NYE-which parks at capacity yesterday?

[WDWisTheBest]

Anyone who is either at the parks or has talked with others at the parks now?

When did the parks close due to capacity?

 

[Bete]

Share the news, please.

 

[Niagara2]

I know that at least the parking lot closing (Phase 1) was done at all four parks during part of the day yesterday. We went to Epcot at 11am and it was mobbed. They did finally close the parking lot and I was shocked at the 50 deep lines at each of the open ticket counters before the entrance. The waits were 4 hours for MS and TT. We left. We were afraid that we would not make it back in later but the crowd was just too large for us. We spent the beautiful 81 degree day at the pool. At 7pm the full bus took us back. It looked like at that time that only busses were getting people in. We got right in and the crowds were less (but busy) then the afternoon was! Our only bad time was a people traffic jam in front of Mexico. We all stopped dead in our tracks for 20 minutes in a mob of people. The CM's from Mexico finally dragged out chairs and put them in the middle of this mob with their red long lights and tried to direct people to each side. It was a scary, mad scene. We were on our way a half hour later and funny how they rest of the night had good people control. Alot of bands and dancing. It was great
. We were there for the millenium and it was much more crowded. We found spots for illuminations a few minutes before but 3 or 4 rows back. The fireworks were nice but were much better at millenium.
Busses ran all day for all the parks so all resort guests were taken care of. Their were no reservations for any dinner restaurant at Epcot.
We took a bus home, took 3 to get all of us waiting after the fireworks home. Took a back way by MK and home in a flash! The other roads were a mess and bus driver said if we got in that line we would of been home at daylight. Many pushy people again. But we had alot of fun! Not that bad at all. We were not there to do rides, but soak in the party atmoshpere and ring in the New Year at the Happiest Place on Earth and we did it!!
Happy New Year everyone!

 

[girlsma]

My neighbor was at MK on NYE and said that park closed by 10am. And if you left no re-entry even with a stamp. YUCK!

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

We flew home to Scotland on NYE evening but in the morning we ate breakfast in MK at CP - 8.30am PS.

We got there at opening and the mob was scary. I just could not believe the tide of people entering. CP was very busy. We ust went in, ate then left. Didn't walk through Main Street to get out but went through the shops instead. The whole street just seemed to be moving, it was freaky. The park was closed at 10am according to a CM at EPCOT.

We checked out of our resort then went to EPCOT as the flight wasn't until early evening. I've never seen that park so crowded before. We made a couple of last minute purchases in WS then left. We heard that the fastpass return times for TT were 6pm and later and that was just before noon. The Living Seas had about 200 people waiting in line to enter!!!!!

The only place that wasn't crowded that day was the airport

Louise

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Louise, hope that you and your family had a great time at WDW and also had a good trip back home.

Come back soon.

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

Thanks! It was just me and my mum - a ladies trip . We had the BEST time, it was just perfect and nice to have good weather in mid winter.

We'll be returning in July with my dad and maybe my brother if we can convince him to come. Its our long stay vacation - 3 weeks and we do many other things outisde WDW so we rent a gorgeous private villa in Kissimmee. Still got those AP's though.

Louise

 

[Jodi1980]

We are on our way back from WDW - stopped to check email, etc at a public library. We slept in on NYE but walked into MGM at 2:30 for lunch at the Brown Derby. We left the park early (I will have to look at my notes when I get home) but before we left, we picked up our New Year's hats and horns!

 

[Cinderelli]

We were there and it was very crowded. I decided to judge how crowded the parks were by how long the lines were to the bathroom, ha! Actually, we were at Test Track at 11 AM and the fast passes were gone. I met another Mom in the ladies room and she said they got there at 10:30 and they were gone then, too. The stand-by line waits were 4 hours (240 minutes) for Test Track and Mission Space at 11 AM.

We were at Epcot from 11 - 8:30 PM. We only rode Maelstrom in Norway via FastPass. We did enjoy a wonderful lunch at the Cantina in Mexico and had PS at 4:45 at Marrakesh in Marroco. I'm certainly glad we had PS because people were being turned away in droves. We arrived for our PS at 4:30 and didn't get seated until around 5:15, but didn't think that was too bad considering the crowds. We, too, got stuck in Mexico trying to leave the park at 8:30. It took us 20 minutes (like another poster said) to go the distance in front of the Cantina. Once past that, tho, the crowds were manageable. The DJ's and music were great. Wish we could have hung out longer but we just couldn't fight the crowds any longer with our 3 children.

We would do it again, tho. As DVC members, we hope to someday stay at the Beach Club Villas or Boardwalk Villas and do it again. It would be so much nicer to be able to walk back to your villa, than wait for a bus, etc. on such a busy nite.

Lissa

 

[kasar]

According to the bus driver we had on New Year's Day, the park exceeded their Millenium numbers which was a record breaking day, on NYE. We were at MK and it was nuts! It was fun, I'm glad I did it once but think I'll skip it next time - just not my cup of tea. New Year's Day was very pleasant, though. I guess everyone was sleeping off their fun, LOL.

 

[shortbun]

We skipped the parks on NYE. Went to Downtown Disney, saw
LOTR ROTK and ate lunch at House of Blues. It wasnt' crowded
until about 5pm-we left at 6-hot tubbed and went to bed!
New Years Day was very crowded at MK after 12N... we had
a wonderful 4 hours there (8-12N) riding and riding commando style. We left around 5pm, looked at the 75 Mickeys and had a pleasant dinner in our suite.