The Strategy
First things first: understand that this strategy
IS NOT for everyone. It's the strategy of two adults with no children who use this as a night to have fun, celebrate, enjoy some cocktails, do a little dancing and make some new friends.
However, because we like to Drink Around the World on NYE at EPCOT doesn't mean that people with different ideas of fun can't draw a little info from how we do things.
Cool? OK, let's do this!
First things first - EPCOT is going to be crowded. No, it won't be capacity (because it's so big, square footage-wise) - but, for all intents and purposes, it will feel like it's at capacity. New Year's Eve is one of the ONLY nights of the year at EPCOT where you will see the large swaths of greenspace gated off around the park actually open for people to sit and relax. The areas close to the water at the World Showcase fill up VERY quickly, especially if they have a premium view of the fireworks. They will be marked with signs saying what time they will open up and they will have very long lines of people waiting to sit on them. But, on a sunny beautiful day - I can't imagine many nicer places to wait for the fireworks than on a blanket, in the sun, with a book at EPCOT. I digress ...
Why does the park open up these areas for people to sit and relax? Well, here goes:
It's because after, roughly, 2 p.m. it will be near impossible to find a place to sit anywhere around the parks. This even goes for a restaurant you may have an ADR for. At any table service restaurant, you will be expected to continue purchasing items or after a period of time, you will be asked to leave.
Example No. 1: Two years ago, we were lucky enough to grab two seats at a 4-top at La Cava del Tequila with two gentlemen we met standing in line. Once we sat down, it was made pretty clear that the expectation was that we could stay as long as we wanted, provided we were ordering things (
alcoholic beverages or food) after our initial order. But, basically, if you are planning to take up a table and drink water after water and eat chips, they will ask you to leave in favor of a paying party having the table. We did see a couple of tables around us that were given the check and then 30-45 minutes later, they were either asked to order something else or pay the bill and surrender the table to another paying customer waiting in line.
So, that's for a walk-up TS/Lounge. But what about a restaurant in which you have an ADR?
Example No. 2: We always schedule our pre-midnight dinner at Chefs de France, and generally with a 9:45 p.m. ADR. We've never been seated earlier than 10 p.m., but that's not a big deal.
However, every time we were seated, either the host or our server themselves would encourage us to take as long as we required for an enjoyable dinner but to please not hold the table for an extended period of time after we concluded our meal so that others with ADRs could be accommodated. That said, at Chefs you can't really see the fireworks - and, plus, you want to be outside for the spectacle that is Midnight. That's why you're at EPCOT for NYE, right?
If you're lucky enough to get an ADR at a venue where you can see the fireworks at an appropriate time (like 10:30 p.m.), yes - I'm almost positive that you'll be able to stay at the table throughout the Illuminations presentation.
But, if you made an ADR at 3 p.m.? Unless you're (by my estimation) spending roughly $20/pp every hour you're holding the table, it's very likely you'll be asked to surrender the table.
So - what's the solution to this seating problem?
Multiple ADRs!
Dining: The Strategy
Only you know how much your party likes to eat. For us, I don't like breakfast - but, once I start drinking, I like to eat every couple of hours. And, also, I don't like to eat really big meals before dinner.
So, what to do?
We have found that making multiple ADRs throughout the day is a great way to a) find a place to sit, relax and eat (and drink), while b) giving us something to pass the time with before the partying begins.
This year, our strategy involves an early lunch meal (think 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.), a late lunch meal (between 3:30 and 5 p.m. - at the latest) and our big dinner (always Chefs de France, always right around 10 p.m.).
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Next up, this is something that is two-fold. Where are you staying and how do you get to and from NYE at EPCOT.
For most of you lucky people, you are already planning a holiday stay on-site - so, you can disregard this section!
We, however, stay at my parents home - which is about five miles from Downtown Disney.
In previous years, my fabulous father has driven us to EPCOT and dropped us off about 30-45 minutes prior to Rope Drop. After the park closed, we'd generally head out to the Yacht/Beach/Boardwalk/Swolphin area and just start walking a loop until we could find a cab or car service that could take us home. In the past, this has been a pretty time-consuming venture. In the MOST RECENT past, it was also a costly one.
Like, $140 to take us five miles ... after we walked around for about two hours to find a van to drive us.
So, the following choices became clear to us for this year:
1. Repeat our past plans
2. Have my dad drop us off; find some way to get to Downtown Disney or Resort Blvd. leading out of Downtown Disney and then walk home (after 16 hours in the park, BTW)
3. Stay on-site
With the advent of FP+, and the added bonus of being able to pick FP+ 60 days out if we were staying on-site versus 30 days we'd normally get with our APs, we decided to ... stay on-site!
That said - the plan is that my Dad will still drive us and drop us off before Rope Drop. This time around, though, we'll toss some toiletries and a change of clothes in a small backpack, and will stash it in a locker at the Bus Area upon our arrival, or take it to the International Gateway if we chose to stay on that side of the park. My husband also takes his work backpack with his laptop "just in case", and a couple of other supplies we may need through the day (couple bottles of water, sunscreen, change of shoes). We put this in a locker at the Camera Center. That locker will cost $8. $9 to store all of our crap all day? Yes, please.
After park close, we'll grab our things out of the lockers and take bus transportation or wander to our hotel. Finding a cab or an Uber after 11 a.m. on New Year's Day will be A LOT easier - or, my Dad can just come pick us up at the hotel!
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And then there's the thing most people go to theme parks for -- the rides.
On our last NYE at EPCOT, FP+ was in early, early beta testing, so we mostly dealt with legacy FP. That said, I think the things we know from legacy FP in theory will likely be very applicable this year.
On our last visit, at Rope Drop, we went straight to Test Track. Our plan was to ride TT and then grab a FP for Soarin', which we did.
Park opening was at 9, so by 9:15 we were through TT and on our way to Soarin'. Went to go grab a FP and I was super stoked - 10:15 - 11:15 was our timeframe! I told J we could go grab a snack in Sunshine Seasons and then it would be close to time for our FP, and then maybe we could grab another one for TT.
Apparently, my reading comprehension is not that great early in the morning (I'm a SUPER Night Owl). Because, imagine my disappointment when the husband said:
"Babe, that's a P.M. ... not an A.M."
Needlessly to say - we made a couple exiting Chefs de France at 10 p.m. that night VERY happy when we gave them two FPs for Soarin'.
We hustled over to Spaceship Earth and waited 40 minutes. Next up was Mission Space: Orange at a very accommodating 20 minutes. After that?
Let's just say, we wandered around World Showcase and then my husband got to ride both Ellen's Energy Adventure AND Captain EO for the first time (he liked Ellen, hated EO).
So, FP+ coupled with us now adding a third ADR/TS time will help us schedule time ... and we may still ride Ellen.
Up Next - The Key Decisions!
NYE at Disney is on my bucket list!
