Let me tell you, going to Disney on or around Christmas and New Year's is not for the faint of heart. There will be crowds, there will be lines, it may or may not be really hot. this time of year is best for a seasoned Disney World vacationer. If you're heading there this time of year and it's your first trip, be warned that the crowds can get pretty intense. After being there this past year, I would not advise first time Disney vacationer's to go this time of year.
We were in Disney from December 30-January 1 (we left at 5am on the 2nd). This was definitely an experience to say the least. However, we got really lucky with weather in the mid to low eighties the whole time we were there, which was good and bad. I was kind of excited for it to be around the mid sixties, but I did end up getting a little bit of a tan in the end.
One of the best parts about going at the end of December and into January is that you can still see all the Christmas decorations while also celebrating New Year's Eve. All the decorations were still up in every park and every resort we went to, plus extra decorations in some places on New Year's Eve. Another great thing is that the show and the parade from Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party enter into daily operation, so you can see both of these limited time entertainment options without buying a ticket for the event (which I believe has it's last day on Christmas).
On New Year's Eve night my mom, sister, and I went to Epcot and Magic Kingdom. We kind of just did a drive by for Epcot. We entered through the International Gateway (the entrance for the Epcot resort area) and made our way around the World Showcase starting in France and ending in Mexico. If you want to be in Disney for New Year's, but you don't want to miss out on super loud, crazy dance parties with a club like atmosphere, Epcot is the place for you, more specifically, the Italy, China, and America pavilions. Oh man, were these pavilions lit. Both China and Italy had a huge light rig set up marking the dance floor and each had a DJ stand with tunes that you could hear from across the water. China even had fire that shot off the top of their light rigging. In America, the stage where the Candlelight Processional usually takes place was transformed into a huge dance floor. If you're looking for one big party in Disney for New Year's Eve, Epcot is the place for you.
Magic Kingdom is the place to be if you want to experience a real Disney New Year's Eve. The whole park is really, really crowded the night of. Cast members were blocking off every entrance to Main Street USA from the other lands besides one in Fantasyland, so my mom, sister, and I watched the fireworks from Liberty Square. It was less crowded and still had a good view. After the fireworks ended we were able to walk across the Liberty Square bridge and onto Main Street. There was a DJ set up on the castle stage and the area right in front had turned into a big dance party with loud music and lights.
Main Street was crazy when we got there, and honestly it was kind of a horrific scene. People who stood there to watch the fireworks had just dumped their garbage on the ground, and in some cases there were huge piles of trash left next to abandoned strollers where families had obviously stood. I've never seen something so tragic in my whole life. When I say there was trash everywhere there was trash EVERYWHERE. You couldn't take one step without having to step over somebody else's garbage. Honestly, it made me a little angry, because I'm sure almost all the garbage that was left had been left by adults, who should know better than to throw their garbage on the ground. I was shocked, and I really felt terribly for all the cast members who would have to stay there until the early hours of the morning cleaning up these people's messes.
Now we get to the hard part. Getting out of Magic Kingdom. This was the worst part of the night. I knew it would be crowded, but I don't think I realized how crowded until we tried to leave. If you are claustrophobic or hate being squished by strangers, stay FAR away from the exit of Magic Kingdom until most people have cleared out. We left pretty much right after the fireworks ended, and it was a nightmare trying to get out. Disney had set up a bunch of fences outside the park to funnel people out into lines, but there were so many people exiting who then had to funnel into one or two lines it backed everything up. It was like trying to get into the Holland Tunnel.
Personal opinion: the struggle of getting out of Magic Kingdom is not worth watching the fireworks from inside the park. If I ever do this again, I'll either go to the Contemporary (which is where we stayed) to watch or just stand right outside the park entrance.
That was another thing, we stayed at the Contemporary, so once we fought our way through the crowd we could just walk back to our resort. I'm sure the bus, boat, and monorail lines were crazy long that night.
Another option for spending your New Year's Eve in Disney is heading to a resort hotel to watch the ball drop. Every resort we went to had some kind of New Year's Eve party and count down which was much more kid and family friendly than fighting your way into the parks. If you're looking for a classy way to spend New Year's, the Grand Floridian is the place for you. The live band was playing and right off the monorail entrance the resort had set up a temporary bar where you could buy champagne and other beverages. The Contemporary had a watch party of Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve with snacks, and the Boardwalk had a small DJ set up on the lawn right outside the resort. I think the boardwalk area of the Epcot resorts is another good place to do New Year's at Disney. You can spend some time at the Boardwalk Resort's small party and there are tons of good food options to choose from.
Here's a list of all the resorts you should be able to see fireworks from:
Magic Kingdom
Contemporary
Polynesian
Wilderness Lodge
Grand Floridian
Epcot
Boardwalk
Beach Club
Yacht Club
Swan and Dolphin.
For the Epcot resorts, your best bet would be to walk to the bridge that connects the Boardwalk to the International Gateway, or maybe stand on the beach outside the Beach and Yacht Club.
So, all in all, it was definitely an experience, and I'm happy I did it, but in hindsight, if I ever go again I'll spend New Year's at a resort where I can see the fireworks and not be squished like a sardine in a can.
Theresa
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