At Disney World, the Joyfulness of New Year’s Eve Is a Daily Affair

Despite its status as the globe’s most classic family-travel destination, Walt Disney World manages to routinely refresh itself with new or reimagined experiences.

For those who haven’t been or haven’t been in a while, it’s notable that the fireworks exploding over Cinderella’s Castle have become multi-dimensional. Scenes from the brand’s famous films and new attractions, such as the recently released “Lion King“ prequel, “Mustafa”, are teased on the castle’s iconic facade while music bursts through the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street USA. The hopefulness encapsulated in New Year’s Eve never ends at Disney, where Christmas trees in December and January add to the fairytale ambience of the endlessly charming park.

Those venturing to the Orlando, Florida landmark in 2025 will likely encounter several rides and other attractions that were added in the second half of last year. They should also make it a point to enjoy Disney’s offerings that don’t involve high-speed spinning and ticklish roller-coaster drops. Golfers can augment their Disney World visit with a round at one of four courses on the resort while shoppers and foodies will be delighted with Disney Springs, an open-air mall and entertainment venue that is fantastical in itself.

Here are some highlights of the Disney World locales I experienced with my family in the early days of 2025:

Magic Kingdom: The home to Cinderella’s Castle, the It’s a Small World ride, and the daily parade of Mickey and friends remains an eternal destination for families. It is graced with Disney lore, much of it wholesome and rich with both history and that innocent sense of wonder parents of young kids grasp onto.

With Gabriel about to turn 7 years old and his interests rapidly changing, the January visit may be our last to the Magic Kingdom so we were keen to create memories wherever we could. It was our second trip to the park — the first occurring in 2023 — and we felt nostalgic as we got reacquainted with old favourites, like the Aladdin’s Magic Carpet ride, and sought out experiences we had previously skipped, such as the Haunted Mansion and the World Railroad, an old-fashioned steam train that circles the park.

Notable new attractions include Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which opened in June in the park’s Frontierland section. A musical experience in a log ride on water, the program connects with the bayous of Louisiana, a state that is a consistent inspiration for Disney.

Hollywood Studios: The “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” section has been a massive draw since it debuted in 2019. There are three hugely popular rides — “The Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run” where you can man the cockpit of the famous Lucasfilm space craft, “Star Tours: The Adventure Continues”, a 4D ride that zooms through the universe and features new scenes for 2025, and the mesmerizing “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance”, which immerses ride-goers in scenes from the latest Skywalker films. Equally crowd-pleasing is Oga’s Cantina, a cocktail and snack bar that delivers quality with its galactic quirkiness. The drinks include novel cocktails with bizarre names but tasty flavours, such as Nysillin and Bubbles with Burb Berry Essence — an extraterrestrial-sounding gin and tonic featuring a Canadian spirit: Empress 1908 gin from Victoria, British Columbia. Gabriel, meanwhile, was overjoyed with the Carbon Freeze, a fruity lemon-lime drink with green apple popping pearls that create a fizz.

The Tattoine-esque setting and robot DJ add to the notion of adventure at Oga’s. You may even see Storm Troopers or the Mandalorian drop in for a drink.

Outside, you can check out the Star Wars depot, where visitors can build their own droid or light saber, for a pricey fee, or search for souvenirs no Jedi mind trick could make you forget.

World of Disney Golf: Don’t let the Disney name fool you — these are courses that will challenge all golfers. We played the Lake Buena Vista course, which has a number of water holes and long-yardage tests that are absolutely not Mickey Mouse. The grounds are well-maintained and there’s the added hazard of gators — just make sure you don’t go searching for your ball too deep into the woods.

The pro shop has a number of Disney-branded souvenirs that you and your young golfer might love. Gabriel chose a bright Mickey putter cover, ball markers, and branded balls — keepsakes he will likely have in his golf bag for years to come.

Disney Springs: Home to World of Disney, the company’s largest retail store, Disney Springs is a large outdoor mall that will appeal to every consumer. There are luxury brands and lesser-known artisanal retailers. I was most impressed with the quality of restaurants. Masaharu Morimoto and Jose Andres are among the celebrity chefs with a presence at Disney Springs. We dined at Andres’s Jaleo and I was thrilled with the authentic Spanish flavours, including liquified olives, a dish made famous at El Bulli, the defunct Catalan restaurant that for many years was regarded as the best in the world.

Disney Springs has free parking and is also accessible by boat from neighbouring resort properties, including from the Disney Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.

Whether it’s the fireworks over the castle, the days of entertainment, or the world-leading hospitality, Disney maintains its unique ability to bend reality so that moods float between happy and happier.

MORE ABOUT VISITING DISNEY WORLD

Canadian Residents Discount: With the foreign-exchange rate clearly not in favour of Canadians, Disney is one of the establishments that are offering relief. Canadians can receive savings through September 27, 2025 when they purchase a 4-Day Theme Park Ticket at Walt Disney World, starting at $109 USD per day ($436 USD total, or about $160 CAD per day or $630 CAD for four days). Learn more about the offer here.

Tech Tips: The My Disney Experience app is invaluable to maximizing your visit. Once downloaded, the app can help you make essential selections for rides and book your dining choices — it’s highly recommended you do both well in advance. You can use the Lightning Lane function in the app to fast track for most rides, reducing your time spent in line for the popular attractions from an hour to about 10 minutes, in many cases. For dining, you can reserve your seats — including a spot in the out-of-this-world Star Wars-themed Oga’s Cantina. Be sure to check-in on the app in advance of your reservation to ensure you are seated on time (even with a reservation you can be kept waiting if you don’t check-in in advance). The app also tells you how long lineups are so you can adjust your plans for the day based on up-to-date info.

 

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Getting There: Air Canada has 20 flights originating in the country to Florida, including direct service to Orlando from Toronto and Montreal. Vancouver travellers can connect to Orlando through either of those major Canadian hubs. For passengers venturing beyond Disney and exploring more of the Sunshine State, Air Canada has a direct option from Miami to Vancouver that is the longest non-stop flight in North America. It takes seven hours, but is extremely convenient for west-coast travellers seeking a sun getaway.

 

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