trying to get around MK resorts on NYE

[PAdislover]

Hi
we are staying offsite at Regal Oaks for my son's baseball tourney over new years.
We didn't plan on going into the Disney parks since we just had a great 8 night trip at the poly with lots of park time in October.
however, my DH really wants to take DS on a fishing excursion since that was a highlight of our last trip.I called and got a trip booked that leaves from CR marina on 12/31 at 1:30pm. they said we can park at the CR. I also got my DD6 into the wonderland tea party that day at the GF from 2-3pm. I will take her there while the guys fish. ( I am surprised to have gotten these reservations with 2 weeks notice, but I guess I probably got lucky and got cancellations). Anyways, my question is about navigating the roads near MK on the afternoon of 12/31. I know this is one of the busiest days of the year on Disney property. Regal Oaks is 4 miles from MK. how early should we leave to get to CR? I am planning on then taking the monorail with DD over to GF, or we could walk to MK and take the boat from there to GF. do you think there will be a limit of time that we can leave our car at CR? We don't have set plans for NYE. I am desperately trying to get a dinner ADR for MK. if we can, we might buy 1 day tickets to MK and walk over there from CR for a few hours. any thoughts on the traffic and parking situation would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[subtchr]

I honestly think you'll be fine, midday. Maybe give yourself an hour or an hour and a half to be safe.

Goodness, though, that would be an incredibly expensive dinner if you go into the MK! And the crowds in the park by the time you got there, if you could even get in (yes, even with an ADR)! Why not just look at resort restaurants, or go over to Disney Springs?

 

[PAdislover]

I honestly think you'll be fine, midday. Maybe give yourself an hour or an hour and a half to be safe.

Goodness, though, that would be an incredibly expensive dinner if you go into the MK! And the crowds in the park by the time you got there, if you could even get in (yes, even with an ADR)! Why not just look at resort restaurants, or go over to Disney Springs?

ok thx for the reassurance about mid day traffic. I agree about MK. I am 50/50 about even going in even if we do get an ADR. I just think my kids will want to go in being so close to the park. they don't know about the trip yet, we are surprising them and telling them in a few days. I may try to play it up to them that the park will be so crowded that they won't be able to go on many rides at all and maybe I will be pleasantly surprised that they don't care about going. they really hate lines. my DS9 complained during October trip if any line was 20 min. I planned very well so we didn't really have to wait much. I don't think he could handle NYE anyways. hopefully they will be content with our resort time! I'm not a big new years person anyways. personally I could just be back at the condo hanging out and playing games or something. I am glad to hear that you think that midday traffic won't be too bad.

 

[Skywise]

The worst traffic will be those trying to get into the MK from the highway. Getting to/from the MK area to the Epcot area is doable but pretty dense too. Staying within the MK resorts area will be more packed than usual but not horribly so.

 

[PAdislover]

The worst traffic will be those trying to get into the MK from the highway. Getting to/from the MK area to the Epcot area is doable but pretty dense too. Staying within the MK resorts area will be more packed than usual but not horribly so.

we will be coming from Regal Oaks in Kissimmee. so I guess that's considered coming in from the highway? they have to be to the marina by 1:15 so I am thinking we will leave at like 11:30 or 12pm? If we get there early we can just go play in the CR arcade I guess or grab a snack from contempo café.

 

[philharmagic fan]

I honestly think you'll be fine, midday. Maybe give yourself an hour or an hour and a half to be safe.

Goodness, though, that would be an incredibly expensive dinner if you go into the MK! And the crowds in the park by the time you got there, if you could even get in (yes, even with an ADR)! Why not just look at resort restaurants, or go over to Disney Springs?

I second this. The odds of an off-site guest getting into MK at 3-4pm on NYE are probably pretty close to zero, and you will lose your $10/person no-show fee (or worse yet the entire amount if you book a restaurant requiring prepayment). An ADR does NOT get you admission if a closure is in effect that would otherwise keep you out (we stayed onsite and had the NYE dessert party booked a few years ago, and Guest Relations called and told us to be in MK by 10am)

 

[PAdislover]

I second this. The odds of an off-site guest getting into MK at 3-4pm on NYE are probably pretty close to zero, and you will lose your $10/person no-show fee (or worse yet the entire amount if you book a restaurant requiring prepayment). An ADR does NOT get you admission if a closure is in effect that would otherwise keep you out (we stayed onsite and had the NYE dessert party booked a few years ago, and Guest Relations called and told us to be in MK by 10am)

thanks all for giving me a reality check...I really appreciate it (and I'm not being sarcastic!) I just looked on MDE and found a 4:55pm ADR for trails end at FW. the guys will be done fishing at CR by 4pm so maybe we can just take the boat over to FW. we have never been there so maybe we can do that! I snatched up the ADR.

 

[DebbieB]

thanks all for giving me a reality check...I really appreciate it (and I'm not being sarcastic!) I just looked on MDE and found a 4:55pm ADR for trails end at FW. the guys will be done fishing at CR by 4pm so maybe we can just take the boat over to FW. we have never been there so maybe we can do that! I snatched up the ADR.

That's a great choice! Some of the camp sites may still be decorated.

 

[bumbershoot]

do you think there will be a limit of time that we can leave our car at CR?

If you pay for Valet at CR you can leave it all day.

they really hate lines.

Then do NOT enter MK on NYE.

 

[siskaren]

I second this. The odds of an off-site guest getting into MK at 3-4pm on NYE are probably pretty close to zero, and you will lose your $10/person no-show fee (or worse yet the entire amount if you book a restaurant requiring prepayment). An ADR does NOT get you admission if a closure is in effect that would otherwise keep you out (we stayed onsite and had the NYE dessert party booked a few years ago, and Guest Relations called and told us to be in MK by 10am)

Actually, according to this article in Touring Plans, the last time Magic Kingdom has a stage 4 closure (where nobody gets in) was on April 7, 2009. Someone with an ADR (even if they aren't staying on property) can get in up to a stage 3 closing, so it's highly unlikely that the OP couldn't get in on NYE with an ADR:

http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/capacity-closures

I will concede though that stage 3 does seem likely on NYE, and personally, I wouldn't buy a one day ticket just to have dinner at MK.

 

[PAdislover]

That's a great choice! Some of the camp sites may still be decorated.

thx - it was my only choice! I checked GF, poly, CR, WL and FW since those are the easiest places for us to get to with our car being at CR and it was the only dinner ADR available!

 

[PAdislover]

Actually, according to this article in Touring Plans, the last time Magic Kingdom has a stage 4 closure (where nobody gets in) was on April 7, 2009. Someone with an ADR (even if they aren't staying on property) can get in up to a stage 3 closing, so it's highly unlikely that the OP couldn't get in on NYE with an ADR:

http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/capacity-closures

I will concede though that stage 3 does seem likely on NYE, and personally, I wouldn't buy a one day ticket just to have dinner at MK.

thx for that info. we wouldn't just be having dinner if we went in. would probably try to get 3 fpp's for something but it's probably not worth dinner and 3 rides which might be non headliners anyways! I am 99% talked out of MK that day. thx all!

 

[Robo]

If you pay for Valet at CR you can leave it all day.

But, that's a big "If."
On NYE, there is a good chance that off-site guests will not be allowed to valet park at any of the MK/monorail resorts, valet or otherwise.

 

[PAdislover]

But, that's a big "If."
On NYE, there is a good chance that off-site guests will not be allowed to valet park at any of the MK/monorail resorts, valet or otherwise.

we have a reservation there though for our fishing trip at 1:30pm. I was told we would be allowed to park there b/c of that reservation. do you think that's wrong info?

 

[Robo]

we have a reservation there though for our fishing trip at 1:30pm. I was told we would be allowed to park there b/c of that reservation. do you think that's wrong info?

If you have a reservation at the marina, you should normally be fine.
NYE is not a normal day.
The real problem is the major over-crowding of the roads and parking lots due to the enormous amount of holiday guests flooding MK and the resorts.
Allow a lot of extra time just to drive to the area.
NYE will be a very busy day at MK.

 

[PAdislover]

If you have a reservation at the marina, you should normally be fine.
NYE is not a normal day.
The real problem is the major over-crowding of the roads and parking lots due to the enormous amount of holiday guests flooding MK and the resorts.
Allow a lot of extra time just to drive to the area.
NYE will be a very busy day at MK.

We got a CM ADR @ 11:15 so we will eat there before the fishing trip. So how much time should we give ourselves to get from Kissimmee old town area to CR? An hour maybe?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

ok thx for the reassurance about mid day traffic. I agree about MK. I am 50/50 about even going in even if we do get an ADR. I just think my kids will want to go in being so close to the park. they don't know about the trip yet, we are surprising them and telling them in a few days. I may try to play it up to them that the park will be so crowded that they won't be able to go on many rides at all and maybe I will be pleasantly surprised that they don't care about going. they really hate lines. my DS9 complained during October trip if any line was 20 min. I planned very well so we didn't really have to wait much. I don't think he could handle NYE anyways. hopefully they will be content with our resort time! I'm not a big new years person anyways. personally I could just be back at the condo hanging out and playing games or something. I am glad to hear that you think that midday traffic won't be too bad.

I think kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. Even being so close to the parks, you can always reassure them of the fun they will be having. I know it may not mean much from someone who loves close--but we have not had tickets a number of times and my kids still had fun. This will be the case when we go in the spring for a non-parks stay.

Don't feel pressured to spend a lot of money for little park time. Much fun can be had for less doing non-park things. (La Nouba, HDDR, splitsville, mini-golf, etc). Though somemthings may not have availability.

There may be other family friendly off site New Year's Eve activities if you check around.

 

[PAdislover]

I think kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. Even being so close to the parks, you can always reassure them of the fun they will be having. I know it may not mean much from someone who loves close--but we have not had tickets a number of times and my kids still had fun. This will be the case when we go in the spring for a non-parks stay.

Don't feel pressured to spend a lot of money for little park time. Much fun can be had for less doing non-park things. (La Nouba, HDDR, splitsville, mini-golf, etc). Though somemthings may not have availability.

There may be other family friendly off site New Year's Eve activities if you check around.

Yes, my original post was from a week ago. We have since decided not to go into the MK. My kids actually seem to be OK with that even though we obviously aren't there yet. We now have plans on NYE at Chef Mickey's at 11:15 AM and my husband and son will go fishing leaving from the CR from 130 to 330 and I am taking DD to the Wonderland tea party at the GF from 2-3pm. My concern now is with traffic near the MK area on NYE. We will be coming from the Kissimmee area and I saw pictures today of the mile long traffic trying to get into the MK area this afternoon. If our ADR is at 11:15 AM at CM I am hoping to get there if we give ourselves an hour travel time. I hope that's enough time to drive 4 miles!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes, my original post was from a week ago. We have since decided not to go into the MK. My kids actually seem to be OK with that even though we obviously aren't there yet. We now have plans on NYE at Chef Mickey's at 11:15 AM and my husband and son will go fishing leaving from the CR from 130 to 330 and I am taking DD to the Wonderland tea party at the GF from 2-3pm. My concern now is with traffic near the MK area on NYE. We will be coming from the Kissimmee area and I saw pictures today of the mile long traffic trying to get into the MK area this afternoon. If our ADR is at 11:15 AM at CM I am hoping to get there if we give ourselves an hour travel time. I hope that's enough time to drive 4 miles!

Sorry--I didn't note the dates. So I thought the MK visit was in addition to all that.

When we stay offsite, I prefer a 2 hour buffer for time sensitive commitments. So leave where you are staying 2 hours before first appt time. At 10:15, I would be concerned about all the folks trying to get in. But there is a back way that may help. It brings you by way of Fort Wilderness. We almost took it on our last stay until I realized that it is a little too far past the parking plaza (for being so close to it) that you cannot get to the TTC parking lot without going all the way around.

The reason I personally prefer 2 hours is to account for the transit, time it may take to park in addition to the time it takes to walk to my destination. We tend to be slow to unload and I don't want to feel rushed once we have parked. It is a bit of a walk from where you may end up parking at CR to get all the way to Chef Mickey's.

 

[PAdislover]

Sorry--I didn't note the dates. So I thought the MK visit was in addition to all that.

When we stay offsite, I prefer a 2 hour buffer for time sensitive commitments. So leave where you are staying 2 hours before first appt time. At 10:15, I would be concerned about all the folks trying to get in. But there is a back way that may help. It brings you by way of Fort Wilderness. We almost took it on our last stay until I realized that it is a little too far past the parking plaza (for being so close to it) that you cannot get to the TTC parking lot without going all the way around.

The reason I personally prefer 2 hours is to account for the transit, time it may take to park in addition to the time it takes to walk to my destination. We tend to be slow to unload and I don't want to feel rushed once we have parked. It is a bit of a walk from where you may end up parking at CR to get all the way to Chef Mickey's.

My son is playing an 8 AM baseball game at the WWOS that morning. So the earliest we could leave to get to CR is after that game ends which will probably be around 9:30 or 9:45. Sounds like we should just leave straight from the WWOS without going back to the condo and hope for the best. Makes me nervous but I guess all we can do is try. My other Disney trips have been in May or October so I have no experience with these high crowds!