Halfway to the Holidays!

Disney has announced the Holiday cheEAR! So let’s talk about it because we have A LOT to go over!

Jollywood Nights 2026

Jollywood Nights is a separately tickets event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that combines the old Hollywood glam with festive fun each November and December. It feels like you are stepping into a Christmas movie as Sunset Boulevard are covered in silver garlands, giant ornaments, and glowing reindeer hanging from the lampposts.

• Dates:
  • November 7, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28
  • December 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 23
  • January 3, 5
• Tickets:
  • July 9
    • Guests staying at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and Shades of Green will have the opportunity to purchase tickets.
  • July 16
    • General sale date for all other guests can purchase tickets to Jollywood Nights

Jollywood Nights discounts for all events are available for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members. Purchase Jollywood Nights tickets online or call (407) 934-7639.

Shows and entertainment

• Disney Holidays in Hollywood
  • is a stage show held at the Theater of Stars, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy host a holiday gathering with appearances by beloved Disney friends like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Belle and Tiana.
• What’s This? Time Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing Along
  • Head to Hyperion Theater to see the story of Halloween Town and Christmas Town come together with Jack Skellington as ‘snowflakes; gently fall. Sing along to classic tunes like “what’s this?” and “Sally’s Song”
• Glisten
  • is returning to Jollywood Nights. This holiday skating show will be right in front of the Chinese theater. World class skaters will twirl, leap and dance across a shimmering synthetic tink, set to classic holiday tunes and original Jollywood songs
• Twilight Soiree at the Tip Top Club
  • This glamorous experience int he courtyard of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. This exclusive event trasports guests to a 1930’s style swingin’ celebration.
• Pixar Disco Lights up Pixar Plaza
  • Holly Jolly dance party featuring Edna Mode and Frozone from Disney and Pixar’s The Incredibles, Joy from Inside Out and Mike Wizowski from Monsters, Inc.
• Jazzy Holidays at Teh Hollywood Brown Derby
  • This adult oriented retreat within the Christmas atmosphere of Jollywood Nights. Its an ideal choice for guests seeking a blend of culinary delights, live music, and a touch of holiday elegance.
• Jingle Belle, Jingle BAM!
  • This high energy nighttime spectacular at Jollywood Nights in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, lighting up the Chinese Theater with fireworks, lasers, projections and holiday music.

Character Greetings:

• Phineas and Ferb
• Max Goof as Powerline
• Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers
• Stitch dessed as Santa
• Balloo and King Louie
• The Mandalorian and Grogu
• Chewbacca celebrating Life Day
• Lotso from Toy Story 3
• Partysaurus Rex
• Bing Bong from Inside Out
• Duffy
• Scrooge McDuck
• Donald Duck and Daisy Duck
• Goofy and Pluto
• Mickey and Minnie Mouse

Rides Open:

• Rock n’ Rollercoaster Starring The Muppets
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Star Tours – The Adventure Continue
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Toy Story Mania!

More information about the food and merch will be coming out shortly.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

This separately ticketed event that celebrates the most wonderful time of the year at MAgic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

• Dates:
  • November 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 24, 25, 27, 29
  • December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22

Guests who have purchased ticekts to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party can enter the park as early as 4 pm.

• Tickets:
  • July 9 tickets will go on sale for guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, Wwalt Dinsey World Swan and Dolphin Hotels and Shades of green
  • July 16 tickets will be available for all other guests

Special prices are available for Annual Passholder and Disney Vacation Club Members. You can purchase them online or call 407-934-7639.

• Character Greetings:
  • Anna and Elsa at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Jack Skellington as Santa and Sally along with Mickey and Minnie Mouse in their holiday outfits will be in Town Swuare Theater
  • Santa will also have sneak in to see if you have been naughty or nice you can spot him near Dumbo and The Barnstormer
• Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas Parade
  • It’s BACK and more dazzling than ever. If you want to get swept away in not only the Disney Magic but the Magic of the Holidays make sure to get a spot along the parade route. It travels from Frontierland to Main Street USA.
• Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
  • This nighttime spectacular combines beloved holiday classics like Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas with gorgeous pyrotechnics, castle projections and lighting effects. Cinderellas castle will be wrappe like apresent in stunning holiday scenes all synchronized with the music and fireworks!
• Mickeys Most Merriest Celebration
  • At Cinderella’s Castle you can find Disney friends remind us why it’s the happiest season of all. You will find your feet tapping along to the medley of joyful tunes as live performers and characters make appearances throughout the show. My favorite guest Clarabelle Cow.
• Frozen Holiday Surprise and Dance Parties in the Park
  • Guest are invited to kick off the season with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and the snowgies at Cinderella Castle as it transforms into a frozen wonderland during Frozen Holiday Surprise.

Rides Available:

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Haunted Mansion
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• and MORE!

Of course it wouldn’t be a party without some special holiday foods! More details on that are coming soon!

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Dates and Details

This month long celebration is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the spirit of the holidays. The holidays are all about traditions and the teams at EPCOT spend all year curating festive holiday fun tied into global traditons so that guests can create new traditions.

• Dates:
  • November 27 – December 30, 2026

Holiday Traditions with World Showcase Storyteller

• Storytelling is one of the important ways we build bonds between generations, connecting through tales and legends passed down. Guests can experience this tradition with the Holiday Storytellers throughout World Showcase. Each day of the festival, these storytellers will bring holiday tales to life entertaining and educating guests on how different cultures celebrate this special season. This is my favorite part about the season! I love listening to all the Storytellers.
  • Mexico Pavilion – Las Posadas Celebration
  • Norway Pavilion – A Mischievous Magical Barn Santa
  • China Pavilion – Chinese Lion Dancer and Si-Zhu trio
  • Germany Pavilion – Adventskalender
  • Italy Pavilion – La Befana (My Favorite)
  • Japan Pavilion – Daruma Storyteller
  • Between the Morocco and France Pavilions – Hanukkah Storyteller
  • France Pavilion – Piere Noel
  • United Kingdom Pavilion – Father Christmas
  • Canada Pavilion – Canadian Holiday Voyageurs
• Santa Sighting Around EPCOT
  • Guests who are hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus, be prepared because he will be making specual appearances during the festival. You may spot him traveling around World Showcase, greeting guests and spreading cheer along the way. Make sure you make time for Santa Goofy who will be dressed in his holiday best and ready to pose for Jolly Holiday photos.

EPCOT Holiday Decor

• Gingerbread Spaceship Earth Display
  • is coming back. This is a must see and smell experience that you wont want to miss.
• Festival of the Holidays Shows and Entertainment
  • Candlelight Processional
    • The beloved Candlelight Processional at America Gardens Theater will return with the heartfelt retelling of the Christmas story which features celebrity narrators, accompanies by a mass choir and
  • JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season
    • Get ready to feel the rhythm of Christmas and Kwanzaa with JOYFUL! A Celebration of the season.
  • Voices of Liberty Dickens Caroler
    • The voices of Liberty return in a festive fashion as the Dickens Carolers performing classic holiday tunes in a victorian-era England style
• Festival Kitchens: Holiday Food and Beverages
  • Foodies get ready to eat your heart out as a delicious assortment of food and beverages from around the world make their return.
• Holiday Cookie Stroll
  • This fan favorite is back! Purchase five qualifying cookies from select Holiday Kitchens and collect corresponding stamps in your Festival Passport. Once you have gathered all five, redeem your completed stroll for a special treat.
• Overlays and Festive Features
  • Living with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses
    • Hop aboard a festive version of Living with the Land during Glimmering Greenhouse. This boat ride will be transformed with twinkling lights and seasonal decor throughout the greenhouses, offering a new and stunning experience.
  • Lights on Spaceship Earth
    • As night falls, Spaceship Earth comes to life with dazzling holiday lighting. The iconic geodesic sphere will shine bright with festive colors and dynamic effects adding more magic to your evening at EPCOT.
  • Olaf;s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
    • Join Olaf for an adventure as you search throughout World Showcase to find Olaf as he discovers holiday traditions from around the globe. This is a paid scavenger hunt but if you participate you will recieve a fun holiday keepsake
  • Scentsy’s Festive Fragrances: A Sensory Wonderland
    • Festive Fragrances presented by Scentsy returns with all-new fragrances celebrating holidays around the world

Disneyland Resort

The holiday season at Disneyland Resort, during the holiday season several attractions across the resort tranfirm with seasonal overlays. Music, storytelling,, and thoughtful details come together to give these rides a festive perspective, sprinkled in a with a perfect dash of holiday fun.

• Haunted Mansion Holiday
• It’s A Small World Holiday
• Cars Land Attraction Overlays
• Holiday Decor and more across the Disneyland Resort

• Haunted Mansion Holiday
  • It is time for the start of Haunted Mansion Holiday transforms the classic attraction into a seasonal ride overlay inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
• “it’s a small world” Holiday at Disneyland park
  • If you love Christmas lights, travel along the Seven Seaways canal and discover familiar scenes with festive overlays. Each region in the attraction celebrates the holidays in district ways, from the Mele Kalikimaka cheer in the South Pacific to the Feliz Navidad fun in Mexico, alongside several New Year traditions reflected throughout Europe and Asia.
• Cars Land at Dinseyland California Adventure park
  • At DCA the residents of Radiator Springs have swapped their usual day to day routines for the fast -paced fun of the holiday season, featuring holiday music, plenty of festive personality and two attraction with seasonal overlays.
    • Maters Jingle Jamboree
    • Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl

Of course there will be holiday decor throughout the resort and even if you lost some of the holiday magic this will sure to bring it back again. I am so excited for the holidays in the park. How about you?

-Dezi