Tips for New Year's Eve at the Parks

[Lizzybee]

Not for me (sigh), but a friend is going in Dec/Jan and will be there for New Year's Eve. Anyone know if it's bad bad crowded? Anyone have tips for managing the crowds during that time? Best place for the parades/fireworks with the crowds? TIA for your help.

 

[Tinkerboy00]

I went to Epcot this year for NE and it was awful. By the time I got there at 11.............ALL of the restaurants were booked for the rest of the day, all of the fast passes at all rides were already given out.

The rides that usually you can walk on like the ride in Norway............were like 45-50 minutes wait. It was insanely busy, so you couldnt eat, couldnt ride anything, could barely walk or watch a show, and you couldnt get in a store to do any shoppig.

So we left.

 

[mamacatnv]

Take you patience hat and be ready to wait for everything.

You will find some love it and others hate it. Personally, we chose to avoid it as we felt the chaos was too much for our 7 yr. old at the time.

Strategy:
Get to your chosen park early and do not leave. If you leave there is no guarantee that you will get back in. Have ADR's in place. Find a place on the grass somewhere to just hang and relax to recharge your batteries mid day. I have read Epcot is the best choice due to its size.

Have fun and happy planning

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Make sure you have meal reservations. Get there early. Do not plan to leave. Bring a backpack so you can layer clothing; the lockers will sell out in the first 1/2 hour.

Last year at Epcot I know they closed the parking lot, and at least once before I left (I was working front gates) at 4:00 they had closed down ticket sales to only allow in people who already had tickets. My last two hours I was at the exit gates, and told to warn everybody who was leaving that they might not get back in if they tried to return later.

 

[AStamm]

Not only get there early...get there at park opening if there are any rides that are must-dos that day. We walked on just about everything in Fantasyland two years ago at park opening--by lunchtime the wait time was 2 hours for Peter Pan's Flight!

With the huge swells in crowds, be far, far away from the parade route if you're not watching it. We got stuck for an hour on the little path between the Riverboat and Tom Sawyer's Rafts. It was horrible--people shoving, swearing, etc.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Crowds cannot be described.Usually see quite a few very unhappy babies and toddlers with even more unhappy adults trying to figure out where they can rest,what they can do between standing in lines and waiting for the 1st parade/fireworks.
Older kids and adults fare better.We have done every open park in Fla on NYE several times and Epcot is our Fav.MK is #2 and BG#3.

Tips,ADRs,planning,packing are essential as the day can last up to 17hrs+ between leaving your room and returning if you stay thru.2 sitdown meals per day can burn 5 hours with desserts and after-dinner coffeees lingered over.

We wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[Disney? Again?]

All the fireworks are amazing, and it is a lot of fun to be there in person for it all. We have watched the fireworks from the grounds of the GF, and that was awesome as well and without the headaches of a long day at the park. If the dream is to watch near Cinderella's Castle, then pack and plan as advised on this thread.

Two extra thoughts, the MK is open til about 3 am...we went IN to the park after midnight and had more fun in those 3 hours. Be ready to fight your way upstream to get in...after that, the lines were easy. We rode Big Thunder 3 times in a row. Second, they must "practice" the New Years Fireworks Show the night BEFORE at the MK so if you want to experience the show and the Castle, watch it Dec. 30 without all the headaches.

Happy New Year - anywhere at WDW is a great place to start a new year.

 

[Lizzybee]

Thanks for all the info so far. My friend has another couple of questions. First of all, which park do you recommended on New Year's Day. Her second question is since it sounds like MK will be insane for the fireworks, where is a goon alternative to watch it. Someone suggested GF, any other suggestions? Can you see them from the Poly on the beach or is that too far? Thanks again guys! I wish I had the answers for her but I haven't been able to go for Christmas/New Year's