Who was at Epcot on NYE ??

[princess angel]

were you at Epcot on NYE?

If so, what time did you get there, and if you left, were you able to get back in??
if you were staying on property, and went through International gateway...?

just tying to figure out for the hundredth time if it is possible to come and go in Ecpot on NYE....?

thanks!

 

[nativetxn]

I've never experienced a WDW park on NYE but I'll bump this back to page one for you so that some of our veterans can offer advice.

Katholyn

 

[grimgrinnin]

I was there for NYE 2002/2003. We stayed at the Beach Club Villas, and didn't have a problem going back to our room during the day, and then being allowed back into the park through the International Gateway. I actually don't know of an instance where the International Gateway has been closed due to crowds. This was a concern of mine before we left, and I asked the same questions as you - everyone's answers seemed to mirror my experience: They will definately close the gates to MK, probably close the front enterance to Epcot but leave the back entrance open.


grim

 

[zurgswife]

Here was our NYE entry/Exit...

Enter park for Dinner 4:30PM
DH exits park at 6:30pm (dd forgot her medicine at BWV)
DH renters park at 7:15PM

Most of the kids are exhausted by 11:30pm...ALL of us exit...
the 2 boys decide to watch fireworks...Myself and the boys reenter at 11:35pm....

 

[STILLKIKI]

We were in Epcot NYE 2003. We entered the park at 8:30 a.m. Got caught in a traffic jam for about 30 minutes, could not move, at around 7 p.m. Stuck with some people who had entered at International Gateway around 5 p.m. Crowds were just too much with 3 kids so we left around 9 p.m. through IGateway, and there were people entering while we were leaving. All that being said, we were told that the parks "closed to capacity" at 10ish that morning. So, I'm guessing that yes, if you stay on property and use disney transporation you can indeed enter all day, which is what I was told by every single CM each and every time I called freaking over whether or not we'd be able to leave and get back in. (I had booked at Fireworks cruise, and just couldn't decide whether to believe I could get back in, so I cancelled the cruise, and didn't risk it.)

HOpe this helps!

 

[princess angel]

thanks everyone! sounds like a pretty good chance of being able to exit and re-enter thru the international gateway.
we havent spent more than 5 hours straight in a park in over 4 years... I just think I would have a miserable time if I had to spend over 12 hours in a park.... no, I know I'd be miserable, and so would dh..
I think if we go, I'll take my chances of being able to come & go at Epcot.

traffic jam.....? is it wall to wall poeple unbreathable at Epcot on NYE??? I know it is incredibly crowded, but is it so crowded you cant walk???

thanks!
Laura

 

[STILLKIKI]

Yes, wall to wall people where we literally did not walk 20 feet in 30 minutes. I don't know if anyone else on the boards was caught in the "traffic jam" with us, but it wasn't very fun. It happened just as you entered World Showcase on the Canadian side. Apparently in one of the countries ahead of us, and street performance had taken place, causing the people traffic to bottleneck. I can now say I have experienced being packed like "sardines". The worst part was that my 4 year old daughter was asleep in the stroller, and when we got stuck, I couldn't really see her, and I was so afraid she would wake up and see that she was surrounded and panick and try to get out, and I wouldn't know. People were pushing and shoving and being very "undisney" like. I have to say it made me very nervous. We decided to take the kids back to the hotel, rather than risk being caught again like that upon exit after midnight. It just wasn't worth any risk, after those "undisney" like people had a few drinks to celebrate the new year.

 

[WANNABE@WDW]

We too were caught in the "traffic jam". I am very glad I am not claustraphobic! It was awful. I kept picturing all those stadium pictures where people get trampled. My youngest was in her stroller and I was so scared she was going to get her arms or legs hurt by people crushing us on either side. The people on the ECVs were trying to push their way through... it was really a bad experience. WE were so upset that we just left and went back to the CR to watch the fireworks. It was sad because there was so much going on. We were just to "freaked out" too enjoy it.

 

[funhouse8]

We also were in epcot on NYE with 75,00 of our closes friends. LOL. We arrived at 11:00 am and stayed all day. The way that they gave out the hats and noise markers was the worst part of the day. They did it on the bridge between FW and WS, I thought I was going to be stuck there all night till some nice woman helped me get though. I'm only 5ft and couldn't see anything except peoples backs. That being said the rest of the night was unbelievable. We ate in Japan and they had a DJ out front which was alot of fun. We watched the early illiminations before dinner and at 1145 headed up the stairs to watch the midnight show. This was the best display of fireworks I have ever seen and we live in NY and have seen alot of great shows. Our hats were bouncing ontop of our heads. We didn't head out right away and the DJ played till 1:00 so we had the videos on the big screen to watch for awhile, didn't want to get caught in a mob seen like earlier when they gave out the hats. If youare going to epcot on NYE make youe PS ressies and don't except to go on many rides but if you time it right you can catch all the shows. This is what we did. It was a great time. I would go again but my DH says no way are we ever going again during busy season. He likes the parks empty.

 

[Niagara2]

We have been twice - once for the Millenium.......and that was an experience never to be forgotten!! It was very very crowded but we did leave and return through International Gateway. We were there this year also. After the Millenium I really didn't think it was bad. Now it was crowded and we got caught up in the bottleneck in front of Mexico. That was scary for a few minutes. Otherwise we enjoyed the bands and the fireworks. We didn't do many rides but enjoyed the atmosphere. We were told that if you are on property you really shouldn't have a problem and a secutiry guard told me that if you have the paper for the PS at a restaurant, they will let you in. We waited about 20 minutes after the fireworks to leave and it was no problem. The day seemed busier than the night to me in FW.

 

[KCMiller]

We were there for NYE 2003. We got to the park by 7am, but they didn't let us in until 8, which was fine - I had a nice chat with a CM on a Segway while we waited. We ran right to Test Track, and got Fast Passes, then my DH and DS went to ride Mission:Space while I went and got us muffins and coffee. Then, we rode TT and planned the rest of our day.

We had PS's for lunch at Akershus (11:30) and dinner at Rose and Crown (9:40), and scored a patio table right on the wall, so thankfully, we didn't have to deal with the huge bottleneck crowds late in the evening. After the totally incredible fireworks (best I've ever seen!), we lingered for a little while at the restaurant, then started back towards the front exit. At that point, I asked my DH if he'd be up for Test Track again (it was about 1am), and so we ran over there, and there was NO line - we got right on! We were the last ones to ride that night. Afterwards, we took our sweet time strolling to the exit - the park was still full of people, although not NEAR as many as right after the fireworks.

I will say that the parking lot was pretty awful, but the crowds were never unacceptable (during the day), apart from the horrible and dangerous crush to get hats and noisemakers (this MUST be fixed before next year, or someone is going to be hurt badly!). Yes, there was over a 3 hour wait to ride some of the rides at one point, but NYE at Epcot, frankly, is not the time to ride rides <g>.

KC