A Hollywood Studios New Year’s Eve

Less Crowds, More Magic 
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has become my favorite park to hang out at. Nothing will ever be Magic Kingdom because.. it’s Magic Kingdom.. but I love Studios old Hollywood atmosphere and robust entertainment. Me and my mom were braving the crowds for New Year’s Eve at the Hollywood that always will be and had open minds about the night to avoid disappointment. To my surprise, Toy Story Midway Mania had an average wait and though the park was very full we were still able to ride The Great Movie Ride and Rock n Roller Coaster with less than 20 minute waits later in the night. I was very impressed with Pixar Place. Temporary ropes were in place to help guide traffic and I was able to walk straight through Pixar Place without stopping. I actually joked about that area being particularly frantic not too long ago and questioned how long it would take to walk straight through.. The answer is, not long at all on New Year’s Eve! I spend a lot of time at the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights every year. I often sit off the beaten path and admire the show from a distance to avoid my crowd anxiety. On New Year’s Eve, the Lights were not overly busy. New York Street was fairly full for the switch on but San Francisco was almost empty. Me and my mom stood under the lighted canopy with just a handful of others and watched the Osborne Lights make their grand entrance. It’s not that Hollywood Studios isn’t crowded, the place was packed, it just felt very well managed and enjoyable. Kudos, Cast Members.

 

 

Rock n Roll Dreams Come True
The big New Year’s Eve show is put on by the resident ‘landscaping band’, bandscapers if you will. Mulch Sweat n Shears regularly perform on the Streets of America, at the Sorcerer Hat, Christmas themed shows when the season is right and a big, blow out, rock n roll firework show on the 4th of July.
On New Year’s Eve the band shines brighter than they do all year. Literally. They perform an evening of shows of timeless rock from artists like The Beatles to KISS with stage pyrotechnics, fire effects, smoke and lights and a sky full of fireworks off and on all night. At midnight the big firework show happens to a rockin’ medley performed live. A fireworks show to live music? Count me in. [Note: My opinion is biased because I now know the band personally.. but I had these same opinions when I first saw Mulch in 2011] What truly lights the night is the talent. Each musical artist is very gifted with instrumental and vocal abilities. Mulch Sweat n Shears can successfully cover such a broad library of tunes because so many different sounds and ranges are represented. The front man, Morris Mulch, endlessly humored the crowd with quick wit and jokes reflective of 2013. One guitar player truly rocked his guitar and played with such passion while another had a smile and energy that illuminated Hollywood Boulevard. The man on the keys sang with such a pure, beautiful tone and tickled the ivories until they cried laughing. The bass player jammed out and sang like a legend and the drummer dazzled with drum stick tricks and wailed sky high notes with ease.

Let’s Wrap It Up
The only real issue of the night was that Extra Magic Hours started at midnight. On New Year’s Eve. I don’t know how this was overlooked, one would think park hours are a detailed decision with the input of many. It’s standard to continue New Year’s Eve festivities an hour or two after the clock strikes twelve so it felt flawed to have my annual pass turn into a pumpkin at midnight. Some other things to know: all traffic was strictly directed to I-4 when leaving the park. (I don’t know how you’d get back to your resort if you drove.) Also, extra food and drink stands were added for the evening making lines manageable so if one line is long, skip it and look for another. The Osborne Lights are still on through the New Year and this is a perfect night to enjoy them. You are able to head to this park later in the day without fear of the park being filled to capacity. Showing up late afternoon would be fine. Overall, New Year’s Eve at Hollywood Studios is an amazing celebration. The musical talent is fantastic and provides a unique show to bring in the new year. Seeing fireworks at Hollywood Studios is such a rare occasion and every Disney fan should plan to see them at least once. I was so happy to celebrate New Year’s Eve with my mom for the first time in a long time. Here’s to a splendid and magical 2014!