Back in June, I booked this year's New Year's Eve Adventure! But this time, I'll be back at Wilderness Lodge with a water view room! Even moreso, I'll be at Hollywood Studios on New Year's Day, plus Magic Kingdom and Epcot on New Year's Eve! Since ringing in 2020, New Year's Eve at WDW has turned into an annual tradition to me, even with heavy crowds. And yeah, I find it fun though. And some of my Facebook groups have told me that I am crazy to think that I could end up Park Hopping on New Year's Eve. Well, let's just say that I find it easy to park hop on New Year's Eve. You just gotta have a strategy and ensure nothing falters.
The itinerary is as follows:
December 30, 2024 - Monday
I'll depart home for Lake Mary Station (via Sanford Seminole Center; using NeighborLink 851 and Link 45) at around 10:15am or so and grab lunch probably at Subway or KFC. Taking the 12:43pm Southbound from Lake Mary to LCS, in turn the 1:45 PM Lynx Link 300 to TTC and in turn the ferry or monorail to the Magic Kingdom and then the boat to Wilderness Lodge. I'll check-in, settle-in, and unpack, all before catching the bus to Disney Springs to shop and grab dinner somewhere. At this point I'm thinking about one of three ADRs:
December 31, 2024 - Tuesday
I'll be up early enough, probably around 5-5:30 or so, to grab the first boat of the day from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom. I'll take full advantage of Early Entry to knock down 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, and perhaps Pooh if time allows. I'll then knock down Space Mountain, or try to rope drop Big Thunder Mountain. Almost immediately after, my assumption will be that I'll need to quickly move to get the Monorail or Ferry to the TTC, and then transfer over to the Epcot Monorail. I'll have three LLMPs booked at Epcot at this point, likely Soarin', Mission Space, and one more attraction, and will keep looking for them during the course of the day, as well as for Magic Kingdom for after 7pm. I will most likely have an early lunch somewhere with an ADR (either Via Napoli or Nine Dragons). Dinner will be at Shiki Sai (with an ADR likely for around 30 mins prior to Luminous). Immediately after Luminous, I'll get back to Magic Kingdom via the TTC and knock down any LLs I have (fingers crossed for a Tiana LL, if not BTMRR or JC), I'll need to be near Cinderella's Castle at a reasonable hour (before MSUSA reaches capacity) so I can ring in 2025 by watching Fantasy in The Sky. I might book a LLSP for TRON (with a 12:00am return time). Then I'll get the boat back to Wilderness Lodge.
January 1, 2025 - Wednesday
I'll sleep in that day and pack for my trip home, before having breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe, dropping my suitcase off at bell services, and catching the bus to Disney's Hollywood Studios. My goal for today is to do, at very least...
Logistics
The itinerary is as follows:
December 30, 2024 - Monday
I'll depart home for Lake Mary Station (via Sanford Seminole Center; using NeighborLink 851 and Link 45) at around 10:15am or so and grab lunch probably at Subway or KFC. Taking the 12:43pm Southbound from Lake Mary to LCS, in turn the 1:45 PM Lynx Link 300 to TTC and in turn the ferry or monorail to the Magic Kingdom and then the boat to Wilderness Lodge. I'll check-in, settle-in, and unpack, all before catching the bus to Disney Springs to shop and grab dinner somewhere. At this point I'm thinking about one of three ADRs:
- Chef Art Smith's Homecoming Kitchen
- Edison
- Summer House
December 31, 2024 - Tuesday
I'll be up early enough, probably around 5-5:30 or so, to grab the first boat of the day from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom. I'll take full advantage of Early Entry to knock down 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, and perhaps Pooh if time allows. I'll then knock down Space Mountain, or try to rope drop Big Thunder Mountain. Almost immediately after, my assumption will be that I'll need to quickly move to get the Monorail or Ferry to the TTC, and then transfer over to the Epcot Monorail. I'll have three LLMPs booked at Epcot at this point, likely Soarin', Mission Space, and one more attraction, and will keep looking for them during the course of the day, as well as for Magic Kingdom for after 7pm. I will most likely have an early lunch somewhere with an ADR (either Via Napoli or Nine Dragons). Dinner will be at Shiki Sai (with an ADR likely for around 30 mins prior to Luminous). Immediately after Luminous, I'll get back to Magic Kingdom via the TTC and knock down any LLs I have (fingers crossed for a Tiana LL, if not BTMRR or JC), I'll need to be near Cinderella's Castle at a reasonable hour (before MSUSA reaches capacity) so I can ring in 2025 by watching Fantasy in The Sky. I might book a LLSP for TRON (with a 12:00am return time). Then I'll get the boat back to Wilderness Lodge.
January 1, 2025 - Wednesday
I'll sleep in that day and pack for my trip home, before having breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe, dropping my suitcase off at bell services, and catching the bus to Disney's Hollywood Studios. My goal for today is to do, at very least...
- Smuggler's Run
- Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
- Tower of Terror
- Rise of The Resistance
- Toy Story Mania
Logistics
- Dates: December 30, 2024 through January 1, 2025
- Resort: Wilderness Lodge - Water View
- Ticket used: Florida Resident IncrediPass