2023 food review archive: These are firsthand tasting notes from Jollywood Nights’ debut season. Menus, availability, portion sizes and event times have changed since this visit. The opinions below describe what the writer tried that evening.
Savoring Jollywood’s Debut Night!
It was 7:55 p.m. on the debut night of Jollywood Nights in November 2023. The party would begin at 8:30 pm, and the food windows I was waiting for were closed as they prepared to serve exclusive party food and drinks. I was third in line for Fairfax Fare, a quick service location on Sunset Blvd. I had been anxiously awaiting the release of all these new holiday dishes and flavors, and this was the location I knew I had to try first! That was the start of my night…followed by so much more taste testing, and now I am here to review what I tried!
Fairfax Fare:
The small renditions of Christmas Dinner caught my eye at this location! The line was long and tapered off for the night’s second half.
- Holiday Turkey Pop Over- Listen, they laid a slice of perfectly cooked turkey into delicious bread and then tucked it in with gravy and some cranberry sauce. Chef Kiss. And to be honest, I was shocked that the quality was so good!
- ‘Just the Sides’ Pop Over- I took a bite and was back at my grandmother’s house. Again, it laid into bread, but now it was the sides! Mac n Cheese, Collards, and whatever else in there, made this my favorite. I am all about the sides.
- PB&J Doughnut- I was shocked this wasn’t as sweet as it sounded. Not my jam, but I’ll keep the Peanut Butter on the doughnut.
- Kermit’s Frozen Banana Bliss- Not too banana-y! But I could hear Fozzy laughing at me as I tried to find the shake part underneath the thick, green frosting top, haha!
- Mistletoe Martini- Great tart flavor with a little bit of sweetness! The serving size is about the same as at an EPCOT Festival Booth. It was a great ‘Cheers’ to the start of my evening!
Tip Top Club Soiree:
Again, this line was very long at the beginning of the night and tapered off in the second half. That was our experience on opening night; it does not predict lines on another date.
- Twilight Daiquiri– Do not order this unless you enjoy sipping melted ICEE juice.
- The 5th Dimension Royale– I loved the name for the location, and this was my favorite! So good, not too tart or too sweet.
- Sparkling Pomegranate-Apple Cider- We were pleasantly surprised when my friend ordered this, SO tasty and refreshing! It had a great flavor to it! (zero-proof)
Jollywood Nights Dockside Diner:
You know, when you want to have the perfect snack after a party? I couldn’t be more thrilled with my choice to eat this towards the night’s end!
- Spicy Pimento-Kimchi Dip with house-made wonton chips– I LOVED this flavor, and the chips were crunchy perfection. I thought it was plenty to split between two people!
- Poutine Tots– If it’s got gravy, I am ordering it. I loved the flavor, and the tots were cooked perfectly! I would have loved some extra mozzarella curds.
- Christmas Tree Cookie Stack– It’s so cute! Honestly, I didn’t know if I would like the pistachio buttercream…but I guess I’m growing up!
- Sandy Claws Hot Cocoa– Inspired by Nightmare Before Christmas. It was fine, I could do a little less cherry whipped cream. But it was a great, warm, zero-proof option.
- Naughty or Nice– I really liked this drink! It was a holiday while being refreshing. The Crown Royal mixed well with cranberry, orange, and grapefruit.
Jollywood Nights Outpost:
- Sugar Cookie Martini– Getting a sprinkles rim and a cute pic was exciting but sad when served with no rim. They ran out of the stuff to make it stick towards the night’s end. The drink was a little sweet for me but SO holiday!!
You think that’s a lot of food, but we still missed several locations!! We never got to eat at Holiday Fiesta en la Calle…but then again, I don’t think I have ever found myself giving Latin food a bad review, so that was a given! Baseline Taphouse held a doable line throughout the night, and then there were literally five other locations we didn’t get around to! So Disney Foodie, this party is definitely up your alley. I would argue that Jollywood wins food quality if we compare the two Disney holiday parties!
Using this review to plan a future visit
Use the review to identify flavors you enjoy, then compare them with the menu for your travel year. The “Just the Sides” name did not mean it was vegetarian: Disney’s original 2023 recipe included ham. Ask about ingredients for your current order rather than relying on an old review.
Historical menu reference: Disney’s original 2023 Jollywood Nights food guide.
- Updated Jollywood Nights strategy and itinerary
- Disney dining guide
- Walt Disney World planning guide
Plan your Disney holiday meals
Fairytale Journeys Travel advisors help clients coordinate park days and dining priorities. Their planning services are complimentary to their clients.
