View Full Version : Worst day of the year to visit
The worst day to visit is New Years Eve. Not as it is intrinsically a bad day out ( though crowded) and they do do a nice line in live entertainment in the streets ( bands and such like) but when the fireworks at 12 pm are over is when the trouble starts. Unless you are very quick out of the gates, you get stuck in the car park. Not even that, we got stuck in the parking bay, for an hour, unable to back out into the gridlocked car park and then two hours more to get out of the gate. The trouble is that because of the location of the park, you have to merge with the traffic coming out of the other parks, especially the Magic Kingdom. They solve this one usually by staggering the closing times of the parks, but New Years Eve is the one night you cant stagger ( you are not even staggering yourself, Disney parks being fairly 'dry' affairs!) Anyway, it eventually took us four hours to get home, three of them stuck in the car park and after a thirteen hour day in the park already, we were ratty to say the least!
Julie Carty
steph_goodrum
20-02-2002, 03:42
We must have been lucky when we went, we had no problems at all, although it was a continuos bumper to bumper we were moving all the time. We said how well organised it was with (well marked)diversions through side roads which we had never driven before and we were back at our villa (on Hampton Lakes) well within an hour. We must have struck lucky with where we parked.
steph
orlandobabe
20-02-2002, 16:29
We were over for our very first New Year and just didn't know how best to celebrate it-as we didn't want to go to a park-for the very reason that it would be crowded. So after a nice meal at the Outback we got into the car about 10-30 and drove to The Boardwalk. It hadn't been a particularl;y warm day0and down by the lake it was freezing-and I was wearing my padded leather jacket!
We'd just bought a hot drink when we were told that the fireworks start at 1/4 to midnight-so we dashed to the bridge on the lake and had the most wonderful view of Epcot and MGM fireworks-bangs included! All for free. There were quite a few people around but no way was it crowded- in fact hardly anyone stood on the bridge-which was strange as you wouldn't have been able to see MGM's from outside The Boardwalk hotel!
Soon as they finished-we just sauntered back to the car and were back in the villa by 12-30pm.
So we were very lucky and what you described Julie sounded an absolute nightmare! The 192 west-was no busier than at any other time.
Orlandobabe
imported_n/a
20-02-2002, 18:18
We were told not to go near the parks on Christmas Day as they have been known to close entrance at around 10am!! it is has been so busy in previous years. Seaworld is supposed to be less crowded on that day and do nice little Christmas touches apparently but can't personally comment because we stayed by the pool all day and then went to Fridays in the evening. Mom reckons nicest Christmas Day she's ever had! Santa found us but Cody wasn't too impressed with the Goofy that spoke Spanish (Didn't test it in Walmarts did I!!!)
You must have been on one of the lucky ones who were first out of the gate, Steph. It was actually two years ago when we got stuck so perhaps they have improved things. This year we went to Universal which was actually quite quiet considering. We thought we would have problems getting out of the multi storey car park and up to 1-4, but didn't have any at all.
Julie Carty
steph_goodrum
21-02-2002, 02:29
Julie, yes as it was so cold we watched the fireworks from as close to the gate as we could see them and then made a beeline for the car immediately they finished, it was 2 years ago we went (2000) surprised I didn't see you there!
steph
We went to MGM this year for New Year's Eve and had a great evening. Fireworks were fabulous and they had 2 live bands, great fun had by all. Suggest anyone who wants to eat half-way decent food books before at one of the "proper" restaurants as they are all fully booked by the evening.
We had no problems getting out - a bit crowded yes, they closed some of the roads and had us driving down instead of up, or up instead of down(!) so we came out further down the road than we would otherwise.
Fiona
Think by the sound of it, they sorted out the problems getting out of the car park we had in 2000 and there was not a problem in 2001!!
Julie Carty
We were at MGM for New Year also. After the bells, we just wandered down to the car park and found our car eventually and away we drove - no hold-ups although it was busy. Still amazes me how Disney shift all those cars so easily. Looking forward to next New Year now.
ian
floridahol
05-03-2003, 02:41
We were also in MGM for New years eve and also had no problems getting out.
What was a problem though was staying awake to see in the new year...
We had made the mistake of flying in the night before so were still v jetlagged. When it finally reached midnight it felt like 5am to us, and due to the night flight the previous nights sleep was very minimal. Still, would reccomend disney parks for such occasions, especially the osborne family lights @ MGM around christmas. unbelievable.
Will
www.floridahol.com