Jollywood Nights opens Nov. 7 at Hollywood Studios and runs into January for the first time
Disney Jollywood Nights returns to Hollywood Studios on select nights from Nov. 7 through Jan. 5, the first season the separately ticketed holiday party reaches January. New this year are the Checkin' It Twice Lounge in Animation Courtyard, first appearances by Monsters, Inc. characters George Sanderson and Needleman, and Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Genie joining the Glisten! skating show.
Disney Jollywood Nights, the separately ticketed holiday party at Disney's Hollywood Studios, is back on select nights from Nov. 7, and for the first time it runs into January. This season brings a new lounge, two Monsters, Inc. characters making their event debuts and three new faces in the Glisten! skating show.
Key Details
- When: Select nights, Nov. 7, 2026 through Jan. 5, 2027
- Where: Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Party hours: 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Earliest entry: 5:30 p.m.
- Admission: Separate event ticket required
The Buzz
Orlando's WFTV Channel 9 laid out this season's lineup, and the calendar is the headline change: after three seasons that ended in December, Jollywood Nights now reaches Jan. 5. Several characters and performers are also appearing at the event for the first time.
New this year: a lounge in Animation Courtyard and two Monsters, Inc. debuts
The 2026 additions center on a new place to gather and two characters guests have never met at this party.
- Checkin' It Twice Lounge. A new lounge in Animation Courtyard serves specialty drinks alongside a live DJ and entertainment.
- George Sanderson debuts. The Monsters, Inc. scarer best remembered for coming back from a child's room with a sock stuck to his fur makes his first appearance at the event.
- Needleman joins too. Needleman, one of the film's two goofy janitors, is also making his first Jollywood Nights appearance.
- Mike Wazowski returns. The one-eyed green monster is back from earlier seasons, giving the party three Monsters, Inc. characters.
Specific drinks and prices for the new lounge have not been listed yet.
Glisten!, the Muppets and Jack Skellington lead the stage shows
Three shows return, and the skating show adds three performers it has never had before.
- Glisten! returns. The skating show is back in front of the Chinese Theater, the movie palace replica at the end of Hollywood Boulevard.
- New Glisten! cast. Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Genie, the wish-granting star of Aladdin, join the production for the first time.
- Muppets as hosts. Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy host "Disney Holidays in Hollywood."
- Nightmare sing-along. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, gives Christmas a spooky streak in "The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along."
By day the Chinese Theater houses Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway; on party nights its forecourt becomes the Glisten! stage.
Character meet-and-greets: Santa Stitch, Powerline, Grogu and more
The meet-and-greet roster pulls from Disney animation, Pixar, Star Wars and Disney Channel, some of it in holiday costume.
- Santa Stitch. Stitch, the blue alien from Lilo and Stitch, greets guests dressed as Santa.
- Max as Powerline. Max Goof, Goofy's son, appears as Powerline, the pop star he imitates on stage in A Goofy Movie.
- Phineas and Ferb. The inventive stepbrothers from the Disney Channel cartoon are on the meet list.
- The Mandalorian and Grogu. The armored bounty hunter from the Star Wars series appears with Grogu, the small green foundling in his care.
- Chewbacca's Life Day. Chewbacca meets guests while celebrating Life Day, the Wookiee holiday from Star Wars.
- Bing Bong. Riley's imaginary friend from Pixar's Inside Out rounds out the named characters.
Those names are the highlights of a longer list, so expect more characters on party nights than appear here.
Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! closes each night, now through Jan. 5
The fireworks finale returns, and the January dates open the party to visitors arriving after Christmas.
- Finale returns. Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! comes back to end the night with fireworks, lasers, projections and holiday music.
- Snow on Hollywood Boulevard. The show adds "snowfall" along Hollywood Boulevard, the park's main entry street.
- First January dates. Earlier seasons stopped in December; this year's calendar extends into January for the first time.
Our take. Use the 5:30 p.m. entry to get settled before the 7:30 p.m. start, make George Sanderson and Needleman early stops since this is their first season at the event, and hold a spot on Hollywood Boulevard for the snowfall finale. Families visiting after Christmas now have Jollywood Nights dates to book.