DISNEY on New Years ?!

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One Lil Spark

One Lil Spark

EPCOT Center Defender
Maaaaaaany people! All the parks usually hit maximum capacity very early in the day and stay packed until closing at night. I've done it before at Epcot, and it was unreal. Enjoy your trip!
 
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donsullivan

donsullivan

Premium Member
TinkINFINITY said:
but is it enjoyable? or like retarded crowded?
Thanks for the reply!
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I've gone to EPCOT on New Years Eve the last few years and there are a couple of things to keep in mind if you're going to consider it:
  • Magic Kingdom is commonly full by somewhere between 10 & 11AM. It will sometimes release during the afternoon but it's pretty much full-up for the day by mid-day.
  • Epcot doesn't fill as quickly but will be near maximum capacity by mid-day but may open up by late afternoon and you can often still get in later in the day (but I wouldn't chance it)
  • The lines for all of the attractions will be like nothing you've ever seen. It's not uncommon to see FP gone for just about everything, for the whole day by mid-day (or earlier).
  • I've seen the stand-by line for Test Track all the way back to the Breezeway in Communicore East with wait times in excess of 3 hours on multiple attractions. Soarin' was showing 200 minutes at one point last year.
  • Getting food, even fast-food is challenging simply because of the number of people that are in the park at the time. Lines will be quite long.
  • They do the full normal Illuminations show at 9:30PM and then the NYE celebration kicks off with DJ's and live music at multiple locations around the park.
  • At about 20 minutes before midnight, they repeat the performance of Illuminations and then do a global countdown for all of the countries that have already celebrated NYE wrapping up with the countdown to midnight in the US.

If you choose to go you need to bring your patience, don't get upset if you don't get on many attractions because the lines are totally ridiculous and plan to spend the 'whole' day. It's pretty much the busiest day of the year but can be a whole lot of fun if you go in with the right viewpoint on it.
 
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Jones611

Jones611

Member
I have been at MK, Epcot and Hollywood Studios for New Year's Eve and enjoyed both MK and Epcot immensely! Didn't care much for the Hollywood Studios fireworks. It was very, very crowded but the fireworks are well worth the crowd at both MK and Epcot!! I would highly recommend going if you can.

Just a hint. MK has their New Year's Eve fireworks the night before. So, view the MK fireworks on the 30th and the Epcot fireworks on the 31st. You can have the best of both worlds! :wave:
 
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G

Gravydeen

Active Member
I was reading the other day that resort guests using Disney transportation are the last ones to be turned away, and that if you can get to the entrance then you can get in. Maybe the trick to that is that disney transportation will not take you to a park that is closed to guests. I was hoping to get into MK New Years Day afternoon if I took the Disney buses, but that may be wishfull thinking. I just want to go to see the Christmas Parade.:xmas:
 
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disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
Gravydeen said:
I was reading the other day that resort guests using Disney transportation are the last ones to be turned away, and that if you can get to the entrance then you can get in. Maybe the trick to that is that disney transportation will not take you to a park that is closed to guests. I was hoping to get into MK New Years Day afternoon if I took the Disney buses, but that may be wishfull thinking. I just want to go to see the Christmas Parade.:xmas:
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New Years Day is completely different from New Years Eve. From the reports I have read, NYE WILL get closed due to capacity early in the day. However, New Years Day will be very crowded as well (less during the morning and gets heavier throughout the day) however, not crowded enough to close because of capacity. I will be going on New Years Day at 6pm and I am hopeful we will be able to get in. I know it will be crowded but its my 1st day at WDW and I have to be at the MK 1st day.. its tradition.
 
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dreamscometrue

dreamscometrue

Well-Known Member
We go to WDW every Christmas and New Year's. Although it is a very crowded time of year, we love the energy and excitement. Last year we tried NYE at Disney's Hollywood Studios (although still MGM at the time :)) and really enjoyed it. Actually, we went to DHS on Dec. 31st at opening and had a great 5 hours. We then went back to our resort and relaxed until we returned to DHS for dinner at 7pm. We had a blast that night and, although it was crowded, the atmosphere was great. We stood at the exit to watch the fireworks which were quite good and lasted 15 min. We boarded a bus at 12:25am and were in our room at Coronado before 12:45am.

New Year's Day is a great day to head out early. The previous late night results in later park crowds. We really like the serenity of DAK after the chaos leading up to and including NYE. We felt like we had the park to ourselves for a few hours and did all our favourites a few times before noon.

Don't avoid WDW this time of year. We go in summer or Spring break as well, but there is something special about Christmas-New Year's.
 
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