New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World

If you venture out to Walt Disney World on New Year's Eve, be prepared for larger than usual crowds. Any of the Disney restaurants requiring reservations will be booked well in advance, and getting a Fast Pass for your favorite ride as soon as you get past the ticket gate should be a top priority if you don't want to spend more than an hour in the standby line.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the parks—especially Magic Kingdom—sometimes close down for additional guests if the park reaches maximum capacity--so come early. Reservations at one of the restaurants does not guarantee admittance if the park reaches capacity before you get there. Park hopping is not recommended on New Year's Eve.

Magic Kingdom (which is open until 2:00 a.m.) and Epcot (open until midnight) will have special fireworks displays on New Year's Eve, and Disney's Hollywood Studios (also open until midnight) will have evening performances of their famed Fantasmic light and sound show, which is full of Disney's most beloved heroes and heroines as well as their most memorable villains. Animal Kingdom will close at 8:00 p.m. and does not have any fireworks displays (because, quite frankly, the resident animals would not like it).

Other popular places to spend New Year's Eve at Walt Disney World include Downtown Disney and Disney's Boardwalk. No matter where you ring in the New Year, you'll always be at the center of the action if you spend it at Walt Disney World.