Tri-Circle-D

I was going to ask him what kind of candy he liked best but....
 

Thanks! 
The new Happily Ever After (HEA) fireworks show is very different from Wishes in that a big part of the show is projections on the castle. Because of this, the best viewing spots are those with a clear view of the castle. And you don't want to be too close to the castle. 
The best spot I've found for HEA viewing is on Main Street, about halfway between the ice cream shop and the partners statue. This area gets extremely crowded, and you typically will need to claim your spot an hour to an hour and a half before the fireworks. The bad thing about this spot is that late comers will inevitably shove in just prior to the fireworks, and all it takes is one idiot parent putting his kid up on his shoulders to ruin your view  If you're traveling solo, you should be able to shift around though  
The second best spot, and one that provides a more pleasant viewing experience is in the old FP viewing area in front of Casey's Corner. You can usually claim a spot along the back fence in there about an hour before the fireworks. That fence insures that there will be nobody pushing you from behind during the show. 
HEA is definitely worth making the effort to see. As I said, though, you need to be in the park with a clear view of the front of the castle to properly enjoy it. 
TCD

Participation trophies for everyone!!!
UCF had an awesome season.  But if want to run with the big dogs they need to play with the big dogs during the regular season.   Iirc they only played one or two teams that were ranked in the top 25. Memphis (19). Who they barely beat in OT. And another small team. Who I think was ranked 25th at the time. 
The most impressive win was the peach bowl win against auburn.  

Let me start with letting you all know there are NO pictures on this mini trip report plus my computer skills do not help in being able to post if there were any.
We did seem to think that this was the busiest holiday season we have been to at WDW so far and we have been there 4 times over the last 8 years so about every other year.
1st  we did Oktoberfest for our Christmas dinner and my oldest son (26) asked why we have never been there before, this is now is favorite restaurant but his mind will change a few times before this trip was over.
2nd We finally got to see Pandora land and yes the theming is wonderfully done, we rode the River ride first and would say we were glad we had a FP as even tho it is very nice it is not worth the wait, day 2 at AK we went to rope drop scheduled at 7am to find out they started letting people in at 6, so when we finally go to the line at Flight of Passage it was all the way to the bathroom area by the Lion King show so overall wait was 1 1/2 hours but I will say the line kept moving so was not that bad. We did get to ride it twice that day with a FP in the afternoon. GREAT RIDE it's just I am not a line person and feel no ride is worth a 5 hour wait.
3rd O'Hana for dinner, guess what? My son changed his mind again on favorite restaurants. We really enjoyed it and plan to return on future visits. Also a  added bonus I got to meet up with Ray here for drinks and we had a great time, Ray thanks for taking time out and coming to meet us, looking forward to seeing you again hopefully somewhere in OK
4th Geyser Point for lunch, we really enjoyed it there plus made for a great break form the crowds, I got the bison burger and as Dave has said before the waffle fries are the best, had a nice spot down overlooking the lake towards  the Fort and highly recommend this spot to all the Fiends I do not think you will be disappointed.
5th kind of a split dinner here, me the wife and youngest met Jason ( Mouse Counselors) for dinner at Via Napoli while is lovely wife met the oldest and went to Cape May for the seafood buffet which by now is the oldest son's new favorite restaurant  ( notice a pattern with him), he was very proud to leave 3 buckets of empty crab legs behind. He resides in New Mexico and really misses the east coast seafood.
For now this is all but there are other things we did that were new to us and will add more later. I will have to say that remembering all we did and trying to report on it is a very hard job, thanks to all the previous folks like TCD, Norm the Troll,  Ray, Dave in Tn. and so many more I can not remember to list I could never do as great a job as they all have done. I just hope our thoughts on things we have done and places we have ate might help someone else in the future. Thanks for reading and sorry for no pictures.

As expected, this is going to be a short little report.
This is the end of it.
After watching the parade for a second time, we made our way to the area in front of the castle for the final performance of the special stage show they perform for the Christmas parties. This show was revamped last year, and is called Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration.  We all love it- it uses unique characters and non-traditional songs, and it is very entertaining.
If you can stay awake, the 11:55 show is a great deal.  The party technically ends at midnight, but this show goes on for about 20 minutes, so you get a "free" extra 15 minutes in the park after the party.  And, it's easy to get a good viewing spot for this last show.
The show makes good use of the projection technology that Disney introduced a few years back- so it's good to be back far enough from the stage that you have a view of the castle as well as the stage:

One of the first songs is called "Text Me Merry Christmas."  Disney is trying to be hip.  Here we say Daisy with a cell phone:

There's a whole song and dance centered around this, and it's pretty funny:

There's a song that involves dancing reindeer and the song is sung by the kind of obscure Clarabelle Cow:

As I mentioned, this show was first performed last year, and one of the reindeer became kind of a viral sensation:
It's funny, and I do not think coincidental, that one of the reindeer in this costume is featured on this year's map for the party.
I think someone told the left reindeer to tone it down this year, as he was a lot calmer on the night we were there.
The Three Caballeros have a big part in the show where they come out and lead a song and dance number featuring Feliz Navidad:

There are a lot of costumed characters in the show, and some very good human singers and dancers- it's great:


What I like most about the show is that it's not a retread of classic songs and classic characters.  They stepped out of the box for this, and it works.
This show is one of the special things that makes the cost of this party worth it. 
When you have 20 minutes to spare, there's a video of the whole show on YouTube:
 
It was around 12:20 before that show was over, and we headed on out of the park then.
There were still a lot of guests in the park, but Main Street wasn't too crowded.  It's special to walk down toward the big Christmas tree with fake snow flurrying around.
And that is that.
Thanks for reading.
Maybe there will be a new TCD trip report coming after Thanksgiving. 
If the plan comes together.
TCD

You people can cry all you want, but Colston isn't coming back.  

Well, we've reached the end of the line here.
I just have these last few photos from Tuesday morning, May 30th, and that will be all.
Well, plus some bonus photos from a couple of subsequent developments.
It turns out that I there is a strange twist and a great photo to go with that story that will provide the exclamation point for this trip report.
As I mentioned above, I ended up packing up the camper on Monday, and slept on the sofa bed in the cabin on Monday night. I've seen a few reports from folks complaining about the comfort of the cabin sofa beds.  Anyone complaining about those beds must not have slept on the murphy beds or on some of the sofa beds you can still find in some of the DVC resorts.  These cabin sofa beds are a huge improvement over those.
Twin #1 was able to call and arrange for us to have a late checkout today.  Which was awesome, as we now just had the stuff in the cabin to pack up, and we had plenty of time to do that.
So, I headed out on patrol on Tuesday morning.
I laughed when I saw that this expensive fishing excursion guide had taken his customers into the canal where Fort guests can wet a line for free.  Of course, those guests on the boat didn't have to contend with the alligator fence:

There's a nice big heron sitting there on the other side of the fence, and the rotting old cabin beyond that:

One last stop and photo from my favorite spot:

The gates were open behind the Settlement Trading Post, which would have given me a good shot of a photo of the rotting wagon, but a bait truck partially blocked the view.  Don't worry, though, the wagon is still there rotting, and you can see a bit of it in this photo if you look:

All of those cones that they had set up over the weekend were now gone, and things were back to normal around the marina:

I enjoyed some rocking chair time.  We had a nice view of Pioneer Hall over to the side:

The water of Bay Lake kind of blends in in this photo, but you could definitely see it from the porch:

I never did get a photo of one of the horses and wagons, but they were going back and forth along here all night long every night of our stay:

On Monday, these campers arrived on the 700 loop, and set up these decorations on their site:


I think I've seen these same decorations around Halloween, which is fine.  But, what's the deal with setting these up after Memorial Day Weekend?
I guess it's a tribute to the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie?
A little strange.
We had noticed this big lizard hanging around the cabin porch all weekend. The kids named it Andi Mack (a new Disney Channel show which we all saw for the first time on the cabin TV):

It's kind of a big lizard:

I had to take the golf carts back.
That went fine.
And, then we packed up the cabin, and I headed to the 800 loop to hitch up the camper and head home.
My oldest daughter gave me this Big Al tsum tsum as an early Father's Day gift:

And, that's my last photo from Memorial Day weekend.
We did not get a drop of rain the whole time we were there.
And, I was able to go home and put my clean and dry camper right away.
I love trips like that.
Of course, in the almost month that has passed since this trip ended, it seems like it's rained every day.
Last weekend, for Father's Day, I had a quick day trip to Disney with the twins.
We visited AK, and ate dinner at the Satu'li Canteen in Pandora.  I used the App to pre-order, and it went without a hitch.  To my surprise, the restaurant was not busy.  I'm afraid the weird menu is not popular with guests who prefer hot dogs and burgers.  Too bad.  Because I'll bet that means they'll have to dumb down the menu.
By the way, I was able to book same day FP+'s for the Navi River Journey ride that morning.  So, getting same day Pandora FP's is possible.
That night, we popped over the MK to watch Happily Ever After. This time, we stood on Main Street, about where the moat used to go under the bridge there.  There was a lot of pushing and shoving in this area, but it does offer an unobstructed view of the castle (as long as iPad guy and Kid on Shoulder guy don't stand in front of you):

Check out Tinkerbill about to fly in these photos:


I really enjoyed the view from here.
But, it's very crowded.
I have one more story to tell, and then I'll be done here.
This past weekend, Twin #1 headed down from Gainesville to spend some time with her sisters in Orlando.
Yesterday morning, Twin #1 saw a post on Instagram from Joe Rohde stating that he was on his way to Orlando.
So, she convinced a couple of her friends to head over to the AKL last night to see if they could possibly bump into Joe.
And she did:

So, the twins went from geeking over getting a tweet from Joe Rohde during their birthday party and seeing his handprint in a cave to actually having an in-person conversation with him a few weeks later.
You never know what's around that river bend.
TCD

A few weeks back, one of the TCD twins noticed a guest in the MK with a nifty Fort Wilderness ball cap she had never seen before. She asked the guest where he got it, and he said at the Settlement Trading Post.
The TCD twins made a beeline there when they got a chance, and sure enough, there were new hats, shirts, mugs, and other things.  They called to let me know.
But, they didn't take any photos.
There have been some mentions on this board about new merchandise.
But no photos.
Well, now there are.
I popped in to the Fort the other night for the sole purpose of seeing the new stuff in the Trading Post.
And this is what I saw . . .
A new long-sleeved green men's shirt- the front:

The back:

A new, short sleeved brown men's shirt- there is only a design on the front of this one:

A new ladies' shirt:

A new kids' shirt (I think this is different from the old kids' shirt) :

A new zippered sweat shirt (no design on the back) :

A new ball cap:

New mugs (these are kind of small compared to previous versions of Fort Wilderness mugs) :

A new magnet:

Did you notice the hidden Mickeys made with marshmallows on the magnet?  Cute.
New key chain:

New bumper sticker:

And even a new shot glass:

All I can say is wow.
I don't remember this much new Fort merchandise being rolled out all at the same time.
Ever.
But wait.
There's more.
Did you notice the sign on the table mentioning the Shop Disney Parks App?
I did.
I've never used that.
I figured they wouldn't bother putting Fort stuff on there.
But, they had the sign right on the table with the Fort stuff.
So I looked.
Wow again.
Look at all of this stuff!:


I didn't notice those pins they show online, or that metal key chain.  They did have the coozie there, but I didn't get a photo.  As far as I can tell, they are not offering the green shirt on-line- they had some of those other long sleeved shirts there, but those are not new.
Apparently, you can buy all of this stuff from the comfort of your own home:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/store/search/?search-term=wilderness
How do you like that?
I have the new green shirt and the new ball cap, but I want it all!
TCD

Since your a newbie, I mapped out the route that Grumpy described in his post:
 

 
The Fort management does a terrible job providing information about the pet rules, but there are actually small signs directing guests with pets to use the sidewalk adjacent to the 400/500 loop comfort station to access the dog park.
 
They don't want pets going from the 600, 700, 800 or 900 loops to go to the dog park via Big Pine Drive- they want to pets to be walked through the 500 loop.  There is signage at the intersection of Big Pine and Ft. Wilderness Trail saying "No Pets Beyond This Point."  Like all the other Fort rules, you will routinely see people walking pets right past those signs.  But the signs are there.
 
As far as a good place for you to take a run with your dog where you won't disturb anyone- I would suggest the grassy area next to the canal behind the 300 loop.
 
TCD

Take a look at the 800 loop as well... Although its a bit larger than the 900 loop that TCD mentioned, the bath house is located at the entrance to the loop.  The bath house for the 800 is located inside the "circle of the loop" and is accessible from both sides.  The 800 loop does back up to a canal, but that is only on the right hand side and where the loop circles back toward the main road.  There is some distance between the campsites and the canal.  In other words, they are not directly behind the campsites like they are in the 1400 loop.
I hope that made sense...

I agree with you- there is clearly a lot less traffic on this site than there used to be.
Sadly, there are a lot of Fiends who have just disappeared along the way.  They took some of the fun with them.
I do think it has a lot to do with the Fort not being as fun or affordable as it used to be.  We had fewer Fort stays this year for sure.
TCD

Please don’t think I posted this to be negative. I just commented that there’s not as much traffic as there used to be. I encourage new people to join and tell us of their experiences.  As far as people who sell their campers because of fort management antics, I praise those people

I meant to post more about the experience of watching the NYE fireworks from the beach at the Fort- it's been several years since we've done it, but it's really not a bad experience.  In fact, it's kind of fun to be there with so many people.
For a long time, I would only buy Florida Resident Season Passes, which meant we were blocked out of the parks for NYE.  So, if we were at the Fort for NYE, we wouldn't be visiting the parks, and would spend the evening at the Fort.  They typically have a beach party on NYE, with music, dancing and activities from the youth staff. The last time we went, the twins were middle school age and the beach was wall to wall people at midnight.  There are a lot more drunk people on the beach on NYE than you will ever see the rest of the year.  One of our favorite memories is of a young drunk couple who were having a loud fight and break up right there on the beach a few minutes before midnight.  The guy was walking around carrying one of the rocking chairs from the Crockett's Tavern porch.  The twins can recite the whole argument word for word.  It was very memorable.
So, don't be afraid to go to the beach for the NYE fireworks.  It's fun.  And a much different vibe than any other night of the year.
TCD

As expected, this is going to be a short little report.
This is the end of it.
After watching the parade for a second time, we made our way to the area in front of the castle for the final performance of the special stage show they perform for the Christmas parties. This show was revamped last year, and is called Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration.  We all love it- it uses unique characters and non-traditional songs, and it is very entertaining.
If you can stay awake, the 11:55 show is a great deal.  The party technically ends at midnight, but this show goes on for about 20 minutes, so you get a "free" extra 15 minutes in the park after the party.  And, it's easy to get a good viewing spot for this last show.
The show makes good use of the projection technology that Disney introduced a few years back- so it's good to be back far enough from the stage that you have a view of the castle as well as the stage:

One of the first songs is called "Text Me Merry Christmas."  Disney is trying to be hip.  Here we say Daisy with a cell phone:

There's a whole song and dance centered around this, and it's pretty funny:

There's a song that involves dancing reindeer and the song is sung by the kind of obscure Clarabelle Cow:

As I mentioned, this show was first performed last year, and one of the reindeer became kind of a viral sensation:
It's funny, and I do not think coincidental, that one of the reindeer in this costume is featured on this year's map for the party.
I think someone told the left reindeer to tone it down this year, as he was a lot calmer on the night we were there.
The Three Caballeros have a big part in the show where they come out and lead a song and dance number featuring Feliz Navidad:

There are a lot of costumed characters in the show, and some very good human singers and dancers- it's great:


What I like most about the show is that it's not a retread of classic songs and classic characters.  They stepped out of the box for this, and it works.
This show is one of the special things that makes the cost of this party worth it. 
When you have 20 minutes to spare, there's a video of the whole show on YouTube:
 
It was around 12:20 before that show was over, and we headed on out of the park then.
There were still a lot of guests in the park, but Main Street wasn't too crowded.  It's special to walk down toward the big Christmas tree with fake snow flurrying around.
And that is that.
Thanks for reading.
Maybe there will be a new TCD trip report coming after Thanksgiving. 
If the plan comes together.
TCD

HOF is one of my favorite shows at WDW and I think every parent should take their kids to see it when they are old enough to understand it. I watched the show twice on U tube and think they did an outstanding job on the new show.

I don't disagree with your observations.  Kids mesmerized by tablets and phones are sad.
But, my biggest beef in the theme parks are the parents pushing strollers while engrossed with their phones.  They just plod along with their giant strollers in front of them, blocking traffic and running into other guests.  I wish it was OK for me to carry around an air horn to blast right behind them to tell them to put their phones away and enjoy their time in the parks.
TCD

Classic.
They add the ability to order one drink, and they jack up the price for the plans.
Disney always wins.
Call me when they have a refillable beer mug.
TCD

Classic.
They add the ability to order one drink, and they jack up the price for the plans.
Disney always wins.
Call me when they have a refillable beer mug.
TCD

I hope this gets fixed!!!
 
 The bad news is only Miss Piggy is featured in the new fountain, and there's no word on whether the other characters will return.

From Orlandoweekly.com
Disney's famous Muppets Fountain at Hollywood Studios returns after more than a year of just being a planter
 
Just over a year ago Disney drained the famous Muppets Fountain at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, causing outrage and worry among many Muppets fans. The iconic fountain has sat outside the Muppet-Vision 3D attraction at DHS since it opened in 1991. With the area around the Muppets attraction being renamed "Grand Avenue" and given a modern-day L.A. theme, many worried that despite the addition of PizzeRizzo the end might be near for The Muppets at Hollywood Studios. 

When PizzeRizzo opened earlier this year, the lack of extensive theming inside the two-story counter service restaurant only perpetuated these fears, even while many said the fountain draining was only temporary. 

Some speculated that the fountain needed to be drained because of nearby Star Wars: Galaxy Edge construction. 

The fountain featured a large circular pool and a statue of Miss Piggy in a pose modeled after the Statue of Liberty with water squirting haphazardly in various directions around her. Numerous other Muppets characters were featured in the fountain as well. It was drained in late October 2016 and plants soon replaced the water. Since then the former fountain has been a planter with Miss Piggy still in her patriotic pose in the middle but all the other Muppets characters were removed. A large box covering the basin appeared a few weeks back and then without any notice the box was removed revealing the former basin now refilled with water. 
 
The fountain was turned on this past weekend, meaning this iconic centerpiece is once again welcoming guests while cooling the area. The bad news is only Miss Piggy is featured in the new fountain, and there's no word on whether the other characters will return. The good news is with Disney investing in new signage for the attraction earlier this year and with the fountain being restored, unlike many attractions at DHS, it’s safe to say the Muppets won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. 

This was all officially confirmed on the Disney Parks Blog today:
12 Days of Disney Parks Christmas: New Show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Feature Russell, Dug from Disney•Pixar’s ‘UP’
by Thomas Smith, Editorial Content Director, Disney Parks
Today, we’re continuing our 12 Days of Disney Parks Christmas announcements with first details about an all-new show coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Spring 2018 featuring Russell and Dug from Disney•Pixar’s “UP.”
Beginning just in time for the 20th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom next year, this new experience will offer guests the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry friend Dug as they discover species of birds from around the world in their newest adventure at the Caravan Theater in Anandapur village. There will be “UP” close encounters each day with amazing winged creatures!
As you plan ahead, we also wanted to let you know that in order to begin to prepare for the new show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, December 31, 2017 will be the final showing of Flights of Wonder. Until the end of this month, you can still experience Flights of Wonder at the park.
Keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for future updates on the new experience with Russell and Dug from Disney•Pixar’s “UP” coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Spring 2018.
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/12/12-days-of-disney-parks-christmas-new-show-at-disneys-animal-kingdom-to-feature-russell-dug-from-disney•pixars-up/
RIP Guano Joe.
TCD
 

The new Hollywood Studios stuff has been running for a couple of weeks now, and it looks like they have a hit on their hands:
There's A New Holiday Party at Disney World You Need to Know About
  Copyright: The Walt Disney Company With Disney's Hollywood Studios in the middle of a rather epic transition, Flurry of Fun has it once again feeling like the place to be.
David Landsel December 06, 2017  
Anyone who has ever experienced Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom park can attest to that ticketed event's rather overwhelming size and scope; even the most eager attendee risks making themselves rather unmerry, trying to get to everything that's on offer—the shows, the two parades, not to mention navigating all the lines and waits for the snacks that come included with admission.
Want to get into the festive spirit, but also very much okay not turning it into a whole thing? That's easy—over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, now undergoing a multi-year transition (Star Wars is coming!), there's a much easier, much more relaxed Christmas party going on, and you don't need a special ticket to get in, either.
You can read the rest of the article here: http://www.foodandwine.com/holidays-events/disney-world-holiday-party
I still miss the Osborne Lights, but all of the holiday stuff at DHS makes for a fun evening visit.
TCD

Travel and Leisure magazine (are they owned by Disney?) just published a comprehensive article listing all of the choices available for guests to enjoy New Year's Eve at the Disney World and Disney Land parks and resorts.
There are a lot of choices:
How to Have the Best New Year's Eve at Disney  
Here are all of your options for celebrating New Year's at Disney World and Disneyland.
Carlye Wisel December 07, 2017 New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest days of the year at Disney World and Disneyland, and with good reason.
Although the parks light up the sky year-round, the holiday fireworks shows go above and beyond. Add to that the parties, special dinners, and celebrations, and braving crowds to ring in the new year in the Happiest Places on Earth doesn't seem like such a daunting task.
Traveling to Disney on New Year’s will require some advanced planning, however, so be sure to book your reservations as soon as possible.
From kid-friendly options to swanky high-end events, here’s how to embrace 2018 in a multitude of Mickey Mouse-approved ways.
New Year's at Disney Parks
If you’re planning to visit Magic Kingdom or Disneyland on December 31, be sure to get there early — extremely early. Both parks have been known to reach capacity, so if you’re set on celebrating on Main Street, U.S.A., prepare for peak crowds or visit a day early. Magic Kingdom runs its New Year’s fireworks on December 30 as well, which will be more manageable.
At Epcot, the New Year’s Countdown Fireworks are also a spectacle worth witnessing. There are a multitude of restaurants within the park but two are offering special meals: a ticketed New Year’s Eve gourmet buffet at the World Show Place Pavilion ($73 per adult and $44 per child; Disney Dining plan is accepted) as well as Monsieur Paul’s festive prix-fixe lunch ($89 per adult or child) and dinner ($245 per adult or $310 with wine pairing) throughout the night in the France pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase. (Note: Park admission and reserved fireworks viewing are not offered with either.)
Sound too hectic? Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be calmer than the other two parks and is hosting a lively dance party as well as both of its evening shows — Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular — before the countdown begins. Disney California Adventure on the West Coast is similarly an easier option, and will also feature festive entertainment. Disneyland guests can opt for priority fireworks viewing at Tomorrowland’s Skyline Lounge, where a $90 ticket includes snacks, non-alcoholic drinks and a $15 meal voucher. (Admission to Disneyland Park is sold separately and entrance is not guaranteed.) And, at Disney California Adventure, outposts including Sonoma Terrace, Mendocino Terrace and Alfresco Lounge will sell champagne as well as kid-friendly sparkling apple cider throughout the day.
New Year's Parties Beyond Disney Parks
A good way to take in the renowned fireworks with smaller crowds is with one of Disney’s many ticketed parties at nearby resorts and restaurants. This year, Disney’s Contemporary Resort is hosting multiple events featuring visits from characters, culinary surprises and fireworks views from outside the Magic Kingdom-adjacent hotel.
Disney Countdown To Midnight, which includes drinks, a live DJ, food and wine pairings from top Disney restaurants, special photo opportunities and a midnight champagne toast while watching fireworks, costs $250 per person (adults only, guests must be over 18 to attend.) The Down In New Orleans New Year’s Eve dining experience will turn a hotel ballroom into a sprawling French Quarter experience with a cocktail hour, live jazz band, twists on N’awlins classics like oyster beignets as well as a seated dinner with delectable southern food and nighttime fireworks views. This “Princess and the Frog”-inspired experience is staggeringly expensive, though, costing $450 per person. (Guests must also be over 21.)
For a more reasonably-priced event, visitors can head to Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk for small bites of favorite park snacks, outside-the-park view of Epcot’s fireworks, champagne toast and live DJ video dance party ‘til 2 a.m. for $50 per person. (Guests must be over 21.) Diners at Flying Fish Cafe’s seafood-centric New Year’s Eve dinner, which includes a cocktail hour and seafood dinner set to the sounds of a jazz trio, can also sip champagne and take in the illuminated sky from Atlantic Dance Hall when the clock strikes midnight.
Celebratory Dining
There are plenty of ways to end the year on a great note with a scrumptious meal, whether or not you’re interested in seeing the sky-high shows.
At Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World, Spanish steakhouse Capa will offer a prix-fixe menu with two seatings ($155 per adult from 5-7 p.m., $295 per adult from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.) with a la carte menus for children ages 5 to 12. Additionally, Ravello restaurant will host a New Year’s buffet between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. for $125 per adult and $45 per child. The holiday dinners also include admission for non-hotel guests to the New Year’s Eve Party at Four Seasons Resort Orlando. The DJ-led celebration, which starts at 10 p.m. and includes a champagne toast, is free for Four Seasons Resort Orlando hotel guests 16 and over.
Shula’s Steak House at Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel will host a prix fixe meal beginning at 7 p.m. ($145 for adults, $60 for children) while Il Mulino at Walt Disney World Swan hotel will host a four-course dinner from 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.; seatings after 9 p.m. include party favors and a midnight champagne toast for $105 per adult and $39 per child. Victoria & Albert’s, Walt Disney World’s only AAA Five Diamond Award recipient, will also have dinner service on New Year’s Eve.
And, in California, Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort and Spa will have two dinners — an early seating from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for $130 per person and a late-night adults-only gala with champagne, live music, a five-course tasting menu, dance party and celebratory favors for $250 per person, with an optional $65 wine flight added on. (Gala guests must be 21 or older.)
Family-friendly Parties and Character Dining
A Pixar-themed party at Disney’s Contemporary Resort has already sold out, but other options are just as great. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground will be throwing a Mickey’s New Year’s Eve BBQ with burgers, ribs, macaroni & cheese and s’mores served in mason jars. Families can enjoy line dancing courtesy of a bluegrass band, visits from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and a reserved viewing area of Magic Kingdom fireworks from the hotel for $95 per adult and $75 per child.
Guests at Four Seasons Orlando Resort are able to attend the hotel’s exclusive family-friendly party, which includes a dinner buffet and activities from until 1am for $95 per child (arriving from 7pm to 9:30pm) and $60 (from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.). Parents can attend for free, but supervision from the resort’s Kids For All Seasons program will be provided.
At Walt Disney World Swan, Garden Grove restaurant will host a special buffet from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with visits from Disney characters such as Goofy and Pluto. Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will also host a New Year’s Eve character buffet, as well as visits from the famed mouse himself. And, at Disneyland Resort, PCH Grill in the Paradise Pier Hotel is throwing a family-friendly party with a celebratory buffet, dancing and photo opportunities with Disney characters for $75 per adult and $25 per child.
http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/disney-vacations/celebrate-new-years-eve-disney-parks
________________________________________________
Is anyone going to do any of these?
That Backyard BBQ deal sounds pretty good compared to some of the much more expensive offerings.
TCD

The new Hollywood Studios stuff has been running for a couple of weeks now, and it looks like they have a hit on their hands:
There's A New Holiday Party at Disney World You Need to Know About
  Copyright: The Walt Disney Company With Disney's Hollywood Studios in the middle of a rather epic transition, Flurry of Fun has it once again feeling like the place to be.
David Landsel December 06, 2017  
Anyone who has ever experienced Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom park can attest to that ticketed event's rather overwhelming size and scope; even the most eager attendee risks making themselves rather unmerry, trying to get to everything that's on offer—the shows, the two parades, not to mention navigating all the lines and waits for the snacks that come included with admission.
Want to get into the festive spirit, but also very much okay not turning it into a whole thing? That's easy—over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, now undergoing a multi-year transition (Star Wars is coming!), there's a much easier, much more relaxed Christmas party going on, and you don't need a special ticket to get in, either.
You can read the rest of the article here: http://www.foodandwine.com/holidays-events/disney-world-holiday-party
I still miss the Osborne Lights, but all of the holiday stuff at DHS makes for a fun evening visit.
TCD

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk