New Years Eve???

[disneytati]

Hey, guys!
I'm going to WDW this year (Dec 28th-Jan 12th) with my family. Everyone is really excited for New Years Eve, in spite of the huge crowds.
However, we have some questions. Could you help me out, give some suggestions?

1 - We'll spend New Years Eve at the MK. I heard it closes due to capacity early in the day. But I also heard resort guests and passholders are allowed in at any time. Is that true? We'll be staying on property...

2 - Do you have any suggestions for dinner on New Years Eve? Are there any special dinners? I'd like something nice but not expensive. I wouldn't like to have burgers and pizza that night, but I am on a budget...

Thanks for your help!!!
Love,
Tati:xmas:

 

[chaggy102]

Hey, guys!
I'm going to WDW this year (Dec 28th-Jan 12th) with my family. Everyone is really excited for New Years Eve, in spite of the huge crowds.
However, we have some questions. Could you help me out, give some suggestions?

1 - We'll spend New Years Eve at the MK. I heard it closes due to capacity early in the day. But I also heard resort guests and passholders are allowed in at any time. Is that true? We'll be staying on property...

2 - Do you have any suggestions for dinner on New Years Eve? Are there any special dinners? I'd like something nice but not expensive. I wouldn't like to have burgers and pizza that night, but I am on a budget...

Thanks for your help!!!
Love,
Tati:xmas:

It depends on the phase closings...when the Magic Kingdom reaches a 4th stage of capacity nobody is allowed in, that includes passholders and resort guests. Best bet is to get there early and stay because if you leave you won't be able to get in for a little bit.

 

[perry23]

Yes i would get there early and spend the complete day in MK. There are so many things you can do and there is no chance that you couldn´t get in later.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

1 - We'll spend New Years Eve at the MK. I heard it closes due to capacity early in the day. But I also heard resort guests and passholders are allowed in at any time. Is that true? We'll be staying on property...

2 - Do you have any suggestions for dinner on New Years Eve? Are there any special dinners? I'd like something nice but not expensive. I wouldn't like to have burgers and pizza that night, but I am on a budget...

1) There are 4 phases of closure to the WDW Parks - Disney resort guests are the last still to be allowed in - but if the park shuts, it closes to everyone. For info - MK and EPCOT closed mid morning last December 31st.

2) My suggestion would be a table at Crystal Palace

 

[disneytati]

1) There are 4 phases of closure to the WDW Parks - Disney resort guests are the last still to be allowed in - but if the park shuts, it closes to everyone. For info - MK and EPCOT closed mid morning last December 31st.

2) My suggestion would be a table at Crystal Palace

OMG!!!! I thought it had closed and then reopened around 6 pm...

Ok, I'll rethink my schedule, then.... I don't know if my cousin will be able to do that with a 2-year-old child... I'll talk to her.

Yeah, the Crystal Palace is a great idea!!!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

OMG!!!! I thought it had closed and then reopened around 6 pm...

It does - providing sufficient guests leave inbetween.

The parks have a capacity for health and safety reasons so as the capacity nears they start to restrict access to certain guests - starting by closing the car parks. During the course of the day many people will leave so the park re-opens as it "empties" but there won't be a set time - its all down to guest flow.

 

[durangojim]

If I you want to go to MK for the NYE fireworks, I'd skip the MK on NYE and go on 12/30 because they will have the same fireworks show that night. I'd recommend going to DHS or EPCOT the evening of 12/31 for their respective NYE celebrations. You could have a much nice dinner at Brown Derby in DHS, or many restaurants at EPCOT than in MK and you could always go to MK in the morning but switch to the other parks in the evening. EPCOT usually closes early but then starts letting people back in around 6pm, I can't remember when they didn't let people back in.

 

[GoochDSA]

If I you want to go to MK for the NYE fireworks, I'd skip the MK on NYE and go on 12/30 because they will have the same fireworks show that night. I'd recommend going to DHS or EPCOT the evening of 12/31 for their respective NYE celebrations.

I couldn't agree more! I was at DWD for this past New Year's Eve.

The parks did re-open at about 4PM last year but I heard that they were closed up by 8 or so.

MK does their whole New Year's Eve count down and fireworks on the 30th and its not nearly as crowded. We also had PM EMH and were in the park until 3AM with very few people still around.

EPCOT seemed like it was the place to be, that is where my GF and I brought in the New Year. We did a late dinner at Biergarten (which is a party in itself) and then found a nice spot since it got pretty tough to walk around due to the crowd. They handed out hats and noise makers and such. Each country seemed to have it's own music and party. So that would be my suggestion.

It gives you a chance to bring in the New Year twice.

 

[durangojim]

Another thing I forgot to mention is that EPCOT and DHS have much more of a party atmosphere on NYE than MK -- there are DJ's and drink carts (if you enjoy alcohol). MK is a dry park, even on NYE, and I'm not sure if they have any DJ's set up.

 

[disneytati]

Yeah, I had thought of that, too... But the people in my family LOVE the MK, so we think it would be a special place to bring in the New Year. And on the 30th, we have a birthday celebration somewhere else...

I'll talk to them and see what they decide. We'll have a Disney-family-trip meeting on Sept 19th. But you know, as a Disney nut, I am the one in charge of the itineraries and all the planning.. LOL