5 Festive Hotels With New Year's Eve Parties for Families

This sprawling resort in Texas Hill Country, about 30 minutes from Austin, has so much planned for New Year's Eve that it will kick off the celebration a day early. On December 30, it will host an afternoon carnival with rides, games, face painting, balloon artists, and hay rides, followed by music and s'mores by the fire pits. The next day, the carnival will continue and families will enjoy an outdoor Texas-style barbecue dinner and a DJ dance party countdown to midnight. Kids will receive apple cider and parents get champagne for a midnight toast, with the fireworks on display until bedtime. The two-night New Year's Eve Family Celebration package will conclude with a morning breakfast buffet on New Year's Day.

You’d expect a pretty sweet New Year’s Eve in this town famous for chocolate. These sister hotels don’t disappoint. Families staying at the Hotel Hershey can reserve the NYE celebration that includes a magic show, music, dinner, and, of course, a dessert buffet. Guests at Hershey Lodge can celebrate with a dinner reception and family carnival with music, arcade games, and Hershey’s characters. Or head to downtown Hershey to watch a 300-pound Hershey Kiss and midnight fireworks.

Kids age 13 and older are welcome to join their parents at the Roaring '20s New Year's Eve Bash at this resort in Yosemite National Park. It includes hors d'ouevres, gourmet dinner with jazz music, dancing, party favors and a balloon drop. Have younger kids? Children ages 4 to 7 are welcome to join a kids-only comic book heroes themed party while 8- to 12-year-olds can participate in an outer space-themed celebration.

For the first time, Walt Disney World will host Pixar Party: A New Year's Eve celebration from 8pm to 12:15am. The night will include meet-and-greets with favorite characters from Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Up plus face painting, a balloon artist, DJ spinning songs from Radio Disney, and a Pixar-inspired dinner buffet. At midnight, families can head outside to view fireworks from Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, tickets are sold out to this year's event, but put it on your radar for next year. Tickets usually go on sale in summer.

Enjoy dinner at your choice of restaurants at this Maryland resort. Then join the family-friendly NYE celebration from 9pm to 1am; it includes a DJ-hosted dance party with a balloon drop, live music, bounce houses, teen area, and game room.