By SHERALYN BOLE
People all over the world may be ringing in the new year a little differently this Dec. 31.
Although many will be staying at home relaxing with families or trying to avoid potential Y2K chaos, others will be celebrating a little more than usual to welcome the new millennium.
Some of the biggest parties in the United States are expected in Las Vegas and New York City.
At least 750,000 partygoers are predicted to pour into Las Vegas this New Year’s Eve, said Mark Paris, president of the Freemont Street Experience, a downtown attraction.
Since the city only has about 120,000 hotel rooms, many of those are going for thousands of dollars a night.
“It’s all accelerated because of the demand,” Paris said. “That’s kind of the American way.”
Rooms at Caesars Palace, usually priced between $125 — $500 a night, will go for $2,000 a night, with a four-night minimum.
Barbara Streisand will perform at the MGM Grand, with ticket prices as high as $2,500. Elton John, Bette Midler and Celine Dion will also perform in Vegas.
More than a million people are expected to go to Times Square in New York City. This year, the dropping ball will be made of Waterford crystal and the city’s annual parade will feature more than 150 puppets.
Jeff Neilan, a senior at Cal State Fullerton in Southern California, made his travel plans to go to Times Square with his girlfriend more than two years ago. He broke up with her a few months ago, and, since the tickets were non-refundable, he will now be going with his ex-girlfriend.
“It might be a little weird, but we’re still going to make it fun,” he said.
Other people will be going on cruises to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
“We expect this millennium period to be the most profitable in our history,” said Jennifer de la Cruz, spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines.
Seven-night cruises to the Caribbean are still available for $6,500 per person, and five-night, “bargain” cruises to Cancun and Key West are still available for $1,800 per person, de la Cruz said.
Y2K celebrations are also expected in other parts of the world.
The British built the Millennium Dome, the largest dome in the world, in Greenwich this year to house exhibits and attractions and be the centerpiece of the United Kingdom’s celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth II will officially open the dome on Dec. 31. According to the dome’s Web site, www.greenwich2000.com, 10,000 people will attend the opening ceremonies, and 12 million people are expected to visit the dome within the next year.
In Egypt, a helicopter will place a golden 30-foot-high pyramid atop the largest pyramid during the second act of an electronic opera. The cost is between $15 and $400, and 50,000 are expected to attend.
Two million Brazilians, many dressed in white, are expected to dance to pagode and axe music on Copacabana Beach.
Other people will celebrate along the international date line to be the first to ring in the new millennium. Cruise ships in the Pacific Ocean will cross the date line at midnight, and then double back to celebrate the millennium twice.
Three people have also paid $12,000 to walk along the date line in snowshoes in the Diomede Islands, between Russia and Alaska, according to Time Magazine.
