Celebrating New Year’s at Disney World!

jake1year

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
I’m super excited to be at Disney for New Year’s! We are staying at the Contemporary 27th-31st then moving over to Beach Club the 31st-January 4th. Plan on doing MK on 30th, then Epcot on 31st. We have been to Disney many of times but never during the actually Christmas and New Year’s crowds. I’m just wondering if anybody has any advice or just share my excitement for a crazy busy time at Disney World?
 
We'll be there too. CR until the 30th, then BWI on the 31st. Christmas to New Years is our favorite time there. It's crazy crowded, but we love it!!
 
Sounds like we have the same plan. Have you done a split stay before during that time? We plan on having Bell Services move luggage and then take monorail over to Epcot on New Year’s Eve do a couple of rides with FP then go to BC and check in.
 
We have done split stays. We like to take our own bags in an Uber rather than using bell services for the move, so we have our things if we need them.
 


Nice plan... Walking to CR after fireworks on the 30th and out the IG on the 31st. Definitely wait an hour or so as the crowds exiting on both nights are massive. Stick with the monorail plan when switching resorts. Anyone driving anywhere around Disney on the 31st will be in for a real headache.
 
Snap.
We are at the Contemporary from 24th December to the 29th and then the Beach Club until 4th January. It will be our first trip over Christmas and New Year.
 
We will be at POP. I am wondering if it is better to take the bus to MK on 31st or bus to Epcot since it is closer then monorail to MK to get off the roads.
 


I’m trying to mentally prepare myself for the crowds too. I think staying at the contemporary will help. Walking distance from MK will be a lifesaver after fireworks. Hope your trip goes smoothly. Super excited for NYE in Disney!!
 
We visited last year over Christmas/New Year's and we had a good enough time that we are doing it again this year. Our entire week is at a BW Villa. With a solid plan, getting to the parks for rope drop, taking mid-day breaks/naps, and closing the parks at night, we felt like we were able to get a ton accomplished. Magic Kingdom was the place where I felt the crowds the most, but we often would be done and leave MK around 12pm-1pm, since we were so productive in the morning.

We will be at MK for the fireworks on the 30th and at Epcot on the 31st. Last year on 12/30, we planned to stay at MK until 2AM, but my wife decided that she wanted to head out immediately after the midnight fireworks. When we got to the buses, we were able to walk right onto a bus (that was very crowded) and we were back at the Boardwalk in less than 20 minutes. We were in bed by 1-1:30am. The only traffic nightmare I saw was the crowd of cars to get to Epcot and the TTC on 12/31. Traffic on World Drive was backed up pretty far. We had brunch at the Grand Floridian and chose to use the monorail to go from GF to Epcot, and then we walked through Epcot to get back to BWV. I don't know how much time it saved, but it was a stress-free experience.
 
I have a TR in my signature if you're curious about last year. We're going back again, this time with the kids (last year was just me and DH) and staying at the Polynesian.

Epcot is intense on NYE. Be patient and be prepared for anything. If you have kids, make a plan for what to do if you get separated in the crowds. MK on 12/30 was very crowded but manageable with a plan.

Traffic is crazy ( It took us two hours to get from AK to Epcot in the afternoon - actually two hours on the bus, not counting the time spent waiting for it) so being at CR will be beneficial with your current plans.

If you approach it with the right expectations, you'll have a great time.
 
I have a TR in my signature if you're curious about last year. We're going back again, this time with the kids (last year was just me and DH) and staying at the Polynesian.

Epcot is intense on NYE. Be patient and be prepared for anything. If you have kids, make a plan for what to do if you get separated in the crowds. MK on 12/30 was very crowded but manageable with a plan.

Traffic is crazy ( It took us two hours to get from AK to Epcot in the afternoon - actually two hours on the bus, not counting the time spent waiting for it) so being at CR will be beneficial with your current plans.

If you approach it with the right expectations, you'll have a great time.

I noticed that you are going to HS on Dec 31. I was thinking the same thing. We also have the ability to leave park early and just watch the fireworks from the Club Lounge at CR to avoid huge crowds.
 
I noticed that you are going to HS on Dec 31. I was thinking the same thing. We also have the ability to leave park early and just watch the fireworks from the Club Lounge at CR to avoid huge crowds.

that's the tentative plan for now, starting at DHS and hopping over to Epcot. We may end up at the Magic Kingdom early that morning instead. I just didn't want to be anywhere that I had to be on the roads that day after about 9am!
 
We did this last year and had a great time! It was crowded but I'd hyped it up so much in my mind, the crowds weren't as bad as I was expecting. The worst of it was trying to get back to SSR after Epcot fireworks. We waited so long for a bus, the crowd control CM's shift ended and she packed up and went home!

I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Have fun!
 

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