NYE Illuminations

[HopperFan]

I'm looking for advice on how to make the best of an iffy situation. DH and I will be in EPCOT on NYE. When we made dining reservations a few months ago, we weren't thinking clearly about the time we'd need to secure an Illuminations viewing spot; we made a reservation for Coral Reef at 9:25, and planned to get a FP for the show. I realize now that even if we had a FP, the timing would be a little rough (quick dinner, I guess), but at 60+5, no FP, so now I'm worried.

Is there a chance we can still walk around the showcase and find a spot to watch the show? Should we cancel our dinner res and camp a place earlier on?

We've been in EPCOT on NYE before, but we were at the party and didn't watch any nighttime entertainment. I know how crazy the crowds will be, and I can't imagine finding walking room much less viewing room for the show.

Don't cancel an ADR unless you can replace it first with another. Eating was probably the hardest part about NYE in Epcot. No ADRs, QS lines were crazy long, people sitting on the ground to eat ..... we had eaten a late lunch and thought we could just grab a QS or snacks ......... UGH. Right now we plan on going again. We have lunch booked at 11 and dinner booked at 5. I want to move dinner to 7-7:30 so I'll be stalking.

PS Agree with others, unless you really want to sit for hours (and they start 8+ hours early) you really can get a good enough view from anywhere around the lagoon.

 

[FSU Girl]

Don't cancel an ADR unless you can replace it first with another. Eating was probably the hardest part about NYE in Epcot. No ADRs, QS lines were crazy long, people sitting on the ground to eat ..... we had eaten a late lunch and thought we could just grab a QS or snacks ......... UGH. Right now we plan on going again. We have lunch booked at 11 and dinner booked at 5. I want to move dinner to 7-7:30 so I'll be stalking.

Ya reservations are really scarce. I was looking at shifting my 7:15 reservation a bit and there was a 4pm available at one restaurant in Epcot and that was it.


Side question, will getting to the Contemporary on 12/30 at 3pm be a lot of traffic too? We are driving up that day and checking in. Should we try and leave a little earlier?

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Honestly? The later you eat the better. The park is so crowded that you're not gonna wanna be standing around or maneuvering the crowd all night. The only downfall I can think of is if you really wanna enjoy the parties throughout the World Showcase.... then you're not leaving yourself with a lot of time.

We typically like to eat late then go find a spot. It's a 360-degree event and while great spots won't be available (those will be long, long gone), you may get lucky; and will definitely find a decent spot.

Some sleeper spots:
- the second floor of Teppan Edo in Japan
- The stairs in the Italy Pavilion
- The area near the Africa Outpost (slightly obstructed)

 

[Shannon131]

Is it mostly just the roads that lead to Epcot and MK that back up or does the traffic back up onto other roads as well?

 

[DizFan13]

Honestly? The later you eat the better. The park is so crowded that you're not gonna wanna be standing around or maneuvering the crowd all night. The only downfall I can think of is if you really wanna enjoy the parties throughout the World Showcase.... then you're not leaving yourself with a lot of time.

We typically like to eat late then go find a spot. It's a 360-degree event and while great spots won't be available (those will be long, long gone), you may get lucky; and will definitely find a decent spot.

Some sleeper spots:
- the second floor of Teppan Edo in Japan
- The stairs in the Italy Pavilion
- The area near the Africa Outpost (slightly obstructed)

This is a really good point. We spent all our time in the party atmosphere our last NYE there, so this time we really only care about watching the fireworks. It sounds like I accidentally ended up in a good position.

 

[DizFan13]

Is it mostly just the roads that lead to Epcot and MK that back up or does the traffic back up onto other roads as well?

One leads to the other, in our experience.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

This is a really good point. We spent all our time in the party atmosphere our last NYE there, so this time we really only care about watching the fireworks. It sounds like I accidentally ended up in a good position.

So if that's the case, let me throw this out to ya...

Leave Epcot and watch it from the boat dock at Yacht Club. We started staying at BC a few years ago for Christmas. The crowds were too much and the time we spend waiting in traffic and for buses really took away from our trip. We went to Epcot for our second NYE one year and weren't feeling it. We figured "let's just go back and watch from the beach or something". While you don't hear the soundtrack, you can see most of the fireworks from both Epcot and DHS. Then you can see the Star Wars fireworks shortly after. There's a DJ that does a countdown on the Boardwalk, and only a handful of people. We like to buy a few beers and just hang around there.

 

[AngiTN]

Ya reservations are really scarce. I was looking at shifting my 7:15 reservation a bit and there was a 4pm available at one restaurant in Epcot and that was it.


Side question, will getting to the Contemporary on 12/30 at 3pm be a lot of traffic too? We are driving up that day and checking in. Should we try and leave a little earlier?

Traffic on the 30th is not bad. Nothing like what is out there on the 31st. On the 31st it's horrifically bad. What takes 15 min will take an hour, at least.

 

[FSU Girl]

Traffic on the 30th is not bad. Nothing like what is out there on the 31st. On the 31st it's horrifically bad. What takes 15 min will take an hour, at least.

That's good to know since getting there any earlier will be pretty difficult. We don't plan to move our car once we arrive.

 

[AquaDame]

Not only will you not have any problems getting in to Epcot there's no problems getting in to MK either, unless you want to walk up and buy a ticket at the gate, are not staying on site and don't have an ADR

That's really interesting..! Someone on another thread had mentioned being very glad they had an ADR at MK so they could get back in... that had me rather worried but maybe they were offsite. We are onsite and I have an ADR that I am not crazy about but didn't want to release unless my husband really needed a break and I needed it to get back in... Plan is to see the "new years" fireworks at MK on the 30th and then go to Epcot for the 31st. Hopefully this doesn't end up like at Disneyland the one year we went for it on NYE, stayed all day despite the bad crowds so we didn't get shut out and then had the fireworks cancelled at the last minute due to high winds!

 

[AngiTN]

That's really interesting..! Someone on another thread had mentioned being very glad they had an ADR at MK so they could get back in... that had me rather worried but maybe they were offsite. We are onsite and I have an ADR that I am not crazy about but didn't want to release unless my husband really needed a break and I needed it to get back in... Plan is to see the "new years" fireworks at MK on the 30th and then go to Epcot for the 31st. Hopefully this doesn't end up like at Disneyland the one year we went for it on NYE, stayed all day despite the bad crowds so we didn't get shut out and then had the fireworks cancelled at the last minute due to high winds!

Likely a misunderstanding. The app doesn't make the details of each phase of closure to makes it clear, the message will pop up and say that it's at capacity and leave out the particulars, which I've always thought was a shame because some people will think they can't get in but can.
See the details here
https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/capacity-closures

And you have no worries about fireworks being canceled at WDW. It happens at DL because it's in the middle of a city. Once they set the fireworks in place at WDW they set them off, even if it's hours late. Severe lightening is about the only thing that will delay them

 

[MaxsDad]

First, I agree with others that an ADR is a must on NYE. It was so nice to be able to sit down and relax when the park was PACKED.

Something to keep in mind though, and I am just guessing here, I don't know if this will make a difference but this is going to be the last NYE illuminations ever. That could have an impact on crowds.

 

[conandrob240]

What time do the country dance parties start? Our plan is late afternoon FP(3- 6pm), then start heading around the World Showcase. Will they be starting at 6 or 7pm or is it all much later? And what direction should we go around in? Like everyone else, our plan is to end up on the exit side for fireworks to be in the first 20,000 out rather than second 20,000 (lol)

 

[AngiTN]

What time do the country dance parties start? Our plan is late afternoon FP(3- 6pm), then start heading around the World Showcase. Will they be starting at 6 or 7pm or is it all much later? And what direction should we go around in? Like everyone else, our plan is to end up on the exit side for fireworks to be in the first 20,000 out rather than second 20,000 (lol)

Direction does not matter, exit is in the middle, provided you are talking about the front exit and not the IG
They send the flow of traffic both ways around the lagoon, through the WS so it moves freely

As for the time, I can't remember. It's not much later than 6:00. There's a website that has the times for everything but for the life of me I can't remember what it is. And Google is failing me, or rather I'm failing and using the right search term. Someone here will come along and remember either the time or the website that posts all the times guide info

 

[conandrob240]

I have read numerous threads/blogs/reviews that indicate at a certain point, you go one way around world showcase. They only let you in one way and exit the other. Do you know from experience that this is false info?

 

[yulilin3]

I have read numerous threads/blogs/reviews that indicate at a certain point, you go one way around world showcase. They only let you in one way and exit the other. Do you know from experience that this is false info?

False, they tape the middle and have cm telling people to stay to .your right
The worst time to try and walk around is after the first illuminations at 6:30pm, a lot of people are leaving while a lot of people are trying to make it into the countries for the party. After 7:30 walking around u9s more manageable

 

[conandrob240]

Good to know. Of course, our plan was soaring around 5, countdown in UK around 7pm. Lol

 

[yulilin3]

Good to know. Of course, our plan was soaring around 5, countdown in UK around 7pm. Lol

remember there will be backstage areas open to help with crowds. So if yoou are at The Land head behind Imagination ( walk to the right of the pavilion) and that will put you at the World Showplace building (between Canada and UK)

 

[conandrob240]

That’s what we thought. Even if it’s packed, not too tough to get from the land to UK. Good to know more access points as well.

I figured it’d be fun for the kids to countdown for another country.