SleepyMike1
New Member
Can you share your experiences leaving the parks after NYE?....good and bad.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Stories of leaving the parks after New Years Eve
- Thread starter SleepyMike1
- Start date
Lord_Vader
Join me, together we can rule the galaxy.
My answers are dependent on park and what resort you are staying at.
Magic Kingdom: Hang around until well after 2:00AM to avoid most of the mass exodus and painful transportation bottleneck that happens regardless of whether you are riding a bus, boat or monorail.
DHS/EPCOT: If you are at YC/BC/BWI/S&D I would walk whenever you are ready, otherwise wait out the crowds rushing to the front of the park by sitting back and enjoying one (or two) last drinks of the night.
If you have children, especially smaller children, I highly recommend waiting it out at either park because you will be using up about the same amount of time just in lines with pushing, tired and aggressive guests that may or may not care that there are children around.
Magic Kingdom: Hang around until well after 2:00AM to avoid most of the mass exodus and painful transportation bottleneck that happens regardless of whether you are riding a bus, boat or monorail.
DHS/EPCOT: If you are at YC/BC/BWI/S&D I would walk whenever you are ready, otherwise wait out the crowds rushing to the front of the park by sitting back and enjoying one (or two) last drinks of the night.
If you have children, especially smaller children, I highly recommend waiting it out at either park because you will be using up about the same amount of time just in lines with pushing, tired and aggressive guests that may or may not care that there are children around.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
kelknight84
Well-Known Member
I've never been as a guest on NYE, but I worked that night once. I was assigned to the FW/WL route on the small launch that hold about 40 guests. I pulled into MK about 11:30pm. Filled up the boat and and made sure to alert every guest that this was a resort boat only and did not go to the parking lot. Made the trek to the two resorts and one couple was still on the boat. I asked them where they were going and of course the answer was "the parking lot." I told them I was not going there and would return them to the magic kingdom. They were none to pleased about this. Well about this time we went into a holding pattern because of perimeter fireworks and also from the island on seven seas. After the fireworks were over I made it back across the water bridge and found out I was 7th in line to get back into the MK dock. Finally around 1:15am I pulled in and let them off to go fend for the ferryboat or monorail line. I was relieved to take a break but never made it to the breakroom because of the mass of people exiting. Got reassigned to the ferry for the rest of the night. The park was finally clear by 3 and we got to shut the boat down and I was clocking out around 4am. The crowd was just unbelievable!
If you go, get on the right boat. Also I would just recommend finding a spot to sit and wait.
If you go, get on the right boat. Also I would just recommend finding a spot to sit and wait.
Upvote
0
JasonDeyoung
Well-Known Member
Wait out the crowds like previously stated. The parking lots and traffic is horrible. Expect a lot of sitting and waiting for a very long time
Upvote
0
Thanks. I can handle the park crowds. It's the sitting in traffic for hours that could get to me.
Upvote
0
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Our only NYE visit was several years ago. We were in EPCOT all day and we left after the Illuminations ROE display soon after midnight. It seems that nearly everyone else decided to leave at the same time.
It was a slow, shuffling walk back towards the main exit. Everyone was well behaved, there wasn't any pushing or shoving. We made it to the Monorail station in surprisingly quick time and were soon off to the TTC.
No real issues at all
It was a slow, shuffling walk back towards the main exit. Everyone was well behaved, there wasn't any pushing or shoving. We made it to the Monorail station in surprisingly quick time and were soon off to the TTC.
No real issues at all
Upvote
0
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Didn't see that much of it as we transferred from the EPCOT monorail to the Resort monorail and a quick trip to the GF.
I think that we were really fortunate considering the huge crowds that night
Upvote
0
Thanks. I wish I could afford the GF or POLY right now. We're staying off property and I'm worried about not only the WDW traffic, but I-4, 192, etc.
Upvote
0
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Two ways to go here - stay away from the parks and celebrate the New Year in your hotel room where there's no traffic, OR, get to the parks, enjoy their unique atmosphere and the brilliant fireworks and if you encounter traffic on the way back to your accommodation "to hell with it" you've just experienced the best New Year, ever.
Upvote
0
We're FL resident AP holders and have been coming to WDW quite often over the years.....never during a major holiday. We're used to the crowds but I'm hoping this doesn't turn into a miserable experience.
Upvote
0
tahqa
Well-Known Member
I've only ever done NYE at Epcot as a resort guest at the Epcot Resorts (which is what I would wholeheartedly recommend). But... my friends that have come in as day guests have told me that they were not able to leave the parking lot until 3 or 4 in the morning. Yes, it can be that bad getting out of the parking lot. All of the lots will be filled and depending on where you are in the lot it can be quite a wait getting out.
Upvote
0
3 to 4?!?!? This is what I DIDN'T want to read! Does anyone have any HS or DD experiences leaving after NYE?
Upvote
0
Lord_Vader
Join me, together we can rule the galaxy.
NYE is a lot of fun in WDW, the fireworks are spectacular.
Why do so many people pack into times square on NYE, and in the cold to boot? NYE is a celebration and is a lot of fun with 50,000 other people to help. Yes the lines are extremely long and the crowds can be a bit unruly at times but it is so much more fun than sitting at home watching the ball drop on television, at least it is for me.
Upvote
0
incorrigible
Member
My family was in the MK on New Year's Eve a long time ago (I'm guessing late 80's; I was 8 or 9), so I'm not sure any of this experience is helpful / valid anymore, but I thought I'd share anyway. I remember the crowds were insane. My parents decided to give up on trying to watch the fireworks and we left around 11:45p. We hopped right on an empty bus, but were told they'd be waiting until the fireworks were over. Long story short, we sat outside the MK and watched the fireworks from the bus. Then we got to enjoy everyone else sprinting to the buses and scrambling for a spot. I remember having a decent view of the fireworks, although given the position of the bus stops now, I'm not sure the view would be so great.
Upvote
0
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Your statement cannot be measured in terms of wait unless you can tell us at what time they got to their car. If they were at the car soon after midnight then a three or four hour wait is horrendous. On the other hand, they may have only returned to the car at around 2am which is far better
Upvote
0
What year? Was it bad just getting out of the parking lot, around the WDW grounds, off property or all of the above?
Upvote
0