Imagine a cocktail party full of Hollywood glitz and glamour during the holiday season at Walt Disney World. That's what is in store at the new Disney Jollywood Nights party at Disney's Hollywood Studios this year. This after-hours event is perfect for a Disney date night especially if you love the Christmas and holiday season or you're a big Disney fan. After attending a special media event, and opening night itself, we're sharing our expert tips for Disney Jollywood Nights so you can prepare for this new holiday event at Walt Disney World.
The party is lots of fun but to make the most of it you've got some planning to do!
Keep reading for tips and details so you can make the most of this party, especially since it is bound to be a hit with Disney adults.
And what's a glitzy party without delicious food and drinks? Plan your dining budget with our picks for the BEST Food and Drinks at Disney Jollywood Nights Holiday Party.
EXPERT TIPS FOR Disney Jollywood Nights
Since Jollywood Nights is a new experience, you'll want to read on to know what to expect. We have all the details that you need to know and how to have a festive date night at this new holiday and Christmas party at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Jollywood Nights 2024 DATES AND INFO
Disney Jollywood Nights is a separately ticketed event from 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. on select nights November 9 to December 21, 2024. This glitzy Christmas party boasts entertainment offerings and experiences especially geared toward adults.
There are multiple mini-cocktail parties, specialty drinks and food, live entertainment, special character greetings, exclusive shows, and after-hours access to the most popular thrill rides at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Plus, digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass photos and videos from the event are included in your ticket.
NEW for 2024: a new holiday ice skating show and a Wondermade sweet treat included in your ticket, received when exiting the event. And Fantasmic! will be performed at 6:30 p.m. on event nights so get there early for this bonus!
Tickets may be purchased by all guests starting July 10 on the Walt Disney World website. Ticket prices will range from $159 – $179 per person.
Disney Jollywood Nights Schedule
- Day time ticket holders can get wristband and credentials inside the park, starting around 6pm
- Party officially starts at 7:30pm this year
- What's This Nightmare Before Christmas Sing Along Show: 7:30 pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm, 11:30pm, 12:30am
- Disney Holidays in Hollywood: 8:15pm, 9:15pm, 11:15pm, 12:15am
- Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Fireworks and Projection Show: 10:00 pm.
- New Skating Spectacular “Glisten” on Hollywood Blvd: 8:15pm, 9:15pm, 10:20pm, 11:15 pm, and 12:15 am.
These are some MAJOR changes compared to last year – more performances in 2024, a 12:30 am performance of the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing Along, AND the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! is now at 10:00pm instead of the event's end. Awesome!
What rides are open during Jollywood Nights?
The most thrilling rides of Disney's Hollywood Studios are open during Jollywood Nights.
After-hours access includes:
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Toy Story Mania
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
- Rock N’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
What is there to do at Disney Jollywood Nights?
Besides the exclusive after-hours access to the rides, there will be a ton of new entertainment. Plus, there are multiple special Disney character greetings, including a designated area for fans of the 1990's Disney Afternoon cartoons like Chip n Dale's Rescue Rangers and more.
After reviewing what is being offered at Disney Jollywood Nights, keep reading to view our top 5 tips!
Jollywood Night Shows
- Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy star in “Disney Holidays in Hollywood” at Theater of the Stars along with some of their Disney friends including Princess Tiana and Belle singing “As Long as There’s Christmas.”
- “What’s This: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-along” will transform the Hyperion Theater into a twistedly festive sing-along featuring “What’s This” and “Kidnapping Sandy Claus” songs.
- “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” is the party’s nighttime spectacular jam-packed with music, fireworks, special effects and dazzling state-of-the-art projections.
- “Glisten” a glorious ice-skating spectacle in the center of the park
“Disney Holidays in Hollywood” Show
Absolute hit of the event! This is a wonderful production, the cast is amazing! The appearances of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy are short, but they act as your hosts for this show. The singing and dancing are fantastic, and Mickey and Minnie have quite the musical number towards the end of the show.
The lines for this show are some of the longest of the night. If it is on your must-do list then make time for it – perhaps the 9:15pm or 11:15pm show.
“What’s This: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-along”
This show is a must do for anyone who is a fan of “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas”. However, the point of this production is to highlight some of the favorite songs in the movie. Do not wait more than 15 minutes in advance for this show, otherwise, you may be let down.
The production is great. The theater is transformed and has special lighting. It truly feels like a celebration of Tim Burton culture. There's some puppetry too.
You might even be able to get away with walking into the theater five minutes before showtime. Your seat will be far back, but being up close isn't necessary for this show.
PRO-TIP: Be sure to look at the TV on the stage after the end of the show. The actual movie credits play on the little screen.
Disney Jollywood Nights Zones
- As you enter the party a DJ spinning a mix of holiday tunes welcomes you.
- NEW for 2024 Animation Courtyard comes to life with a lively Latin Street Fair.
- Echo Lake will be home to Powerline Max (Goofy’s son), as well as Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, and Phineas and Ferb (!!!)
- Two limited-capacity entertainment experiences – a jazz lounge at The Hollywood Brown Derby and an other-worldly soiree at The Hollywood Tower Hotel Courtyard.
Lines for Phineas and Ferb, and Powerline Max were the longest character greeting lines of Jollywood Nights. During opening night we decided not to worry about this experience.
Disney Jollywood Nights Top 5 Tips
Now that you know what to expect at Disney Jollywood Nights, let's cover our top 5 tips!
- Get there early
- Decide on your top 3 must-do experiences
- Dress up, but wear comfortable shoes
- Budget $50 – $60 per person on food and beverage
- Stay as late as possible
Get there early
Ticketholders to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party can enter Magic Kingdom at 4pm, that's 3 hours before the official party start time. Sadly that is NOT the case with Disney Jollywood Nights.
Arrive at the parking lot by 6:00 pm so you have time to get through security and be there as the park opens to party goers. Party event ticket holders can enter around 6:30pm with the event officially beginning at 7:30pm.
With five hours of party time, getting there early is key to making the most of it.
Decide on your top 3 must-do experiences
Reality check: it is going to be very difficult to do every single experience at Disney Jollywood Nights. There is a lot to do, and just four hours to do it in. However, with some planning and decision making, you can still have a star-studded affair.
Review the list of rides, shows, character greetings, and experiences being offered – it's all listed toward the top of this guide. Pick out 3-4 must-do experiences that you absolutely do not want to miss.
You and your date should communicate in advance about what you each want to see. Remember, it is going to be tough to do it all, so narrow it down to the things that you would most love to see. That way you can feel like you've gotten your money's worth.
Reality Check: Book your seating time for Holiday Jazz at The Holiday Brown Derby by using the MyDisneyExperience app, just like you would a regular dining reservation.
The “other-worldly soiree” at The Hollywood Tower Hotel Courtyard had a live jazz band and one cocktail stand. It was not as elaborate as I had imagined.
And while dressing the part will definitely add to the night, be sure your twinkle toes are comfy during all the walking around Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Dress up, but wear comfortable shoes
With multiple cocktail and dance parties during Jollywood Nights, and all the glitz and glamour of the park, guests are encouraged to be festively dapper. It absolutely enhanced the night seeing everyone dressed up. I managed to have a cute red dress with festive stockings and festive flat shoes. It worked wonderfully and I felt involved in the festive fun.
Fellow guests dressed up very nicely, but plenty were dressed “merry casual.”
Budget $50 – $60 per person on food and beverage
Every special event at Disney World offers exclusive food and drinks. Disney Jollywood Nights offers lots of specialty Christmas cocktails as well as festive food. The lines for food and drink were quite long on opening night, so do NOT arrive hungry.
The Turkey Popover at Fairfax Fare is a must order! It hit the spot! The Sides Popover was also good, but between the two the Turkey Popover is the winner. The doughnut and the shake were overly sweet for my taste. Usually, such specialty food runs about $7 – $9 per item and drinks are about $9 – $14.
Holiday Jazz at the Hollywood Brown Derby is pricier since it is a table service experience. There are a selection of small plates available around $14 – $19 each, and variety of adult beverages and non-alcoholic options too.
The Sugar Cookie Martini was one of the hits of the night! It can be found at multiple outdoor bars including Sunshine Day Bar on Sunset Boulevard across from the Disney Holidays in Hollywood Show.
Stay as late as possible
The evening's halfway point is marked by at 10:00 p.m. performance of “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” This nighttime show is jam-packed with music, fireworks, special effects, and dazzling state-of-the-art projections.
Many guests depart the park after this show, but there is still two hours of Jollywood Nights fun to be had! On our visit we booked a 11:40 p.m. seating at the Holiday Jazz at The Hollywood Brown Derby. We enjoyed live jazz music in a classy, festive environment with specialty drinks and small plates – a marvelous way to toast such a sparkling evening.
There is also a 12:15 p.m. performance of the NEW “Glisten” ice skating show at the center of the park. So stick around and enjoy some moments in the park while everyone else rushes out. Find a bench and sit for a while. Soak up the festive music and savor the memories you've made. Of course, if any Disney Cast Members indicate it is time to depart then please follow their instructions. Have yourself a bunch of merry little memories!