Disney just dropped a holiday announcement that's a little different from the usual seasonal refresh. Disney Jollywood Nights is officially returning to Hollywood Studios for 2026, and buried inside the announcement is a detail that has never happened before in the event's history. The holidays are no longer ending when December does.
Jollywood Nights is expanding into January.
For an event that has always lived exclusively in November and December, this is a genuinely new move. Two fresh dates, January 3 and January 5, have been added to the calendar, giving guests a way to experience the event well past the point when most other holiday offerings at Walt Disney World have already wrapped for the season.
Why the January Dates Are a Bigger Deal Than They Sound
Anyone who has tried to plan a holiday trip around Jollywood Nights in past years knows the problem. Tickets are limited, dates sell out, and the entire event is squeezed into a narrow window before the new year hits. Adding January dates effectively stretches that window for the first time, giving guests an entirely new option if the typical November and December nights do not line up with their travel plans.
The full 2026 calendar now includes six dates in November, seven in December, and the two new ones in January, the most spread out the event has ever been since it started.
The Entertainment Bringing Guests Back Year After Year
The reason Jollywood Nights keeps selling out has less to do with any single element and more to do with how much is packed into one night. Disney Holidays in Hollywood returns as the centerpiece musical show, hosted by Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, with appearances from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Belle, and Tiana.
The Nightmare Before Christmas sing-along is back inside the Hyperion Theater, continuing to be one of the more unique experiences at the event by blending Halloween aesthetics with Christmas tradition. Glisten, the ice skating spectacular staged in front of the Chinese Theater, also returns, alongside Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM, the nighttime show combining fireworks, projections, and synchronized effects with snowfall along Hollywood Boulevard.
Character offerings remain one of the night's biggest draws. Stitch dressed as Santa, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Chewbacca celebrating Life Day join a long list that includes Mickey, Minnie, and Scrooge McDuck. Disney has indicated more character announcements are still on the way.
Disney Rides Still Running, and How to Actually Get Tickets
Several major Hollywood Studios attractions remain open during the event with notably shorter waits, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Slinky Dog Dash, and Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.
Tickets open July 9 for guests staying at select Disney resorts, plus the Swan, Dolphin, and Shades of Green. General public sales begin July 16. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can access discounts as well.
Given the event's track record of selling out, and the fact that the new January dates have never existed before, demand for those nights specifically is expected to be intense. Anyone hoping to be among the first to experience Jollywood Nights in January should plan to buy the moment their access window opens.
This is the most expanded version of Jollywood Nights Disney has ever offered, and the timing shift alone is reason enough for holiday travelers to rethink how they plan their Walt Disney World trip this year.
