Introducing Disney's Jollywood Nights: A Magical Holiday Date Night in Orlando! We attended the first night of Disney Jollywood Nights, as well as a preview back in June, and one of the key highlights is the food and drink offerings.
This brand new Christmas party at Disney's Hollywood Studios debuted on November 11, 2023 and is a glitzy celebration of the holidays, perfect for a festive Disney date night. The menus for Jollywood Nights are quite extensive. After sampling a few bites thanks to a media event as well as a few in-park purchases at the event, we've got some picks for the best food at Disney Jollywood Nights. This after-hours party is worth raising a glass or two.
BEST Food and Drinks at Disney Jollywood Nights
Before we dive into some of the menu highlights, here are the bites and sips we enjoyed on opening night, as well as a small handful of ones we tried but did not impress.
Top picks
- Holiday Turkey Popover: Roasted turkey and creamy mashed potatoes topped with gravy, cranberry chutney, and chives in a house-made popover.
- ‘Just the Sides' Popover: Macaroni & cheese and savory collard greens with ham, topped with cornbread crumbs in a house-made popover.
- Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls: Fried spring rolls served with a jalapeño-ranch dipping sauce and fried rice noodles
- Charcuterie Cup: Manchego cheese, chorizo, serrano ham, pickled vegetables, olives, and toasted focaccia bread.
- Christmas Gertie Cookie: Sugar cookie with mint icing
- Sugar Cookie Martini: Stoli Vanil Vodka, Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur, and DISARONNO Originale Liqueur mixed with milk and sugar in a sprinkle-rimmed glass with a sugar cookie garnish
The Holiday Turkey Popover is one of the best food items at Disney Jollywood Nights. It hits the spot if you're looking for those traditional holiday flavors. The Sides Popover is slightly less impressive, but still a solid choice, especially if you enjoy Collard Greens.
You can find these at Fairfax Faire on Sunset Blvd. The line can get long, but thankful there is periodic entertainment of Sunset Seasons Greetings. Tables are hard to come by in this area so perhaps send someone from your party to scout and secure a table. The PB &J Donut and the Kermit Milkshake, also available at this location, presented too much sweetness for our palates.
Over at the Market, near Toy Story Land are the Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls. These bites had the perfect flaky, thin, and crispy outshell. The Buffalo Chicken filling certainly had that spicy tang you'd expect, and the ranch dipping sauce made for a nice cool down.
The Charcuterie Cup at BaseLine Tap House is not impressive, however, it is tasty and easily satisfies a variety of tastes. Plus, BaseLine Tap House had a relatively low line compared to other food locations on opening night.
Finally, the Christmas Gertie Cookie is the most adorable dessert, but is not overly sweet or heavy. This adorable sugar cookie is topped with mint frosting which is subtle and sweet.
We also heard the Mexican Hot Cocoa Cheesecake at ABC Commissary is another great dessert.
From Latin-inspired celebrations to smooth jazz joints and swinging soirées, plus casual quick bites.
Here's a taste of what awaits you:
Holiday Fiesta en la Calle at ABC Commissary
- Chicken Empanadas with Street Corn: Savory chicken empanadas served with a side of street corn salad, topped with chili peppers, lime, and cotija cheese.
- Yuca con Chicharrón:Fried pork belly, yuca, red pickled onions, and chili pepper-lime seasoning, accompanied by a yellow pepper aïoli.
- Mushroom Taco: For plant-based delights, try the chili-roasted mixed mushrooms, avocado crema, baby gem lettuce, garnished with sliced radish.
- Birria Taco: Shredded short rib and Monterey jack combo served with beef consommé for dipping.
- Mexican Hot Cocoa Cheesecake: Experience spiced chocolate cheesecake on a chocolate cookie base topped with vanilla whipped cream and cocoa powder, complete with a chocolate handle.
Drinks
- Zero-Proof Piña Colada: Enjoy the refreshing Lyre's Spiced Cane Spirit mixed with coconut, pineapple, and lime.
- Oaxaca Old Fashioned: Sip on Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, agave nectar, Mexican chocolate, and orange bitters served over ice, garnished with an orange.
We did not get a chance to try these items out ourselves, but in speaking with multiple other opening night attendees, these items at ABC Commissary were all well liked.
Baseline Taphouse
- Charcuterie Cup: Manchego cheese, chorizo, serrano ham, pickled vegetables, olives, and toasted focaccia bread.
While not overly impressive, this is one of the easiest, quickest foods at Jollywood Nights.
Dockside Diner
- Spicy Pimento-Kimchi Dip: Spicy dip topped with chives, served with fresh house-made wonton chips.
- Christmas Tree Cookie Stack: Relish a vanilla cookie stack filled with pistachio buttercream, cranberry, and raspberry jam, topped with sprinkles and a yellow candy star.
- Sandy Claws Hot Cocoa: “Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas”-inspired dark chocolate hot cocoa, topped with cherry whipped cream (Non-alcoholic).
Epic Eats
- Spicy Korean Chicken Funnel Cake: Savor spicy fried Korean chicken with pickled vegetables served on a mini funnel cake.
- S'mores Funnel Cake: Treat yourself to a giant roasted marshmallow with chocolate and marshmallow sauce, topped with chocolate curls and cinnamon cereal, all served on a mini funnel cake.
Fairfax Fare
- Holiday Turkey Popover: Roasted turkey and creamy mashed potatoes topped with gravy, cranberry chutney, and chives in a house-made popover.
- ‘Just the Sides' Popover: Macaroni & cheese and savory collard greens with ham, topped with cornbread crumbs in a house-made popover.
- Mistletoe Martini: Tito's Handmade Vodka and St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur mixed with cranberry juice, topped with fresh cranberries and mint leaves.
Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinction
- Christmas Gertie Cookie: Sugar cookie with mint icing (Also available with mint soft-serve)
Market
- Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls: Fried spring rolls served with a jalapeño-ranch dipping sauce and fried rice noodles
- Zero-Proof Apple Cider: Lyre’s Spiced Cane Spirit, apple cider, Angostura Bitters, and cinnamon topped with an apple chip and cinnamon rim
- In Holiday Fashion: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon, rosemary syrup, cranberry and lime juices, and cinnamon
PizzeRizzo
- Olive and Goat Cheese Flatbread: Olive oil-toasted flatbread, creamy goat cheese, rustic olive and tomato spread, balsamic glaze, and lemon watercress
- Antipasto Flatbread: Fresh mozzarella, salami, peperoni, country ham, olives, peppers, onions, pepperoncini, and marinara
- Tiramisù Puff: Sweet-and-savory with flavors of espresso, chocolate, and a coffee-infused custard and mascarpone cream
Twilight Soirée at The Tip-Top Club
- The 5th Dimension Royale: Teremana Blanco Tequila, Cointreau Liqueur, desert pear, agave nectar, and lime juice topped with Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut and garnished with a dehydrated blood orange wheel
- Sparkling Pomegranate-Apple Cider: Pomegranate-green tea topped with sparkling apple cider and pomegranate seeds
It is worth noting that during opening night this venue was much smaller and less elaborate than we had hoped. The “Tip Top Club” is merely a beverage kiosk. The “Twilight Soirée” is in the exit courtyard of Tower of Terror and has a few high-top tables and a live jazz band. We had hoped for some additional entertainment or atmospheric enhancements.
Outdoor Bar Locations
- Zero-Proof Gingerbread Spritzer: Lyre’s Spiced Cane Spirit, gingerbread syrup, and club soda garnished with a gingerbread bite
- Sugar Cookie Martini: Stoli Vanil Vodka, Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur, and DISARONNO Originale Liqueur mixed with milk and sugar in a sprinkle-rimmed glass with a sugar cookie garnish
Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby
- Oyster Rockefeller: Spinach foam, shaved parmesan, rocoto pepper relish, and salmon caviar
- Shrimp Cocktail: Classic cocktail sauce, citrus pearls, avocado mousse
- Derby Slider: Bison and pork belly blend, taleggio cheese sauce, and fig stout jam
Important note – To experience the festive fun of Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby, you can request to join the walk-up waitlist on the My Disney Experience app. This must be done at 8:15pm, and you must be standing at or very close to the restaurant. Based on opening night impressions, do not feel bad if this experience does not work out. The food is good, and the atmosphere is nice. However, the entertainment is a live piano player, playing Disney and jazz songs. It is a nice touch, but not something overly impressive.
Overall we loved our experience at Disney Jollywood Nights. For a Disney date night, it is absolutely a highlight of the Holidays at Walt Disney World.
