Hello Lori - welcome back to planDisney!
Wow - what a wonderful way to start the new year - at Walt Disney World! You'll be happy to know that things are pretty much business as usual on New Year's Day. The holiday season is one of the busiest and most magical times of the year and many Guests enjoy the New Year's Eve festivities that Disney offers.
You will certainly be able to
shop and
dine at almost all locations. Since you are arriving for your vacation on December 31, 2023, you will be able to make
dining reservations on November 1, 2023, beginning at 6:00 a.m. EST, if that is something you would like to do.
As far as the
water parks, in years past, one water park has been open on most days in January, weather permitting. However,
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park is currently closed for refurbishment and a reopening date has not yet been announced. The schedule for
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is currently posted through November 4, 2023. At this time, I'm not able to give you a definite answer as to which water park, if any, will be open on January 1, 2024. I encourage you to review the
calendar for the water parks as you get closer to your vacation for the latest updates. Additionally, you should be able to enjoy the
pools at Disney's All-Star Music Resort.
If you plan on visiting a theme park on December 31, 2023, or January 1, 2024, I have good news for you! I checked the
Theme Park Reservation Availability calendar and as of now, all parks have capacity on both days. Currently, the
Hours & Events Calendar is updated through December 15, 2023, so you will want to monitor that calendar as well as your vacation approaches.
Lori, the
Disney Parks Blog will likely have a story posted soon for New Year's Eve festivities. In the meantime, you can catch up on other fun stories that have been published. I found the
History of Disney Castles Around the World in Honor of Disney100 to be an interesting read.
Have a magical vacation!
Diane