Jollywood Nights is one of Disney World’s annual after-hours parties. It runs on select nights during November and December at the Hollywood Studios park and is a great way to celebrate the holidays. I went to one of the Jollywood celebrations the other week and absolutely loved it. I thought it was a great way for bigger kids and grown-ups to experience the park thanks to its exclusive food, great shows, and short ride lines. Here’s why I think going to Jollywood Nights is absolutely worth it.
I got to see lots of entertainment
The first thing that really stood out to me at Jollywood NIghts was the entertainment. Last year I attended Disney World’s other holiday after-hours party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom. I absolutely loved it and it was fantastic and loaded with parades and fireworks and all the things you’d expect from a great Disney celebration.
But Jollywood Nights was a bit different. It had a lot of really unique entertainment that I honestly wasn’t expecting. First off, Kermit and Miss Piggy host a holiday variety show – and how could you not love that? There was also a fantastic ice skating show and, of course, a great fireworks display. But my favorite event was something truly special…the Twilight Soiree at the Tip Top Club.
The Tip Top Club was the swanky, exclusive supper club inside the Hollywood Tower Hotel (aka: Tower of Terror) and for the holidays, the spirits from Hollywood’s golden age arise once more to hold a holly (and haunted) party. Live music with a full band and ghostly dancers make the party super lively, and exclusive boozy cocktails are served for older guests as well. To me, this is what really makes Disney awesome. They took a story and a space and transformed them into a super exciting and unique experience.
I also rode rides all night long
At Jollywood Nights (and the other after-hours parties) the rides remain open…and trust me, this alone makes the ticket worth it. Have you ever walked right on to Rise of the Resistance at Galaxy’s Edge? Have you ever walked right on to Tower of Terror or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?
The after-hours parties all have capped admission, so the crowds never gets too crazy. Plus, with all the entertainment going on, lots of people spend their night seeing shows. That means you get the rides all to yourself.
Jollywood Nights also has great food
Every after-hours party has its own exclusive lineup of food and drinks, and since Jollywood Nights is all about the holidays, it’s loaded with holiday goodies. From spiced chai lattes (that can also come boozy if you want) to gingerbread bites and sparkling apple cider, there’s tons of treats for everyone. But my absolute favorite was the turkey popover. I won’t lie to you, I ended up ordering two because they were so good.
It was basically Thanksgiving in a popover, which is like a puffy New England croissant. Inside was roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, all sprinkled with chives. It was soooooo good, perfectly mixing sweet and savory, and I guarantee it’s going to be the kind of treat that visitors come back for year after year.