollers who were just overwhelmed. I would say if you are planning a New Year's Eve trip with big kids it is great, but the stroller crowd should beware.
