1st annual New Years Eve in Celebration, FL.

I live in Celebration and am looking forward to the 1st annual New Years Eve Celebration. It will be nice to indulge a little and not have to worry about driving home - I have never been a fan of driving on New Years Eve. If you don’t want to worry about driving, there is a great boutique hotel located right in Celebration.

This year’s event will include great food, fireworks and some live music. The food in Celebration is awesome and the vendors will be out offering some of their tastiest dishes. They are saying that the last snowfall of 2007 will take place. If you haven’t seen this it is kind of fun and a little cheesy. The snow (soap) machines are on top of the lampposts and shoot out a mixture that resembles snow. Mostly the kids love the soapy snow as they immerse themselves with it, throw it at their buddies and slide around.

Hey, the event is free and will feature music by The Reflections Band Live and JR Richards.

This link has some information on the bands:

Below are the times of the events – it should be a fun time.

7:00 PM Event Starts

7:00 PM DJ Tami Begins

7:00-10:30 PM The Reflections Band

11:00 PM JR Richards (Dishwalla)

Midnight Fireworks

12:25 The Reflections Band

1:30 Events End

Russ

B52’s and Foreigner on New Years Eve at City Walk

It’s becoming sort of a tradition for my wife and I to spend New Years Eve at Universal. We intend to try Pleasure Island but the entertainment always seems lacking. Anyway, this year will be no different - we’ll ring in the New Year in style at City Walk. If you haven’t been to City Walk on New Years your in for a treat. When I was younger I do not think I would have gone out of my way to see the B52’s. Maybe Foreigner but it would have been a stretch! In any event, I haven’t been let down by Universal on New Years Eve yet so I’ll trust them again - I’ll just wince a little bit when Love Shack it played. Maybe next year they’ll get Whitesnake?

Starting from the entrance to Starbucks and ending at Margaritaville, the entire area is walled off for those willing to pay $119.00 + tax for a ‘private party’.

I have to say, I’m not a fan of crowds and I hate waiting in line for a meal but the spread that is put out is worth a little wait. The salmon filets that usually are outside of Buffet’s Margaritaville are worth the trip alone. Plus, in the past 3 years we have attended, the masses of people never seem to get that large. Sure, theres a gaggle of revelers around but there is still room to walk and move.

For complete details on the event vist the official Universal City Walk site. Last year there was an option to pay an additional fee ($40.00 I think) for unlimited top-shelf drinks. I didn’t see that option online so you may want to ask when purchasing your tickets.

Tip: Getting out of Universal on New Years (and the 4th of July) is a exercise in patience. You can easily spend 60 minutes leaving the garage. If your up for it, take in a movie after the midnight fireworks when everyone is trying to leave. Although the clubs are open till 2 a.m., most people start leaving once the fireworks have concluded. You’ll have an easy walk and exit once you leave the theater.

See you there!

–

Bill