There are two big vacation season arduous ticket occasions at Walt Disney World: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion in Magic Kingdom and Jollywood Nights in Hollywood Studios. This compares and contrasts MVMCP and DJN to see which is healthier for characters, fireworks, leisure, crowds, and extra.
Now that tickets to each Christmas events at Walt Disney World are on sale for 2024, we thought it could be a great time to make this comparability so you possibly can decide which could be best for you. With that stated, it does include a few asterisks. First, Jollywood Nights advanced and improved final 12 months over the course of the season. We’re thus judging it primarily based on the tip of its run final 12 months fairly than the start.
Second, Jollywood Nights is making much more adjustments and additions for Christmas 2024. We’re assuming it’ll be higher in consequence, however that basically doesn’t issue into the classes that every celebration “wins” and even the final word verdict. However, it’s an incomplete or imperfect comparability, which is pretty much as good as you’re going to get in order for you one thing sensible that can assist you determine which tickets to buy. For those who look ahead to our precise evaluations of the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion and Jollywood Nights, there’s an opportunity your dates will already be offered out.
One closing factor we need to warn in opposition to is baked in biases of Walt Disney World diehards. This cuts each methods. On the one hand, a whole lot of followers maintain large nostalgia for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion, having skilled it over the course of many years. This contains us–it’s been annual custom since 2007. We’ve made so many nice recollections on the occasion and maintain a lot sentimentality in the direction of it that I can’t think about not doing MVMCP…at the same time as ticket costs explode and never a lot adjustments.
Then again, there are those that are, basically, the precise reverse. They’ve been across the block with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion, and are prepared for one thing new. Disney Jollywood Nights is new. It is rather, very completely different from MVMCP. In consequence, a whole lot of longtime followers who really feel that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion is drained or stale could be predisposed to preferring Jollywood Nights on the idea of it being recent and new-to-them.
However that’s the standpoint of a blogger, vlogger, or Walt Disney World diehard fan. It’s not consultant of the common attendee and even the extra informal fan who visits occasionally. Whereas everybody clearly has biases, that’s our viewpoint when making this try at an goal comparability between Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion and Disney Jollywood Nights: which ought to an rare or first-time Walt Disney World visitor attend?
Time: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion – Walt Disney World is shifting in the best path with Disney Jollywood Nights, making it a 5-hour vacation celebration from 7:30 pm to 12:30 am in 2024, with the mix-in permitting occasion ticket holders to enter Disney’s Hollywood Studios as early as 6:00 pm.
That’s nonetheless not so good as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion. The occasion length is similar at 5 hours, albeit from 7:00 pm to midnight. The distinction is the mix-in, which permits MVMCP ticket holders to enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4:00 pm. That further 90 minutes provides visitors time to knock out favourite points of interest with brief waits, seize a meal, or in any other case discover the park at Walt Disney World with probably the most issues to do.
Meals: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion – No refreshments are included with the worth of your occasion ticket to Disney Jollywood Nights. That is in sharp distinction to After Hours, a significant promoting level of which is the limitless bottled drinks, ice cream novelties, and popcorn from outside merchandising carts.
It’s additionally a departure from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion, which affords “free” limitless Christmas cookies, scorching chocolate, and different vacation refreshments. MVMCP additionally affords particular menus at varied counter service eating places and snack stands, though that is hardly one of many predominant options of the occasion.
Oddly sufficient, one of many predominant promoting factors of Disney Jollywood Nights is “shimmering sips and sensational sweets.” The issue is that this can be a promoting level, fairly actually, for Disney. They need to promote you extra meals when you’re on the occasion. We discovered a few of that meals to be advantageous, however truthfully, we’re not paying over $100 or utilizing our restricted celebration time to spend much more cash on meals. We doubt many visitors are. The free cookies and scorching cocoa at MVMCP are the best way to go–and what Disney Jollywood Nights needs to be doing, too.
Parade: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion – That is a straightforward one since solely Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion has a parade within the first place, so it wins by default. For those who love parades, MVMCP is the Christmas celebration it’s best to select.
However let’s faux, for no matter motive, that you simply’re on the fence concerning the ‘significance’ of this class. Possibly you’re not essentially a parade particular person, however are open to watching one if it’s actually good.
Mickey’s As soon as Upon A Christmastime Parade (MOUACP) is de facto good. It has marching toy troopers, dancing reindeer and gingerbread males, and ever the massive man himself, Ole Saint Nick! Calling MOUACP actually good is an understatement. It has iconic floats, characters, moments and music.
It’s prolonged and satisfying, with no filler–each unit is great, making for a parade that by no means overstays its welcome and truly leaves you wanting extra. About the one “weak spot” of Mickey’s As soon as Upon A Christmastime Parade is that 90% of it existed a decade or two in the past. So for some Walt Disney World followers, it feels drained and overdue for a substitute. To that, I say don’t repair what isn’t damaged. What number of Walt Disney World followers imagine the substitute for Vacation Needs is an precise improve? In brief, watch out what you would like for.
Mickey’s As soon as Upon A Christmastime Parade is likely one of the greatest items of leisure at Walt Disney World, and is an absolute must-see. From the toy troopers marching in formation to the pleasant character costumes to reindeer dancing in entrance of Santa–and a lot extra. Mickey’s As soon as Upon A Christmastime Parade is cozy and charming, a enjoyable and memorable parade that’s bursting with vacation spirit.
Fireworks: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion – It is a nearer name than it needs to be. 9 instances out of 10, fireworks at Magic Kingdom will win over these at Hollywood Studios as a result of the straightforward actuality is that explosions over Cinderella Citadel have baseline enchantment.
Fireworks above Cinderella Citadel is likely one of the definitive experiences at Walt Disney World, and as long as the music is nice sufficient, nearly all of visitors will take pleasure in it. That’s how Disney Enchantment managed first rate visitor satisfaction scores total regardless of being very low relative to previous Magic Kingdom fireworks reveals.
Related story right here. Minnie’s Great Christmastime Fireworks are a latest addition, and showcase pyro plus projections. Whereas longtime followers would possibly argue that this present is inferior to Vacation Needs in some methods, it’s ok. Just like the tune “Great Christmastime,” it’s schmaltzy and foolish. (My unpopular opinion about each the fireworks and the tune is that they’re good, truly. However I do know there are many haters on the market.)
It’s the same story with the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! fireworks at Disney Jollywood Nights. This nighttime spectacular primarily based on “Prep & Touchdown” has its moments and is polarizing amongst followers. Personally, I like Minnie’s Great Christmastime Fireworks much more–however by no means say no to both of those reveals.
It additionally helps that Minnie’s Great Christmastime Fireworks has much more pyro–together with perimeter bursts that encompass Cinderella Citadel. On stability, not solely is Minnie’s Great Christmastime Fireworks the superior present, however in a contest between two nighttime spectaculars that garner combined evaluations, the Magic Kingdom fireworks will at all times beat the Disney’s Hollywood Studios fireworks.
Stage Exhibits: Disney Jollywood Nights – Now we flip to the simple win for Disney Jollywood Nights, which has three stage reveals to the one at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion. In the case of DJN, the third of those stage reveals is described by Walt Disney World as a stunning new skating spectacular set to vacation tunes, that includes grace and talent of worldwide champion skaters in an awe-inspiring twist on the normal ice present.
It is a wild card, with its high quality, scale and scope all being unknowns. But it surely doesn’t matter. Disney Jollywood Nights wins even when we faux the ice skating present doesn’t exist, as its different two stage reveals are each superb to nice.
The spotlight of the stage reveals throughout DJN is Holidays in Hollywood, a vignette selection displaying that includes appearances from particular visitor stars, together with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Tiana, Belle, Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse—accompanied by a proficient solid of singers, dancers and jazz musicians. Holidays in Hollywood is implausible. Nice choreography, music, staging–every little thing. It’s one of many high 3 seasonal stage reveals in all of Walt Disney World.
The opposite stage present at Disney Jollywood Nights is “What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas Sing-Alongside.” That is admittedly a bizarre one, because it’s what quantities to a excessive idea sing-along plus puppetry. An odd combine, if I’ve ever seen one. Regardless of that, What’s This? is means higher than you would possibly count on. The silent performers are very good, seeing the Jack Skellington puppet in a theater setting is superior, and Oogie Boogie steals the present. As somebody who hates sing-alongs and is detached to all issues Tim Burton (so I’m hardly goal), I used to be stunned to take pleasure in this a lot.
Over at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion, the lone stage present is now Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration. That is the tried and true Cinderella Citadel musical medley stage present, the premise of which doesn’t a lot matter. Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration is the very best stage present on this checklist (and #2 total after Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular) and it rises to that spot because of a superb combination of sentimentality and custom plus popular culture and glorious tune choices. It’s without delay precisely what you’d count on and delightfully sudden with one thing for everybody, from youngsters to adults.
Despite the fact that Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration is #1 total, the truth that Disney Jollywood Nights has (a minimum of) two superb to nice stage reveals to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion’s lone present cements it with the win right here.
Atmospheric Leisure: Disney Jollywood Nights – Disney Jollywood Nights options a wide range of dance events, swinging soirees, and intimate lounges–with the highlights being Vacation Fiesta en la Calle, Twilight Soirée on the Tip Prime Membership, and Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby. These three issues, particularly, are a whole lot of what provides DJN its extra refined and refined vacation vibe. I might think about spending a whole night dressed up, dancing the evening away and having fun with these grownup experiences. There’s completely nothing like all of that at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion.
Against this, MVMCP does have character dance events like Membership Tinsel and Disney Junior Jingle Jam. Then there are different atmospheric acts, such because the Reindeer Wranglers in Frontierland. Personally, I don’t suppose any of those choices are pretty much as good as Twilight Soirée on the Tip Prime Membership, however the audiences are completely completely different. I’d give the sting, objectively, to Disney Jollywood Nights, however I might see loads of households preferring the atmospheric leisure at MVMCP.
Characters: It Relies upon – It is a powerful one. Whilst a longtime Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion attendee with a whole lot of fond recollections of the occasion, I really feel the character lineup is stale–and has been for the final decade. It’s downright unhappy that Walt Disney World hasn’t refreshed–or absolutely overhauled–it. However, once more, I’m making an attempt to be goal.
Even that’s troublesome, although. Objectively talking, there are far more characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion. There are roughly two-dozen distinct meet & greets, with about three-dozen characters complete. Against this, Disney Jollywood Nights is promoting a dozen distinct meet & greets for a complete of “greater than 20 character experiences.” So it appears fairly open and closed, proper?
I’m not so positive. A number of the characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion are additionally obtainable throughout a daily day at Magic Kingdom (generally they’re merely “enhanced” with the addition of scarves). MVMCP has a couple of dozen uncommon characters–that means characters who seldom seem through the day or have distinct costumes (for instance, we’d rely Belle in her winter gown) for the celebration.
That’s roughly the identical quantity as at Disney Jollywood Nights. And whereas it’s nearly unattainable for me to be goal about this, I’m personally extra excited concerning the uncommon character lineup at DJN. There’s Santa Duffy, Phineas and Ferb, Three Caballeros, Toy Story buddies who don’t usually seem, Disney Afternoon characters, Mickey & Pals in distinctive outfits, and extra. Most first-timers won’t care about this eclectic lineup of deep cuts, although, and thus would possibly favor Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion. It’s a extremely powerful name.
Environment: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion – Just by advantage of being within the citadel park as a substitute of the studios park, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion has the rapid edge to win this. There’s simply one thing about seeing Important Road reworked for the vacations, with an additional layer of lighting and music on high of the tree, lights, and each day decor.
One of many issues we routinely speak up about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion is the distinctive ambiance–our favourite factor concerning the occasion is just being there. Seeing the snowfall on Important Road, listening to Jolly Previous Saint Nicholas in Fantasyland, having fun with the moody lighting and particular projections, free-roaming characters having enjoyable–all of it simply places a smile on my face.
None of that’s nostalgia speaking. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion has mastered its temper, and that’s an enormous motive why so many individuals love that celebration. Even the lands that aren’t very Christmassy–like Adventureland and Tomorrowland–get into the temper through projections, music and extra.
The largest misfire of Disney Jollywood Nights for me final 12 months was the vibe. A number of areas of Disney’s Hollywood Studios felt like full ghost cities. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge felt like a barren planet. Toy Story Land had just about nothing happening for Disney Jollywood Nights. The 2 hottest elements of the park supplied nothing.
Even lands that ostensibly have been collaborating in Disney Jollywood Nights have been fairly unhappy. We don’t usually spend a lot time in Animation Courtyard–as a result of why would we?!–and this occasion was a great reminder of that. It felt like a lifeless mall making an attempt to reinvent itself by including a Spirit Halloween Christmas.
Echo Lake was a vivid spot, however not due to Disney Jollywood Nights–it’s at all times a sleeper through the vacation season. Identical goes for Sundown Boulevard, however that’s as a result of just about the entire substantive choices have been on this space of the park. Hollywood Boulevard was additionally completely nice, however nothing like Important Road.
Solely small pockets of Disney’s Hollywood Studios felt like they have been open for enterprise, a lot much less actively celebrating Christmas. Once more, this can be a common ole DHS drawback, but it surely’s amplified whenever you cut back the park capability and faux there’s a celebration occurring. It simply didn’t have the vitality. A few of this seems it’ll be fastened for the 2024 Disney Jollywood Nights, but it surely’s arduous to fathom it’ll be sufficient to tip the scales.
Crowds: Disney Jollywood Nights – It’s exceeding troublesome for the common attendee of both of those events to do every little thing in a single evening. Likelihood is, you gained’t be capable of meet each single character, see the stage reveals, fireworks, different leisure–by no means thoughts doing rides along with the party-specific stuff. However which is extra difficult? The place are crowds worse?
There’s a model of this the place the reply is “it relies upon.” Somebody on the market may need very particular priorities that make Disney Jollywood Nights the more severe of the 2 occasions for crowds. This may seemingly be the case if consuming or particular meals are your high precedence, because the worst strains final 12 months throughout DJN have been for the bars. I don’t suppose that’s the common first-timer, although. (Particularly the common first-timer debating between the 2, since MVMCP doesn’t actually have a consuming part.)
For the overwhelming majority of attendees, Disney Jollywood Nights goes to be the much less crowded and laid again expertise. On common, there’s much less congestion, it’s simpler to see the leisure, trip wait instances are minimal, and there are not any areas of the park which have wherever close to the extent of congestion as Important Road at Magic Kingdom between the primary and final parade.
Even MVMCP isn’t as unhealthy as its notion, which is predicated on 2018-2019 when events have been arguably oversold (see final 12 months’s publish, Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion Much less Crowded?!). Regardless, Disney Jollywood Nights is mostly decrease stress and decrease stakes, extra like an After Hours occasion with a Christmas twist.
Total: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion – In the end, our ‘verdict’ could be that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion is the superior occasion for first-timers or Disney followers who get to the parks on an rare foundation. It’s truthfully not even a remotely shut name. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion is the quintessential vacation time expertise at Walt Disney World.
A lot concerning the occasion is iconic, and the idea for advertising supplies for Christmas at WDW. There’s a motive the celebration hasn’t modified all that a lot within the final decade–since you don’t mess with perfection. Certain, this has resulted in some WDW diehards who’ve gone repeatedly to grow to be burnt out and wish one thing recent–however for those who’re studying this and are on the fence about which to attend, that most likely doesn’t describe you!
To make sure, Disney Jollywood Nights has its promoting factors. It’s a extra refined and complex celebration, in some methods, that will enchantment to sure segments of parkgoers, even rare ones. For those who’re searching for an Previous Hollywood occasion with the glitz and glamor of Tinseltown through the holidays–full with extra grownup choices and consuming, then a robust case may very well be made for Disney Jollywood Nights. There’s additionally one thing to be stated for its upstart nature, and the chance that it’ll be markedly improved in 2024 as Disney seems to be to enhance perceptions (and ticket gross sales). There’s no resting on its laurels with regards to Disney Jollywood Nights, that’s for positive!
It’s not simply probably larger upside, although. As we realized final 12 months, there’s additionally extra draw back threat to Disney Jollywood Nights. There’s loads about it that’s taste-specific that will sound nice on paper, however could not resonate with you in particular person. Not solely that, however in solely its sophomore season, there are additionally a ton of unknowns. Amongst these are precise attendance, potential good & unhealthy adjustments, strains for the characters and stage reveals, and doubtless extra I haven’t even thought-about.
Possibly Disney Jollywood Nights is value it to you from a risk-reward perspective. It actually is to us, and we’re actually wanting ahead to making an attempt this Christmas celebration once more in its second 12 months. In actual fact, we’re each extra enthusiastic about Disney Jollywood Nights than we’re MVMCP. However I additionally know that I have been a Walt Disney World first-timer and had thus by no means attended both occasion, the one that might be proper for us would, unquestionably, be Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion. It’s not even a remotely shut name. MVMCP is so clearly the secure and proper selection for first-timers that this whole publish appears superfluous. Then once more, not everybody has our preferences and priorities, so the point-by-point breakdown will hopefully be useful in serving to others make their resolution about which to attend.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion or Disney Jollywood Nights? Which did you suppose had the higher environment, characters, fireworks, meals, leisure, and so on? Would you fairly spend the night doing an occasion in Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios through the vacation season at Walt Disney World? Do you disagree with any of our recommendation and assessments? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
