New Year’s Eve 2016/2017 at Walt Disney World
By Dave Shute
2016 NEW YEAR’S EVE AT DISNEY WORLD
New Years Eve 2016 is on a Saturday. This makes me suspect we will see a slightly different set of Disney World New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2016 than we’ve seen for New Year’s Eve at Disney World in recent years.
What’s known so far is that New Year’s Eve festivities and fireworks will happen on December 31, 2016 at Disney World’s Epcot and Magic Kingdom theme parks, and also at the Magic Kingdom on December 30.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will show its Star Wars fireworks the 31st at midnight.
Until 2015 the Animal Kingdom park had no special New Year’s Eve show, but in 2015–for the first time–it offered a “New Year’s Eve Street Party” in Africa’s Harambe Market from 3:30p to 8:30p. I expect to see this happen again in 2016.
The schedule looks like this:
- Epcot will be open until 1a on New Year’s Eve; Disney’s Hollywood Studios until midnight, the Magic Kingdom until 1a, and the Animal Kingdom until 8.30p
- The Magic Kingdom will have Wishes at 7.30p and special New Year’s Eve fireworks at 11.50p
- Epcot likely will have its Illuminations fireworks show at 6p and 11.40p, plus DJs in various pavilions
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have fireworks at midnight
- There may be a special New Years Eve show at 8.30p at the Animal Kingdom
- Note that alcohol is not available at the Magic Kingdom, but is available at the other three parks
The Magic Kingdom will have the same fireworks at the same times on 12/30/16. This date will likely be a little less crowded than 12/31.
DISNEY WORLD PARK CLOSURES ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
Disney closes parks due to crowding often on New Year’s Eve. “Closes” means closed to additional guests–those in the parks do not have to leave.
See this for more on how Disney World park closings work.
The Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are the most likely parks to close, and Animal Kingdom the least likely.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
3 comments
Hi,
Spent all day tryin to plan my sons birthday (happens to be new years eve) trip to disney. Fireworks are the only MUST so far. You put that magic kingdom has them 12/30 same times. So they have special over the top firewoks for new years on 2 nights? Any recommendations for viewing either of those nights that doesnt involve park entrance?
Thank you
Yes, Michelle, MK shows the same stuff both nights. There are many places outside of MK from which you can see them, but none provides anything like the impact of being in the parks, and of course thousands of others have the same idea. The waterfronts along the TTC, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian are popular, as is the side of the Contemporary resort.
Thank you Dave
Leave a Comment | Ask a Question | Note a Problem