Where to celebrate New Year’s Eve with Disney and your kids

There are plenty of options for kids to ring in 2013 with Disney this year. If your family is visiting Walt Disney World, each of the four theme parks has special events planned for New Year’s Eve. (More details on AllEars.Net.) But if you’d like to celebrate outside the parks — which presumably would be less crowded and less expensive — with your favorite Disney characters and personalities, here are some possibilities.

DisneyQuest, which houses five floors of video and virtual games at Downtown Disney, is again hosting a family friendly event on Dec. 31. In addition to unlimited use of the the games, there will be two DJ dance parties, meet-and-greets with Disney characters, and a New Year’s Eve countdown and confetti drop at midnight.

Tickets, which include a meal and beverage, can be purchased in advance for $50 online or by calling 407-934-7639. Space permitting, tickets also will be sold at DisneyQuest the day of the event for $60.

Although I have not been to the end-of-the-year celebration, my family has had annual passes to DisneyQuest, so I can tell you how much fun it is for elementary-school-age children. In addition to the arcade-style video games, there are many games that accommodate four players, including air hockey and Pac-Man. Plus, there are opportunities to create music and art.

In 20 cities in the United States, including two in Florida, Radio Disney hosts Noon Year’s Eve celebrations for kids who might not stay up past their bedtimes to ring in the new year.

The closest location to Orlando will be at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo (1101 West Sligh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday. The Noon Year’s Eve event is free and features the best songs of the year from Radio Disney’s “Top 50 of 2012,” interactive entertainment hosted by the Radio Disney 1380 Road Crew, a special countdown and a juice toast.

In Miami, the Radio Disney AM 990 Road Crew joins the New Year’s Eve celebration at Bayfront Park (301 N Biscayne Boulevard Miami, FL 33132) from 6 p.m. to midnight. This is also a free party in South Florida with dancing, fireworks over Biscayne Bay and the countdown of “La Gran Naranja” (The Big Orange).

Participants at Noon Year’s Eve events in Philadelphia, Boston, Phoenix and Miami can enter “The Chevrolet presents: Family Ride of a Lifetime Sweepstakes.” Prizes include one 2013 Chevrolet Traverse, a trip for six to Walt Disney World, and a signed Justin Bieber guitar and concert tickets.

As I mentioned in another post this week, the last “snowfalls” of the season in the town of Celebration, in Disney World’s back yard, happen on New Year’s Eve. Show flies at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m., and in between, guests can hear DJ Tami perform. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Katty Shack will entertain crowds, and the new year will be celebrated with a fireworks show at midnight. This event is free and some of the paid holiday activities still will be available.

Of course, there’s always the tradition of watching Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2013 on Disney-owned ABC. This year’s broadcast from Times Square in New York features Ryan Seacrest hosting and Taylor Swift headlining the musical performances. Carly Rae Jepsen (“Call Me Maybe”) and Neon Trees will perform as well.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!