New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World

There’s nothing quite like New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World—the music, the dancing, the live performances and late night fireworks ensure that everyone will have a night to remember no matter where they are at the resort. Three of the four theme parks—Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios—will be open at midnight to ring in 2009 with a fireworks display. Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close at 8:00 p.m. (the animals probably wouldn’t appreciate all those fireworks after all) with “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade” at 3:45 p.m.

Elsewhere at the Walt Disney World resort, the Atlantic Dance Hall on Disney’s Boardwalk will host a New Year’s Eve dance party. The $10 admittance charge (a fraction of what you’d pay for parking at a New Year’s Eve party in Manhattan or downtown Chicago) includes a free Champagne toast at midnight. There will also "dueling Video DJ's" playing your favorite music videos and tunes from the '80s, '90s and now. Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba show at Downtown Disney’s West Side will have performances at 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Pleasure Island closed down permanently in September but there should new ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in that part of Downtown Disney by the end of 2009.

Visit the Disney Web site for a full listing of events and theme park hours.