All eyes will be on Walt Disney World Resort’s Hollywood Studios in just a few months’ time as one of the most controversial and problematic events returns to the parks.
What is Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Jollywood Nights is a festive after-hours event introduced in 2023 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World Resort. Held on select nights from mid-November to late December, this limited-capacity celebration transforms the park into a holiday wonderland.
With special entertainment, character meet-and-greets, and exclusive holiday-themed food and merchandise, it offers a unique seasonal experience that requires a separate event ticket.
The event features a variety of holiday-themed entertainment, including the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! fireworks and projection show, and a sing-along inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, called What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along.
Guests can also enjoy live performances, such as a Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy holiday special, themed dance parties, and entertainment zones.
Throughout the park, festive decorations and lights enhance the classic Hollywood ambiance, creating a magical atmosphere perfect for the holiday season.
Shorter wait times for popular attractions and the chance to meet Disney characters in exclusive holiday attire make Jollywood Nights an event for Disney fans and those looking to celebrate the season in a truly enchanting way.
The Inaugural Jollywood Nights Disaster at Disney World
What initially sparked immense excitement among Disney fans quickly turned into disappointment after the debut of Jollywood Nights. The first evening was widely criticized, with many guests likening it to a less impressive version of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom Park.
Attendees reported a range of issues, including difficulties with check-in, excessively long waits for food and beverages (one location for an outdoor vending bar cart had reported wait times of up to 30 minutes), character meet-and-greets and shows, and a malfunction in the My Disney Experience app that caused crowds to converge on the Hollywood Brown Derby’s Jazzy Holidays all at once.
These problems left many feeling that the event didn’t justify its high cost.
During the event, content creators, including those on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, took to their respective social media platforms to share about the chaos. Over on DIS boards, one discussion about the negative impact of Jollywood Nights led to it being named a “galactic-level failure.”
Despite Disney’s efforts to address the shortcomings—including introducing beloved icon Duffy the Disney Bear dressed as Santa Claus—many assumed Jollywood Nights would not return after the 2023 event.
However, Disney is moving forward with Jollywood Nights round two. The first night of the seasonal affair will commence on November 9, 2024, and run through December 21, 2024, at Hollywood Studios.
New Information Comes To Light Regarding Jollywood Nights 2024
Disney’s overview of Jollywood Nights is as follows:
Event Highlights
Join in the festive fun at Disney Jollywood Nights—a 5-hour holiday party from 7:30 PM to 12:30 AM (enter the park as early as 6:00 PM) on select nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
During the 2024 event, look forward to:
New and returning entertainment, including more than 20 unique Character experiences
Fun photo ops—since your event ticket includes digital downloads of your Disney PhotoPass photos and videos from the event
A Wondermade sweet treat included with your event ticket (provided when exiting the event)
With event dates on November 9, 13, 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30, as well as December 2, 7, 11, 14, 18, and 21, the Hollywood Studios event runs concurrently with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party over at Magic Kingdom Park. Like that event and all other hard-ticketed events (think Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party), guests must have separate admission to gain entry. This year prices range from $159 through $179.
Entertainment like Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!, and Disney Holidays in Hollywood will return this year, as will Ollie the jolly gingerbread man, the celebration’s festive mascot. “He’s a talented and energetic gingerbread man who brings his own festive cheer to this glamorous event, inspired by the golden age and aspirations of Tinseltown,” Disney Parks Blog wrote.
Ollie will be featured on much of the new merchandise for the 2024 event, and new information has surfaced regarding the offering coming to the Disney resort this year.
The full list of merchandise includes a spirit jersey, pin, lug bag, graphic tee, plush ear headband, a mug, and a Christmas ornament. Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) posted a selection of the merchandise on X (formerly Twitter):
Disney Jollywood Nights merch alert! Peek at the full collection for the very first time and learn more about Ollie
https://twitter.com/DisneyParks/status/1824108946153476571
Items can only be purchased at the Stage 1 Company Store during the event.
Jollywood Nights 2024 will also include a new offering on Hollywood Boulevard, which the Mouse House describes as a “dazzling skating spectacular set to your favorite holiday tunes.” The skating performance takes place several times each evening, with Disney welcoming guests to “take in the grace and skill of international champion skaters in an awe-inspiring twist on the traditional ice show.”
Are you attending Jollywood Nights at Disney World this year? Let us know in the comments down below!
