We're LIVE! Everything You Can See and Do at Disney's Jollywood Nights

Hollywood Studios‘ holiday event — Jollywood Nights — has kicked off for 2025, and WE’RE THERE!

Jollywood Nights

Originally launched in 2023, Jollywood Nights has become one of Disney World’s most popular Holiday events. The after-hours event features Christmas decor, characters in their Holiday best (including Chewbacca celebrating Life Day!), specialty food and merchandise, and entertainment offerings. Come with us as we explore the event!

The 2025 Jollywood Nights schedule kicked off on November 8th, and we’re front and center to experience the event! We arrived at the park right around 5:15 PM, and WOW crowds were already intense!

In fact, the crowds were so intense that we noticed Cast Members began scanning people a little early, which was likely due to the fact that they would have run out of space otherwise! We do feel that this wait is less intense than what you’ll experience ahead of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, though, because the sun was going down, so the heat wasn’t as intense.

Though it was clear Disney did some interesting, strange, twisty lines when entering, and things only got stranger when we stepped inside the park. First, there was a first line of Cast Members with tablets scanning the actual ticket barcode in the My Disney Experience App, then you hit a line giving out wristbands, which are so Disney can tell party guests apart from other guests.

You then went through where you would NORMALLY scan into the park where you were given maps, and THEN you were handed a lil tube of mini M&Ms. There was a LOT going on, and we feel this could have been simpler. However, we chatted with an AllEars fan who had been in Hollywood Studios all day, and they told us they were able to get their wristband at 4:30 PM, which is very interesting.

Party guests will then be directed through the exit of Fantasmic!, so you’ll begin the party closer on Sunset Boulevard.

Speaking of that map, you’ll want to be sure you pay close attention to it, because it’ll be your guide around the night! Even if you’ve been to Hollywood Studios numerous times, there are new experiences, snacks, and live entertainment shows to enjoy around the park that you’ll need to find on the map.

So much to explore tonight! There’s a slight vintage vibe to this year’s map ?? pic.twitter.com/FzorRtTTkr

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) November 8, 2025

Inside you’ll find the park map itself, as well as sections dedicated to some of the highlighted snacks, experiences, and overall where you’ll want to head throughout the night to get the most out of your ticket. Keep this handy — you’ll want to refer to it all night!

Our reporter is big on keeping party maps as souvenirs, but feels that in recent years, maps aren’t as special anymore. However, THIS is an exception! This map does feel special, and we love the way they designed it to look more like a booklet rather than just a plain ‘ol map.

After taking care of all the essentials, it was time to start having some fun! We started out by meeting some iconic characters, like Miguel over on Sunset Boulevard at Holiday Fiesta en la Calle!

Over at Pixar Place, there are TONS of characters to meet while you dance to a DJs sick beats at the Pixar Disco (do people say that anymore?). We got to say hey to Mike Wazowski, Sadness (with her cute holiday hat on), Frozone, and Edna Mode!

One of the most popular shows of the evening is Disney Holidays in Hollywood, and while our show did have a minor delay, it was soon back up and running and was just as wonderful as we remember it from years past. It’s one of our most highly recommended shows of the event.

If you’re a big fan of ice skating, you’ve got to check out Glisten! in front of the Chinese Theater! This show is pretty fantastic, although since it is live entertainment and things happen, it is possible you’ll see a dancer or two fall throughout the performance. That’s okay though! They’re trained professionally and know how to keep themselves from getting hurt — just prepare yourself to potentially see it during the show.

Want something that’s a little more geared towards adults, but doesn’t limit kids at all! The Twilight Soiree is a fantastic place to slow down just a bit during the party and enjoy some wonderful live music.

Speaking of amazing live music, you also don’t want to miss the band over at Holiday Festival en la Calle — get ready to dance the night away because they were SERIOUSLY jamming! Not to mention that the dancers here were also fantastic.

There are also LOTS of special characters to meet throughout the night that you often can’t find elsewhere, such as Miguel from Coco, who is over at Holiday Festival en la Calle near Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

You can also find Chewbacca celebrating Life Day over in Galaxy’s Edge, since Christmas isn’t a holiday celebrated in the Star Wars universe. He is all decked out in special attire though!

If you love Inside Out as much as we do, you’ve got to meet Bing Bong over near the transition into Galaxy’s Edge as well — he’s SO fun and adorable, we think he should be at the top of everyone’s list.

Want to really bump up the party? Go meet Partysaurus Rex in Toy Story Land — we promise you won’t regret it!

We can’t forget about the snacks, right? There are lots of special, unique treats at Jollywood Nights you won’t be able to grab elsewhere. While we’re still working on grabbing some of them, one of our favorite so far has been the Bing Bong Candy Lemonade at the Market. This is a slushy consistency but has a delicious strawberry lemonade flavor that we loved, and those freeze-dried Skittles added a fantastic texture.

Also available at Market is the Mike-aroon, which is a great choice for those who love coconut and enjoy that texture. It’s a LOT of coconut, but a really sold treat!

One of the treat that really shocked us was the Arepas de Choclo at KRNR The Rock Station! The arepa itself was moist in the best way and had the perfect amount of cheese inside, and that sauce? While we think they should add the word “garlic” in the name, since it is very garlic forward, it was incredible and we were half tempted to drink it with a straw.

There were multiple winners over at Backlot Express, but for those who want something sweet, the Holly Jolly Bread Pudding should be at the top of your list. We heard it was especially a big hit for kids, but personally, we think people of all ages with a sweet tooth will enjoy it.

Looking for the interesting drink that totally blew us away? Look no further than the Holiday Dill-light at Tune-In Lounge. Now, you’ve really got to love pickles for this one, but we were shocked at how much we adored it. The flavors were on point, it wasn’t too overpowering, and although we were half expecting to hate it, it was the opposite.

Looking for one of the best ways to remember your trip? Check out the merchandise available only at this event! There are ears, a Spirit Jersey, a pin, a mug, and more, all over at Vacation Fun. Just don’t wait until the last minute — some items may sell out!

One of our favorite finds was the new Loungefly Bag available — just look how adorable!

Don’t forget to grab some PhotoPass photos throughout the night if you’ve got Memory Maker or PhotoPass included on your Annual Pass! During the beginning of the night, we noticed the Tower of Terror spot was VERY popular, but as the night went on, it dwindled, so if you want a photo there, it may be better to wait until later on.

Quincy at the Tower of Terror PhotoPass spot!

The best part about PhotoPass at Jollywood Nights is that all your photos are INCLUDED with your party ticket! That’s huge savings, so we recommend taking as many as you can throughout the night.

As you go to leave the party, you’ll also get a free commemorative ornament to remember your party by, and we really thought this was super high quality. We can’t wait to put it on our tree this year!

After beginning on November 8th, the 2025 Jollywood Nights event will take place on November 15th, 17th, 22nd, 24th and 29th, as well as December 1st, 6th, 10th, 13th, 17th, 20th and 22nd.