NYE Advice - One Night Only

[Keels]

Hey y'all --

We usually do NYE at EPCOT as we stay with my parents about 5 miles from WDW for the holidays.

The last two years, we have been unable to get a cab at park closing without either a significant wait, or a significant cost (NYE 2013 cost us $160 to drive for 18 minutes).

So, this year I'm going to book us at an on-site so we can just either walk or take transport to the hotel and enjoy a long, quiet sleep-in.

My Dad usually drops us off at EPCOT before/at rope drop, so we don't take a car.

I was thinking of doing this and then taking a backpack with our overnight stuff and storing it at a locker at the front of the park, and then going and checking in at the hotel when we finally leave EPCOT in 2016. Is this a bad idea? Will the check-in at the hotel be a pain? Or transportation?

I've never stayed at a WDW resort, so I've never had to deal with check-ins or busses/boats. Also, I've never dealt with FP+ or MagicBand!

 

[thefriendlyfloridian]

Definitely try to book a room on property, if one of the Crescent Lake Resorts is in your price range then definitely do that so it is a quick walk back to your room. You also could check in midday and return to the parks because EPCOT doesn't typically reach capacity like MK does and you're an onsite guest so you make it through a couple of phase closures

 

[tiger4me2]

Hey y'all --

We usually do NYE at EPCOT as we stay with my parents about 5 miles from WDW for the holidays.

The last two years, we have been unable to get a cab at park closing without either a significant wait, or a significant cost (NYE 2013 cost us $160 to drive for 18 minutes).

So, this year I'm going to book us at an on-site so we can just either walk or take transport to the hotel and enjoy a long, quiet sleep-in.

My Dad usually drops us off at EPCOT before/at rope drop, so we don't take a car.

I was thinking of doing this and then taking a backpack with our overnight stuff and storing it at a locker at the front of the park, and then going and checking in at the hotel when we finally leave EPCOT in 2016. Is this a bad idea? Will the check-in at the hotel be a pain? Or transportation?

I've never stayed at a WDW resort, so I've never had to deal with check-ins or busses/boats. Also, I've never dealt with FP+ or MagicBand!

That would work but you should check in the day you get there so the resort know you are there . you can leave your backpack etc with bell services unless the room is ready for any breaks in day. Remember checkout is 11am.

 

[philharmagic fan]

Keep in mind that you don't need to wait for bell services to bring your backpack to your room. If it were me, I'd check in before going to a park, leave the bag at bell services, and stop by the bell desk and pick up my backpack after midnight. One thing we learned about NYE, though - Disney transportation, while free, can be terribly slow. We thought we'd avoid the monorail crush after closing at EPCOT and tried to take a bus from Beach Club to MK, then walk to our room at BLT, but traffic was so heavy the bus ride took 90 minutes. I would definitely stay at one of the International Gateway hotels and plan on walking back.

 

[Lucius Best]

Dec 31 is Holiday season, the most expensive time of the year as far as room rates go. Anything within walking distance of Epcot will be more convenient/ideal, but also more expensive than something requiring a bus to get to. So if you're staying at a cheaper resort, now you're waiting for a bus instead of a cab.

Definitely agree with previous posters suggesting checking in in the morning, leaving bag with bellhops, and then going to Epcot. If money was no object, I'd book a room at one of the Epcot resorts within walking distance (Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin). Check in early and walk to rope drop. Make Jan 1 ADR for late breakfast/early lunch in Epcot resort area. If money was an object, cheapest option might be to rent a car and just drive to Epcot.