NYE exit strategy

[deedubb]

Just back from our Xmas trip and thinking about a New Years trip for 2018. I really want to see the NYE fireworks but I'm worried about the possibility of a 2 hour trip back to the resort.

So, with it being fresh in everyone's mind who was just there, any tips to offer?

My plan is MK on the 30th and Epcot on the 31st. We'll probably be at Bay Lake so the MK night is easy, but I'm worried about the 31st. Is there anyone that did the 31st at Epcot who stayed at BLT or Contemporary? How were the monorails after the fireworks?

 

[LSUfan4444]

So, with it being fresh in everyone's mind who was just there, any tips to offer?

Stay at an Epcot resort and get a spot on the bridge between France and UK.

 

[AngiTN]

Well, the park is open an hour after the fireworks. Maybe plan to stay for that hour then head out?

While still lots around there where less people after midnight, without question.

Since we were at BWI I can't comment on the monorail. Lines for boat was insane, according to DH. I have to admit I didn't pay attention

 

[HopperFan]

Last year we walked out the International Gateway, walked to DHS and got right on a bus. They had their own lane to exit. I am SURE that we were in bed before we would have ever gotten on a bus at Epcot. And it was a coach bus, so before I knew there was a bus lane I said if I have to be stuck on a bus awhile in traffic this is the way to go.

Note: The walk from where we were was equal to DHS bus stop or Epcot bus stop.

 

[Keels]

After the fireworks, walk to DHS and get a bus there. Or stay at an Epcot resort. Those are basically your options.

Taxis and Ubers/Lyft will be non-existent.

 

[Action City]

Last year we walked out the International Gateway, walked to DHS and got right on a bus. They had their own lane to exit. I am SURE that we were in bed before we would have ever gotten on a bus at Epcot. And it was a coach bus, so before I knew there was a bus lane I said if I have to be stuck on a bus awhile in traffic this is the way to go.

Note: The walk from where we were was equal to DHS bus stop or Epcot bus stop.

Genius!

 

[Disneylover99]

I wonder what the Epcot bus situation was last night. Anyone take the bus back to their resort last night?
It was an awesome choice last year if you hung out in WS til 1am or so.

 

[EeyoreJMH]

Ooh ... we left Epcot around 12:30 last night. We’re staying at Saratoga Springs and took the bus. We were back in our room at 2:30.

 

[LSUmiss]

Just back from our Xmas trip and thinking about a New Years trip for 2018. I really want to see the NYE fireworks but I'm worried about the possibility of a 2 hour trip back to the resort.

So, with it being fresh in everyone's mind who was just there, any tips to offer?

My plan is MK on the 30th and Epcot on the 31st. We'll probably be at Bay Lake so the MK night is easy, but I'm worried about the 31st. Is there anyone that did the 31st at Epcot who stayed at BLT or Contemporary? How were the monorails after the fireworks?

We did it last yr at poly. We hung around til like 1 b/c we could. But, we got back in like 20 min once we got out of Mk. It was a very slow crawl to get out the entrance to MK. But it was very organized. The had barricades set up to queue the monorails & busses. Poly & GF were funneled to the boats & they were using bigger boats than usual. The monorails looked to be a nightmare, but at BLT you could walk back.

 

[AJT607]

We were in the Hub for MK fireworks on 12/30 this year and went straight to the Main Street bypass and bus stops after the fireworks. We were staying at the Boardwalk and willing to get on a BW/Beach-Yacht Club/Swan-Dolphin Bus and we when we got to the stops, Beach-Yacht club was loading riders. We got on the bus and we were back to the Boardwalk by 12:45pm. On 12/31, we went back to the Boardwalk and got Pizza at the takeout window and enjoyed the atmosphere. We were still back in our room by 1AM.

I can't speak to the bus from Epcot to MK on 12/31 but we had brunch at Narcoosees on 12/31 and it took us over an hour to get from the monorail stop at the Grand Floridian to Epcot. We waited multiple times for traffic on the resort loop and the Epcot loop.

 

[spumonisowner]

Last year we walked out the International Gateway, walked to DHS and got right on a bus. They had their own lane to exit. I am SURE that we were in bed before we would have ever gotten on a bus at Epcot. And it was a coach bus, so before I knew there was a bus lane I said if I have to be stuck on a bus awhile in traffic this is the way to go.

Note: The walk from where we were was equal to DHS bus stop or Epcot bus stop.

We went to Epcot last night and did this. Got a spot on the bridge between France and UK. After the fireworks walked out the IG. We were tired so we took the friendship boat which we waited only 5 mins for. Took the boat to HS and walked onto a bus back to ASMu. We were back by 1:15. Not bad!

 

[supersnoop]

Just back from our Xmas trip and thinking about a New Years trip for 2018. I really want to see the NYE fireworks but I'm worried about the possibility of a 2 hour trip back to the resort.

So, with it being fresh in everyone's mind who was just there, any tips to offer?

My plan is MK on the 30th and Epcot on the 31st. We'll probably be at Bay Lake so the MK night is easy, but I'm worried about the 31st. Is there anyone that did the 31st at Epcot who stayed at BLT or Contemporary? How were the monorails after the fireworks?

NYE 2014, we stayed at BLT and went to Epcot. We watched the fireworks between the UK and Canada. When they were over, we took a backstage exit to the front of the park and hopped on the monorail. Very few people were headed that direction; most were headed to buses or the parkin lot. We were able to get on one immediately and transferred to the resort monorail at the TTC. We were back at BLT by 12:30. Seriously. I don’t think we could have made it that quickly in a “normal” night, but on NYE, they move quickly and efficiently.

 

[deedubb]

Well, the park is open an hour after the fireworks. Maybe plan to stay for that hour then head out?

While still lots around there where less people after midnight, without question.

Since we were at BWI I can't comment on the monorail. Lines for boat was insane, according to DH. I have to admit I didn't pay attention

We will have kids, who will barely make it to midnight, let alone 1:30 am so I don't think this will be an option.

Last year we walked out the International Gateway, walked to DHS and got right on a bus. They had their own lane to exit. I am SURE that we were in bed before we would have ever gotten on a bus at Epcot. And it was a coach bus, so before I knew there was a bus lane I said if I have to be stuck on a bus awhile in traffic this is the way to go.

Note: The walk from where we were was equal to DHS bus stop or Epcot bus stop.

Great suggestion. We have never done this walk and I'm worried we'll get lost in the dark. Is the route pretty obvious? Are there signs indicating the way?

Ooh ... we left Epcot around 12:30 last night. We’re staying at Saratoga Springs and took the bus. We were back in our room at 2:30.

This is what I'm afraid of. Our kids would never survive such a late night.

NYE 2014, we stayed at BLT and went to Epcot. We watched the fireworks between the UK and Canada. When they were over, we took a backstage exit to the front of the park and hopped on the monorail. Very few people were headed that direction; most were headed to buses or the parkin lot. We were able to get on one immediately and transferred to the resort monorail at the TTC. We were back at BLT by 12:30. Seriously. I don’t think we could have made it that quickly in a “normal” night, but on NYE, they move quickly and efficiently.

Excellent!

Well, I guess there are 3 options for me to think about. Take the monorail to BLT and hope we get as lucky as the poster above, walk to HS and take the bus, or I might try to book BWV for the one night. Thanks everyone.

 

[HopperFan]

Great suggestion. We have never done this walk and I'm worried we'll get lost in the dark. Is the route pretty obvious? Are there signs indicating the way?

Yes, I think so. If you just glance at a map you will see how easy it is. You leave the International Gateway, take path left towards Boardwalk. There is a cut through by pool but even if you don't know the way you follow the path along the water the whole way and there are signs. As soon as you turn past the BW building you can see the lights from DHS. There was still party activity going on along the Boardwalk and plenty of folks outside and walking with us.

As PP also said you could get lucky and hit a boat at the Gateway and just take that to Studios.

Some photos and description -
http://www.mousesteps.com/wdw-resor...walt-disney-world-boardwalk-2017-w-140-photos

 

[hakepb]

Stay at an Epcot resort and get a spot on the bridge between France and UK.

Yep. We stayed at BWV on the 30th and left the car parked while we went to the parks. After the Epcot fireworks, we walked out of Epcot and to our self-parked car (BW had a fenced queue setup for Valet pickups)
It was (miracously?) like normal traffic towards AKL.

 

[kandb]

We will have kids, who will barely make it to midnight, let alone 1:30 am so I don't think this will be an option.



Great suggestion. We have never done this walk and I'm worried we'll get lost in the dark. Is the route pretty obvious? Are there signs indicating the way?



This is what I'm afraid of. Our kids would never survive such a late night.



Excellent!

Well, I guess there are 3 options for me to think about. Take the monorail to BLT and hope we get as lucky as the poster above, walk to HS and take the bus, or I might try to book BWV for the one night. Thanks everyone.

Definetely stay at a resort in the BW area, that you can just walk to after the fireworks are over. If you know your children could not handle a few hour trip back to BLT after the fireworks, I would definitely not risk it. It could ruin the night. Crowds are insane and sometimes there are transporation issues and crowds.

 

[Gehrig1B]

We are currently at Wilderness Lodge. I know conventional wisdom is MK on 30th, Epcot on NYE however...

If you are going to be at BLT I would reverse the two nights. We did that this year and it worked very well. We saw the 10:30 fireworks at Epcot on the 30th and used the Monorail to return to MK after without a problem. In fact, we went into MK at 11:30 and saw the midnight fireworks there as well while riding Big Thunder Mountain, then left about 1:00 am and there were minimal crowds exiting (there was EMH until 3:00 am).

Last night we booked a dessert party for NYE fireworks at MK and it was brilliant. We stayed after, until 1:00 am, and had little trouble getting to our WL boat. I imagine the walkway to Contemporary would be easy enough to negotiate. The later you stay the easier it will be getting out of MK. Just do not drive and do not use taxi. ride share, or buses!

My two cents!

 

[bizeemom4]

We were at Epcot on 12/31. The bus line took 54 minutes but the Pop buses were constantly coming. One pulled up almost immediately after a full one departed. We got in line at 12:54 and pulled away on a full bus at 1:50.

 

[hakepb]

We will have kids, who will barely make it to midnight, let alone 1:30 am so I don't think this will be an option.

FYI, I wouldn’t take Kids <10 into World Showcase at night of the 31st. It was a crazy party that made F&W weekends seem like a nice, family picnic. DJ’s in different countries blasting music, looong lines for beverages, with longer lines for bathrooms .

They do open up lawns (like between Imagination and World Showcase) so you could bring a blanket and have somewhat easier family time.

 

[constanze]

We just got back form our Christmas Week trip. We did MK on the 30th and Epcot on the 31st. We were staying at the POLY. I was shocked how easy it was to get back to our resort!--We were in Mexico because we did the La Hacienda New Years Eve event. By the time it was over, we started heading out about 12:15am---We were back at the Poly and in our beds before 1am. SO much easier than we expected.