New Years Eve

[MaraMouse]

Where are the crowds usually for the countdown? Are any of the parks doing something extra special?

I want to decide if I should avoid those parks, oR go and see it.. thanks!

[disnut8]

All of the parks except Animal Kingdom will be doing something special. The most crowded will be Magic Kingdom. It will more than likely be filled to capacity sometime during the day. Epcot will probably be the next crowded. Both of those countdowns and activities are covered on ABC.

Two years ago, we spent New Year's Eve at Animal Kingdom since that closes at 5:00. My son and his family and my mother-in-law then took the bus over to MGM and said they had a great time over there. It wasn't that crowded around 8:00 when they had to leave to meet up with us.

So - if you want the crowds, go to Magic Kingdom and get there early. If you want some crowds that build up as the evening goes along, go to Epcot. If you want not so crowded conditions, go to MGM. If you want no crowds, go back to your room, order a pizza and watch everything on TV.

[vamassey]

We went this past year. MK had early opening at 7 am. Since we had just arrived the night before we were fresh and raring to go. It was empty until around 10 and continued to build. While waiting for the parade at 12 it was shoulder to shoulder. We left a little while after the parade to go to Epcot. We did get a lot done before we left. It was crowded at Epcot but we still did a few things. We of course couldn't make it till midnight but did enjoy the entertainment. There were live bands set up all around the World Showcase and other muscial entertainment. As the night went on it did get more crowded.

[crrees]

You can do a mousepad search for other peoples opinions on new years eve but here is mine as well

I go to WDW every new years eve for many years and always end up going to Epcot. But the thing is, the crowds build up slowly as said before and can sneak up on you. For example, if you go on Soarin' at right when future world opens, it may take 15 minutes to get on the ride. If you leave and come back 30 minutes later, Soarin will have a 2 hour wait. Pretty intense,I know.

Magic Kingdom really builds up quickly as well. Regardless of the crowds every mark besides AK does a great New Years show.

Oh ya, dont forget about 4th of July. This year at MK the only people allowed to park at MK were those with Annual passes (AFTER 4:00pm), the park easily got to capacity and took 45 minutes to get ice cream at the parlor at the end of main street

[MaraMouse]

Hmm interesting thanks for all the opinions, so sounds like MK and EP are the main two..

So what exactly are the special things that go on that don't normally happen during the day and during the countdown?

[Iceman]

Pleasure Island is the place to be for NYE...

[Mark Goldhaber]

Pleasure Island is the place to be for NYE...

Not any more. No more big-name acts, and it sounds like they've entirely thrown out the old format. Probably partly due to the new "open to all" configuration.

[Cheshire Figment]

Last year I was working Epcot Front Gate on December 31. I went off shift at 4:00. By that time the parking lots were closed off (Stage 1) and we had one time when the ticket windows had been closed (Stage 2). For a while I was on the exit gates and warned people leaving that they might not be allowed back in when they returned. (Note - Stage 3 is only Resort Guests and AP holders allowed in and Stage 4 is closed to all entries.)