My Top Tips for New YEars Eve at Disney World
My most FAVORITE trip that we ever took to Walt Disney World was for New Years Eve. It was so full of energy and fun, but also chaos and insane crowds too!
Let’s talk about some of my favorite tips to help you navigate the busiest day of the year, whether it’s your first trip or your 50th trip so that you can make the most of it!
Don’t Forget to Check Out Our Full New Years Eve Vlog:
First things first, let’s talk about what activities you can find and what parks you want to be at to experience the fun. Magic Kingdom and Epcot will be your two parks that have offerings specific to New Years. Magic Kingdom will host special fireworks on both New Years Eve (Dec 31st) AND the night before on the 30th. Epcot just has fireworks on the 31st, so I recommend doing Magic Kingdom on the 30th and then Epcot on the 31st if you really want to get all the fun!
You can expect to find dance parties, fireworks, and more to keep you partying all night long! The parks are also open until midnight and 1am, so make sure to have that caffeine ready to go!
Set your expectations appropriately
I am not exaggerating when I say it’s the busiest day of the year. Park Passes sell out months in advance and the park tends to reach capacity at some point in the day. This means crowds and lines will be EVERYWHERE and you need to be prepared for that!
This may mean you won’t be riding all the rides and trying all the snacks and meeting all the characters on top of the special holiday offerings. Take a few minutes with your family and discuss what things are going to be MOST important for you to see and do. I recommend choosing 3 things - a ride, a snack, and an experience - and focus on those three things. Everything else that you can get done will just be a bonus!
Plan a Dining Reservation
One of the great ways to get away from the crowds without having to leave the park is to book a sit-down dining reservation. These usually take around an hour or so out of your day and are a chance to sit, recharge, get some protein in you, and help you make it all the way until midnight!
There are lots of dining options all throughout the parks from character dining to signature dining, so there’s a little something for everyone. If you are still trying to book for this year, know that options will be limited, but don’t be afraid to try something new.
Buy Lightning Lane
I know, traveling during this time of year is EXPENSIVE, but when it’s as crowded as it is, it kinda has to be and if you want to get the most out of your day, you are probably going to want to add Genie+ to your budget.
Attraction lines that normally only see up to an hour or so wait can easily jump to 5+ hours on New Years, so Genie+ can be especially valuable if you are trying to squeeze in a few more rides! Plus… who wants to waste half their day waiting in line for a ride anyway? If rides are important to you, then Lightning Lane is going to be a must.
If you need help learning how to navigate Lightning Lane, don’t worry! I have a full guide available for purchase in my shop! It includes screenshots and helpful tips to get the most out of Disney’s ‘skip the line’ system.
Go SLOW
This is going to probably be a LOOONG day for you, so take it easy and don’t exhaust yourself! I do recommend NOT leaving the park after 1:30pm as there is a good chance the park could reach capacity once park hopping begins and you may not be able to re-enter (even with a park pass).
Sleep in a little and go slow. Don’t rush from one thing to the next. Take your time and soak it all in! 1am you will thank you.
Don’t hold off on going to the bathroom!
You’re going to laugh, but I’m serious on this one! This time of year, it’s pretty common to have to wait in a long line to go to the restroom (ladies, I’m looking at you) and on New Years, this can be especially crazy. I remember that night waiting a MINIMUM of 20 minutes any time I needed to go to the restroom and sometimes it was worse than that.
Don’t hold it until it’s too late! Take bathroom breaks before you need them so that you don’t end up with accidents.
Dance the night away!
At both Magic Kingdom and Epcot, you’ll find lots of dance party fun! These are a huge part of the party of the night and can make for some of the best memories. Each spot is unique, so check them all out and let loose a bit.
Bring Earplugs
On that note, the music and crowds are LOUD, so a HUGE help are earplugs. Especially for those with sensory issue. I regularly bring my Loop Earplugs to the parks and pop them in during fireworks, parades, or any other times there are loud sounds and they are a HUGE help!
I love these in particular because they are low profile, and have a bunch of different earbud sizes, so they are super comfortable. CLICK HERE TO SHOP LOOP EARPLUGS
Layers, Layers, Layers!
The weather this time of year is super weird. It will be fairly chilly in the mornings and evenings, but warm up quite a bit during the day. I recommend bringing a jacket or even hat/gloves depending on the weather and you can always stow them in a locker if needed.
Are you attending New Years at Disney? Tell me in the comments what you are most excited for!
