Potential New Year's 2007 Vacation

[JoeM]

Hello All,

We are thinking about a New Year's vacation at WDW beginning on Dec 30, 2007 and lasting through Jan 4th, 2008. We are looking for some information from folks that might have vacationed during a similiar timeframe.

1. We are aware that the crowds will be extreme high on the Dec 30th, 31st and Jan 1st. Is it reasonable to expect the level to drop beginning on the Jan 2nd?

2. What is the chance of actually get DVC reservations during this time. We own at the Boardwalk and will be booking shortly. Is it still necessary to be placed on a wait list? If so, is it reasonable to find success from it?

3. We have read that you must enter a park early on New Year's Eve and stay in that park for the full day. If this is true, what park would folks recommend as we would have interest in fireworks or entertainment at midnight.

4. Do the resort hold any activities at midnight to celebrate?

Thanks for any information you could offer us in our planning.

 

[milmom6]

I planned this past New Years at MK and was worried about the crowds. It was the most wonderful experience though. It was my boys (8 and 4) hubby and me.

We just returned from New Years @ MK. We spent one day (Dec 29th) @ Sea World. It was wonderful. The boys loved the play area, Shamu's show, etc. Then on the 30th played in pools (military's Shades of Green in Disney World) and spent the evening at Downtown Disney. That is where we decided to tour DVC. They gave us VIP Fast Passes.

We woke early the next morning (New Years Eve) and we were in the park at 7am. Went straight to Fantasy area and no crowds at all. Rode everyting and told the kids we'd hit the playground areas when crowds were crazy.

Went to tomorrowland next and crowds still low, 15-20 minute waits. Saw the H.S. musical show, kids loved it.

I was worried parades would be packed and they were, but we grabbed seats where they close off the crosswalks at the last minute and saw 2 parades.

At craziest times, the wait was 2 hours for Splash Mountain and others but we used our VIP FP's and got to go right on. We got some dirty looks though, LOL.

It was crowded but not unpleasant. MK had 2 sets of fireworks that night. Was an amazing, wonderful way to bring in the New Year and the boys tell everyone that they got to spend the last day of 2006 and the first day of 2007 in Magic Kingdom.

MK did not close until 2am so although our youngest crashed after midnight, oldest was riding rides over and over with no lines.

It was great, I would definitely do again and we are now proud DVC members. Those were very expensive VIP FP's.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

1. We are aware that the crowds will be extreme high on the Dec 30th, 31st and Jan 1st. Is it reasonable to expect the level to drop beginning on the Jan 2nd?

No. This year it was as crowded on January 2 as on any other day of our trip. What made it worse was that some rides were closed for maintenance. With New Year's being on a Tuesday next year it will only be worse.

2. What is the chance of actually get DVC reservations during this time. We own at the Boardwalk and will be booking shortly. Is it still necessary to be placed on a wait list? If so, is it reasonable to find success from it?

Call at 11 months and you will get something. If you want Standard view or Boardwalk view call day by day. A few years ago I waited and didn't call day by day and wasn't able to get one night (new Year's Eve) in a Standard view room.

3. We have read that you must enter a park early on New Year's Eve and stay in that park for the full day. If this is true, what park would folks recommend as we would have interest in fireworks or entertainment at midnight.?

Not true at all. Two years ago we wondered over the the MK late on New Year's eve and this year we went over to MGM just to see the Fireworks and Osborne lights. One of the biggest New Year's myths out there is that you have to arrive early and stay all day. We had a 7 P.M. dinner reservation at DTD. Went back to our room, rested a while and then went to MGM.

4. Do the resort hold any activities at midnight to celebrate?

The BWV's do mainly becasue of the Boardwalk entertainment area. They had a DJ on the Village Green area and were giving out hats and noise makers. There was tons of activities on the Boardwalk.

We love the Christmas/New Year's time of year. Plan in advance. Get your meal reservations as soon as you can and get out of the parks at mid day to take it easy for a while.

HBC

 

[JoeM]

Thanks for the insights so far. We do appreciate it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have done NYE twice at WDW, and both times made Epcot our park of choice. The first time was for 1999/2000, and the park was PACKED! That is the largest crowd I have ever been in anywhere! Epcot closed to capacity about 3 PM.

WE also went to NYE 2005/2006, and the crowds were manageable. We had no difficulty at all going back and forth to the park even as late as 8 PM. Epcot never did close to capacity.

BTW, we LOVED Epcot for NYE. I think MK might be more of a problem, since it is smaller, but even the crowds for the Millennium made the experience a fun one.

We also learned that anything you do until about noon on New Year's Day was easy to accomplish. After that, everyone who stayed up too late, starts coming to the parks, and it gets jammed.

The day of the week has a lot to do with it as well as predicted vacation times for schools. With the holiday on Monday this year, many schools had the whole first week of January off, so crowds were a bit more this year. When the holiday is mid-week, the crowds will taper off by the first weekend after.