New Years Eve 2019-20 Around SoCal

Southern California

We’re just a couple of weeks from having 2020 vision as we close out this decade, so for another year, we wanted to highlight a few of the more prominent happenings around Southern California this New Year’s Eve, especially around the theme park and themed attractions we cover throughout the year. If you’re looking for fun times, consider one of the following events!

Universal Studios

Universal Studios Hollywood Ushers in 2020 With EVE, Hollywood’s Biggest Party, Featuring Live Music, Dancing, Fireworks and a Night of Thrills on All Rides and Attractions

EVE is Included in Theme Park Admission or Guests Can Upgrade to the Ultimate EVE Package, Offering Exclusive VIP Lounge Access, Gourmet Buffet Dinner, Private DJ Entertainment, Reserved Fireworks Viewing Area, Preferred Parking and Unlimited Universal Express Access

Click Here to Purchase Tickets for EVE or Ultimate EVE
Annual Pass Members Can Purchase Tickets Here

Universal City, California – Universal Studios Hollywood invites guests to ring in 2020 with EVE, Hollywood’s biggest party of the year, on Tuesday, December 31, with extended theme park hours to 2:00 a.m. EVE is included in the price of theme park admission, or guest can enhance their celebration with the popular Ultimate EVE package.

Guests can visit Universal Studios Hollywood on December 31, 2019 and leave on January 1, 2020 after enjoying a full day and night of fun experiencing the park’s many thrill rides and attractions, including the all-new “Jurassic World—The Ride.”

EVE officially kicks off with a special park-wide celebration at 9:00 p.m., featuring multiple DJs and live music areas, that culminates at midnight with a traditional New Year’s Eve countdown and spectacular fireworks display. Giant, spirited photo op locations add to the festive environment, offering bragging rights to share with friends on social media.

To purchase tickets for EVE or the Ultimate EVE package, guests can click here. Annual Pass members can also benefit from a variety of special incentives devised especially for these valued ticket holders. To learn more and to purchase tickets, Annual Pass members can click here.

The Ultimate EVE package takes the celebration to a whole new level. Package highlights include theme park admission starting at 6:00 p.m., VIP Lounge access with gourmet buffet dining and cash bars with specialty cocktails, private DJ and dance floor, reserved VIP viewing area for the dazzling fireworks display, a complimentary midnight champagne toast, commemorative 2020 party favors, preferred parking and unlimited Universal Express access to all rides and attractions.

At a glance, EVE begins at 9:00 p.m. with Universal Plaza, Simpsons Plaza located in Springfield™ and an area near “Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride” transformed into three uniquely-themed party areas, featuring a variety of music, from rock ‘n’ roll to electronic dance music to Latin pop, and the celebration will continue with enhanced DJ shows and after-party entertainment until 2:00 a.m.

A selection of food and beverages, including desserts, champagne, beer, wine and cocktails, as well as 2020 memorabilia will be available for purchase.

More information, including special EVE Preferred Hotel Packages, is available at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

The Queen Mary

Queen Mary’s New Year’s Eve Celebrates the Past & Present with World-Class Entertainment and Themed Parties

Hotel Packages Now Available

Long Beach, CA – Cheers to the New Year aboard the magnificent Queen Mary at the New Year’s Eve: Past & Present on Tuesday, December 31, 2019. Voyage through history as you explore the ship’s themed decks and salons, brought to life with celebratory live music, DJs, stilt walkers, burlesque dancers, and more. One of SoCal’s best fireworks displays will light up the night sky off the stern of the ship at midnight.

Stroll through the Promenade Deck and pose on the blue carpet with Art Deco glamour and lights as strolling feather girls and samba dancers set the stage for whirlwind parties aboard. A great choice for a first stop while dancing back in time, the White Canary in the Queen’s Salon gives guests a 20’s-style Champagne Party with performances from crystal stilt walkers, flapper dancers, and confetti champagne girls as electro-swing DJ Professor Watson works his musical magic.

Those looking for a thrill can embark on the ultimate search for an exclusive Speakeasy: Capone’s Hideaway, home to a secret swing band. This experience will transport guests to a time of prohibition and underground party rooms where swing music filled the air and absinthe filled the glasses.

The Royal Salon has always been the Cat’s Meow, and for New Year’s Eve, will host the black light party, aglow with all things neon. Dance to electronic music with DJ Marc Lawrence in our pitch-black salon and grab a drink from LED bottles, as dancing cryo bots, LED hula hoopers, neon face painters and more groove to the beats of the music. Venture atop the ship to Hotsy Totsy on the Sports Deck for a little country twang under the stars. Stomp and shout to live country music performed by JT Harker and the hottest tracks from DJ Coral. Grab a hay bale, enjoy the ocean breeze, and sip on moonshine under the twinkling lights.

Spice up the celebration at Casa Nueva as La Sonora Dinamita – a Colombian musical group universally credited for the popular rebirth of Cumbia – takes the stage in the Grand Salon. DJ Hife will bring a mix of salsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton, while Samba showgirls light up the dance floor.

The party will be raging on the decks of the Live Wire Quay where headliners Canadian EDM duo Young Bombs will spin and the fireworks spectacle will take your breath away at midnight. Groove with cryo robots and LED hula hoopers at an under-the-stars party to ring in 2020.

VIP party goers will receive the Bird’s Welcome in the Brittania and Deck Salon. Experience tantalizing décor, sip on cocktails, and catch renowned burlesque performers Ruby Champagne and Kitten de Ville, followed by a vintage swing dancing show performed by Nocturna Entertainment. Celebrate in VIP style at the Live Wire Lounge located in the Verandah Grille. The 20’s-inspired VIP lounge will host Hedgehog Swing performing live jazz and prime firework viewing. The Boiler Room brings an exclusive VIP experience to the historic inner workings of the ship, 25 feet below the water line, in one of the most unique party locations you’ve ever seen. Wander through lasers and light shows to experience the musical stylings of a live DJ and Steampunk mixologists serving hand-crafted cocktails.

The Champagne Cabanas offer an exclusive VIP experience and ultimate firework viewing location. Reserve one of eight cabanas on the Capstan deck and enjoy private seating, a bottle of champagne, exclusive bottle service, and DJ performances.

The celebration doesn't have to end at midnight. The Queen Mary’s New Year’s Eve Hotel Package includes two VIP Admission tickets when booking a stateroom starting at $629, saving $40 off of a pair of VIP tickets.

Queen Mary’s New Year’s Eve: Past & Present takes place from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Guests must be 21 years old to attend. Tickets are on sale now. General Admission tickets are $120 per person and VIP tickets are $220 per person. VIP tickets include a champagne toast upon entry, access to all parties plus exclusive ballrooms and prime fireworks viewing locations. Reservations are required for dining at Sir Winston’s. Champagne Cabanas with bottle service and views of the fireworks on the Capstan deck are now available for reservations. For more information, pricing, hotel packages and more, visit http://queenmary.com or call 877-342-0742.

Other New Year’s Eve Events

Universal and the Queen Mary are far from the only places celebrating the passage to 2019 with festive events. There are plenty of other destinations around Southern California that have a tradition of making New Year’s Eve special, including:

Disneyland Resort

The Happiest Place on Earth will be loaded with people to ring in the New Year, but there’s plenty of entertainment for people looking to become the first park guests of 2020. Disneyland Park will pair on two fireworks shows—one at 9:00pm and one just before midnight—with Mickey’s Mix Magic to ring in the New Year, while dance parties throughout the park last past midnight and until park closing at 2am.

New Year’s Eve is the only night of the year when Disneyland is open past midnight.

World of Color is back online this year, but it will be playing two shows prior to midnight. Instead, the special new year’s version of the show will highlight the countdown to the new year and new decade. If you ask me, the DCA version is actually more fun than Disneyland’s Fantasy in the Sky fireworks which is the same version the park has done for years. DCA’s NYE show is getting less novel too, but it’s still more new than its counterpart.

Also, nearby Anaheim GardenWalk is doing a New Year’s Countdown for the first time ever! The even takes place in the Carnival Garden of the shopping plaza and will include movies and live performances. Given the venue’s proximity to Disneyland, it doesn’t look like they’re doing their own fireworks, though.

Knott’s Berry Farm

As an alternative to Disneyland’s theme park New Year’s Eve festivities, Knott’s December 31st party also offers a midnight countdown and fireworks spectacular. The park has a gluttony of events to mark the occasion, including:

Midnight Fireworks Spectacular, guests can ring in the New Year with a bang as the park’s skies wonderfully light up for an aerial fireworks display that will leave the young and young at heart in awe.
Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, four country boys from deep in the hills of Anaheim will have the crowd’s toes tappin’, hands clappin’ and guts bustin’. The best darn-tootin' entertainment this side of the Santa Ana freeway. The comical and musical number can be seen at the Wagon Camp Theatre.
DJ Howly brings the party to the farm for a special New Year’s celebration, with high energy music and dancing taking place at the Calico Mine Stage.
Next to the Calico Mine Stage, the PEANUTS characters will be posing for pictures with guests to celebrate the New Year in their favorite party outfits.
The stage will be set at Boardwalk BBQ as two sets of 88 keys go head to head in full keys wage war with PianoMania Dueling Pianos.
The Calico Mine Stage will blast unforgettable pop and rock music courtesy of the ladies of The Suffragettes. It’ll have guests dancing in the aisles.
Family-friendly comedian, Chipper Lowell, brings his hilarious comedy, magic and audience participation to the Bird Cage Theatre.
Martini Pop Swing Band, Dance Instructors, and the Martini Shaker Dancers are on hand to play the slickest standards ever. Swing, sway and jump with the hippest cats in town. The Martini Pops Swing Band provides the tunes and you’re invited to dance the night away in the legendary Boardwalk Ballroom. Dance instruction classes included!
Fiesta Plaza will feature DJ JC playing upbeat music and will host a dance instructor to teach guests how to dance the Latin way.

Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm.

Grand Park + The Music Center

Downtown L.A.’s NYE celebration will mark the turn of another year. A countdown and fireworks will be held over in the Music Center area, with the heart of the city’s skyline playing a nice backdrop to the celebration. This has become the central gathering space for L.A. revelers, akin to New York City’s celebration at Time’s Square. Free to all attendees, it’s a great way to spend a festive time ringing in 2020!

Marina del Rey New Year's Eve Fireworks & Glow Party

Marina del Rey is back with another fun fireworks party event, with pyrotechnics happening at 9 and midnight to celebrate 2020 for the East Coast and the West Coast. This event is also free and family friendly, with live music, games, face painting, food trucks, and more!

Beyond the above, there are also plenty of private parties and specially ticketed club events that are a little beyond the purview of this blog. But places like Eventbrite and DoLA have some good lists to start.

From the team at Westcoaster to you, enjoy a wonderful holiday season and an exciting and safe ringing in of the new Roaring Twenties!