I don’t know about you, but the closer we get to ringing in the New Year, the more I start to think about the inevitable New Year’s resolution: to trim away some of those excess pounds. But before I fully commit to kicking off 2016 with salads and nutrishakes, it’s only appropriate to go all out and give 2015 a proper send-off.
And there’s no place that knows how to celebrate and dine in style better than Disney.
As part of its New Year’s festivities, there are a number of restaurants and resorts offering unique dining experiences from special parties to prix-fixe menus. Here are some amazing and mouth-watering dining opportunities available to guests to ring in the New Year:
New Year’s Eve at Epcot World ShowPlace (Epcot). Along with the Magic Kingdom, Epcot is one the most popular spots to celebrate the New Year at Disney World. At World ShowPlace, you can enjoy a custom dinner buffet that has more offerings than you can shake a turkey leg at. For starters, there are locally harvested salads; tomato basil soup; and creamy seafood and corn chowder. For entrees, there’s braised beef with mushroom and pearl onions; baked cod with tomato, olives and peppers; carved mesquite spice deep fried turkey breast with cranberry BBQ sauces; chicken breast with lemon caper sauce and parsley; and mojo roasted pork with roasted onion and sweet plantains.
For dessert, there are several dessert stations featuring ganache brownies; salted caramel bundt cakes; Mickey key lime tarts; cream puffs; lemon cookies; sugar-free and gluten-free spice cake; banana chocolate chip bread pudding; warm apple, pear and cherry crisps; and vanilla bean ice cream with strawberry sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and Mickey confetti. After dinner, you can then go to the World ShowPlace promenade to have an amazing view of Illuminations (although this is not a dedicated private viewing area). Admission to this event costs $71.84 for adults and $44.37 for children, excluding taxes.
New Year’s Eve Menu at Monsieur Paul (Epcot). For New Year’s, Monsieur Paul is offering a 3-course prix-fixe lunch at 11:45 am and 2:15 pm and a 3-course prix-fixe dinner at 5:45 pm ($85 per person excluding tax and gratituity). Appetizers include: escargot cassolette with white wine, bacon and shallots; carrot soup with fresh goat cheese ravioli; or mixed greens with roquefort blue cheese. For entrees, there’s a selection between chicken with morel mushrooms and cream sauce; Maine lobster in bisque sauce with sweet peas and gnocchi; and beef short ribs braised in red wine with pasta gratin and black truffles. Then you can end the meal with a special celebratory dessert.
For a truly special dining celebration, you can also opt for the 4-course prix-fixe menu with seating from 8:45 pm to 9:50 pm, priced at $235 per adult (additional $60 if adding wine) and $235 per child, excluding tax and gratuity. Appetizers include beef broth with oxtail and vegetables, black winter truffle, and puff pastry; or smoked salmon with potatoes stuffed with domestic caviar. The dinner fish course provides options between poached scallops with Sancerre wine and vegetable julienne; and Maine lobster with sautéed mushrooms, soft boiled quail egg, and creamy black truffle bouillon. For the dinner meat course, you can choose between stuffed chicken with mushrooms, green cabbage puree, sautéed potatoes, and truffle sauce Perigourdine; or braised beef ribs with red wine and black currant, truffle mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots. And if you still have room after all of that, there’s the ever mysterious New Year’s special dessert.
Nochevieja at La Hacienda de San Angel (Epcot). It’s a Mexican twist on this New Year’s celebration! At La Hacienda de San Angel, guests will enjoy live entertainment, tequilas, and views of Illuminations. Dinner seating starts at 9:30 pm and costs $280.13 per adult and $73.46 per child (including tax and gratuity). Kick off the celebration with a welcome margarita and dance to a live mariachi band. Then enjoy a 5-course prix-fixe menu that has surf and turf as the main entree, and there’s also a tequila pairing provided by their very own Tequila Ambassador.
Countdown to Midnight at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club (Yacht & Beach Club Convention Center). This celebration will feature not one, not two, but three different themed party experiences. First, you can enjoy hilarious comedy at the Adventurer’s Club. Then you can boogie to Club Live, where rollicking tunes will be played by a nine-piece dance band. Finally, at Club Vinyl, a seven-piece band will feature a jazzy twist to modern hits. The party kicks off at 8:00 pm at the Convention Center and check-in starts at 7:30 pm. It wouldn’t be a Disney party if it didn’t have plentiful food, so there are buffet stations that feature all-you-care-to-eat goodies and sweets. Beer, wine, and cocktails are also all included with admission, and each guest will receive their very own champagne glass to toast the New Year and keep as a souvenir. Admission is $300 per person, including tax and gratuities. Please note: the event is exclusive to Walt Disney World Resort guests only.
Le Cellier (Epcot). At Le Cellier, there are three seatings you can choose from to celebrate the New Year. 1st seating is at 4:30 pm, and 2nd seating is at 6:45 pm. Both are four-course meals with a choice of appetizer, entree and dessert. The cost of the meal, which also includes a souvenir champagne flute with the Le Cellier logo, is $148.04 per adult and $47.93 per child, including tax and gratuity. You can also opt for the 3rd seating at 9:00 pm, where you can take advantage of a five-course meal! Cost for the third seating is $211.94 per adult and $69.23 per child, including tax and gratuity.
California Grill New Year’s Eve Gala (Contemporary Resort). The California Grill is famous not only for its excellent cuisine but also for its one-of-a-kind view of the Wishes fireworks. At this gala, you are sure to enjoy both! California Grill will host a dine-around style event with food stations set up all around the restaurant. There is also a complimentary bar in addition to wine poured by the glass, which you can enjoy until midnight. Most importantly, California Grill is one of the few venues that will feature an appearance by some special guests, like Mickey, Minnie, or other members of the gang! Seating is at 8:00 pm and a dinner jacket is required for men and dress or pants ensemble for women. Cost for this gala is $625.00 (yes, you are reading that right) per person with tax and gratuity included.
Narcoossee’s (Grand Floridian Resort). One of our favorite seafood restaurants at Disney is also ringing in the New Year with a dinner celebration. You have the option of having an early dinner, with seatings between 5:00 pm and 5:45 pm at a cost of $159.75 per adult and $74.55 per child, including tax and gratuity. You can also choose the late dining event, which has seating times between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm. The cost is $317.48 per adult and $118.28 per child including tax and gratuity. Narcoossee’s is an amazing waterfront dining venue and you can’t go wrong with its view of Wishes.
Victoria & Albert’s (Grand Floridian Resort). We don’t have a lot of detail on what the New Year’s eve festivities at V&A, but if there’s anything we know about this fine dining destination, it’s that the food will be out-of-this-world fantastic. For New Year’s Eve, there will be a ten-course menu which features eight savory courses and two dessert courses. There’s also an option of a nine-course wine pairing with specialty wines.
Atlantic Dance Hall (BoardWalk Inn). Enjoy a live band and dance the night away right into 2016 at Atlantic Dance Hall. For $37.00 per person, you will receive a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, party hats and horns, and a view of Illuminations. You can also opt for the VIP Experience at a cost of $80.00 per person – this allows you access to the VIP section on the second floor, where you have guaranteed seating, a dessert bar, and a dedicated bartender.
With that, I will turn it over to you, our dear readers. Which of these dining experiences would you love to attend? Where have you secured a reservation? Sound off in the comments below!
Hi there, I’m Myra and I’m a huge Disney nerd and addict! I’m also an Independent Travel Agent at World of Magic Travel, the preferred agency of Chip and Co. and Disney Addicts. I’m happy to help you plan your next holiday trip to Disney, at no cost to you! It’s not too late! Please visit my page or send me an email at myra@worldofmagictravel.com to get started!
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