Fans of Jack Skellington, the Muppets, and the Three Caballeros can finally celebrate together
Hey, can you hear that? That’s the sound of jingle bells echoing all the way from the Hollywood Tower at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s not just the ghosts celebrating, by the way! The entire park is brimming with festive decor for Jollywood Nights, the sister event to Magic Kingdom’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Jollywood Nights is a ticketed event held on select nights in November and December, with ticket prices ranging from $160 to $190. The official event runs from 7:30 PM to 12:30 AM, but guests are allowed to enter Hollywood Studios as early as 6:00 PM, giving you just over six hours of park time.
Jollywood Nights is a relatively new addition, first launching in 2023 with some pretty negative reviews. But you know what? Things got way better in 2024, as Disney upgraded the shows and meet-and-greets on offer. Right now, it’s a genuinely fun special event for anyone looking to experience Christmas at Hollywood Studios.
Just keep in mind, as we mentioned, this event is still in its early years, so expect lots of changes in the future. For instance, 2024 introduced brand-new meet-and-greets and a new ice rink show, so there’s a good chance Disney will surprise us with whatever comes next.
What we like about Jollywood Nights
A lot of guests like to say that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is better suited for children, while Jollywood Nights is more for teenagers and adults. I don’t necessarily agree with that. I will say that Jollywood Nights is great for those who love shows and niche Disney characters. I’m talking about Jack Skellington, José Carioca, Panchito, and a few others I didn’t even know existed.
Speaking of shows, there’s always something happening at Hollywood Studios during the event. In 2024, guests could enjoy the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along featuring Jack Skellington and Sally, Disney Holidays in Hollywood with the Muppets, the Twilight Soirée at the Tip Top Club, and the brand-new Glisten! ice rink show. All of them are pretty solid, running about twenty minutes each and focusing on songs and dancing.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along is a must-see for anyone attending the event, especially fans of the Tim Burton film. It’s a fantastic show that blends puppetry, live actors, practical effects, and CG visuals on a big screen.
Glisten! is also great and was a welcome addition in 2024. It brings something fresh to the lineup, featuring professional ice skaters performing to Disney classics like Be Our Guest and When You Wish Upon a Star. That’s exactly the kind of thing I want to see at a ticketed event - an original, unique performance you wouldn’t get during regular park hours.
There are still plenty of surprises at Jollywood Nights, like special meet-and-greets where you can snap photos with Santa Stitch, Edna Mode, Panchito, José Carioca, and over a dozen more characters. On top of that, you also get the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! fireworks show in front of the Chinese Theater, dance parties for the kids, and Sunset Seasons Greetings, which is a pretty cool laser show projected onto the Tower of Terror.
As with other events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney After Hours, most rides are open during Jollywood Nights. Slinky Dog Dash tends to have the longest lines, and it’s not uncommon to wait around 30 minutes, but most other rides are basically walk-ons or have short waits of about 10 minutes, even for something like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Still, if your main goal is to enjoy rides with minimal wait times, I’d recommend going with After Hours. Jollywood Nights is really more about experiencing all the new shows and entertainment.
What we don’t like about Jollywood Nights
The main question guests often ask about Jollywood Nights is, "Is the event worth $150+?" And honestly, that’s a tough question to answer. I’d say if you’re a fan of shows, unique meet-and-greets, and experiences like the Nightmare Before Christmas sing-along, you should definitely check it out at least once. The event offers shows you won’t see anywhere else and some rare meet-and-greet opportunities that are exclusive to Hollywood Studios.
You also need to consider that, even though the shows are fun, some guests expect a bit more for tickets that can cost up to $200. Glisten and the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along are fun, no doubt, but they could also be featured as standard Disney World shows. This is a niche, ticketed event, so it’s fair to expect something more, like a truly great show, rather than just a good one.
Another small issue is that the event can feel a bit disconnected, though this might be more of a general Hollywood Studios problem than specific to Jollywood Nights. For example, you’ve got a Nightmare Before Christmas stage next to a Muppets show, next to a Tower of Terror jazz band, all with an ice rink presentation in front of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Meanwhile, Galaxy’s Edge feels completely dead, with nothing happening there. Why not create something based on Toy Story in Toy Story Land, or even a Star Wars Christmas special? The shows, meet-and-greets, and small set pieces are fun, but they always seem a bit random.
Jollywood Nights FAQ
Where does Jollywood Nights take place?
Jollywood Nights takes place at Hollywood Studios in November and December.
Is Jollywood Nights a free event?
No, Jollywood Nights is a ticketed event, with prices ranging from $160 to $190 per guest, depending on the day.
How long is Jollywood Nights?
Jollywood Nights runs from 7:30 PM to 12:30 AM, but guests with an event ticket can enter Hollywood Studios starting at 6:00 PM.
Are there free drinks and snacks during Jollywood Nights?
No, there are no free drinks or snacks during Jollywood Nights.
