Jollywood Nights is a Christmas party at Hollywood Studios. Our guide to the event covers 2024 dates & details for Walt Disney World’s newest hard ticket event, entertainment & attractions info, character meet & greets, a comparison to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom, and more. (Updated September 6, 2024.)
Let’s start with the basic details that we already know about Disney Jollywood Nights (DJN). This event will be held on select nights in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DHS), offering a more refined holiday vibe, sights of sparkling décor, sounds of modern beats over classic holiday songs, tastes of craft cocktails and decadent dishes. It’s nostalgic and it’s glitz and glam galore.
Get ready to dress in your holiday glam best or festive flair, dance the night away to merry mashups, indulge in divine treats and bubbling spirits, and snap selfies with iconic characters during Disney Jollywood Nights. For an extra dose of holiday cheer, the party wraps with the return of the nighttime spectacular, “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” You’ll be in fa la la la la la la la land before you can say Tinseltown!
Disney Jollywood Nights is a separately ticketed, limited-capacity holiday event on 13 select nights from November 9, 2024 through December 21, 2024. You can get holly and jolly for five festive hours from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. during this limited capacity, separately ticketed event.
Ticketholders will be admitted to Disney’s Hollywood Studios as early as 6:00 PM on the valid date of their ticket. These date-specific event tickets do not require an additional day theme park ticket or theme park reservation. Note that the event hours and mix-in time differ from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which allows guests to enter Magic Kingdom earlier.
Tickets to Disney Jollywood Nights are now available for all guests. Price range from $159 to $179 per person, depending upon the date. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Disney Jollywood Nights, valid for all event nights.
Party dates for Disney Jollywood Nights are:
- November 9, 2024 – $169
- November 13, 2024 – $159
- November 16, 2024 – $169
- November 18, 2024 – $159
- November 23, 2024 – $179
- November 25, 2024 – $179
- November 30, 2024 – $179
- December 2, 2024 – $169
- December 7, 2024 – $179
- December 11, 2024 – $179
- December 14, 2024 – $179
- December 18, 2024 – $179
- December 21, 2024 – $179
Tickets are limited and may not be available for purchase on the day of the event (or earlier).
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Disney Jollywood Nights, valid for all event nights.
The 2024 Disney Jollywood Nights will be packed with entertaining shows like What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along, Disney Holidays in Hollywood, and Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!
There’s also a new dazzling skating spectacular set to your favorite holiday tunes in the center of the park, in front of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Several times each evening, take in the grace and skill of international champion skaters in an awe-inspiring twist on the traditional ice show.
For those who missed the inaugural DJN, Disney Holidays in Hollywood is a star-studded variety show in the grand tradition of Tinseltown’s most beloved holiday specials – all with a twist of today’s Hollywood magic.
Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Tiana, Belle, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are among the special guest stars, and there are plenty of surprises in store – including a brand-new original song by Tiana. Singers, dancers and live jazz musicians round out the talented cast of entertainers in this dazzling performance. Jolly vignettes remind everyone that the holidays mean something special to each and every one of us.
Jollywood Nights attendees also won’t want to miss “What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along.”
Enter a dreamlike adventure in The Hyperion Theater where Jack Skellington takes us on an ethereal exploration of “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Sing along to beloved songs from the iconic film and discover peculiar magic in unexpected places. Along the way, you’ll conquer Oogie Boogie and be encouraged to follow your curiosity.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends are wearing glitzy outfits exclusively for Disney Jollywood Nights – and they invite you to do the same. The outfits are inspired by the party’s vintage vibe, which celebrates the glitz and glam of Hollywood.
Art directors, show producers and designers worked together to land on just the right combination of colors and fabric for these special looks. Delve into any old collection of ornaments from the ‘30s, ‘40s or ‘50s, and you’re sure to find an array of colorful pastels. And that’s exactly what we see here!
Mint green and soft reds in sumptuous fabrics set the tone as you encounter Mickey & Friends Holiday Greetings in Animation Courtyard. The gang has just wrapped on the set of their new holiday film, and you’re invited to catch a glimpse of the magic!
Those aren’t the only characters–the 2024 Disney Jollywood Nights event includes over 20 unique character experiences featuring both new and returning favorites.
New Characters to Disney Jollywood Nights in 2024:
- Baloo and King Louie from Talespin – appearing at Echo Lake
- José Carioca or Panchito from The Three Caballeros – appearing at Animation Courtyard
- Bo Peep or Lotso from the Toy Story movies – appearing at the entrance to Toy Story Land
Returning Characters to Disney Jollywood Nights in 2024:
- Phineas and Ferb – appearing at Echo Lake
- Max Goof as Powerline – appearing at Echo Lake
- Rescue Rangers Chip ‘n’ Dale – appearing at Echo Lake
- Santa Stitch – appearing at Celebrity Spotlight at Echo Lake
- Santa Duffy – appearing at Santa’s Workshop at Grand Avenue
- Edna Mode and Frozone from The Incredibles – appearing at Pixar Plaza
- Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck – appearing on Hollywood Boulevard near Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Goofy and Pluto – appearing by Pixar Plaza
- Minnie Mouse – appearing at Red Carpet Dreams on Commissary Lane
And more! Don’t forget PhotoPass digital downloads are included in your event ticket!
Food is also a big part of Disney Jollywood Nights.
Last year, there were literally dozens of cocktails, light bites, and sophisticated snacks available at the counter service and table service restaurants, as well as outdoor vending locations around the park. Lines for food & beverages at the event we attended were quite long, to the point that we didn’t want to waste valuable party time to pay even more money to eat. We heard reports that lines weren’t nearly as bad for food during subsequent DJN nights, though.
See last year’s Full Food Guide & Restaurant Reservation Info for the Jollywood Nights Christmas Party for a rundown of the items available.
Speaking of which, the swankiest spot during Disney Jollywood Nights is Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby. The restaurant transforms into a smooth jazz joint, playing holiday tunes amidst sparkling décor.
Here, you can sip craft cocktails and indulge in an exclusive menu of light bites while enjoying the music and ambiance of this classy establishment. Jazzy Holidays at the Hollywood Brown Derby will return for 2024–and continue requiring a reservation due to limited space.
This is a limited-capacity experience; reservations are strongly recommended to help you plan your evening. Advance Dining Reservations will open on September 17, 2024 to book Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby.
Another highlight is Twilight Soirée at the Tip Top Club in the courtyard outside the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Walt Disney World advertises this as a swingin’ celebration in the courtyard of The Hollywood Tower Hotel. Here, you can sip cocktails and unwind in style while a live band swoons and croons holiday tunes.
The Holiday Fiesta en la Calle will move to Animation Courtyard for the 2024 Disney Jollywood Nights and there you’ll be able to spot Jose Carioca and Panchito from The Three Caballeros! This features holiday street fair with lively energy and Latin holiday music will fill the air as musicians play along the walkways. Drinks and treats in this area will be inspired by Latin holiday traditions.
During last year’s Disney Jollywood Nights, guests could also enjoy after-hours access to some of your favorite rides and coasters under the stars. After-hours access to some of your favorite rides and coasters including the following:
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Toy Story Mania
Last year, Star Wars: Rise of Resistance used a virtual queue during Disney Jollywood Nights. No word yet on whether that will return for 2024, but we hope not. It really wasn’t needed last year and limiting guests to one ride wasn’t necessary–if this is how people want to spend the event, just let ’em.
Last year, here were the showtimes for Disney Jollywood Nights:
- What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along – 8:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
- Disney Holidays in Hollywood – 8:45 p.m., 9:45 p.m., 10:45 p.m., 11:45 p.m.
- Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Fireworks – 12:30 a.m.
Everything else more or less operated continuously during Disney Jollywood Nights. Character meet & greets do take brief breaks during this type of event, but there typically are not sets that are spaced out with half-hour or longer gaps in between.
We’ll be attending the first Disney Jollywood Nights of 2024 and will report back with a full review, photo report, tips & tricks, and everything else you need to know to plan for the event…or decide whether it’s right for you. Of course, you may not be able to wait until then to purchase tickets before they sell out.
As for when tickets will sell out, it’s impossible to say. Last year is not really instructive, because reviews from the first night were absolutely atrocious. They made Madame Web sound good by comparison. Our experience at the inaugural night of the event, as covered in Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Party Review: Good, Bad & Ugly, was heavy on the bad and ugly.
However, as we discussed in that lengthy review, the entertainment was fantastic. There were kernels of great ideas that were incomplete or needed more time (and money) to incubate. For its part, Walt Disney World management took the night one reviews panning the party to heart and immediately made changes. The party went significantly smoother as the season progressed and tickets started selling better.
Just from the announcement, it’s already clear that Walt Disney World is further improving the 2024 Jollywood Nights, and our expectation is that it’ll be better right from night one. What that means is still unclear. Our guess is that a lot of fans will be in “wait and see” mode, awaiting early reviews before taking the plunge.
In all likelihood, dates won’t sell out until after those come in–and then there will either be a run on tickets with more dates selling out…or not…based on whether the reviews are positive or negative. Last year, demand was not as strong for Jollywood Nights as it was for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and it’s hard to imagine that changing unless there are hugely positive surprises at the 2024 Disney Jollywood Nights.
If you’re a Floridian or Annual Passholder with a ton of flexibility and able to do one of the December 2024 dates for Disney Jollywood Nights, you probably can wait until reports come out from the first event before deciding whether or not to buy tickets. No guarantees on that, but if you’re on the fence and don’t necessarily mind missing out, that’s probably what we’d recommend. (I’ll be there on opening night and will have a report ASAP afterwards.)
Disney Jollywood Nights is one of two holiday season special events at Walt Disney World. The other is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom. Although both are Christmas parties with limited attendance featuring entertainment and other offerings, there are just as many differences as there are similarities between the two events.
If you’re not sure which is right for your family, we’d highly recommend reading Disney Jollywood Nights vs. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. That’s our point-by-point comparison of the characters, fireworks, entertainment, crowds, and more at each event. If budget allows, you could easily attend both and have unique and memorable experiences–that’s how little overlap there is.
That’s what we’ll be doing, but we’re also not the regular guests–we’re diehard fans who do this stuff year in and year out (and have a blog about it). If we were average Walt Disney World first-time families and could only do one, that would be Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Without a doubt.
In theory, Disney’s Hollywood Studios offering a holiday season event after park closing that serves as counterprogramming to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a great idea. But as with anything, it’s very much contingent upon execution, and what we know about Disney Jollywood Nights thus far sounds makes it more of a toss-up than a sure thing.
I do appreciate that Walt Disney World appears to be trying to do something more sophisticated. This comes across very much in the spirit of old Hollywood, and focuses more on live music, performers, and atmosphere than it does on popular characters and rides. Obviously, those latter two things will be present to round out the roster, but they are not the focus of Disney Jollywood Nights.
So even if I’m a little concerned about the execution or whether there will be enough entertainment to justify the cost of admission (and keep crowds occupied–even limited-capacity events can have issues if ticket sales exceed compelling offerings), I do have to give Walt Disney World props for trying something different and more adult. We’ve wanted to see precisely this type of thing. Here’s hoping it’s fully fleshed out and a hit right out the door. (My prediction is that this will be feast or famine–either it’ll be a huge hit with its target audience or a total trainwreck.)
Another big thing that’s worth addressing is the impact that Disney Jollywood Nights will have on crowds throughout Walt Disney World. Christmas is an incredibly busy time of year at Walt Disney World, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party already screws with crowds and attendance dynamics.
One of the bigger changes is that Disney Jollywood Nights is starting earlier in 2024, which means it’ll have more of an impact on attendance trends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…and everywhere else. One of the advantages of doing an After Hours event is that it has minimal impact on crowds since those events occur after regular park closing. Day guests thus don’t “plan around” After Hours, since it doesn’t really impact them.
Families always complain about these events with later start times, as their kids go to bed earlier. While that’s a fair perspective, there’s also the bigger-picture of how hard ticket events disrupt crowd dynamics across all of Walt Disney World. It’s a balance. Last year, Disney Jollywood Nights didn’t throw a monkey wrench into crowds like MVMCP.
As we covered ad nauseum, this very dynamic at Magic Kingdom can be leveraged to the strategic advantage of savvy guests. It’s counterintuitive strategy, but it works consistently there. That’s our go-to approach to Magic Kingdom for August through December, and it works without fail.
The problem, as noted above, is that it’s counterintuitive. Additionally, most guests are not savvy or have good reason (no Park Hopper tickets, wanting to see Happily Ever After, etc.) for not wanting to embrace the approach. The fact that the strategy does work without fail is a testament to the fact that the hard ticket events are so disruptive to attendance dynamics, and that the scheduling of MVMCP and resulting crowds create headaches.
We shall see what happens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the 7:30 p.m. start time for DJN. My guess is that it will throw a monkey wrench into daytime crowds to some extent, but not nearly as much as MVMCP. Our recommendation will probably be the opposite of Party Season in Magic Kingdom as a result, which is that day guests should avoid DHS on dates when Jollywood Nights is scheduled in the evening.
Ultimately, it sounds like Disney Jollywood Nights will end up meeting or exceeding expectations in its sophomore season and correcting all of the first year problems. As mentioned above, the stage shows during last year’s party were really good–no need to mess with those in any major ways. Other concepts, like the holiday lounges were good, but overpromised and underdelivered. All of that is easily fixable–and a lot of it was fixed for later dates of DJN last year.
Beyond that, there are opportunities to incorporate all of the areas of Disney’s Hollywood Studios into the event. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge could have a Life Day celebration and Toy Story Land could do something. All of the entertainment last year was concentrated in the front of the park, making the rest of DHS feel dead during Disney Jollywood Nights. Here’s hoping the entertainment and operations teams took time to look at what worked and didn’t last year, and made major changes where needed and left well enough alone what worked.
Nevertheless, it’s possible Disney Jollywood Nights is simply something that’s “not for you.” This is definitely more of a niche offering for adults, families without small children, and other demographics. It’s not attempting to be a crowd pleaser with something for everyone and iconic entertainment like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Either way, we’re both curious and cautiously optimistic. At the very least, Disney Jollywood Nights should be much improved in year two, which doesn’t always happen! At the very least, the holiday/jolly-night party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios should put some crowds and demand away from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, so that’s a win for longtime fans like me who love that time-tested event!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you attend this Christmas party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? If so, will you do it instead of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or in addition to it? What do you think about Disney Jollywood Nights? What are your thoughts on ticket prices? Will your family be buying or sitting out the Christmas festivities? Are you excited for Christmas 2024 at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our perspective on this? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
