A second December trip?! On New Year's Eve too?! (12/30/2019-1/1/2020 PTR)

IanDLBZF from MCMagic

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
This trip has been something on my bucket list for quite some time. My parents have told me for years that I "shouldn't go on New Year's Eve." But that's soon all about to change......

You see, I not only have a trip planned for 12/6-12/7, but also for 12/30-1/1! This will be the VERY FIRST time I step foot into Walt Disney World on New Year's Eve! I know, I know.... It's very busy, the parks hit capacity, yada yada yada. But, you don't know that. I've faced heavy crowds during Spring Break and Thanksgiving Break, and a few other times too, but those were nothing.... compared to what I am about to face. I am renewing my AP, and bumping it up to Platinum. And during the trip on 12/6-12/7, I am going to upgrade my current Gold AP to Platinum so that should get me past the blackout dates! Crossing my fingers I can do my FP+ on the 31st of this month.

Ok, enough blabbing by me. Here's the logistics:
  • Resort - Disney's Art of Animation Resort
  • Room - Little Mermaid Standard
  • Check-In: December 30
  • Check-Out: January 1
  • Length of Stay: 3 days, 2 nights
Itinerary -
December 30, 2019
  • Travel down to WDW via my usual SunRail/Lynx routing, transfering to AOA at Disney Springs
  • Check-in, settle in, visit resort
  • Go to Disney Springs, ADR at the Edison, may do a bit of shopping
December 31, 2019 - New Year's Eve!
  • Planning to knock down two, maybe in a best case scenario three parks (or four parks) in one day, starting at Magic Kingdom and ending at Magic Kingdom
  • Order is likely going to be:
    • Magic Kingdom (AM EMH @ 7am/Park Open at 8am)
    • Epcot
    • Animal Kingdom - time/crowds permitting
    • Magic Kingdom - park close at 1am
January 1, 2019 - New Year's Day
  • Amtrak 98 from Kissimmee to Winter Park and Uber back home to my apartment in Lake Mary - transfer to station via Skyliner to HWS/Bus to Polynesian and Walk to TTC/Lynx Link 56
 
Last edited:
Ok people....
I wasn't able to do FP+s on 10/31 for 12/31 due to my Gold AP being blocked out during those dates. But, I did a last minute trip yesterday and UPGRADED my Pass from Gold......
https://y.yarn.co/2fde2aa9-91cf-4e62-a51c-eede553fd670.mp4?1572834132532
And did two FPs for Epcot on 12/31 - couldn't find any for Mission Space that worked for me.
Plan for 12/31 still stands as me going to MK, Epcot, and (if crowds allow it) AK.
 
3 WEEKS LEFT FOLKS!!!!

With that being said, gameplan on 12/31 is to start with AM EMH at Magic Kingdom, then hop over to Epcot by 8:30-9:00am spend the bulk of the day (til around 6:45-7:00ish), and come back to Magic Kingdom at around 7:00-8:00pm once they lift a phase closing til park close (1:00am). I decided to not hop to AK on NYE given the possibility of traffic concerns especially coming out of Epcot to AK and from AK to MK. Now trying to hunt down a non-character dinner ADR for MK on the other hand is a pain. Of note, I had a Rainforest Cafe ADR (Animal Kingdom) for 7:15 that I canned as a result of a change of plans. Gameplan looks like this....

Bus from AOA to MK - AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE (NLT than 6:15 AM?)
EMH Starts 7:00am

Magic Kingdom
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Peter Pan's Flight
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Splash Mountain
Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then Monorail to Epcot (NLT 8:30-9:00)
Epcot
  • Mission Space Green Team
  • Spaceship Earth (FP+ 9:20-10:20AM)
  • Soarin (FP+ 10:45-11:45AM)
  • Lunch - Nine Dragons (12:00PM ADR)
  • Test Track (Single Riders Line w/ a friend)
  • Gran Fiesta Tour (if time allows)
  • Epcot Forever (6:40pm) - Crowds permitting
Monorail to TTC, then Ferry or Monorail to MK (NLT 7:30-8:00)
Magic Kingdom
  • Dinner - TBD (something on MSUSA (e.g. Plaza Restaurant)
  • Try to squeeze in Space Mountain (if I can get a FP for it or after FITS)
  • Fantasy In The Sky (11:50PM) - where to watch?
  • Splash Mountain (if time allows)
Bus from MK to AOA

Hopefully this should work out fine.
 
Plan adjustment time! Found an ADR for Tony's Town Square, which I heard is terrible, for 3:45pm and may try to hunt down something for later (like say 7:45-8:00?).
Bus from AOA to MK - AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE (NLT than 6:15 AM?)
EMH Starts 7:00am

Magic Kingdom
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Peter Pan's Flight
  • Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh (Time Permitting)
Park Opens at 8:00am
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Splash Mountain
Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then Monorail to Epcot (NLT 8:30-9:00)
Epcot
  • Mission Space Green Team
  • Spaceship Earth (FP+ 9:20-10:20AM)
  • Soarin (FP+ 10:45-11:45AM)
  • Lunch - Nine Dragons (12:00PM ADR)
  • Test Track (Single Riders Line w/ a friend)
  • Gran Fiesta Tour (if time allows)
  • Epcot Forever (6:40pm) - Crowds permitting
Monorail to TTC, then Ferry or Monorail to MK (NLT 7:30-8:00)
Magic Kingdom
  • Dinner - Tony's Town Square (made an ADR for 3:45pm - might try to bump this later to like 7:45-8:00 ish)
  • Try to squeeze in Space Mountain (if I can get a FP for it or after FITS)
  • Fantasy In The Sky (11:50PM) - where to watch?
  • Splash Mountain (if time allows)
Bus from MK to AOA
 


Tomorrow's the BIG DAY!
Final payment was completed this morning, was looking on billing statement and it showed that I may have been upgraded to a Cars Family Suite! I had initially booked a Little Mermaid Standard Room.
 

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