By the time summer rolls around, many Disney fans are already thinking ahead—especially when it comes to holidays. Halloween plans start forming, Christmas bookings fill up fast, and New Year’s Eve remains one of the most in-demand nights on the Disney calendar.
That is, unless you’re hoping to celebrate at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Across the Disney portfolio, few occasions are treated with as much energy as the turn of the year. At Walt Disney World and Disneyland, New Year’s Eve is a high-capacity spectacle, with exclusive fireworks, park-wide dance parties, and extended hours that keep guests celebrating well past midnight. At Disneyland Paris, the countdown is marked by fireworks, music, and seasonal menus.
For years, Tokyo Disney Resort was part of that tradition. But that’s no longer the case—and hasn’t been for a while.
Tokyo Disney Resort Quietly Drops New Year’s Eve Plans (Again)
Earlier this month, Tokyo Disney Resort quietly updated its official event calendar with one key omission. “’New Year’s Eve’ at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea (on December 31, 2025) will not be presented,” reads the now-public notice on its website.
The park’s seasonal lineup includes Halloween from September 17 to October 31, 2025 (with updated dress code regulations, much to the disappointments and confusion of some guests), followed by a Christmas event beginning November 11 and ending on December 25. Then, a “New Year’s Special Event” will kick off—but not until January 1, 2026. It will run through January 12.
What’s missing is any celebration on the night itself. And it’s not the first time.
This marks the sixth consecutive year that Tokyo Disney has opted out of hosting a proper New Year’s Eve celebration. While reasons have not been officially stated, some longtime fans have theories.
“Why are Disney parks around the world restoring New Year’s Eve operations, but not only in Tokyo?” one X, formerly known as Twitter, user asked. “Because it’s not cost-effective. Tokyo had been holding a crappy countdown since the earthquake compared to other Disney Parks, but finally stopped holding the event itself.”
Others were less understanding. “I don’t get why they’re not doing it…” another user wrote on X. “Oriental Land is done for…”
The Oriental Land Company, which licenses and operates the resort under an agreement with The Walt Disney Company, has made no official comment on the ongoing absence of the countdown event.
What Guests Can Expect Instead
Although New Year’s Eve itself will be uneventful by Disney standards, regular nighttime offerings at Tokyo Disney Resort will still be in place.
Sky Full of Colors, the resort’s nightly fireworks show, continues to light up the sky in both parks. At Tokyo Disneyland, guests can also experience Reach for the Stars, a projection-based nighttime show at Cinderella Castle that features classic characters pursuing their dreams.
For some, that’s enough. For others, especially those used to the all-out celebrations at other Disney parks, it marks a disappointing trend.
Whether the countdown returns in the future remains to be seen. But for now, Tokyo Disney Resort’s message is clear: don’t make your December 31 plans here.
Do you like spending New Year’s Eve at Disney?
