NO HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS FOR NYE?

[Arla Saucedo]

So my family and I are working on our plans for our trip before our 60-day mark rolls around. Originally we thought we would do DHS for NYE for my nephew's sake, but I realized a few days ago that they will be closing early on NYE. WHAAAT??? We are not frequent goers, but does this happen often? Now we are leaning towards EPCOT, but does anyone know why they won't be open and do you guys think it will be mad chaos in the other parks times 10?? TIA!!!!

 

[Robo]

It's still too early to know the final hours for NYE.

Just keep checking the schedules, as they will be revised as the dates get closer.

to the DISboards, Arla!

 

[Ds4angels]

You can check last years hours for HS for NYE and see how late they were open to give you an idea. But no guarantee of this years hours

 

[DisFam4]

You can check last years hours for HS for NYE and see how late they were open to give you an idea. But no guarantee of this years hours

I know you aren't the OP but:

12/31/17
Hollywood Studios Hours
Opening Time 9:00am
Closing Time 12:00am

 

[xlsm]

After going to Epcot last NYE, we are 100% going to DHS on NYE morning and leaving early - we'll boat to Epcot and walk up front to the monorail. After last year, no WAY I'm getting on a bus or in a car in the afternoon on New Year's Eve (it took us two hours to get from AKL to Epcot last year via resort bus) . We have dinner at Citricos that night and will watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our resort (Polynesian).

Celebrating the new year at Disney World is fun...enough that even though we vowed "never again", we're coming back one year later, but you need to pack your patience and go in with appropriate expectations.

If special fireworks are what you're looking for at midnight, do Epcot or MK, but get there early (or for Epcot, get there around 8pm - you could always do DHS and then hop to Epcot later on). DHS is beautiful decorated for the holidays though, my favorite decorations overall, so it's worth a visit...and hours do generally get extended.

Good luck and have fun planning!!

 

[Shannon131]

After going to Epcot last NYE, we are 100% going to DHS on NYE morning and leaving early - we'll boat to Epcot and walk up front to the monorail. After last year, no WAY I'm getting on a bus or in a car in the afternoon on New Year's Eve (it took us two hours to get from AKL to Epcot last year via resort bus) . We have dinner at Citricos that night and will watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our resort (Polynesian).

Celebrating the new year at Disney World is fun...enough that even though we vowed "never again", we're coming back one year later, but you need to pack your patience and go in with appropriate expectations.

If special fireworks are what you're looking for at midnight, do Epcot or MK, but get there early (or for Epcot, get there around 8pm - you could always do DHS and then hop to Epcot later on). DHS is beautiful decorated for the holidays though, my favorite decorations overall, so it's worth a visit...and hours do generally get extended.

Good luck and have fun planning!!

 

[Shannon131]

Whoa!!! It took two hours to get there? I’ve heard oodles about the traffic afterwards but not before. We are flying in that afternoon and staying at the Dolphin- is the traffic that bad everywhere on NYE afternoon??

 

[Arla Saucedo]

I'm so nervous. I am the only person who has been to World in my family, and it will be everyone else's first time. I just want everyone to have a good time. I know I have to prepare everyone to manage their expectations. Any tips are welcome! Sooooo, are you guys saying that even though the website states DHS will close at 9pm, that may not necessarily be the case???

 

[hakepb]

I'm so nervous. I am the only person who has been to World in my family, and it will be everyone else's first time. I just want everyone to have a good time. I know I have to prepare everyone to manage their expectations. Any tips are welcome! Sooooo, are you guys saying that even though the website states DHS will close at 9pm, that may not necessarily be the case???

And another of their websites:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/new-years-eve/#/drawer=drawerNewYearsEveDance
New Year's Eve at Walt Disney World Resort
Explore Our Dazzling Mix of Festivities
to Ring in 2019
......
Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Revel in a midnight countdown to stunning fireworks spectacular.
Stay tuned for more details!

 

[Shannon131]

They’re advertising on the Disneyworld website that there will be midnight fireworks at DHS. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/new-years-eve/#/drawer=drawerNewYearsEveDance

So, even though they haven’t changed the hours yet it seems like they will.

 

[xlsm]

Whoa!!! It took two hours to get there? I’ve heard oodles about the traffic afterwards but not before. We are flying in that afternoon and staying at the Dolphin- is the traffic that bad everywhere on NYE afternoon??

Here's our experience quoted from my trip report from this past new year's eve. It was overwhelming. If you're staying at the Swan/Dolphin you can easily walk, but depending on what time you're arriving, you could have a lot of heavy traffic to deal with.

**editing to say, while it was overwhelming, and I felt I had planned well, it seems like everyone planned the exact same way we had this year. We're doing things completely different this time around. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't...but we'll still be at WDW!

Have fun on your trip and enjoy the holiday atmosphere!!

We'd been in Sanaa for about an hour, and it was right around noon.

From the walk to the bus stop:



I love the thatched roof

We got to the bus stop and immediately felt like something was wrong. There weren't *that* many people in front of us waiting, less than ten, but we could hear them talking. One group had been there for almost an hour. I started getting nervous, but it was just a little after noon, our first FP wasn't until one, and we had the full hour to scan in for it. I figured we'd be fine.

We ended up waiting about half an hour for a bus. By the time it arrived, the line had grown. We managed to sit, but it wasn't comfortable. The bus was packed, with people sitting on laps (and not just kids) and people standing all the way to the front.

It was about 12:40ish.

See? We were ok on time. We'd totally make it in time for our fast passes!!



At least that's what we thought.

We pulled out of the resort and onto the main road and traffic was heavy, but mostly moving. It took about three light cycles to make our turn to head toward Epcot. Then, we sat. And moved forward a few feet. And sat.

The pattern continued.

We eventually got to the road behind the Swan/Dolphin, where the busses turned to go toward Epcot. It had been an hour. Everyone on the bus was talking and laughing, and commiserating. Even though we were all miserable and crammed together, we were trying to make the best of a very frustrating situation. I joked that I'd just hop out and swim across the swampy pond thing to make it to the Swolphin, and then just walk to Epcot. I'd probably make it before the bus.

I guarantee you I'd have made it before the bus!

We saw the most ridiculous things while sitting there.

People driving through the median, people getting out and walking...and my favorite.

The lady who got out of her car, walked over behind a monorail support, and peed.



Circled in red, for your viewing convenience.

She marched back, smoking her cigarette in defiance.

Go lady. Go.

She went.

If a monorail had passed over, they'd have had quite the show.

The bus was in a hysterical uproar, we were doing a play by play of the whole scene.

What else did we have to do??

We watched the time for our Living with the Land FP come and go. The window for Soarin' opened...would we make it?

Our bus pulled up to Epcot TWO HOURS after leaving Kidani.

I had to stop and use the restroom on the way in or I would have had a very embarrassing NYE. The line was so long.

Eventually we got up to bag check.



It was just wall to wall people. We were so close on our Soarin' time. I sent DH through the bagless line



and told him to go straight to Soarin', and to wait as long as he could before the FP window closed, but if I didn't make it inside, to go on without me.

I was talking to some other guests in line. They were local, and said they come to Epcot for New Year's Eve every year, and they had never seen it this crazy at this time of day before.

I waited for over 20 minutes to get through security.

When I saw the line to scan into the park, my heart sank. I knew I'd never be able to make it to Soarin' if I had to wait in that line.

By some miracle, the Annual Passholder entrance had no one in it!! What?? I'd been so unlucky using the AP entrance, maybe all that bad luck was just me storing up some GOOD luck for a time like this. I ran over and tapped my magic band and rushed through the gates

I paused long enough to take this picture



I texted DH that I was in and on my way, and I walked as fast as I could without full on running and made it to Soarin' at 3:12.

We tapped in for our fast pass and I was finally able to heave a sigh of relief

 

[Shannon131]

Thanks so much for the trip report! I knew it would be way busy in the parks but somehow I didn’t think about the roads. I’m so grateful you posted this so my people and I can be mentally prepared. I actually started a new thread as well just to get more feedback- I may drop an ADR.