Hi Brian! Welcome to planDisney.
My family loves a mid-day break when we're visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, and there have been very few Disney days where we haven't headed back to our resort hotel for a nap, a swim, and some downtime around mid-day. This strategy allows us to have all the fun and excitement of the theme parks while avoiding magical meltdowns, and I highly recommend it for Mouseketeers of all ages! I'm glad you stopped by with this excellent planning question.
The
Disney Park Pass System was established as part of the
phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort to help control crowds and allow health and safety measures and operational protocols for the safety of Guests and Cast Members. Since it's been in place, we've really only seen the theme parks reach capacity a few times, but I think you're right that a day like New Year's Eve could see capacity-reaching crowds.
It's my understanding that a Theme Park Reservation does "save you a spot" when the park reaches capacity because you are counted in the number that establishes full capacity. You should be able to come and go from the park at which you have a reservation through the Disney Park Pass System, but you may not be able to "hop" to a new theme park if you have the
Park Hopper Option and the new park has reached capacity. I checked with a fellow panelist who was at Magic Kingdom Park on a day it reached capacity, and she was told that she would be able to leave and re-enter because she had a reservation. My advice would be to check with a Cast Member as you exit the park if you have any concerns about crowd levels during your visit date.
Thanks for stopping by with your question, Brian. As you count down to your New Year's Eve visit, keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for news about ringing in the new year at Walt Disney World Resort. Please come back and see us if you think of any further questions. Have a safe and wonderful New Year celebration!
Wishing you much magic,
Robyn