Times Square New Year's Eve organizer dismisses study as 'comparing apples to oranges'
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather in New York City to protest ongoing war
A large crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched in New York City on Saturday to protest the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with many waving Palestinian flags and some getting into altercations with other New Yorkers. (Fox News Digital)
The Sunshine State boom at the expense of New York now includes acclaim as the best place in the United States to celebrate New Year's Eve, according to a new study.
The city of Orlando, Florida, has supplanted the Big Apple as the nation's top New Year's Eve hotspot, WalletHub reported this month.
Orlando's ascendancy as a New Year's Eve destination comes after years of trends empowering Florida while the Empire State has been losing its once-unmatched prominence.
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Florida surpassed New York in population, electoral votes and representatives in Congress following the 2020 U.S. Census.
New York City tumbled to No. 3 on the WalletHub New Year's Eve list, despite its iconic and internationally televised Times Square revelry.
New Year's Eve fireworks are shown in Orlando, Florida, which was named the top city in America to ring in the New Year in a new WalletHub study. (The Ritz-Carlton Orlando at Grande Lakes, via Visit Orlando)
San Diego, California is the second-best city to celebrate New Year’s Eve, according to a new study by the personal finance company.
Orlando "ranks first when it comes to nightlife options and affordable restaurants rated 4.5+ stars, so you can enjoy some fun and a good meal before 2024 arrives," WalletHub wrote.
One New York City official dismissed the study, arguing that Orlando still doesn't have the juice to compete with the Big Apple.
"What stops New York from being the best city overall is the price — celebrations are a lot less affordable than in the top two cities," the organization said.
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The average couple will spend $872 to enjoy New Year's Eve in the nation's three largest cities, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, according to WalletHub.
One New York City official dismissed the study, arguing that Orlando still doesn't have the juice to compete with the Big Apple.
Revelers are shown celebrating New Year’s Eve in Times Square on Jan. 1, 2023, in New York City. "What stops New York from being the best city overall is the price — celebrations are a lot less affordable than in the top two cities," the WalletHub organization said about best cities for New Year's Eve. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
"It’s comparing apples to oranges," Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, told Fox News Digital.
The Alliance manages activities and events in Times Square, including its New Year's Eve ball-drop bash, first held in 1907.
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Harris added, "New York City has been the place that America and the world looks to for many years to ring in the New Year. We’ll have a million people in Times Square again this year and a billion people watching around the world."
Nationwide trends, however, are moving in favor of Florida.
New York has lost more than 100,000 residents over the past 12 months, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data — more than any other state.
A father and daughter celebrate New Year's Eve at SeaWorld Orlando Resort. Orlando was named the best city in America to celebrate New Year's Eve by WalletHub in Dec. 2023, lauded — among other reasons — for its many family-friendly activities. (SeaWorld Orlando Resort, via Visit Orlando)
The Empire State has also lost billions of dollars in annual taxable income, while Florida's coffers have been flooded with billions in new income.
Florida's communities have even recruited New York City police officers right in Times Square.
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"The recognition as the No. 1 destination for New Year's Eve reinforces that Orlando is an ideal location because there is something for everyone to enjoy," Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, told Fox News Digital this week in a statement.
She cited the city’s many family-friendly outdoor attractions, beyond its "world-famous theme parks," as reasons it’s the best place in the nation to celebrate the New Year.
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The list includes "block parties, concerts and dining events," plus multiple "one-of-a-kind fireworks displays."
Confetti flies after the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball drops in a nearly empty Times Square in Midtown Manhattan due to the COVID-19 lockdown, early Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)
Fireworks appear to represent Florida’s less restrictive political environment and were singled out by WalletHub as a reason Orlando tops the list.
"You can’t talk about New Year’s Eve without mentioning fireworks," the survey reported. "Orlando has some of the longest fireworks displays in the country, and consumer fireworks are legal, so people can set up their own shows."
"It's comparing apples and oranges. New York City has been the place that America and the world looks to for many years to ring in the New Year."
San Diego’s "mild weather" helped the sunny Southern California community leap over chilly Gotham.
"It’s the place to be if you want clear skies so you can appreciate an outdoor get-together and fireworks show," WalletHub reported. "The city has the lowest chance of precipitation on New Year’s Eve."
WalletHub ranked the 100 largest cities in America based upon 26 different metrics across three different categories: entertainment and food; costs; and safety and accessibility.
Fox News Digital reached out to New York City Tourism + Conventions for additional comment.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Kerry J. Byrne is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
