New Years Trip tips and tricks?

[MissGina5]

Hello all! I am going on a trip with my boyfriend from Dec 31- Jan 5th! We are so excited but I am worried a bit about the crowds during that time. We are staying at a DS resort the first night and then Gran Destino Tower the rest. Any tips and tricks for budgeting our time wisely this time of year?

Thanks!

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Hello all! I am going on a trip with my boyfriend from Dec 31- Jan 5th! We are so excited but I am worried a bit about the crowds during that time. We are staying at a DS resort the first night and then Gran Destino Tower the rest. Any tips and tricks for budgeting our time wisely this time of year?

Thanks!

Animal Kingdom will likely be the least crowded park December 31. If MK doesn't close to capacity/reopens later in the day, you could choose to see the second fireworks that night if you have park hopper. Or you can enjoy the celebration at AK (they're open late for New Year's Eve this year).

If you do plan on going to MK on NYE, get there early and don't leave. Expect large crowds (possibly filling the park to capacity as mentioned) and just follow where the fastpasses lead.

 

[MissGina5]

Animal Kingdom will likely be the least crowded park December 31. If MK doesn't close to capacity/reopens later in the day, you could choose to see the second fireworks that night if you have park hopper. Or you can enjoy the celebration at AK (they're open late for New Year's Eve this year).

If you do plan on going to MK on NYE, get there early and don't leave. Expect large crowds (possibly filling the park to capacity as mentioned) and just follow where the fastpasses lead.

I think the plan is for Hollywood Studios that night! I am a little nervous because while I know in the past it wouldnt have been too busy, with Galaxy's Edge its really a toss up lol

 

[Monykalyn]

Epcot is huge, one big party and can handle the large crowds.
Decide which park you will be in and get an ADR NOW-stalk them if you have to. You will want to have a nice sit down dinner (and access to uncrowded restrooms) to recharge from the crowds.
NYE is tons of fun and I want to do it again someday!!

 

[MissGina5]

Epcot is huge, one big party and can handle the large crowds.
Decide which park you will be in and get an ADR NOW-stalk them if you have to. You will want to have a nice sit down dinner (and access to uncrowded restrooms) to recharge from the crowds.
NYE is tons of fun and I want to do it again someday!!

I am so excited for that night because I feel I was able to accomplish this so far with a reservation at Sci Fi for dinner and then Ogas for a drink later! Do the resorts do anything fun for new years?

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I think the plan is for Hollywood Studios that night! I am a little nervous because while I know in the past it wouldnt have been too busy, with Galaxy's Edge its really a toss up lol

I think even with the new attraction opening Dec 5 there, I'm not sure DHS is going to see a huge increase. I will say it will likely be the second most crowded park but that's due to size and not enough attractions to suck people up (unlike EPCOT and AK which can spread out people very easily). Your best bet is get to DHS early if you want to do the GE rides Otherwise, hit up TSL if you two want to do that.

[edit]To be clear, I mean huge increase in wait times for other attractions outside of GE.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Epcot is huge, one big party and can handle the large crowds.
Decide which park you will be in and get an ADR NOW-stalk them if you have to. You will want to have a nice sit down dinner (and access to uncrowded restrooms) to recharge from the crowds.
NYE is tons of fun and I want to do it again someday!!

OP, don’t underestimate the access to uncrowded restrooms part Of this post. Excellent advice!

 

[MissGina5]

OP, don’t underestimate the access to uncrowned restrooms part of this post. Excellent advice!

honestly that is a great tip because I would definitely not have thought of that!!!!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

My only real tip is to just have fun and go with the flow, whatever your plans entail. You read a lot of posts about New Years / holiday crowds and such. Some of it is hyperbole (in my opinion) and some of it is justified. 12/31 is a unique day unlike any other with its very own set of circumstances, obstacles, challenges, and overall awesomeness (I’m being serious).

It’s a great time of year for long park hours which can really help spread crowds around and more hours of FPs in circulation.

YMMV but we have more luck refreshing during these busy times than the not so busy times.

Have fun!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Try to go with the flow and Be in the Moment rather than attached to ur phone... though grabbing those fast passes as soon as u swipe thru is a great strategy, lol.
My real advice... bring patience!
Here now... for the most part, People are just wonderful, have met and gabbed with really lovely people.
Sadly, however, some people are Overly Stressed and ill prepared ( atleast I hope they re not normally like this) and they are just plain rude!
Wishing you a Magical visit.

 

[avincent]

We just plan on “being there.” This is our 9th trip to Disney since 2010 six of them coming in December but usually the week up until Christmas. I made a reservation at BOG for lunch and LTT for dinner. I wasn’t sure what time to get there. I lobe the Christmas Parade and would like to watch that but originally I though arriving around 5:00 would lessen the stress of being there the whole day. I think we may be staying off site so the traffic does worry me. Which would be less traffic 2 or 5.? Who knows...

 

[MissGina5]

thank you everyone this has been wonderful!!!

 

[LizGirl]

The advice to "just be there" is spot on. If you don't expect to get on every attraction and can instead appreciate the fun atmosphere, you'll have a great time! Be flexible and plan ahead for food and restroom lines. Also plan to wait a while in traffic to get out at the end of the night.

We'll be at Epcot again this year. The worst of our last NYE in 2018 was the bus lines at 3:00am!

 

[MissGina5]

The advice to "just be there" is spot on. If you don't expect to get on every attraction and can instead appreciate the fun atmosphere, you'll have a great time! Be flexible and plan ahead for food and restroom lines. Also plan to wait a while in traffic to get out at the end of the night.

We'll be at Epcot again this year. The worst of our last NYE in 2018 was the bus lines at 3:00am!

3 AM?! the park was still open?!

 

[LizGirl]

3 AM?! the park was still open?!

No, they closed at 1! That's what made it so tough. The bus lines just stagnate because the traffic is so bad, they can't come or go for a while. It would be ideal to stay at an Epcot resort that night but it's never in the budget for us.

ETA: check out twitter posts from @EpcotNYE to see snapshots of traffic maps, etc from that day. It's entertaining and enlightening.

 

[elaine amj]

Oh boy...now u are worrying me. We planned to leave Epcot about 1am/1:30am to head back to Fort Wilderness. Maybe taking the monorail to MK and then boat to FW is a better idea.

 

[bopper]

We went to NYE when 1999 turned to 2000.

My advice:
1) Get their early so you are not shut out. Stay on site if possible so you have the best chance of getting in.
2) After midnight, everyone wants to leave at once. Either be near the exit or plan to take your time. We made the mistake of being in World Showcase and not by the Big ball
3) make dinner reservations for wherever you want to be that nigh

 

[TwinkleKS]

Oh boy...now u are worrying me. We planned to leave Epcot about 1am/1:30am to head back to Fort Wilderness. Maybe taking the monorail to MK and then boat to FW is a better idea.

You are going to have waits to get on the monorail, then waits to get on a boat at the MK to FW. Bottom line, there will be waits everywhere after the clock strikes midnight. Last time we went, we were stuck in our car in the parking lot until after 3 AM. Granted we were parked in the absolute worst location of the parking lot and got blocked in ... This time we are staying BC.

It's not that it is impossible or that you won't have an awesome time. Just better to go into it knowing that there is a major traffic issue on NYE.

 

[Monykalyn]

We stayed at Coronado Springs the year we did NYE-we took our time strolling out of Epcot through IG, walked around Boardwalk and over to Studios to catch bus back (DHS closed earlier that year-at midnight I think) -think we caught a bus around 1:30-1:45 ish? By that time traffic fro DHS was low and we got to our resort without issue. IF we would have tried to catch bus from epcot it was a nightmare (per bus driver)

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Ok, lots of NYE stories, but on behalf of all of us staying the first week of January, I would love to hear more about New Year's *Day* and following days.