Walt Disney World is known for its holiday celebrations this time of year, and they’ve finally kicked off. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney Jollywood Nights is back again, bringing even more festive fun to my favorite Disney World theme park. The separately ticketed event is a throwback to the glitz and glamor of old Hollywood, combined with holiday entertainment and incredible food. Even better, fans are encouraged to dress the part in their glitziest holiday outfits, which I absolutely love.
Disney Jollywood Nights kicks off on November 8 and will run through December 22, 2025. There will be 13 parties in total this season. With three holiday events kicking off within a couple of weeks of one another (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays, and Jollywood Nights), November will be a busy month at Disney World.
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The event promises guests a swinging good time. This year it’s even more exciting with more character meet-and-greets, a host of new treats to try, and returning entertainment that’s sure to dazzle. If you’re heading to Jollywood Nights at Disney World, keep reading for all that you need to know. Plus, I’m sharing my tips on making the most of your time at the party.
Tickets and timing for Disney Jollywood Nights
Tickets for Disney Jollywood Nights are currently on sale. At the time of publication, all parties except the first night (November 8) are still available to attend. Tickets range from $159 to $199 per ticket, plus tax. Annual pass holders and Disney Vacation Club members can save $10 per ticket on all event nights.
The five-hour event starts at 7:30 p.m. and goes until 12:30 a.m. Just like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you can get into Disney’s Hollywood Studios early with your event ticket. Those with Jollywood Nights-only tickets can enter the park at 5:30 p.m. I highly suggest using this mix-in time (the term for when party guests and regular day guests are in the park together) to make your way into the park, collect your party wristband and map, grab a bite to eat, and make a plan for the evening.
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Your party ticket includes access to a variety of entertainment offerings, complimentary PhotoPass downloads, and reduced wait times on attractions.
What’s new in 2025 at Disney Jollywood Nights
Disney has added some new offerings for this year’s Disney Jollywood Nights event. The biggest additions are more characters. These include Chewbacca celebrating Life Day at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Partysaurus Rex in Toy Story Land, Bing Bong from Inside Out on Grand Avenue, and Miguel from Coco meeting near Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
There’s also a variety of new treats to try and merchandise to check out, but more on those later.
Disney Jollywood Nights entertainment
You can find a plethora of entertainment all around Jollywood Nights this year. First, enjoy a live band at the Twilight Soirée at the Tip Top Club by the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The vibes change at Echo Lake, where a “throwback bash” will feature appearances by Powerline Max, Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, and Phineas and Ferb. A holiday street fair called Holiday Fiesta en la Calle will also take place in Animation Courtyard. You may even spot a few Disney characters dancing too. Just past Animation Courtyard near Toy Story Land, you’ll find the Pixar Disco. Here, a live DJ is spinning the hottest tunes, and Pixar pals come out to dance the night away.
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Returning favorites include Disney Holidays in Hollywood, a variety show featuring Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, along with a host of other characters singing and dancing. You can catch the show throughout the night at the Theater of the Stars. Inside the Hyperion Theater, What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along is presented throughout the evening. You may even spot the larger-than-life Jack Skellington puppet that’s used during the fireworks show at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom.
Right in front of the Chinese Theater, you can also watch Glisten!, an exciting ice skating show that brings holiday music paired with incredible acrobatics and skating tricks. This is a very popular offering, and even though it’s on a raised stage, you’ll want to arrive a few minutes early to be near the front of the crowd for the best view.
And no evening at Disney is complete without fireworks. During Jollywood Nights, you’ll be able to catch Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM. The nighttime show features lasers, fireworks, and projections on the Chinese Theater. The show starts promptly at 10:00 p.m., so be sure to get your spot early.
Exclusive food and drink offerings during Jollywood Nights
Just like any Disney party, the food and drink offerings are plentiful and delicious. This year, the chefs at Walt Disney World have created an incredible lineup of 82 dishes, and of those, more than 35 are new. Because there’s no way you could try 82 dishes during the party, I always suggest making a list of the foodie finds that you want to try, including where to find them.
My favorite savory bites are at Fairfax Fare, where the menu features two stuffed popovers, one filled with turkey and mashed potatoes, and the other filled with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. The Christmas Gertie Cookie is also very popular and resembles the iconic dinosaur that can be found near the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.
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Near the Tip Top Club at the Hollywood Tower Hotel, two pop-up bars are slinging alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. Over at Epic Eats near the Indiana Jones theater, you’ll find loaded funnel cakes, topped with Korean fried chicken or marshmallow and chocolate. ABC Commissary is dishing out Latin-inspired dishes like birria tacos and yuca fries with fried pork belly.
If you’re looking to sit down and enjoy a cocktail and a few bites, make a reservation for Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby. The restaurant turns into a swanky cocktail lounge complete with a live pianist singing Christmas and Disney songs throughout the night. I loved being able to enjoy the entertainment here for about 45 minutes while I sipped on a peanut butter-flavored whiskey cream and munched on Korean pork belly bao buns.
Five tips to get the most out of Disney Jollywood Nights
Utilize the early entry time to your advantage and make a plan
With your party ticket, you can enter Disney’s Hollywood Studios as early as 5:30 p.m. Take advantage of this time before the party officially starts. After scanning your ticket and getting your party wristband, you’ll be directed to a bypass near the front of the park. Here, you’ll find a few festive photo ops, which is a great way to start your night. The bypass drops you off near the Theater of the Stars.
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From there, find a table nearby and make a plan for the evening. With so much to do and only five hours of actual party time, you’ll need a good strategy to get everything done. Think about what characters you may want to see that could get long lines, or what show you want to start with.
When I attended Disney Jollywood Nights, I made a list on my phone’s notes app of all of the entertainment times, foods I wanted to try (and where they were located), what characters I wanted to meet, and what time my reservation for Jazzy Holidays at the Hollywood Brown Derby was.
My night went so well because I made a plan. I started at the Duffy the Disney Bear meet and greet, which began promptly at 7:30 p.m. From there, I went to the Disney Holidays in Hollywood Show, then had some snacks from Fairfax Fare across the street. Then I was able to get a cocktail from Market, near Toy Story Land, and popped into the Pixar Disco. At 9:25, my table for Jazzy Holidays at the Hollywood Brown Derby was ready. I spent about 45 minutes inside. The last scheduled thing I did was the 11:15 p.m. Glisten! ice skating show, which is about 15 minutes. On the way out of the park, I stopped to take some photos and take in the lively atmosphere of the party.
Take all of the photos you wish with characters and props
Throughout Hollywood Studios, you’ll find character meet and greets, special Magic Shots, handheld props, and more celebrating Disney Jollywood Nights. All of the PhotoPass picture downloads are included with your ticket. You can also pass your personal camera to any PhotoPass photographer, and they will take pictures with that, too.
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Consider skipping rides in place of party-specific offerings
Disney Jollywood Nights is only five hours long. Instead of riding attractions, I would highly suggest doing all of the party-specific offerings instead. Those five hours go by quickly. You’ll want to use every minute of the party to see shows, meet characters, or try some of the food and beverage offerings. If there’s a ride that you really have to get on, consider doing it during the mix-in time.
Dress up in your holiday best to get into the theme
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is my favorite park at Walt Disney World. I love the old Hollywood glam vibe and the overall feel of the park. All of this is heightened during Disney Jollywood Nights, including Disney encouraging guests to don their holiday best for the party. While there’s no real requirement to dress up, it’s always fun to put on a few sparkles or a fun holiday sweater (pending it’s actually cool on the night you attend).
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For the party, I wore a red sequin dress I got from Amazon, a set of dark green Minnie ears, sparkly shoes from Amazon, and a set of Christmas tree earrings from the Disney collaboration with Baublebar. It was a comfortable outfit to walk around the park in, but still felt fun and in-theme for the party.
Think about how you’re going to get back to your hotel
If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, then you’re going to want to think about how you’re going to get back to your hotel at the end of the night. This is especially true if you’re at one of the EPCOT resorts or a resort connected to the Disney Skyliner.
During my visit, I stayed at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. I took the friendship boat from the hotel to Hollywood Studios for the party. On the ride over, our captain mentioned that the boat service stopped at 10:00 p.m. Our options back to the hotel were to take the complimentary Disney buses, walk, or get a ride share. We opted to take a Disney bus, which took longer than expected because the bus also stopped at the Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort before going to Disney’s Beach Club, and then on to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.
I also noticed that the Skyliner had ceased operations for the day before the party was over. Those staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, or Disney’s Riviera Resort and who did not drive themselves to the party were able to get a complimentary Disney bus or get a ride share back to their hotel.
