What is Jollywood Nights

Disney World is home to a number of special events throughout the world including Epcot Festivals, After Hours Nights, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and of course Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Jollywood Nights is the newest limited capacity hard ticket event, taking place in Hollywood Studios on select nights in November and December.

What to Expect at Jollywood Nights

A new custom mascot for the event, named Ollie, is the first exclusive offering you’ll find. But there’s so much more – saunter to the streets to live Salsa music, bounce to the beats from the Hollywood Boulevard DJ, or event slow dance at the Tip Top Club Soiree. The choice is yours with a variety of unique block parties scattered throughout the park.

Meet and greet with your favorite characters including millennial icon Max Goof dressed as Powerline and the full crew from Rescue Rangers. Throw snowballs with Frozone, or hug Jiminey Crickey for good luck. The streets of Hollywood Studios are teaming with special even characters.

My favorite part of the event is the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-a-long, which takes place multiple times throughout the night. But the Holidays in Hollywood show is certainly worth the trip as well.

Event Dates and Details

But the biggest news of all is that event dates have been released! And they’ll be on sale real soon – like next week!

• November – 9, 13, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30
• December – 2, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21

Tickets go on sale July 2, 2024 for guests staying at a Disney World Property (including Shades of Green and the Swan and Dolphin collection), for events taking place during your stay.

The general public will be able to purchase tickets beginning July 10, 2024.

Prices for tickets range from $159 to $179 per person. Annual Passholders and DVC members can take advantage of a $10 discount per ticket for any party night.

Tips For Tickets and More

We do not expect tickets for Jollywood Nights to sell out, especially not on the date they are released. There are plenty of good reasons to stay on property at Disney World, but the advanced sale for this event is not one of them.

I visited the very first Jollywood Nights event last year (check out our review!), and there was a lot of opportunity for improvement. Disney quickly took note of the mixed reviews they were receiving and made adjustments to the event throughout it’s run.

NEW to Jollywood Nights this year is an Ice Skating show to take place on Hollywood Boulevard. Details are few and far between so far, but I for one am wholly excited to see this show along with all the other changes we saw sprinkled in last year.

The post Jollywood Nights Returning For 2024 Holiday Season appeared first on .

It’s time for the ultimate Disney Halloween Party showdown. Each year Disney parks on both coasts host exclusive, hard-ticketed, limited-capacity festive parties. For most of us, venturing to both is simply out of the question. Let’s talk Oogie Boogie Bash vs Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Event Details

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party kicks off the season first, with parties at Magic Kingdom beginning in August. In the past tickets have ranged from $109 – $199 for adults, depending on the date.

The party officially starts at 7:00 p.m., but you can enter the park as early as 4:00 p.m. with your ticket. While the park will officially close at 6:00 p.m., partygoers can enjoy the event until midnight!

Oogie Boogie Bash holds its first party of the season at Disney California Adventure, in early September. Slightly pricier than MNSSHP, tickets start at $119 for adults and can be as high as $209 on Halloween night.

California Adventure will close to day guests at 6:00 p.m. when the party begins. Your Oogie Boogie Bash ticket will get you in the park as early as 3:00 p.m. The party goes until 11:00 p.m.

Trick or Treat Trails

Asking strangers for candy is the bread and butter of Halloween, and this holds true at the Disney parties. Both have a collection of walk-through queues where cast members will dole out handfuls of candy. There are a few components that define quality trails:

Quantity: Mickey’s Not So Scary wins here with 15 treat trails, including several inside of attractions. OBB has just 10.

Candy Distribution: Both parties have roughly the same type of candy, but one stands out here. Oogie Boogie Bash has more stations per trail and cast members will load you up. Some of the OBB trails also have sun chips, grapes, and apple slices. Does it make me feel old to say I want apple slices for Halloween? Absolutely, but variety is the spice of life.

Location and Spread: Those 15 trails at Mickey’s Halloween Party are all over the park, and it’s not a small one. At Oogie Boogie Bash there may be fewer trails but they’re closer together and you’ll want to hit each more than once – trust me.

Treat Trail Winner – Oogie Boogie Bash

Characters

There’s not contest when it comes to characters at these dual coast Halloween parties. Oogie Boogie Bash wins by a landslide, and let me tell you why. The party is absolutely littered with villains and rare meet and greets. I nearly ran into the evil witch from Snow White making my way to a treat trail.

Oh, and the treat trails have characters. Nine of the ten treat trails host a Disney villain from Cruella to Mother Gothel and the man of the hour himself, Oogie Boogie. You can find ultra rare characters like King Richard and Madam Mim throughout the park. Not to mention the holy grail of Halloween party cameos – Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle as the Sanderson Sisters.

Mickey’s Not So Scary has fun meet and greets, including Jack and Sally and the Seven Dwarves. But the lines to meet these characters are hours long. There are some roaming characters as well including Cinderella’s evil step sisters and characters from Alice in Wonderland. While it’s fun to see them walking around the parks, they’re not particularly related to the holiday. And this is pretty typical back in Disneyland every day (which is one reason it’s superior to Magic Kingdom).

Winner – Oogie Boogie Bash

Ride Overlays

It pains me to give either of these parties a point since the OBB overlays are not party exclusive and MNSSHP overlays are boring. Sorry, not sorry.

California Adventure has a seasonal version of Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout, Tow-Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. They’re all winners but you don’t need an Oogie Boogie Bash ticket to experience them.

You can also find Villains Grove, an immersive walkthrough experience at the Redwood Creek Challenge. Areas along the trail are decorated with special lighting effects to represent different Disney villains. This is actually a really cool concept but for me the execution falls a bit short. It feels like waiting in line for Haunted Mansion Holiday only to find out it’s just normal Haunted Mansion. Villains Grove is incomplete, it needs some kind of interaction or kinetic activity.

Over in Magic Kingdom we have Deep Space Mountain, where they turn all the lights off, Graveyard ghosts at Haunted Mansion, and a special lighting package at the Mad Tea Party. The Graveyard ghosts are a lot of fun and defiantly a highlight each year, but the line moves so quickly that you won’t get much time with them.

Winner – Mickey’s Not So Scary, I guess.

Parades

The differences between each party’s parade are night and day, and the winner will really depend on your preference. Oogie Boogie Bash is a very villain heavy parade with specialized floats for characters like Dr. Facilier and Cheshire Cat that you won’t get at Magic Kingdom. The Frightfully Fun Parade runs from Paradise Gardens to Avenger’s Campus.

It’s nearly impossible to navigate California Adventure during the parade. You are stuck in one half of the park completely unable to cross over for at least 10 minutes after the parade, which is already 20 minutes. Considering the party is just 5 hours it’s upsetting that your ability to access parts of the event is severely hindered for twenty percent of it.

Boo to You! is the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party parade, which runs from Frontierland to Main Street. Floats in this parade are much more family friendly featuring the Fab Five as well as a sprinkling of select villains and rare characters. The soundtrack is infamous among its fans and catchier than Small World.

Parade Winner – Mickey’s Not So Scary. While I love the special guests and more sinister vibes of Oogie Boogie Bash Frightfully Fun Parade, nothing beats a parade on Main Street. Added bonus, Boo to You! doesn’t block major traffic arteries in the park.

Nighttime Entertainment

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party hosts the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular as well as Mickey’s Not So Scary Spooktacular. There is no nighttime entertainment at Oogie Boogie Bash.

Hocus Pocus is a stage show featuring the three Sanderson sisters and an entourage of every Disney Villain you can name. It takes place 5-6 times per night, depending on the date, and is extremely popular. Viewing near Cinderella’s Castle gets extremely crowded for this must see show, even for the final performance at midnight.

Mickey’s Spooktacular is a firework spectacular hosted by a larger than life Jack Skellington. The skies are illuminated as Mickey, Minnie, and friends take you on a journey through a haunted house. The show takes place just one time per party making it a bit of a Hunger Games situation to get anywhere neat the castle hub. You can see the fireworks from almost anywhere in the park but the caste projection show and giant Jack puppet are only visible at the end of Main Street.

Nighttime Entertainment Winner – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Our Pick

Its so hard to play favorites, but for me the winner in this Halloween Showdown is Oogie Boogie Bash. When attending one of these events my priority is experiences that aren’t otherwise available. Sure, you can argue that Mickey’s Not So Scary has more of these experiences in the nighttime entertainment alone. But, you can watch those shows on YouTube – in better quality and without fighting the crowds.

Oogie Boogie Bash with it’s character laden trick or treat trails and villain heavy presence just does it for me. It’s the more grown-up of the two parties with an emphasis on big-kid rides, scary characters, and alcohol. It’s giving college Halloween party, and I cannot get enough.

However, if I was attending with children I’d go with Mickey’s Not So Scary. This event is more kid friendly with an emphasis on family fun and classic characters. The nighttime shows give adults a special something to make up for the sugar sweet version of the holiday Magic Kingdom represents.

So, which would you like to attend?

The post Oogie Boogie Bash vs Mickey’s Halloween Party appeared first on .

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is an annual event at the Magic Kingdom. It transforms the park into a winter wonderland filled with joy, cheer, and of course, Disney magic.

This special ticketed event is a tradition for many Disney lovers and is well worth considering if you’re planning a trip during the holiday season. From the first snowflake that falls on Main Street to the last firework that lights up the night sky. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be full of lasting memories.

With exclusive entertainment, special character meet and greets, and delicious treats it’s a festive celebration you won’t want to miss!

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make the most of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We’ll provide details on dates, tickets, and pricing. Give you the scoop on all the holiday-themed entertainment, and share tips on meeting characters and enjoying the seasonal attractions.

So, grab a cup of cocoa, put on your favorite holiday sweater, and let’s dive into the merriest party of the year!

Dates, Tickets, and Pricing for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2024 will run on select nights from November 9 through December 20.

Some nights are more popular than others, so if you have a specific date in mind, get those tickets early!

Here’s a rundown of the event dates and pricing for 2024:

• November 8, 2024 – $189 (SOLD OUT)
• November 11, 2024 – $169
• November 12, 2024 – $169
• November 14, 2024 – $169
• November 15 2024 – $189
• November 17, 2024 – $179
• November 19, 2024 – $179
• November 21, 2024 – $179
• November 22, 2024 – $189
• November 24, 2024 – $199
• November 26, 2024 – $199
• November 27, 2024 – $199
• November 29, 2024 – $199
• December 1, 2024 – $189
• December 3, 2024 – $189
• December 5, 2024 – $189
• December 6, 2024 – $199
• December 8, 2024 – $199
• December 10, 2024 – $199
• December 12, 2024 – $199
• December 13, 2024 – $209
• December 15, 2024 – $209
• December 17, 2024 – $209
• December 19, 2024 – $219
• December 20, 2024 – $219

You can purchase tickets online on the official Disney website.

Ticket Prices

Ticket prices vary by date, starting at $159 and reaching $199 on peak nights. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members are eligible for a $10 discount on select nights. Children’s tickets are generally $10 less than adult tickets.

How to Buy Tickets

Tickets can be purchased online via Disney’s website or through the My Disney Experience app. Make sure to secure yours as early as possible—this event sells out quickly, especially as we near Christmas!

Early Entry Time

Even though the party kicks off at 7:00 PM, guests with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets can enter the park starting at 4:00 PM.

Arriving early is a great way to get a head start on your favorite attractions and grab some photos before the official festivities begin.

What’s Included in Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?

Joining in on Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party means you’re in for a treat, literally!

There’s a lot of tasty food and sweet treats waiting for you to try. This event isn’t just about the rides and characters, but also about yummy holiday snacks and meals.

So, as you plan your visit, get ready to explore a bunch of dining spots. They have special menus just for the holiday season. Let’s dive into the tasty world of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party:

Cookies and Warm Beverages:

While exploring the park’s magical realms, don’t forget to visit the treat stations for free holiday cookies and hot drinks. Here’s where you can find them and what’s on offer:

• The Lunching Pad (Tomorrowland): Sugar cookie paired with apple cider to tickle your taste buds.
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe (Tomorrowland): Snickerdoodle cookie and hot chocolate, a classic combo to keep you cozy.
• Pinocchio Village Haus (Fantasyland): Gingerbread cookie adorned with icing alongside hot cocoa, embodying the spirit of the season.
• Columbia Harbor House (Liberty Square): Chocolate chip cookie and hot cocoa, a timeless treat.
• Tortuga Tavern (Adventureland): Sugar cookie served with eggnog for a touch of tradition.

Allergy-friendly alternatives are also available to ensure everyone can partake in the festive feasting!

Snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A.:

Imagine walking down Main Street, U.S.A., with snow gently falling around you. This is at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in sunny Florida. The soft snowfall turns the street into a calm winter wonderland.

The snow gently covers the rooftops while holiday tunes play. Even the palm trees seem to enjoy the snowflakes. It’s a cozy, festive scene right in the middle of warm weather.

The streetlights shimmer through the snow, adding to the magic. This sweet slice of winter is unique to Disney. It makes your holiday adventure at Magic Kingdom extra memorable.

Dining Options:

After enjoying the cookies and cocoa, many dining options await. They range from quick bites to relaxed dinners. It’s a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

You can grab a quick snack or settle down for a meal. Each place has its own special holiday menu. The choices cater to every taste and preference.

Whether you’re in the mood for something fast or slow, it’s there. The variety ensures everyone finds something they love. It’s a culinary adventure in a festive setting.

Quick-Service Restaurants:

• Main Street Bakery
• Casey’s Corner
• Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
• Cool Ship
• Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
• The Friar’s Nook
• Sleepy Hollow
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
• Sunshine Tree Terrace
• Aloha Isle (until 9 p.m.)

Table-Service Restaurants:

• Be Our Guest Restaurant
• Cinderella’s Royal Table

These dining spots open doors during the party. Taking reservations from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It’s wise to book your spot early as these royal feasts are popular. To dine here during the event, have your party ticket ready.

Booking ahead ensures you get a seat at these majestic venues. They offer a unique dining experience during the party. It’s a chance to enjoy a royal meal amidst the festivities.

Having your party ticket is key for this dining experience. It’s your pass to enjoy a meal at these exclusive spots. Make sure to have it with you to enjoy a leisurely dinner.

Entertainment at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

No Disney party is complete without some top-tier entertainment! Here’s what you can look forward to:

1. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

This iconic parade marches down Main Street twice each night, featuring beloved Disney characters decked out in holiday gear.

Don’t miss Santa’s grand finale—he always closes the parade with holiday cheer and the promise of more to come. The second parade of the night is usually less crowded, making it a great option if you want front-row views without the wait.

• 8:30 pm and 11:00 pm

2. Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks

This fireworks show is nothing short of magical, combining holiday tunes with glittering effects over Cinderella’s Castle.

For the best view, try to snag a spot near the hub for a full view of the castle projections and fireworks. If you’re looking for something quieter, consider watching from behind Cinderella’s Castle—no projections, but a beautifully serene perspective.

• 10:00 pm

3. Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

Four times throughout the night Mickey and friends put on the performance of the season right in front of Cinderella Castle.

Filled with holiday classics, modern songs, and some less than traditional takes – looking at you Mooriah Dairy!

• 7:40 pm, 9:25 pm, 10:35 pm, 11:55 pm

4. Character Meet-and-Greets

Exclusive characters appear in holiday attire just for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, including fan-favorites like Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws and Mickey and Minnie in their holiday best.

Lines can get long, so plan to visit early in the night or just after the parade to minimize wait times.

As you explore from Main Street to Adventureland, the characters are ready to celebrate. They bring holiday magic to life with each greeting. So, let’s learn where these delightful interactions happen. The magic awaits as you meet characters dressed in holiday cheer.

Main Street

• Mickey Mouse (Town Square Theater)
• Jack Skellington dressed as Santa Clause, and Sally (Town Square Theater)

Fantasyland

• Ariel & Eric (near Journey of the Little Mermaid)
• Cinderella and Prince Charming (Princess Fairytale Hall)
• Rapunzel and Flynn Rider (Princess Fairytale Hall)
• Tiana & Naveen (Princess Fairytale Hall)
• Snow White and Prince Charming (Pinocchio Village Haus)
• Aurora and Prince Phillip (Pinocchio Village Haus)
• Belle (Maurice’s Cottage)
• Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (near Mad Tea Party)
• Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eyeore (near the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)

Storybook Circus

• Santa Goofy (near the Barnstormer)
• Minnie Mouse (near Dumbo)
• Scrooge McDuck (near Dumbo)
• Donald Duck (near Dumbo)
• Daisy Duck (near Dumbo)

Liberty Square

• Santa Claus (in the Gazebo)

Frontierland

• Country Bears (roaming)

Adventureland

• Aladdin/Abu and Jasmine/Genie (Near Magic Carpets of Aladdin)
• Moana (Enchanted Tiki Room)
• Jack Sparrow (Near Pirates of the Caribbean)

Attractions and Rides at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

The holiday spirit jazzes up the attractions and rides at Magic Kingdom. Many receive a joyful makeover or a special touch to celebrate. Here’s a peek at the rides filled with extra holiday cheer:

Attractions with Seasonal Overlays:

• Jingle Cruise: The Jungle Cruise transforms into the Jingle Cruise, now full of holiday decor and puns. Your fun skipper keeps the holiday spirit high. It’s a festive voyage across the world’s rivers!
• Space Mountain: Take off on a holiday ride on Space Mountain. It sports a cheerful look with twinkling lights and merry music. As you zoom through space, the holiday tunes add to the adventure.
• Tomorrowland Speedway: Drive along a holiday-decorated track. Holiday lights light your way through a mini winter wonderland. It’s a festive cruise with a view!
• Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor: The monsters share their holiday thoughts with new jokes. They ensure a festive, funny time for all. It’s a holiday comedy show that’ll keep you laughing!

Tomorrowland

• Astro Orbiter
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Space Mountain – with a holiday twist
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• TRON Lightcycle Run – virtual queue access only

Fantasyland

• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• “it’s a small world”
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mad Tea Party
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Storybook Circus

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• The Barnstormer

Liberty Square

• Haunted Mansion

Frontierland

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Adventureland

• Jingle Cruise – a classic attraction with a holiday twist
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Swiss Family Treehouse

TRON Lightcycle Run Virtual Queue

Tomorrowland’s newest ride will be open during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for 2023. However guests will need to get a boarding group from the virtual queue. Guests of the party will be able to enter the virtual queue at 6:00 pm that night. You do not need to have entered the park to access the virtual queue. Reservations will go fast, so be sure to set an alarm and hop on your phone a few minutes early to be safe.

Party-Exclusive Merchandise

From cozy spirit jerseys to sparkly ornaments, there’s no shortage of seasonal souvenirs at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Disney usually rolls out special pins, shirts, and even MagicBands exclusive to the event. Merchandise can be found at Main Street shops, and mobile purchasing is often available through the app, allowing you to buy quickly without interrupting your party fun.

Tips for Maximizing Your Night

With so much to see and do, it’s essential to have a plan! Here are some top tips to make the most of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party:

• 1. Plan Your Priorities: Decide if you want to focus on shows, characters, or rides, and plan around those key interests.
• 2. Arrive Early: Use the early entry window to knock out popular rides before the official party starts.
• 3. Best Parade & Fireworks Viewing: Stake out a spot early for the first parade, or enjoy the shorter lines while others are watching and catch the second parade instead.
• 4. Use the My Disney Experience App: Track showtimes, manage mobile food orders, and check ride wait times to help you stay on top of the night’s events.
• 5. Dress for the Occasion: Embrace the holiday spirit by wearing festive outfits or Disneybounds. You’ll feel even more immersed in the holiday cheer!

Special Holiday Magic & Extras

Every corner of Magic Kingdom sparkles with holiday decor, and there’s magic around every turn. Keep an eye out for these extra holiday touches:

• Snow on Main Street: There’s nothing like strolling down Main Street as snowflakes fall around you. It’s a classic Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party experience that will make you feel like you’re in a winter wonderland.
• Holiday Photo Opportunities: Disney PhotoPass photographers offer exclusive Magic Shots for the season, so take advantage of these one-of-a-kind photo ops.
• Hidden Surprises: From festive dance parties to roaming carolers, Disney’s entertainment team has sprinkled surprises throughout the park, making it worthwhile to explore every area.

Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Worth It?

Is the party worth the price tag? For families, couples, and solo travelers alike, the answer is often a resounding yes!

With unique entertainment, holiday exclusives, and the chance to experience Magic Kingdom with lighter crowds, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party offers a value beyond the standard day ticket.

First-time visitors will get a memorable holiday experience, while seasoned Disney-goers can discover new seasonal twists each year.

What to Bring and Wear

Here’s a quick checklist to ensure you’re prepared for a night of holiday fun:

• Party Tickets: Make sure you have your mobile tickets ready to scan.
• Portable Charger: With all the photo ops, you’ll want to keep your phone charged!
• Weather-Appropriate Attire: Florida’s winter can vary, so bring layers and consider festive accessories like scarves or earmuffs.
• Comfortable Shoes: You’ll be walking a lot, so prioritize comfort.
• Festive Gear: Whether it’s a holiday-themed Disneybound or a fun pair of Christmas ears, dressing up makes the night even more magical!

The post Complete Guide to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2024 appeared first on .

We finally know exactly when these two lands will open, and it’s a lot sooner than we thought. But (ugh, why is there always a but) not everything will be fully operational. Bummer.

What to Know About Galaxy’s Edge

Before we dive into the tips about how to get into Galaxy’s Edge, let’s talk about what we know. Aside from just how amazing it’s bound to be.

Opening Dates

Galaxy’s Edge will open on May 31, 2019, at Disneyland.

Rise of the Resistance will NOT be running, no additional information has been released yet about when this will open.

Things to Know

At Disneyland, you will need a reservation just to enter the new land, at least for the first few months, and it will not be available during magic morning hours.

Now let’s get to the good stuff.

How to Access Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland

If you’ve been to Disneyland in the last year you’re probably familiar with where the entrances to this area will be. They are down a small pathway next to the Hungry Bear restaurant in Critter Country and off to the side of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland.

But knowing where the entrances are won’t be enough to get you in. From what I’ve seen and heard the new Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland will not be much bigger than Toontown, which means there isn’t much room for the hordes of crowds that are bound to be there.

I honestly can imagine that for the first month, at least, the line to enter Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland will wrap back all the way to the park entrance. When the Aladdin show closed at California Adventure a few years back, the wait for tickets was 8 hours (boy was that ever fun). Galaxy’s Edge is going to blow that out of the water.

So How do I Get in??

Disney is publishing some conflicting information about the reservation system, so please take this with a grain of salt and I’ll try to keep it updated as new announcements are made.

When Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland May 31, it will employ a unique system reservation system we haven’t seen before. You’ll actually need to reserve a window of time to enter into the new land. At this time there is only 1 way of getting a reservation.

Stay on Site

All on-site property guests (that means you’re staying at the Disneyland hotel, Paradise Pier, or the Grand Californian) will be assigned a reservation to Star Wars Land during their stay. One reservation per guest, so be sure everyone in your party is listed in your hotel reservation.

*Disney is also saying, though, that entry is not guaranteed even to hotel guests. Which I imagine will depend on how long each guest stays in the area. There is obviously a capacity issue, so a reservation may be pushed or canceled if enough people haven’t left yet.

I’ve looked into reservations at Paradise Pier, which is the least expensive on site hotel, and I still don’t know if I can justify the cost. It’s over $400 per night during the first few weeks of June, and you have to stay 2 nights. Between the cost of the stay, tickets, food, and transportation – that’s easily reaching into $1,500.

And keep in mind that entry isn’t guaranteed. Even if you do get in only 1 of the 2 attractions will be open.

Oh. And no fastpasses.

Stay Alert

Now Disney is also saying that off-site guests will have an opportunity to make reservations for Galaxy’s Edge as well, but have not disclosed when or how.

If you’re a risk taker you could go ahead and book a good neighbor hotel and hope for the best. I’ll be e-mailing by subscribers the second I know that the reservation system is available (so, you probably want to sign-up for that list).

Personally, I’m taking this route. As soon as public reservations are available to book I’ll be trying to save my spot. You run the risk here that A) you may not get a reservation at all and B) even with a reservation you may not get in.

There’s a bit more risk than if you stay on site, but there’s also a much smaller price tag. And if it doesn’t work out, you can still enjoy a day at Disney and hope to snag a reservation while you’re there.

Special Events

There are numerous ticketed special events at Disneyland this year, and any one of those could prove to be your best option. Traditionally these events have a very limited number of tickets and guests still have access to all of the park.

Disney has not announced whether Galaxy’s Edge will be open for any these special events. But I’d bet on it, and I’m not much of a gambler.

Disneyland After Dark

This Spring Disney has put on a two Disneyland After Dark events, that were amazing. Last year they even had a Star Was themed After Dark event. 

A third Disneyland After Dark Event was just announced earlier this month, it’s slated to occur before Galaxy’s Edge opens. So i’m keeping my fingers crossed for another event after May 31.

Mickey’s Halloween Party

You can also snag a ticket to one of the Disneyland Halloween Parties in hopes of entering Galaxy’s Edge. Again, no confirmation yet that the land will be open during this ticketed event, but I think it’s likely.

Tickets go fast and run over $100 dollars. If you are only interested in Galaxy’s Edge, don’t rush to purchase this. But it’s a fun event all on it’s own, so still worth every penny if you can fit it into your budget.

The post How to Get in to Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland appeared first on .