Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Jollywood Nights Guide at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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From early November to early January, you can attend a separately ticketed holiday event at Hollywood Studios. So, I thought I would post a Jollywood Nights Guide to go over the different entertainment options at this party.

Jollywood Nights Guide

Jollywood Nights Guide

I previously posted a review of this event when it first began, back in 2023. Since that time, Disney has added a few entertainment options. So, I wanted to post a guide with a look at the various entertainment options and my thoughts on each of them. I also posted a separate solo guide to this event, if anyone is considering attending this event by themselves.

Disney Holidays in Hollywood

This is one of my favorite shows to see at this event. I love seeing the Muppets in the park! Plus, I like that the show is held in a stadium with seats. So, you don’t have to stand for this show. It’s a cute show that will put you in the holiday spirit.

What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along

I attended this show during its first year, on my first visit to the event. However, I haven’t felt the need to go back to it. If you are a big fan of the movie or like sing-alongs, then this might be for you. For me, it was a one and done. I do appreciate it’s shown indoors with seats though.

Glisten!

Added in 2024, Glisten! is a fun ice skating show. I saw it in 2024 and 2025. It’s neat to see the skaters do a few tricks to the Christmas music. However, it’s less than ideal that you have to sit on the ground. I also think that the small, thin ice rink limits what the skaters can do. It’s a neat show, but it may not be enough for some folks. Although, they are adding some characters to the show in 2026.

Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!

This is the nighttime spectacular at this event. It’s mostly a projection show with some light fireworks added in. It used to be offered during a regular park day during the holiday season. So, many folks have probably already seen it. However, it’s nice that it’s offered here as it’s a holiday show. I still wish it would return to the park for regular park admission. Alas, we must accept that it’s behind a paywall. Nonetheless, it’s a cute show that I’m sure to catch each time I attend the event.

Character Experiences

One of the big draws of this event is the unique characters it brings out. I always try to meet at least one new (to me) character at this event. In 2025, I saw Party Rex from Toy Story. We got to dance together. So, that’s a fun memory. However, I will note that the lines for characters was longer in 2025 than 2024. So, I don’t like that trajectory.

Themed Entertainment

There’s three themed entertainment options at this party: Pixar Disco, Checkin’ It Twice Lounge and Twilight Soiree at the Tip Top Club. I don’t much care for drinking, so I haven’t actually visited the Twilight Soiree. However, I know it’s a nice time for adults. I have visited the Pixar Disco and that was a fun event. Think Pixar characters dancing to music with guests! I had some fun there briefly before moving on to something else. The Checkin’ It Twice Lounge is new for 2026.

Jollywood Nights Guide: Is it worth it?

Again, this is a separately ticketed event. So, it’s not cheap. However, I’ve always enjoyed my time at this party. The special entertainment is currently only available during this party. Plus, you can meet rare characters here that you can’t meet elsewhere. Have you attended Jollywood Nights?

Mickey’s Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom Guide

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It’s hard to believe, but Mickey’s Christmas Party is returning to Magic Kingdom on November 8th! So, I thought I would provide a little guide to the event with my thoughts on the offerings.

Mickey's Christmas Party

Mickey’s Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a separately ticketed event held on select nights in November and December at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World! While I have reviewed the event previously in my Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Review, I never have broken down what exactly you can do at the party. So, I thought I would do that in this post.

Free Cookies

In my Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide with Tips, I highlighted trick-or-treating as a favorite activity. During this party, you can go around the park for free cookies and beverages! The past several years have featured Cheryl’s Cookies at the party with a variety of cookies available. The exact cookies available change from year to year, but you can typically expect at least one or two frosted sugar cookies and a chocolate chip/chunk cookie. Each stop also gives you a beverage to accompany your cookie. This includes hot chocolate, apple cider, and sometimes eggnog.

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Twice a night, you can watch this special Christmas themed parade travel down Main Street, U.S.A. You can see your favorite Disney characters dressed up for the holidays in the parade! Plus, there’s some adorable dancing gingerbread men along with some fun marching toy soldiers! It’s a classic fan-favorite parade for a reason!

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show

In addition to the parade, there’s the special Christmastime Fireworks show! Minnie Mouse acts as the host for this show set to some classic favorite Christmas carols along with some other festive tunes! I posted a Mickey’s Very Merry Dessert Party Review as well as Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party Review if you are interested in viewing these fireworks without fighting the crowds. I think my preference is to watch from the Tomorrowland Terrace since you have a seat and don’t have to move once you get your seat. However, the view from the Plaza Garden gives you a better look at the projections. So, it depends on what you are interested in.

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

This is a castle stage show starring the big cheese himself, Mickey Mouse! It’s a cute little show that will get you into the holiday mood. It’s not a must-see for me though. I might catch it from a parade viewing spot or fireworks viewing spot, but I don’t make an effort to watch it during the party. It takes place several times during the party.

Character Experiences

Another unique experience for the party is the character experiences. The characters are typically dressed up for the holidays and this is the only time you can see them in those costumes. So, it’s fun to catch rare characters or common characters in rare outfits during these parties.

Should you attend Mickey’s Christmas Party?

Mickey’s Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom is not a cheap experience. However, it is the only way to see this holiday entertainment, unless you are visiting right around Christmas/New Years Eve. During the last week of the year, this entertainment comes with standard park admission. However, the cookies are just for the party. Plus, lots of people won’t be traveling to Disney at Christmas. So, I think it’s worth it if you are traveling earlier in the season and want to witness it snow on Main Street! Have you ever attended the party?

Dollywood Diamond Pass: Is It Worth It?

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Are you wondering if a Dollywood Diamond Pass is worth it or not? Well, here’s a look at the benefits of having one based on my experiences in 2026!

Dollywood Diamond Pass

Dollywood Diamond Pass

Dollywood typically begins selling passes for the next season in the fall. Purchasing a pass at this time is the best deal you will see. However, it can be confusing trying to determine which pass is the right one for you and your family. In my Is A Dollywood Season Pass Worth It post, I looked at the value of being a season passholder at any tier. Today, I am finally looking at the value of the highest and most expensive tier available – Diamond!

I renewed my Gold pass in 2025 by upgrading to the Diamond pass for 2026. Dollywood allows you to begin accessing their pass savings immediately. So, I’ve been using this pass for almost a year now and have a pretty good idea of its benefits. Then again, Dollywood has a tendency to change up their passes and benefits from year to year. So, let’s jump into its benefits and its costs.

Media Events

I think the main benefit that everyone was most excited about with the Diamond pass was the possibility to be invited to a press event with Dolly in attendance. In order to get a ticket to those events, you had to be a member of the press OR a Diamond Passholder. I was hopeful for an invite for the 2026 season opening event since I’ve been a Passholder off-and-on for several years. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive an invite to that event. So, I wouldn’t recommend getting a Diamond pass just to gain access to those events. Going forward, I don’t know that everyone will be as excited to attend a media event since Dolly has passed. Dollywood also doesn’t explicitly mention this perk being available in 2027.

Bring-A-Friend Passes

It used to be that pretty much every Passholder got to bring friends to the park for free. Now, they have practically done away with that unless you are a Diamond Passholder. So, if you are planning to use your pass to bring friends, then you will have to pay more by selecting the highest tiers of passes. For 2027, the Diamond passholder will receive 4 free Bring-A-Friend tickets for Dollywood or Splash Country. Meanwhile, Gold Passholders receive 1 for Dollywood. Silver doesn’t receive any.

Discounts

I’d say the other big perk of being a Diamond Passholder is the discounts. Diamond Passholders receive the biggest discounts in the parks and at the resorts. Diamond Passholders currently receive a 20% discount on food and merch as well as on resort stays (when available). I will admit, I purchased several shirts last Christmas and it was nice to get that 20% off each one! Unfortunately, the prices at the resorts have been so high on recent visits, that it was much cheaper to stay off-site and park at the the park (we get free general parking worth $25/day) when visiting. So, I haven’t been able to use the passholder resort discounts.

Free Drink Cup

If you purchased a Diamond Pass early on, then you received a special All Season Drink Cup! This year’s was a pretty purple featuring the new ride! You can get free refills in the cup, which can save lots of money. Unfortunately, I drink almost exclusively water, so that perk wasn’t as attractive to me personally.

Free Popcorn?

Diamond Passholders were previously allowed to redeem a coupon for one free cinnamon bread per month. However, that perk has been taken away in 2027. Now, Diamond Passholders will receive a Popcorn Bucket with Free Season-Long Refills. It’s not yet known what the popcorn bucket will look like. It’s also personal opinion if being able to get popcorn all season long is more valuable than a free loaf of bread each month. I don’t eat much popcorn and never buy it in a park. Although, I will eat a loaf of cinnamon bread, but I actually haven’t been able to redeem mine this year yet. I guess I better get on that before it goes away.

New Perks for 2027

Dollywood has added a few new perks for passholders in 2027. Both Gold and Diamond can park in Lot F, based on lot availability. Additionally, both tiers will be able to sit in reserved seating at shows in DP’s Celebrity, Showstreet Palace, and Pines theaters. It remains to be seen how that will be handled. Diamond is also being given a one-time Preferred Parking perk. Lastly, all three tiers are receiving a one-time Expedited Entry on NightFlight Expedition and a Passholder Lanyard.

Is the Dollywood Diamond Pass worth it?

Honestly, I think it’s difficult to say the Diamond Pass is worth it for most folks. I paid $399.16 for my pass last year, but haven’t gotten to access many of its perks. My mom and I did enjoy the discounts last December. Plus, we visited the waterpark for the first time this year (look for a post on that next year). I guess the real value of this pass for me is in the park entry. My mom and I went in August (very briefly because it was too hot) and are getting ready to visit in October. So, that’s two days each. I guess that’s worth around $260 for Dollywood entry and then $60 for Splash Country entry. Then, we used $75 in parking fees since it comes with free parking ($25/day). I feel confident we used at least $4 in discounts.

The math on this one is hard. You really need to be a local and to use all of the free passes to get all of its value. Have you ever had a Dollywood Diamond Pass? Did you feel it was worth the money paid?

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta Review with Tips

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Last month, I was lucky enough to experience Astra Lumina at Anakeesta while visiting the area. Today, I thought I would provide an overview of that experience to help others decide if it’s worth their time and money.

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta

Let’s start by going over the basics of this event. Anakeesta is a mountain top adventure park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. While I’ve never done a post dedicated to Anakeesta, I have mentioned it in Spring in Pigeon Forge, TN, What To Do in Fall in Gatlinburg, TN, and Christmas in the Great Smoky Mountains posts as a place to visit during those seasons. In the springtime one, I even mentioned Astra Lumina when it first arrived at Anakeesta. So, it was nice to finally be able to return to the location and see this event for myself.

Astra Lumina bills itself as “an enchanted night walk amongst the stars.” Astra Lumina has set up various night time lighting shows around the world for over 10 years. Back in 2022, Astra Lumina arrived to Anakeesta. Currently, they have installations in Gatlinburg, Istanbul, and Gold Coast.

Considering this is an event put on by an outside company, this is an upcharge event at Anakeesta sold as an add-on to your regular day ticket. A regular ticket to Anakeesta costs around $33-40/adult. Astra Lumina costs an additional $18.99 per person and you purchase a ticket for an arrival window. Arrival windows begin around sunset.

The Night Walk

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta features 9 different light experiences. Each one tells a part of a story about stars falling to Earth, regenerating, and rising back up. Each installation has additional music or sounds with a short show. Most of the stations have seating for you to enjoy the show. It took us about 50 minutes to see all 9 spots, but we could have taken longer.

My mom and I weren’t sure what to expect with this experience. However, we both really enjoyed it. I think our favorites were the Stardust Rays and Stellar Visions. Each part was enjoyable and unique. My mom initially compared it to viewing Christmas lights, but I think that’s an over simplification. It’s a chance to connect with nature and enjoy being outdoors. It’s a chance to think about how vast the universe is and how small we are. This experience can be enjoyed with loved ones or alone. It was the perfect ending to a hot summer day.

Tips

  • Take a break – Most sections have benches to sit on. I highly recommend sitting down to view the shows when you see a bench. It’s also great for folks who tire easily since you don’t have to walk too far to the next area. Bonus: no stairs.
  • You can purchase tickets ahead of time – We didn’t buy tickets online because we weren’t sure of our plans. In fact, we ended up at Anakeesta because I got a text message at 4 PM notifying me that the restaurant we were supposed to eat dinner at was closed due to technical difficulties. We pivoted and ended up going here. I’m so glad that we did.
  • You can enter early – Anakeesta allows you to enter Astra Lumina 30 minutes prior to your arrival time. Since we bought tickets the day of, we ended up with the last time slot of 9:45. However, they allowed us to enter at 9:15 PM.
  • Take your time – I was worried that things would be crowded since we had the last time slot. However, I think it worked out to our advantage. Most of the people had cleared out by the time we came through. There were some people around, but it definitely wasn’t crowded.
  • Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes – I wore sneakers and was very happy with that decision. While you are on walking paths, you are still out in nature. Plus, there was a bit of an incline at the end.

Is Astra Lumina at Anakeesta worth it?

I think Astra Lumina at Anakeesta is worth the added cost for most folks. I think it’s perfect for older children and adults. Young kids may not get the story or get bored. Younger folks may get tired as well with the event taking place at night. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and were happy we experienced it.

Disney World Halloween vs Christmas: Holidays Compared

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With the holidays quickly approaching, I thought I would write a post comparing Disney World Halloween vs Christmas!

Disney World Halloween vs Christmas

Disney World Halloween vs Christmas

I’ve seen lots of folks online wondering if they should plan a trip to Walt Disney World during the fall months to experience Halloween or wait to experience Christmas. Today, I’d like to help people decide which one is right for them by comparing Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

The Decor

Let’s start with the most obvious difference – the holiday decor! For Halloween, you can expect to see Main Street decked out in orange with lots of pumpkins! Plus, there’s fun character pumpkin wreaths around the park. For Christmas, there’s garland and Mickey wreaths. Don’t forget the huge tree at the front of Main Street!

For me, I think I prefer the Halloween decor because it’s unique. I can see Christmas wreaths back home and around town. However, you don’t see near as much fall decor or specialty fall wreaths around.

The Entertainment

I wrote a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide with Tips a few years ago and took a look at all of the different entertainment options at the party. From a parade to fireworks and special castle stage shows, there’s lots to see and experience. My Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Review briefly touched on the entertainment at its party. However, it is very similar offerings at the Christmas party, with fireworks, a parade, and stage show too.

Again, I would pick Halloween for this one. However, I feel like lots of places offer good Christmas shows that the whole family can enjoy. Once again, I think it’s harder to find a good Halloween offering that is family friendly.

The Treats

Who doesn’t love to go trick-or-treating? I love visiting the Halloween party and coming away with a full bag of candy! It’s fun to go around the park and see what all goodies you can get! The Christmas party hands out cookies and drinks. I enjoy that too. However, I can eat several pieces of candy and only a few cookies. Full disclosure: the vast majority of candy and cookies typically come home with me to be enjoyed for days to weeks to come.

I think the candy has to win due to being able to enjoy several different pieces of it versus just a few cookies.

Outfits

Lots of folks dress up in costumes for the Halloween party. I enjoy sitting on Main Street and watching people walk by in their outfits. At Christmas, people wear a variety of Christmas outfits. Typically, it’s a Christmas shirt/sweater or pajamas. I think the Halloween costumes are more fun.

Ambiance

Halloween will get some of the catchy tunes stuck in your head “It’s really not so scary…. boo to you!”. However, there’s something special about watching it snow on Main Street! So, I’ll give Christmas this one.

Weather

Unfortunately, Halloween takes place during hurricane season. So, you will have to deal with the heat and potentially storms if you visit during Halloween. By Christmas, hurricane season is mostly over and it’s cooled down. I’ve got to hand this one to Christmas. Granted, it can be chilly at Christmas parties, but I’d rather deal with that than the heat of summer/fall in August.

Other Offerings

People can visit just for the parties, but they often visit the other parks on their trip. So, I will say that Halloween is mostly concentrated at Magic Kingdom. Epcot will have Food & Wine in the fall. Hollywood Studios may have a few Halloween treats and their character dining gets a Halloween layover. Animal Kingdom usually doesn’t do much of anything, but may get a few Halloween treats.

Christmas at Disney is a whole thing. Every park has special decor and events! Hollywood Studios has Jollywood Nights. Epcot has Festival of the Holidays. Animal Kingdom has the merry menagerie. Disney Springs even has specially themed trees! The resorts get in on the fun too with special trees and decor.

So, if you are wanting a full holiday experience, then you have to go at Christmas!

Should you visit Disney for Halloween or Christmas?

I love visiting Disney for both holidays. However, I’ve been hard pressed to find a comparable Halloween experience. Meanwhile, I love Christmas and can be happy with the offerings at lots of different places. So, I will vote for Halloween but just know that I don’t think there’s a bad answer here. You are going to Disney and it’s going to be great!