Jolly(?)wood Nights

Written By Mark Avis

Just HOW Jolly is WDW’s Newest Holiday Party?

Let me start this by saying that I have NOT attended this event and please take what you read for what it is… simply my thoughts. I always strongly encourage you to form your own opinions and give things a chance as what may be an issue or concern for one may well be a highlight for another. I’m coming at this from the eyes of someone who was on the fence about going and how what I have seen so far is affecting that decision. Ok, now that that’s out of the way…. let’s get started!

First… What is Jollywood NightsLet's

Jollywood Nights, located at Hollywood Studios, is the newest addition to Walt Disney World’s Holiday entertainment lineup and most easily compared Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. Jollywood Nights is a 4 hour HARD TICKETED after hours party. It was announced back in June and was immediately met with excitement within the Disney fandom. The Studios already does a great job in creating a great atmosphere during the Holidays with the decorations, Sunset Seasons Greetings (Tower of Terror projections) and Jingle Bell Jingle BAM! Add in the announced experiences for Jollywood Nights and needless to say, Disney had our attention!

Here is a link to the original announcement from Disney back in June.

Dates and Pricing

It's a limited, after hours party, with only 10 dates, creating even more of an excitement and demand for tickets. The party runs from 8:30pm to 12:30am with guests able to enter the park as early as 7pm. Many were expecting almost an instant sell-out. However, as I am writing this, only 3 dates are SOLD OUT. What does that say? Is it the offerings? Pricing? Are guests growing tired of the hard ticketed/after hours events? Maybe guests just took a “wait and see” approach. Nevertheless, here are the dates and pricing.

  • Saturday, November 11th - SOLD OUT

  • Saturday, November 18th - SOLD OUT

  • Monday, November 20th — $179

  • Monday, November 27th — $159

  • Wednesday, November 29th — $159

  • Monday, December 4th — $169

  • Wednesday, December 6th — $169

  • Saturday, December 16th - SOLD OUT

  • Monday, December 18th — $169

  • Wednesday, December 20th — $169

Walt Disney World Annual Pass Holders and Disney Vacation Club Members can get $10 Off per ticket. (Valid for all nights)

Here is the link to purchase your tickets!

THE EXPERIENCES…

Now, it is only fair to admit, as Disney fans, we often have extremely high expectations and I believe it is also fair, given the price tag that comes along with a Walt Disney World vacation or experience, to have those high expectations. However, given the history of past events, what we know Disney is capable of delivering and what is actually delivered often are light years apart. Being this is a first time party, its easy to understand that speculation, expectations and excitement are height! Here is a rundown of what you can plan on experiencing at Jollywood Nights.

Event Exclusive Shows

Disney Holiday’s in Hollywood… Located in the Theater of the Stars on Hollywood, Holiday’s in Hollywood is a stage show that mimics a vintage TV special with contemporary twist and holiday magic mixed in. Special guests include none other than Kermit and Miss Piggy, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Tiana and Bell as well as a cast of singers, dancers and musicians.

Now, from the original announcement, I feel like there was an expectation set of more of a Muppet based show. However, this could be one of those times where expectations were higher than was ever promised given the fact that the original announcement clearly states only Kermit and Piggy.

I have to say, from what I have seen of the show, it’s fantastic! I’m happy to see the Muppets, ANY Muppets getting some love in the park and the fact that they are actual puppets and not on a screen makes it that much better! Really hope to see this more in the future! The show seems to have an odd flow to it at times but I don’t think it takes away from the performance at all. Some great Holiday classics from Kermit and Piggy (of course mixed in is some classic Muppet humor) and Mickey and Minnie (doesn’t get much cuter than those two) and finally a song from both Tiana and Belle to top it off.

For me, I would LOVE to see this show on any day during the holidays at the Studios. However, when you’re there for a 4 hour party, time is precious and the show runs a little long (I think its just about 30 min or so) and waiting in line and loading into the theater eats up time as well. All said and done, it’s safe to plan on at least 1 hour, probably more, being taken up for this show alone.

What’s This? A Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-A-Long… Absolutely sign me up! The Hyperion Theater, usually home to Anna, Elsa and the Frozen Sing-A-Long is taken over by Jack, Oogie and the gang as guests (maybe a few) sing along to their favorite songs from the film as they follow along two friends on a larger than life journey.

Ok…. First, they do an amazing job daily with the Frozen Sing-A-Long! The hosts are great. They keep the crowds attention with their humor and story telling. I expected that same thing with this show. Sadly, I didn’t see it. And sadly, there didn’t seem to be as much singing going on as with Frozen. To be fair, Frozen is a tad bit more popular and the songs more well known than Nightmare Before Christmas. However, I feel like perhaps some hosts singing along and keeping the crowd involved could have helped. And I didn’t notice it in the videos I saw but I have to believe it was there, lyrics on screen would help this as well.

First, I LOVE the puppet Jack! I am not a fan of the Jack & Sally characters in the parks as they look NOTHING like the movie characters. The puppet was spot on! Loved seeing Oogie Boogie as well. Now if we can Lock, Stock and Barrel characters it would be perfect! Also, this venue has it down when it comes to loading and unloading the theater. Combine that with a shorter show and that seems to make for a much better and less time consuming experience.

THEMED ENTERTAINMENT…

Jazzy Holiday’s at the Hollywood Brown Derby… “This iconic Resturant turns into a smooth jazz joint — where you can enjoy holiday music, craft cocktails, and an exclusive menu of light bites in a sophisticated setting.” Sounds great to me!

Me: I love the Brown Derby so add in the holidays and live entertainment, how could you go wrong?

Disney: Hold my craft cocktail.

First off, the decorations, or lack thereof, is my first issue. From what I saw, it looks like there is minimal added theming for this. Some garland and lights around a piano. Now, let’s be honest, this should be the MINIMUM decorations this Resturant should have normally during the holiday season! This is a Signature Resturant! My local Applebes’s decorates better than this for the holidays. This is lazy and bad show. Issue number two. When I hear, “Smooth jazz joint” I don’t think of a single piano player playing a mix of holiday classics and Disney tunes. That’s hotel lobby bar or piano bar at best. This does not transport me to a smooth jazz joint of days gone by… this is the Brown Derby, just as it is every day you visit the park. Bummer. In addition, the mix of music in my opinion should be tilted heavily towards holiday music with some Disney tunes thrown in. This is, after all, a holiday party. It seems to me it was the opposite. Now, I have heard some who loved the music mix so this is certainly a personal preference and a no-win for Disney either way.

Now on to food and cocktails. The small bite menu is absolutely party exclusive items and for the most part seem to be going over well. With options such as a Shrimp Cocktail, Oysters Rockefeller, Pork Belly Bao’s and Derby Sliders there seemed to be a little of everything and something for everyone to enjoy. Prices sound a little steep but that’s no norm and accepted by most so I’ll move on to the cocktails. For a holiday party and hard ticketed event, I would have expected craft cocktails to complement the evening. Minus two drinks, a French 75 and one other I don’t remember, this was not the case. This is their everyday cocktail menu. And while there are 2 even exclusive cocktails, I would have hoped they would have been holiday themed. Disney has some amazingly talented mixologists spread around the parks. I know they would have loved to deliver some truly memorable holiday inspired drinks.

Combine these concerns with the process of trying to get in the place to begin with, a mixture of first come first serve and a mobile walk up list using My Disney Experience, and the fact that a sit down dining experience during a time limited event just seems like a bad use of time and I will be skipping this all together if we decide to go. And that’s a shame because this was one of the highlights of the announcement and no doubt a big draw. Making guests have to choose if this is a good use of time or not is a shame.

Twilight Soiree at the Tip Top Club… Finally, its arrived! We get the long awaited Tip Top Club of Tower of Terror lore. Hey, I’d rather have it as a permanent watering hole but I’ll take what I can get. “A swingin’ celebration in the courtyard of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Here you can sip cocktails and unwind in style while a live jazz band swoons and croons holiday tunes.”

Once again… can’t possibly disappoint here… or can they?

The bar at the Tip Top Club, or in this case, drink cart, will be serving up pre-mixed cocktails to all those who brave the line. At least there is a live jazz band to keep you entertained. Unless, that is, you happen to catch them when they are on their break. Now, performing live for 4 hours straight is a big ask. But so just as big is asking a steep price for a party ticket and not get the entertainment promised. Easy fix… hire a second band and rotate them. (This also goes for the piano player at Brown Derby). Completely unacceptable to have a moment where there isn’t someone on stage to entertain the guests.

Holiday Fiesta en la Calle…. Found on Commissary Lane, “a holiday street fair filled with lively energy. Latin holiday music fills the air and musicians play along the walkways. Warm lighting and colorful decor give the street a vibrant feel, as you sip drinks and nibble on treats inspired by Latin holiday traditions.”

So this seems to be a pleasant surprise at the party. It wasn’t talked about much going in, however it emerged after opening night as a big winner. Great food and entertainment, reasonable lines and lower crowd levels seemed to make this area extremely enjoyable and one you won’t want to miss on party night.

What’s a party without Character Meet n Greets… Scattered around Echo Lake, you’ll have a chance to meet and have your photo taken with the Rescue Rangers, Powerline Max and Phineas and Ferb! Wish they would have been dressed for the occasion, or at least the holidays but at least they did have a themed Christmas Tree at each location. You will also find The Mickey and Friends Holiday Greeting in the Animation Courtyard as well as Frozone and Edna Mode in Pixar Place.

EXCLUSIVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE OFFERINGS

It is a Disney party after all and no Disney party is without the exclusive food and beverage options. For me, Disney relies way too much on food and drinks anymore versus the events being about the attractions and entertainment but I completely understand I am a minority in this. But come on, wasn’t Food and Wine so much more special when it was unique? (And not 5 months long!!)

Here is the link to the Foodies Guide to Jollywood Nights where you can find a great break down of locations and offerings.

A highlight for me has to be that our favorite Dinosaur, Gertie, gets a cookie and ice cream treat in her honor! The option to add Mint Soft Serve makes it a real winner!

PHOTO PASS OPTIONS

This hasn’t been talked about much but there are a few unique Photo Pass options at the party that I would definitely check out, have some fun with and capture some special moments from your night! BTW, the Disney Photo Pass service is INCLUDED in your Jollywood Nights even ticket and that’s a nice perk you should take advantage of. In addition to the usual photographers scattered throughout the park, here is where you can find a few special photos as well…

In the Animation Courtyard you’ll find the Robotic Arm Shot as well as a 9-Camera Array providing a boomerang style capture of you or your group.

You can also take advantage of a Photo Pass Lens inspired by the Incredible back in Pixar Place.

ATTRACTIONS

One of the greatest parts of an after hours event is the low wait times for some of the most popular attractions. Jollywood Nights seems to be no exception to this and might even be a better use of tie and money given the longer lines at some of the other experiences.

Most of your top attractions at Hollywood Studios will be available…

  • Rock n Roller Coaster

  • Slinky Dog Dash

  • Tower of Terror

  • Rise of the Resistance (utilizing a Virtual Queue of course)

  • and more!!

From what has been reported so far, lines have been short so I would certainly plan on taking the opportunity to ride some of, if not all of your favorites!

IN CONCLUSION…

Ok, I’ve rambled on enough, and if you’re still reading, thank you! Here’s a wrap up of my overall thoughts.

I am not the biggest fan of after hours and special event parties. I remember the days of e-ticket nights and the Magic Kingdom where the park was truly empty and you felt like a VIP. Walking off and walking right back on attractions like Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Pirates. At the Studios, I remember enjoying probably the best special events in the Osborne Family Festival of Dancing Lights are part of your regular day ticket! Anymore, these parties to me are over priced, over crowded opportunities to spend more money on food and drinks that look better than they taste. You take your pictures for social media, you get to say you were there, but ultimately, they fall short of expectations.

Now…. for me and my family, Jollywood Nights still has the opportunity to be ok IF we adjust our original expectations. Coming in at a price point lower them Mickey Very Merry at the Magic Kingdom and only slightly higher than a typical after hours event at Hollywood Studios I think there is still a value to be found. No, it won’t be the party we wanted and we will be forced to skip some of the unique experiences offered. But to be honest, they aren’t what we hoped for anyway. But if we go, take advantage of the low wait times, unique Photo Pass options and mix in a quick serve food and drink option and some live entertainment here and there, it might still be worth it as a night out to get in the holiday spirit.

Let me address something that has really bothered me in the coverage and response to this event. “It’s the first night of a new party. What did you expect? Calm down.” I absolutely understand that the first night of a new event will come with it share of hiccups. However, I refuse to give Disney a pass for what they delivered on night one. They made the announcement in June. That means this was being planned before that. That’s at least 6 months to plan. They weren’t caught by surprise. Its a hard ticket, they know exactly how many people are coming. They understood the demand. They invited media, again knowing how many would be added to their head count for the evening. By no means were they caught by surprise. They could have (but never would) sell less tickets for the first couple nights until they got it locked in. They could have charged less knowing there could be issues. They don’t do that. 10 nights, need to pack them all and maximize profits. They made a business decision. Take our chances, weigh the risk vs reward and lets party. That decision of risk vs reward has a direct effect on the guest experience. So sorry, no free pass no get out of jail free, no excuses. I expect that if I’m being charged a premium for experience I will be delivered a premium experience. Honestly, I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation.

Tonight is night number two. I am curious to see and sincerely hope that Disney has listened to the feedback from opening night and makes the adjustments needed. Guests deserve it. Honestly, the fact that a lot of the negative feedback was around crowd levels and long lines, the fact that only two more nights are Sold Out could be a blessing for Jollywood Nights! Here’s to hoping that all goes well for the future nights and guests.

As for me and my family…. we are in a wait and see mode. If they make some adjustments and correct the concerns then its possible we will go. But it certainly won’t be something we now go out of our way to do and feel like we are missing out if we don’t. To me, that’s sad because the excitement level when it was announced was at a high.

I can’t wait to hear what you all think. Is it what you thought it would be? Has your excitement grown or diminished? Will you be attending?

Jolly Holidays Everyone!

Mark Avis