Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicThe Disney Parks are some of the most magical places to spend the holiday season, but is Disney holding back its biggest and brightest at Disney World’s Jollywood Nights?
Jollywood Nights is a special ticketed event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort, and it’s been met with some pretty mixed reviews. While it’s not nearly as popular as Mickey’s Very Mery Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, the event does have a few special ingredients that some claim are worth the price of admission.
Related: Disney Springs Sweets To Sample On Your Shopping Trip
The Hollywood Studios Christmas celebration follows the pattern of other extra Disney Park parties or after-hours celebrations. It’s a separate ticket event that offers special food, merch, shows, and interactions in a less-crowded setting. However, some visitors claim that Disney short-changed attendees by only meeting the bare minimum.
Disney World Hides the Christmas Presents at Jollywood Nights
@themouselets if you went to Jollywood Nights what are your thoughts? We always try to keep it positive but we were just a little disappointed for the price we paid – regardless we still had fun! #jollywoodnights #disneyworld #disneychristmas #hollywoodstudios
@themouselets on TikTok provides a more balanced review of the celebration before Disney added a few newer perks (more on that later), and it looks like the Disney Parks are at least trying something fresh with this new addition. However, other fans are feeling a bit cheated due to the event’s price tag.
@benny_the_cab Easy Disney Changes #waltdisneyworld #disneyland #disney100 #ilovedisney #disneychanges #disneymode #disneymagic #disneyparks #disneyfypシ🏰❤️ #disneylandhotel #disneycollector #duffythedisneybear
@benny_the_cab points out several relatively in-expensive quality of life improvements as to how Disney can better experiences at the Walt Disney World Resort, but he makes a distinct point when he talks about Duffy the Disney Bear. As successful as more adult options like that sipper would be, Disney might already have access to some of the ideas he pitched, but has chosen not to implement them.
Related: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Expansion Threatens Guests and Animals
We might be venturing into tin-foil hat territory, but if Disney was so quick to get a new character in the park to draw more of a crowd, was Duffy meant to be released all along, or has Disney been keeping him in mothballs for a spontaneous occasion like this? Either way, something feels off.
It might be because Jollywood Nights is still a relatively new event for Disney World, but it still feels like more could have been done when compared to some of the other special events the parks have hosted. Either way, fans notice and many of them are voicing their disappointment with Disney.
Related: Disney World Park Officially Restricted to All Guests
This isn’t the first time Disney World has just been getting by on the bare minimum, especially compared to its Californian counterpart. That said, this writer is willing to give Disney World the benefit of the doubt and suggest that this was only the rough draft of what might soon become a yearly celebration.
Inside the Magic reached out to @benny_the_cab for further comment, but no response was received at the time of publishing.
Did you go to Jollywood Nights? Tell Inside the Magic what you thought in the comments below!