Where to eat New Years Eve at Epcot??

[vbarry]

I know it is early...but I am starting to plan ADR's. We will have 10 people with 4 children ages 14, 9, 9 and 4. I was thinking Germany would be fun.

I am a little worried about the crowds...and I know it will be crazy. Any other ideas??

 

[lpizzuro123]

We had been to WDW several times during that Christmas/New Years week and it is very crowded. One year we ate at R&C NYE and it worked out great. We got seated outside and on NYE they do IllumiNations twice - first time is maybe 7:30 or so. We probably sat down around 6:30 and were enjoying our desert during the first showing of IllumiNations. Of course we stayed for the midnight version also - but it was great to have a place to sit and relax during the first show. I know they do not guarantee outside seating when you make your reservations.

Germany would be fun also. I remember while walking through the counties NYE whatever time midnight was in their native country all the CM celebrated it at that time in Epcot.

Linda

 

[vbarry]

I was looking over the menus for both Rose and Crown and Biergarten. Do both have kids menus? Is the Biergarten a buffet??

Which would be more fun for kid (and mom an dad's too of course!)

 

[lpizzuro123]

For their menus. R&C does have a kids menu. There is not one there for Biergarten. Biergarten is a buffet so there should be some kid friendly things on that. I would vote for R&C but honestly Biergarten is probably better especially with kids. There is a German musical show at Biergarten so that should keep the kids occupied. I know they used to sit you at long tables so depending on how many in your party you might be with other people. We have not eaten there in quite a few years so this might no longer be true.

Just be ready for crowds.

Linda

 

[dvc guy]

We have eaten at the japanese steakhouse . No matter where you eat figure you will be seated 15/30 minutes behind schedule do to the time of year.

And I thought I was the only one thinking about ADR's over the NYE vacation

 

[Cass]

We'll be there new years eve too, thanks for the info we are still trying to figure it all out.

 

[lpizzuro123]

If you are not planning on staying until midnight - make sure you do not make any dining reservations during the first viewing of IllumiNations. You do not want to be inside and miss this.

Linda

 

[Cass]

Isn't the earlier show just the normal IllumiNations and the later show the New Years fireworks?

 

[rk5798]

We ate at Germany a few years ago on New Year's Eve and it was sooo much fun! I was newly pregnant w/morning sickness so the food for me was so-so but I still had a great time. My advice for wherever you eat is find out what time midnight is in the real country and figure out what time it will be here. I think midnight in Germany is around 5PM or 6PM here so we made our ADR for a half hour earlier and we were there in time to watch all the native German cast members celebrate midnight at the same real time as their home country. That is what made the dinner so fun!

 

[lpizzuro123]

You are correct. The first IllumiNations is the regular one, The one at midnight is the regular IllumiNations with all the NYE stuff after.

Linda

 

[Cass]

Hi there, thanks... I think we will just be watching from somewhere on the boardwalk area... our flight doesn't arrive until 8pm that night. We probably won't even get into EPCOT because of the crowds.

 

[princessjilly]

Hi there, thanks... I think we will just be watching from somewhere on the boardwalk area... our flight doesn't arrive until 8pm that night. We probably won't even get into EPCOT because of the crowds.

well it goes in phases, if the number of people in the park reaches phase 1, they stop allowing CM's to enter the park. we went into epcot about 9pm last year, and used our cast member ID's. resort guests are either phase 3 or 4 so I would not expect that getting into epcot will be a problem!

remember that a lot of families with young kids will leave after the first set of fireworks

 

[Cass]

That's a good point princessjilly, thanks

Maybe we will make it in afterwards, with my luck our flight will be delayed and we will land at 11:59pm

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

We have been in Epcot at New Years Eve for several years. Warning...there is a lot of drinking in Epcot especially near the UK. We have stayed at the BC and have gone to dinner early in Epcot , watched the early fireworks and then exited the Park. Even doing that, we found Epcot to be scary crowded especially by UK. The number of drunk people was really shocking. I would be very careful especially with your 4 year old.

Germany sounds like fun... just be forewarned about the crowds and alcohol consumption. Are you staying at an Epcot resort?

 

[Princess Giselle]

I would choose any nice resorts restaurants.