I think the issue with Disney is that they know how to throw a party. They know how to hold large venue events. The company is known to be experts in theme parks and theme park entertainment. Why should they still get the grace of: “oh it was the first night” or “this is the first time doing this.” They know the framework and they know what their customers like and don’t like. At $180 their guests should be dazzled and should never feel like it’s a waste of money.
A great event is a great event. A bad experience is a bad experience. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that. Most people talk up Disney even when standards have fallen.
I'm confused. Aren't the vip influencers the ones giving good reviews so Disney will invite them to other things? What about all the upset videos from people who paid for their own tickets? Wouldn't those be more reliable reviews? $680 for a group of 4 to attend is a LOT of money for most people.
@@disneyfan2937 thank you and thank you for watching. That means a lot. While I do vlog our trips, I don’t consider myself a Disney Vlogger. These are first and foremost our family vacations that we pay for. It was definitely an eye opening experience for me.
@@ShannonFord I was so sad for your whole family. Something I heard and have remember - if children are present they come first. That was something that made Disney special. Thank you for sharing your trip with everyone.
@@rhonies9229 thank you so much. I will say, we had a great trip otherwise. It was sad to end it on a sour note, but we did make some great memories! 😘
I went and felt so cheated. It was totally devoid of any Holiday Cheer. I felt like I was treated like a walking ATM machine and Disney pumped me dry of all my spare change. Disney should refund everyone’s money for this abomination.
The point that I don’t hear you making is that WDW is charging more for way less. IMHO guests are fed up. So yes, WDW has been putting things behind a paywall for years, but the value used to be there. No longer, and you can see/hear the anger of the guests.
I was at the first night of Jollywood and witnessed firsthand some abhorrent behavior by popular influencers. Being able to cut in line bc of Disney cast members, getting free food. I saw in the Magic kingdom as well during a regular park day. A cast member stopped us from walking around a very famous RUclipsr could finish his segment. For me - the Disney magic is gone.
This is why I appreciate what you do Tom. I come here for what I have come to believe is actually a balanced, insightful view into what’s happening at the parks. Keep doing what you do, we appreciate it!
I will say that it's not unfair for people to be upset with their experience on Night 1 when Disney was at the helm, even if the Disney Difference has greatly slipped, there is no reason why people who are paying full price don't deserve to have an event work well. They truly didn't anticipate what the paying crowd wanted to do on Night 1 with how it was staffed. Plus adding additional offerings on Night 2 versus Night 1 anyone who wants a refund should get one no questions asked.
I agree that there were legitimate complaints made, but some were over the top about it to get more clicks. You can’t experience every offering at the Magic Kingdom party, so it’s pretty unrealistic to expect you could do so at this inaugural event. Honesty is important & for professional “reviewers” so is perspective. Not just calling things Trash.
@@KforFreedom I agree, we were at the first night, and it was a disorganized mess for the bulk of the event. We considered ourselves among the lucky that showed up at 7:45 outside the park and were able to get through the gates and with our wristbands in less than 5 minutes. To enjoy an event like this it shouldn't have to rely on hopping in line at the right time. It took nearly 20 minutes to get 1 Funnel Cake and Epic Eats, 25 minutes to get the Sugar Cookie Martini at the "bar" next to it, and nearly 30 minutes to get the Gertie cookie. Luckily my Fiance and I were able to split up to get the Funnel Cake and Sugar Cookie Martini so the waits were concurrent with each other, but between that and the Gertie cookie that's nearly 1 hour of a 4 hour event. The Gertie line was ridiculous at times considering they had really only 1 Item on the menu that being the cookie, 2 if you include the mint soft serve. Cookies should've been wrapped and ready to go at the pass to handoff to the guest nearly instantly. We lucked out getting BG #5 for Rise which was called before the event "officially started" so we didn't lose much time there. The lines for Tip Top, and all the food at Sunset Market/Fairfax Fare were routinely 30+ minutes, and for the Tip Top Club that's ridiculous considering everything was premade batch cocktails, it should've been as simple as pour and serve, etc. We did the show at the Theatre of the Stars and enjoyed it, we saw the 10:45pm showing and got in line around 10:20 and we "barely" made it into that seating.
Many of the live streamers lie to their fans constantly and cry they are broke while attending multiple parties ever year. The deceit is real and people are too easily influenced to think everything they say is truth.
@TheDailyWoo, I was thinking of you -(and some others) when I was watching this. I know you werent hosted, neither is Mark and a few more in DL (none of whom attended this event). I watched Deni and Kevin’s reviews, neither of whom were hosted either. First night seemed like a cluster, glad it appeared to have been (somewhat) righted. It has potential. Amazing what expedient queues and a few clutch characters will do. Can’t help but wonder if there were folks with institutional knowledge on how to plan first time events that have left/were let go since 2020. Another novel idea…for $185 admission, maybe the Gertie cookie should be included? Quicker lines, party exclusive, good PR. 🤯 Also, happy to see your new found appreciation of Stitch and Duffy. 🎉
Tom, I am a local AP and have watched reviews both positive and negative. I don’t like how Disney is charging an outrageous amount for something that used to be free and better. We used to go to see the Osborne lights for Christmas but now you have to pay a premium for entertainment Disney should include with regular admission. Seaworld Orlando has the best Christmas Celebration and it’s all included no up charge 😁✌️
Overwhelming price well tell everyone who constantly buys these tickets to stop buying and you'll see how fast it stops. As long as people keep buying the overwhelming prices that you speak of, they will stop oh ps by the way Disney is a business. They have the right to charge whatever they want, isn't that what buisness do. Look, I'm not crazy about the high prices either but disney isn't holding a gun to my head saying u buy these tickets or else at the end of the day IT'S OUR CHOICE ISNT
We are spending our holiday theme park dollars at Sea World this year. We only occasionally visit Disney Springs now & stopped renewing our annual passes after having them for over 20 years.
Real talk. I come to WDW news for a real and honest review. It makes me feel much more secure in your opinion knowing you pay for it. Thank you Tom and crew for being an honest and forthright news source. Enjoy your cruise and safe travels. P.s. toms rants are gold.
You know that's actually a good thought. Someone really can't experience a whole park in one day, so really how could we experience this night with just one visit?! Valid point you have.
I agree with you, Tom. All I've seen about Jollywood Nights was overwhelmingly negative. Also, Disney shouldn't have let influencers in to meet characters before paying guests.
Hi Tom. Your reviews are always appreciated. People don’t realize that you eat, sleep and live Disney. Your reviews are always from your heart. You tell it like it is. WDWNT is our go to for all Disney news. Thanks for keeping it real! Happy Thanksgiving from the Holiday girls!
I really appreciate the honest reviews. I understand why "influencers" are hesitant to give their real opinions (they might not be asked back by Disney) but it is refreshing to really see/hear what people experience.
Influencers are the worst at Disney some of them are afraid to lose their status at the parks so they say stuff that they don't mean especially at events but cutting in line when normal people have to pay just to wait in line thats messed up.
I don’t put too much stock in reviews. With that being said, I’ve heard from people that paid for the event (the first night) and said is was the worst event they ever attended. I have heard the next night went much better. I’m still going in two weeks and looking forward to the event.
My problem with this event is it just is not long enough. They should be letting you in earlier and include parking like other parties. A few free snacks like magic kingdom does would help a lot too.
Agreed, I think a core issue for most is the value of the event. At the end of the night, do you feel like it was worth the extra cost. It seems most feel they didn't get their monies worth.
This is why I love this channel!!! I can always trust what Tom’s going to say!! “If you didn’t purchase a ticket with your own money, it’s an unethical review and you should hold them accountable “!! I’m dead!!!! So good. Well done, Mic drop 🙌🏻💕👍
I think the value of the party is not worth the price. No parade, limited fireworks show, the shows are ok. No free food, a wooden coaster? The Tip-top club didn't look impressive. When you look at the other two parties this has very little value for the same money.
We went the second night and I agree that the price seems steep for the time allotted. I do hope they extend the park time. I think it all depends on what you’re there for. We did not go for the food or drinks, so those didn’t factor into our decision. That being said, we enjoyed it very much and the exclusive shows and characters made it 100% worth it for us!
I first heard about the event and it being a disappointment from a small creator, who paid for everything themselves. I left trusting them and their judgement.
Well if Disney would stop “hosting” all these you tubers- make them pay like everyone else. Also- cutting in front of a paying family is absolutely ridiculously wrong Anyone know who he was referring to?!?!?
He's referring to Shannon Ford's video where she went to the event with her family and Disney kept letting influencer cut in line for the character her son wanted to meet and ended up not getting to see them
The only way to combat bad behavior when it comes to "influencers" is to stop watching them and experience everything yourself. Enabling is just as bad as complaining about it.
Unfortunately most people can’t just go to these events for a myriad of reasons, but I do agree that the influencer market should just implode at this point. It’s so saturated and filled with mostly shills.
The issue is that people don’t know how to formulate their own opinion. It’s ok to watch these influencers to see what an event is like, but you shouldn’t be writing something off because someone gave you their opinion on it.
YES ! I have dropped so many channels that we used to watch, but I am tired of it. I only watch 3 people, this is one of the three. I used to use these sites as help with saving money and what are the things to see when we are at the parks. I don't watch anymore the ones with their kids/families. The ones that show off their insanely expensive houses and cars. I went to your site to get info on Disney, not you and your life.
I work at Hollywood Studios as a food and beverage cast member. When my restaurant opened in the park bloggers bashed us so bad and I don’t know why? Hate videos get more clicks, but remember these people work really hard to put together this events. Love the show and I love your truthful reviews!
Went on Night 2. No wait on any rides at all. The Brown Derby que worked well and the food was great. Rare character meet and greets. Loved the drinks by Tower of Terror. Live music. Had a wonderful time! Even got compliments on my new Carousel of Products Gertie shirt! Look..if there WERE problems on Night 1 they were corrected on Night 2. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! (Recommend the Holiday Ornament dessert!) Love ya WDWNT!
We were there on night #2, too! We were the ones dressed as Kermit and Gonzo from Muppet Christmas Carol with the Robin puppet I made. We didn’t watch much about the first one because we didn’t want to be spoiled. We actually loved the event! We were there for the shows and the people and loved it so much! We’re hoping to go next year and do two of the parties.
Overall I agree with what you’re saying. Unfortunately it’s a bad look calling DFB out by name. It’s not a good idea to badmouth a competitor to customers. Let your product stand on it’s own.
They are charging a lot for about 3.5 hours exclusive use of the park. It isn't enough time to go on all the top rides and see the shows. They should clear the day guests out at 6pm.
Mammoth Club, Tim Tracker, All Ears, Deni, and Following Mr. Morrow did not write negative posts. It is like any other party. You need to prioritize what is important to you.
Nate is always such a happy guy! If he does have a negative feedback on something, he does it in away that doesn't come off harsh. He is definitely one of the more positive influencers out there.
Went to Jollywood nights #2. Thought it was really great. Went in expecting it too be bad, but it was great. Never waited more than 20 minutes for anything. The company clearly responded and made changes. Think the "influencer" model is the real problem. Felt like influencers are the ones that ruined the event.
I went Saturday it was a great time. The vloggers need to stop. Disney did a great job turning this party around. Supervisor's were everywhere talking to guests, asking what they could do to enhance their experience. Would I go every year? Not unless they would add something spectacular. But this parry was a fun time.
I had them pause the line in front of me 2 weekends ago on the peoplemover of all places so an influencer couple could cut the line directly in front of me…it’s a bad look Tom you’re 100% right.
I went to the Jollywood Nights party tonight (11/20) and had a great time. The party wasn’t sold out, but they were staffed to the gills, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I saw both shows and thought they were fantastic, all of the food I ate ranged from “pretty good” to “amazing” (seriously was not expecting the pork belly and yucca fries to leave me floored but here we are). They definitely smoothed out the check in process from the horror stories I heard (literally zero wait we just walked up and they scanned us and gave us band and lanyard) and we were able to ride several rides with waits no longer than 5-15 minutes. The event does need more. They need to desperately do holiday happenings in Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land. They need some kind of overlays for at least a couple of rides. Mickey and Minnie is all projection mapping, they can’t take a few months and program a holiday course using the same sets that they can reuse for years to come? Same with Smugglers Run. The event was fun with the kinks worked out. But I don’t think the value is there for the price, not yet. Also? A HUGE shoutout to tonight’s cast members. Everyone I interacted with was brimming with joy and kindness, far and above what I’ve ever experienced going to the parks for nearly my entire 31 years alive. There was that holiday magic afloat in the park tonight, and I will definitely cherish those experiences and that mood. Also the guests who really bought into the event and went all in on Hollywood Holiday Glamour were stunning!
From a Design perspective it is really unfortunate what has happened. I think the event does look cool, however DHS doesn’t have a lot to go compared to MK resulting in overcrowding, the solution is either double everything or increase prices significantly…
DHS was always crowded during the holidays when they had the Spectacle of Lights. I understand why it had to go, but just like with the lights on the castle, you can’t replace it with a projection show. The ONLY way to deal with the crowds, which are massive even during the so called “off season” is to build a fifth park. …not stupid expansion lands. Expansion lands do nothing but make parks even more busier. Build a fifth park, and then maybe they could find a way to move the spectacle of lights there.
I see Tom as a non-influencer giving us honest and critical opinions and not paid for advertising such special events. He's rather giving reviews from the perspectives of people who pay the tickets, and that's his style and I like it. Yes, I watched/listened other "paid" reviews as those give me some insights, but I also appreciate Tom's perspectives and love for Disney.
I enjoy your channel and respect how passionate you are about "this thing." I don't like you having to mention other content producers in a negative light. Your work speaks for itself. You don't need to mention anyone else negatively to compare yourself to. This "thing" is big enough for all of you.
Why shouldn't someone call out "sponsored content". The fact is that plenty of these "influencers" are experiencing things on the company's dime. Are they going to bite the hand that feeds them? Any "official brand ambassador" whether they be Disney, LEGO, Sephora or Costco are nothing more or less than an extension of a corporate marketing department. If they aren't paying out of their own pocket they are basically a commercial.
I always enjoy and appreciate your reviews, and I feel like you are balanced. Some of the bloggers that I love are definitely focused on the overall experience. I don't expect them to go into a comprehensive review as I am vicarously watching them have fun and enjoy. I listen to you for the hard news about the Disney Company. Someone has to call them out when needed.
Paying for events can skew to a more favorable review. When I've gone to comedy clubs and paid to go see some ordinary comedian, I always laugh as much or more than when I see celebrity comedians on television. What you consider "investing in" a service by paying for it makes people want to feel that they made a good decision. Noone wants to feel that they actually wasted their money so we may be more inclined to focus on what we liked about it rather than the whole picture.
If you pay for something as a customer, this is very true. If you pay for something with the objective being to review it, its not about how much enjoyment can I get out of it, its about seeing whats there, how good things are and then considering how much you paid against it. Paying for something to review has no sense of "making a good decision" because you didn't make the purchase with the intent of purchasing for enjoyment For a reviewer who is purchasing to make an ethical review, "making a good decision" comes down to whether people cared about their review after the fact. I.e to a reviewer if they paid 3k for a meal to review and got 5 views, that was a bad decision, whether they enjoyed the meal or not.
If your a paying customer you value the experience more in my opinion. If I want for free to Jollywood nights and had a bad experience, to me it would be like "oh well, I didn't pay for it." If I went and paid for it and then had a horrible time, but then there would be added value because I just dumped $170 on that horrible experience. I would feel a lot worse at that point than going for free. Just my 2 cents.
I appreciate your POV and I value your review not only for you honest but for the humor you also have. When I want to see what Disney property to stay at I go to your reviews. Thanks for everything you do. ❤💕
The negative reviews I saw were from people that said they paid, or at least said "its not worth the money" (implying they were a paying customer). I know Tim Tracker doesn't pay for events because he's media, and of course he gave a good review. I like seeing his coverage, but I always take his comments of "all and all a good time" everywhere (Disney, Universal, Sea World, etc) with a grain of salt because I know he's free. I'm not really going to complain about anything if I got everything free.
Tom, with all due respect, how can several Disney RUclipsrs have posted the positive news that Disney is doing a better job now with this event if there hadn't been the initial criticism?
Always appreciate Tom’s Hot Takes. BTW AdamTheWoo gave Tom a shout-out in the 11-20-23 Daily Woo-video for a magnet he gave him years ago. Meant a lot to him.
IMO I think first time events should not be as expensive as they are. I was at the very first Oogie Boogie event in 2019, my ticket was about $100. It was totally worth it to be in that park with low crowds. It was fun but not as awesome as it is today. I did not go to Jollywood but wanted to. The thing with Disney is that you pay more so you expect more-devil is in the details.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 PREACH!!! Once again Tom comes through to set everyone straight on the REALITY of the situation. As a fellow Disney obsessed person who lives 5 minutes off property and visits the parks multiple times a week, I always appreciate what Tom has to say because I feel like he sees the parks the same way I do. So thank you again WDWNT and Tom for speaking truth into the ridiculous Disney community that seems to have the weirdest opinions on things. Like I was shocked to see comments on the post about Tron needing cleaning and people defending Disney saying it’s a FL thing and stuff is just dirty and that’s ok. Like what?! No not ok! MK is the most visited park in the world! They can afford to keep things clean and maintained. It’s sad. I know Disney sees those comments and are like, “Look see! People are defending us, we don’t need to clean.”
I agree!! IDK if you’ve experienced the same thing I have leaving Epcot? Bathroom flooded, still open, no attendant; yet as I walk out there are 10 custodians lined up waving goodbye!!! 🤦♀️ At parks weekly also, they are filthy! It’s shocking. Not cast members fault, it’s a lack of staffing and if you pay your employees, they will be more invested. Please everyone, thank the cast members more!!
I watch alot of Disney influencers, just because i have the time right now (recovering from knee replacement). It makes the time go by. Do i take an influencer word on something? No. Its just their opinion. Like Tom said they are not paying to be there, so thats something also to take in account. I watch for the entertainment factor and the factor that i would love to be at DW or Jollywood Nights instead of recovering. So i take their reviews with a grain of salt. Tom is definitely one that takes his job/life/reviews to heart and i can definitely appreciate that. When i want the actual news from Disney, this is my go too. Keep up the awesome work Tom! And thank you.
I've lived long enough to know not to trust other people's opinions on these sort of things. I can't tell you how many times I should have had a terrible time based on what people have said, yet end up having an awesome time.
Thank you so much for your comments and brutal honesty. When folks in the community have the title of a video be something along the lines of you can' still have fun at jollywood nights, you know something's up
I don't get it... if you could only accomplish a few things at the event, that indicates there were logistics issues at the event. Also if less than half the food was good, that indicates other issues. Going numerous nights and compiling a complete review doesn't make sense if most people are only buying a single ticket.
I'm genuinely perplexed by this take. Compiling a list with reviews of all available offerings is not the same as providing a single night event review noting what is actually possible to experience in a night.
@@melsmith244you're only right though if you already know they won't address your points in a future review. And you just can't make an informative realistic review if you attend only the opening night of an event like this.
I love your channel! Just wanted to share that the Jollywood Facebook group had a bit of a rough start, and many many folks had a tough time on the first night. Some refunds were issued to those who requested them. It's totally fine for people to feel disappointed, and I think many were hopeful because your voice holds weight when it comes to Disney to give it them for such an underwhelming, messy, and awful experience from this hard ticket event.
Go to the Nightmare sing-a-long early because you might want to see it twice. It was SO good. Sit closer to the back so you can see the effects on the sides. I was impressed with Jollywood Nights! Had a great time and plan to go again!
It might just be me, but personally I wouldn't go to a sing along for a movie I have at home when paying to go to an event like this. It doesn't feel like a good use of time. But again, that's just my thoughts. :)
@@daisylauren3742 I would probably prioritize the Muppets and the Tip Top lounge for event specific offerings. Maybe rare characters. I'd go on rides as well. Basically my view is to see unique things first, then taking advantage of any smaller wait times.
I don't care about holding people accountable for reviews because I can tell who's telling the truth or not or whose experience just might not be my experience. I think there is merit in "I paid for an event and couldn't do much" complaint. I think we all know many RUclipsrs/Vloggers are there on the first day "to see if they can do everything" which is not the thought of the average person. I do believe you tell the truth, but I don't think you're the only one that tells the truth. As a person that would be driving or flying from Texas, I would NEVER go to a Disney event on the first day/night if for no reason than I just don't want to be around that many people and that much chaos. Over my lifetime I can count on one hand how many times I've been to Disney so I wouldn't be so jaded as a person that is in the park everyday or reminiscing about what was and what could be. I plan to go every year several times if possible, but I hope to not get to that point. Thank you for the update. It seems Disney is making changes to the event so those reviews on the first night are probably null anyway. 😂
We went to the second event and as guests who were focused on the shows and interactions, we loved it! We went all out and dressed up as Muppets Christmas Carol characters (and were so happy at the number of guests and cast members that we got smiles out of!) and had a blast! We rode one ride, but that’s all we wanted to do. We weren’t focused on specialty food or drinks. As Muppets fans, we were thrilled! We’re hoping they host them again next year and excited to try to go to two parties next year!
Tom, I don't know what people are talking about either. I viewed your vid on Jollywood and you said you like very few things at Brown Derby, and I believe you gave a great review in all on that video. Your passion of Disney, to me, is on point. Being raised in So. FLA, where it is a rite of passage, when you get your driver's license and a car to gather up your friends and go to Disney World, I lived through a lot of changes to that park. Tom, you are the voice of the fans of Disney. At least to me you are. And from what I had seen about Jollywood, I found it only negative that the price you pay, it's only a four-hour party. And I believe the Tip Top Club could have been done better, then just a kiosk, tent type set up. When you see the movie of TOT, and part of the story is getting to the Tip Top Club, they should have made it look more like what was in the movie. Anyway, I'm looking forward to all your reviews coming. Thank you, Tom and staff, for all you do. 😁
Tom created the “honest reviews” genre. He is right about them making the influencers front like was wrong. It looked like the Tower area needed to be enlarged and more rare characters. Can’t wait to hear what Tom says in a few weeks.
This is why you’re my favorite Disney commentator. I appreciate your honesty and experience with everything Disney. Your channels, program and content are top notch. The best and my first go to when I want to really learn or understand something new or old at Disney. Thank you Tom and your excellent team for your hard and well thought out work.
I value most the ones who paid for themselves and tried to accomplish all their goals in the evening-because the fact is, YOUR company has to send in a mini fleet of reporters, or as you stated, go back multiple times to do it all. Do you realize some of us are over here checking out these events, wondering if maybe we should try to do it in 2027, or maybe Orlando Informer in 2026-oh but wait we will have had to come up with the money for Epic in 2025, and good Lord I guess I should save something for retirement. We can never do all these events, MUCH LESS more than once. So I do value those who went once (such as that family who got cancelled for vloggers in the rain), because if I ever afford to go, it will be once in a lifetime. And I will have a full review of that $160 4 hours and my 4 activities I chose same as the next guy
I’ve watched you long enough to know you say what you think even when it’s not the popular opinion. That’s why I think you’re one of the best disney reviewers.
Some of these Vloggers and influencers just want click throughs. Negativity sells. I appreciate your honesty. I have disagreed with your assessment here and there. But I know I comes from a good place. Thanks for calling out the BS.
Thank you tom for saying what needed to be said, but let's name names here: Tim Tracker and Jen have been accepting free tickets for years and refuse to disclose it.
I am suspicious of vloggers on the media list and dislike most of them. I would say however that when the batch of them (who are notoriously, sickeningly positive) say they didn’t enjoy it, I’m inclined to think it was a disappointment. Is it enjoyable and acceptable to endure long lines for everything “like a Park day” when you are paying a separate price for a fairly short 4 hour window?
I have a lot of problems with this new hard ticket event. My biggest problem with Jollywood nights event is that they don't allow you to come in until seven, where the mickeys very merry allows people to start going in at four. It seems rather ridiculous to pay pretty much a full day price for only half the amount of time. While having a chance to see characters that you don't normally see or going to 2 or 3 shows that they don't normally have may be worth something a little extra. It's not like what I have seen and experienced you get at mickeys very merry party. In my opinion, Jollywood nights does not even scratch the surface of what MGM/Hollywood studios used to do back in the day. To me, this hard ticket event feels like a huge money grab for low hanging fruit done with little to moderate effort.
I think for the price they should let you in for the same hours as the Magic Kingdom hard tickets and hope they run the skyliner for the full length of the party by the time we go. We specifically booked a skyliner hotel so we wouldn’t have to worry about transportation and I feel like those 2 things would be fairly easy to adjust. I think first night issues & rain played a big part in all the negative reviews but they really got to me so glad you said it was mostly positive. I think we can skip the Brown Derby and the rest of the night will be solid. The lack of merch to go with the party seemed odd too but I don’t really want to spend more so that will help!
Why can’t I get tickets for a jollywood nights…ohh because Tom has tickets for 3 or 4 shows, wtf, disney needs to limit locals so out of staters that spend money can attend these events
It's hard to tell if Tom is simply being contrarian or if he wants everyone to JUST STOP stealing his Eeyore aesthetic. The fact is that Disney hyped the hell out of it, invited the entire vlogosphere and then put up a less-than-impressive event - the result should not be surprising to anyone. While I think the mention of the word "ethics" is pretty laughable in this context, if you do want to look at it from a jounalistic perspective think of it this way: Theatre and film critics never pay for their tickets, yet they manage to give impartial reviews.
Film and theatre "Critics" very often mark things up or down based on who's performing, who directed, etc etc. Very rarely is any of those reviews truly impartial (you think any human being has absolutely no bias, no preferences, and for some going to more events for free is a very easy motive). You only have to look at rotten tomatoes and look at Critic vs Audience score to see how grossly different it can be and large margins do not come down to opinion, that comes down to critics deciding whether they want to bash something or hype something for reasons other than the actual content. So if anything is laughable here, its your argument. I would be curious though, to know from Disney hyping it (which any company selling something is going to do) by "less-than-impressive event" what were the actual expectations? What did people expect that didn't happen?
If "going to more events for free" was the goal, wouldn't they have erred on the side of being overly positive about the experience? This gets more laughable by the minute.
I don’t watch the high profile Disney influencers anymore because they never give an “honest” review. To many of the them now anyway. I try to find the “Mom and Pop” types and watch real people give real advice about these things.
I don’t always agree with your reviews (although the majority of times I do) but this is more down to personal preference and taste. One thing that keeps me coming over and over though is this channel’s undeniable knowledge, current and past, of everything Disney and the real honesty and love for the product.
I went to Jollywood Nights on the 18th and was very impressed. I agree with you completely Tom. This is not something worth getting up in arms about. I appreciate your honesty on all of this. I thought it waa worth my money and time!
We were there that night, too! We were the ones dressed up as Muppets Christmas Carol. We had a fabulous time and I highly recommend it! We’re hoping to go again next year :)
I'm so over this knee-jerk reaction stuff. I haven't been to the party myself, but from what I saw of the videos, it looks fine. My YT feed is being flooded with all of this negative clickbait and it's driving me up a wall.
I do wonder how much of the bad experiences by the non-influencers were because of all the influencers, along with the issues that may came along with being the first night of an event that's never been held before. However, personally speaking, if it takes two or three times having to pay for a special ticket event to see and do most of it, then it is definitely not worth it in my opinion. I don't have an over abundance of cash so I count on honest reviews like Tom's to help me determine whether something is worth the price or not. I appreciate the Tom's reviews. I however do not appreciate the reviews where an influencer is trying to butter up to Disney and says they can't do anything wrong or those that say Disney can't do anything right. But as with everything Disney, I am hoping that they turn it into something great. Even though it will never compare to the Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights.
Your ethics are the biggest reason why I subscribe to your show. If it's great you let us know. If it's subpar or doesn't meet Disney standards you point that out too. From all the videos I have seen you are very fair and honest. Thank You to you and your crew.
His “rants” are refreshing. A lot of us are nodding in agreement at them. It’s disingenuous to “review” Disney and say everything is great. That gives the average new visitor an unattainable goal, especially when they spend their first hour in line just to get inside.
Most of the reviewers are adults. Disney adults have a very different experience than families (like being able to go to the latest parades and shows). I don't watch videos for reviews. I watch reviews to live vicariously, or curmudgeon humor, whichever is on offer
Well said about the influencers Disney giving them free admission, special treatment etc. Especially priority over regular guests. Its despicable behavior.
I think the issue with Disney is that they know how to throw a party. They know how to hold large venue events. The company is known to be experts in theme parks and theme park entertainment. Why should they still get the grace of: “oh it was the first night” or “this is the first time doing this.” They know the framework and they know what their customers like and don’t like. At $180 their guests should be dazzled and should never feel like it’s a waste of money.
EXACTLY!!!!
A great event is a great event. A bad experience is a bad experience. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that. Most people talk up Disney even when standards have fallen.
Fresh Baked is notorious for doing just that.
I'm confused. Aren't the vip influencers the ones giving good reviews so Disney will invite them to other things? What about all the upset videos from people who paid for their own tickets? Wouldn't those be more reliable reviews? $680 for a group of 4 to attend is a LOT of money for most people.
Reviews from people who paid for a ticket (and will not make money from video clicks) should be the most realistic takes
Thank you Tom for mentioning what happened to our family (with Phineas & Ferb).
I watched your vlog and your recap. My heart really broke for your son. Like Tom said, Disney’s PR shouldn’t be allowed to do that during party hours.
@@disneyfan2937 thank you and thank you for watching. That means a lot. While I do vlog our trips, I don’t consider myself a Disney Vlogger. These are first and foremost our family vacations that we pay for. It was definitely an eye opening experience for me.
@@ShannonFord I was so sad for your whole family. Something I heard and have remember - if children are present they come first. That was something that made Disney special. Thank you for sharing your trip with everyone.
@@rhonies9229 thank you so much. I will say, we had a great trip otherwise. It was sad to end it on a sour note, but we did make some great memories! 😘
That was so disappointing and sad. Sorry that happened to you at Disney. I am glad Tom made it known.
I went and felt so cheated. It was totally devoid of any Holiday Cheer. I felt like I was treated like a walking ATM machine and Disney pumped me dry of all my spare change. Disney should refund everyone’s money for this abomination.
The point that I don’t hear you making is that WDW is charging more for way less. IMHO guests are fed up. So yes, WDW has been putting things behind a paywall for years, but the value used to be there. No longer, and you can see/hear the anger of the guests.
I was at the first night of Jollywood and witnessed firsthand some abhorrent behavior by popular influencers. Being able to cut in line bc of Disney cast members, getting free food. I saw in the Magic kingdom as well during a regular park day. A cast member stopped us from walking around a very famous RUclipsr could finish his segment. For me - the Disney magic is gone.
This is why I appreciate what you do Tom. I come here for what I have come to believe is actually a balanced, insightful view into what’s happening at the parks. Keep doing what you do, we appreciate it!
I will say that it's not unfair for people to be upset with their experience on Night 1 when Disney was at the helm, even if the Disney Difference has greatly slipped, there is no reason why people who are paying full price don't deserve to have an event work well. They truly didn't anticipate what the paying crowd wanted to do on Night 1 with how it was staffed. Plus adding additional offerings on Night 2 versus Night 1 anyone who wants a refund should get one no questions asked.
I agree that there were legitimate complaints made, but some were over the top about it to get more clicks. You can’t experience every offering at the Magic Kingdom party, so it’s pretty unrealistic to expect you could do so at this inaugural event. Honesty is important & for professional “reviewers” so is perspective. Not just calling things Trash.
@@KforFreedom I agree, we were at the first night, and it was a disorganized mess for the bulk of the event. We considered ourselves among the lucky that showed up at 7:45 outside the park and were able to get through the gates and with our wristbands in less than 5 minutes. To enjoy an event like this it shouldn't have to rely on hopping in line at the right time. It took nearly 20 minutes to get 1 Funnel Cake and Epic Eats, 25 minutes to get the Sugar Cookie Martini at the "bar" next to it, and nearly 30 minutes to get the Gertie cookie. Luckily my Fiance and I were able to split up to get the Funnel Cake and Sugar Cookie Martini so the waits were concurrent with each other, but between that and the Gertie cookie that's nearly 1 hour of a 4 hour event. The Gertie line was ridiculous at times considering they had really only 1 Item on the menu that being the cookie, 2 if you include the mint soft serve. Cookies should've been wrapped and ready to go at the pass to handoff to the guest nearly instantly. We lucked out getting BG #5 for Rise which was called before the event "officially started" so we didn't lose much time there. The lines for Tip Top, and all the food at Sunset Market/Fairfax Fare were routinely 30+ minutes, and for the Tip Top Club that's ridiculous considering everything was premade batch cocktails, it should've been as simple as pour and serve, etc. We did the show at the Theatre of the Stars and enjoyed it, we saw the 10:45pm showing and got in line around 10:20 and we "barely" made it into that seating.
19:23 - been saying this for years. It is confusing to me how badly people want to be hosted and media when we make plenty to not be
Many of the live streamers lie to their fans constantly and cry they are broke while attending multiple parties ever year. The deceit is real and people are too easily influenced to think everything they say is truth.
Nice shout out to Tom this morning on the magnet!
@TheDailyWoo, I was thinking of you -(and some others) when I was watching this. I know you werent hosted, neither is Mark and a few more in DL (none of whom attended this event). I watched Deni and Kevin’s reviews, neither of whom were hosted either. First night seemed like a cluster, glad it appeared to have been (somewhat) righted. It has potential. Amazing what expedient queues and a few clutch characters will do.
Can’t help but wonder if there were folks with institutional knowledge on how to plan first time events that have left/were let go since 2020. Another novel idea…for $185 admission, maybe the Gertie cookie should be included? Quicker lines, party exclusive, good PR. 🤯 Also, happy to see your new found appreciation of Stitch and Duffy. 🎉
Tom, I am a local AP and have watched reviews both positive and negative. I don’t like how Disney is charging an outrageous amount for something that used to be free and better. We used to go to see the Osborne lights for Christmas but now you have to pay a premium for entertainment Disney should include with regular admission. Seaworld Orlando has the best Christmas Celebration and it’s all included no up charge 😁✌️
Overwhelming price well tell everyone who constantly buys these tickets to stop buying and you'll see how fast it stops. As long as people keep buying the overwhelming prices that you speak of, they will stop oh ps by the way Disney is a business. They have the right to charge whatever they want, isn't that what buisness do. Look, I'm not crazy about the high prices either but disney isn't holding a gun to my head saying u buy these tickets or else at the end of the day IT'S OUR CHOICE ISNT
We are spending our holiday theme park dollars at Sea World this year.
We only occasionally visit Disney Springs now & stopped renewing our annual passes after having them for over 20 years.
Real talk. I come to WDW news for a real and honest review. It makes me feel much more secure in your opinion knowing you pay for it. Thank you Tom and crew for being an honest and forthright news source. Enjoy your cruise and safe travels.
P.s. toms rants are gold.
When people say that they weren’t able to experience everything to get a complete review on their first visit… it says a lot tbh
You know that's actually a good thought. Someone really can't experience a whole park in one day, so really how could we experience this night with just one visit?! Valid point you have.
I agree with you, Tom. All I've seen about Jollywood Nights was overwhelmingly negative. Also, Disney shouldn't have let influencers in to meet characters before paying guests.
Most, are paying out of pocket so they are entitled to same guest experience.
Hi Tom. Your reviews are always appreciated. People don’t realize that you eat, sleep and live Disney. Your reviews are always from your heart. You tell it like it is. WDWNT is our go to for all Disney news. Thanks for keeping it real! Happy Thanksgiving from the Holiday girls!
You’re definitely correct about Tom’s thoroughness & honesty in reviewing all Disney & Universal content.
I really appreciate the honest reviews. I understand why "influencers" are hesitant to give their real opinions (they might not be asked back by Disney) but it is refreshing to really see/hear what people experience.
Influencers are the worst at Disney some of them are afraid to lose their status at the parks so they say stuff that they don't mean especially at events but cutting in line when normal people have to pay just to wait in line thats messed up.
I don’t put too much stock in reviews. With that being said, I’ve heard from people that paid for the event (the first night) and said is was the worst event they ever attended. I have heard the next night went much better. I’m still going in two weeks and looking forward to the event.
There were regular people who went the first night that paid full price to get it. Are their opinions not valid ?
Yeah, I don't understand why people who paid for the first night shouldn't get to explain how much they were not able to accomplish that night.
That’s literally not who we’re talking about
Tom, you are the truth, the GOAT, the best to ever do it! You tell it how it is and call out all the BS, from everyone!
My problem with this event is it just is not long enough. They should be letting you in earlier and include parking like other parties. A few free snacks like magic kingdom does would help a lot too.
Agreed, I think a core issue for most is the value of the event. At the end of the night, do you feel like it was worth the extra cost. It seems most feel they didn't get their monies worth.
This is why I love this channel!!! I can always trust what Tom’s going to say!! “If you didn’t purchase a ticket with your own money, it’s an unethical review and you should hold them accountable “!! I’m dead!!!! So good. Well done, Mic drop 🙌🏻💕👍
This is why I come and listen. I love the positive reviews but I appreciate the honest rants as well. Keep it up
I think the value of the party is not worth the price. No parade, limited fireworks show, the shows are ok. No free food, a wooden coaster? The Tip-top club didn't look impressive. When you look at the other two parties this has very little value for the same money.
We went the second night and I agree that the price seems steep for the time allotted. I do hope they extend the park time.
I think it all depends on what you’re there for. We did not go for the food or drinks, so those didn’t factor into our decision. That being said, we enjoyed it very much and the exclusive shows and characters made it 100% worth it for us!
I first heard about the event and it being a disappointment from a small creator, who paid for everything themselves. I left trusting them and their judgement.
Well if Disney would stop “hosting” all these you tubers- make them pay like everyone else. Also- cutting in front of a paying family is absolutely ridiculously wrong Anyone know who he was referring to?!?!?
He's referring to Shannon Ford's video where she went to the event with her family and Disney kept letting influencer cut in line for the character her son wanted to meet and ended up not getting to see them
The only way to combat bad behavior when it comes to "influencers" is to stop watching them and experience everything yourself. Enabling is just as bad as complaining about it.
Unfortunately most people can’t just go to these events for a myriad of reasons, but I do agree that the influencer market should just implode at this point. It’s so saturated and filled with mostly shills.
The issue is that people don’t know how to formulate their own opinion. It’s ok to watch these influencers to see what an event is like, but you shouldn’t be writing something off because someone gave you their opinion on it.
YES ! I have dropped so many channels that we used to watch, but I am tired of it. I only watch 3 people, this is one of the three. I used to use these sites as help with saving money and what are the things to see when we are at the parks. I don't watch anymore the ones with their kids/families. The ones that show off their insanely expensive houses and cars. I went to your site to get info on Disney, not you and your life.
EYE ROLL
I work at Hollywood Studios as a food and beverage cast member. When my restaurant opened in the park bloggers bashed us so bad and I don’t know why? Hate videos get more clicks, but remember these people work really hard to put together this events. Love the show and I love your truthful reviews!
Unfortunately it’s the “in” thing to do to bash Disney. Former MK cast member here. Firm handshakes Lucas
Local Annual Passholder Retired Parkhopper here. THANK YOU TO ALL CAST MEMBERS!!! I see you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
So, are you saying the criticism wasn’t warranted?
@@tagjohnson9940 no criticism helps a lot, because night two there were two locations to check-in and every guest I talked to actually had fun 🤩
An entire toxic influencer ecosystem now exists where people get money off negative clicks and views. Thank you Tom for your honesty
Honestly, Disney would not feel bothered to improve on anything in the party if they weren't slammed with so many negative reviews
Went on Night 2. No wait on any rides at all. The Brown Derby que worked well and the food was great. Rare character meet and greets. Loved the drinks by Tower of Terror. Live music. Had a wonderful time! Even got compliments on my new Carousel of Products Gertie shirt! Look..if there WERE problems on Night 1 they were corrected on Night 2. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! (Recommend the Holiday Ornament dessert!) Love ya WDWNT!
We were there on night #2, too! We were the ones dressed as Kermit and Gonzo from Muppet Christmas Carol with the Robin puppet I made.
We didn’t watch much about the first one because we didn’t want to be spoiled. We actually loved the event! We were there for the shows and the people and loved it so much! We’re hoping to go next year and do two of the parties.
Overall I agree with what you’re saying. Unfortunately it’s a bad look calling DFB out by name. It’s not a good idea to badmouth a competitor to customers. Let your product stand on it’s own.
They are charging a lot for about 3.5 hours exclusive use of the park. It isn't enough time to go on all the top rides and see the shows. They should clear the day guests out at 6pm.
Mammoth Club, Tim Tracker, All Ears, Deni, and Following Mr. Morrow did not write negative posts. It is like any other party. You need to prioritize what is important to you.
Nate is always such a happy guy! If he does have a negative feedback on something, he does it in away that doesn't come off harsh. He is definitely one of the more positive influencers out there.
Went to Jollywood nights #2. Thought it was really great. Went in expecting it too be bad, but it was great. Never waited more than 20 minutes for anything.
The company clearly responded and made changes.
Think the "influencer" model is the real problem. Felt like influencers are the ones that ruined the event.
I went Saturday it was a great time. The vloggers need to stop. Disney did a great job turning this party around. Supervisor's were everywhere talking to guests, asking what they could do to enhance their experience. Would I go every year? Not unless they would add something spectacular. But this parry was a fun time.
I had them pause the line in front of me 2 weekends ago on the peoplemover of all places so an influencer couple could cut the line directly in front of me…it’s a bad look Tom you’re 100% right.
I went to the Jollywood Nights party tonight (11/20) and had a great time. The party wasn’t sold out, but they were staffed to the gills, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I saw both shows and thought they were fantastic, all of the food I ate ranged from “pretty good” to “amazing” (seriously was not expecting the pork belly and yucca fries to leave me floored but here we are). They definitely smoothed out the check in process from the horror stories I heard (literally zero wait we just walked up and they scanned us and gave us band and lanyard) and we were able to ride several rides with waits no longer than 5-15 minutes. The event does need more. They need to desperately do holiday happenings in Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land. They need some kind of overlays for at least a couple of rides. Mickey and Minnie is all projection mapping, they can’t take a few months and program a holiday course using the same sets that they can reuse for years to come? Same with Smugglers Run.
The event was fun with the kinks worked out. But I don’t think the value is there for the price, not yet.
Also? A HUGE shoutout to tonight’s cast members. Everyone I interacted with was brimming with joy and kindness, far and above what I’ve ever experienced going to the parks for nearly my entire 31 years alive. There was that holiday magic afloat in the park tonight, and I will definitely cherish those experiences and that mood. Also the guests who really bought into the event and went all in on Hollywood Holiday Glamour were stunning!
From a Design perspective it is really unfortunate what has happened. I think the event does look cool, however DHS doesn’t have a lot to go compared to MK resulting in overcrowding, the solution is either double everything or increase prices significantly…
DHS was always crowded during the holidays when they had the Spectacle of Lights. I understand why it had to go, but just like with the lights on the castle, you can’t replace it with a projection show. The ONLY way to deal with the crowds, which are massive even during the so called “off season” is to build a fifth park. …not stupid expansion lands. Expansion lands do nothing but make parks even more busier. Build a fifth park, and then maybe they could find a way to move the spectacle of lights there.
I see Tom as a non-influencer giving us honest and critical opinions and not paid for advertising such special events. He's rather giving reviews from the perspectives of people who pay the tickets, and that's his style and I like it. Yes, I watched/listened other "paid" reviews as those give me some insights, but I also appreciate Tom's perspectives and love for Disney.
I enjoy your channel and respect how passionate you are about "this thing."
I don't like you having to mention other content producers in a negative light. Your work speaks for itself. You don't need to mention anyone else negatively to compare yourself to. This "thing" is big enough for all of you.
Why shouldn't someone call out "sponsored content". The fact is that plenty of these "influencers" are experiencing things on the company's dime. Are they going to bite the hand that feeds them?
Any "official brand ambassador" whether they be Disney, LEGO, Sephora or Costco are nothing more or less than an extension of a corporate marketing department. If they aren't paying out of their own pocket they are basically a commercial.
Thanks for everything Tom. WDWNT is the only place I go for actual news on the parks.
Totally agree that the PR department has been falling down on the job for a while now.
I always enjoy and appreciate your reviews, and I feel like you are balanced. Some of the bloggers that I love are definitely focused on the overall experience. I don't expect them to go into a comprehensive review as I am vicarously watching them have fun and enjoy.
I listen to you for the hard news about the Disney Company. Someone has to call them out when needed.
Paying for events can skew to a more favorable review. When I've gone to comedy clubs and paid to go see some ordinary comedian, I always laugh as much or more than when I see celebrity comedians on television. What you consider "investing in" a service by paying for it makes people want to feel that they made a good decision. Noone wants to feel that they actually wasted their money so we may be more inclined to focus on what we liked about it rather than the whole picture.
If you pay for something as a customer, this is very true. If you pay for something with the objective being to review it, its not about how much enjoyment can I get out of it, its about seeing whats there, how good things are and then considering how much you paid against it. Paying for something to review has no sense of "making a good decision" because you didn't make the purchase with the intent of purchasing for enjoyment For a reviewer who is purchasing to make an ethical review, "making a good decision" comes down to whether people cared about their review after the fact. I.e to a reviewer if they paid 3k for a meal to review and got 5 views, that was a bad decision, whether they enjoyed the meal or not.
If your a paying customer you value the experience more in my opinion. If I want for free to Jollywood nights and had a bad experience, to me it would be like "oh well, I didn't pay for it." If I went and paid for it and then had a horrible time, but then there would be added value because I just dumped $170 on that horrible experience. I would feel a lot worse at that point than going for free. Just my 2 cents.
More like Tom's rant ranting about ranters ranting about Jollywood Nights
I appreciate your POV and I value your review not only for you honest but for the humor you also have. When I want to see what Disney property to stay at I go to your reviews. Thanks for everything you do. ❤💕
The negative reviews I saw were from people that said they paid, or at least said "its not worth the money" (implying they were a paying customer). I know Tim Tracker doesn't pay for events because he's media, and of course he gave a good review. I like seeing his coverage, but I always take his comments of "all and all a good time" everywhere (Disney, Universal, Sea World, etc) with a grain of salt because I know he's free. I'm not really going to complain about anything if I got everything free.
Disney PR should be ashamed of themselves. They should never cut in people over paying guests.
Tom, with all due respect, how can several Disney RUclipsrs have posted the positive news that Disney is doing a better job now with this event if there hadn't been the initial criticism?
Always appreciate Tom’s Hot Takes. BTW AdamTheWoo gave Tom a shout-out in the 11-20-23 Daily Woo-video for a magnet he gave him years ago. Meant a lot to him.
I caught that too this morning. I thought that was pretty cool of Adam!
IMO I think first time events should not be as expensive as they are. I was at the very first Oogie Boogie event in 2019, my ticket was about $100. It was totally worth it to be in that park with low crowds. It was fun but not as awesome as it is today. I did not go to Jollywood but wanted to. The thing with Disney is that you pay more so you expect more-devil is in the details.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 PREACH!!! Once again Tom comes through to set everyone straight on the REALITY of the situation. As a fellow Disney obsessed person who lives 5 minutes off property and visits the parks multiple times a week, I always appreciate what Tom has to say because I feel like he sees the parks the same way I do. So thank you again WDWNT and Tom for speaking truth into the ridiculous Disney community that seems to have the weirdest opinions on things. Like I was shocked to see comments on the post about Tron needing cleaning and people defending Disney saying it’s a FL thing and stuff is just dirty and that’s ok. Like what?! No not ok! MK is the most visited park in the world! They can afford to keep things clean and maintained. It’s sad. I know Disney sees those comments and are like, “Look see! People are defending us, we don’t need to clean.”
I agree!! IDK if you’ve experienced the same thing I have leaving Epcot? Bathroom flooded, still open, no attendant; yet as I walk out there are 10 custodians lined up waving goodbye!!! 🤦♀️ At parks weekly also, they are filthy! It’s shocking. Not cast members fault, it’s a lack of staffing and if you pay your employees, they will be more invested. Please everyone, thank the cast members more!!
I watch alot of Disney influencers, just because i have the time right now (recovering from knee replacement). It makes the time go by. Do i take an influencer word on something? No. Its just their opinion. Like Tom said they are not paying to be there, so thats something also to take in account. I watch for the entertainment factor and the factor that i would love to be at DW or Jollywood Nights instead of recovering. So i take their reviews with a grain of salt. Tom is definitely one that takes his job/life/reviews to heart and i can definitely appreciate that. When i want the actual news from Disney, this is my go too. Keep up the awesome work Tom! And thank you.
I've lived long enough to know not to trust other people's opinions on these sort of things. I can't tell you how many times I should have had a terrible time based on what people have said, yet end up having an awesome time.
Thank you so much for your comments and brutal honesty. When folks in the community have the title of a video be something along the lines of you can' still have fun at jollywood nights, you know something's up
I don't get it... if you could only accomplish a few things at the event, that indicates there were logistics issues at the event. Also if less than half the food was good, that indicates other issues. Going numerous nights and compiling a complete review doesn't make sense if most people are only buying a single ticket.
I'm genuinely perplexed by this take. Compiling a list with reviews of all available offerings is not the same as providing a single night event review noting what is actually possible to experience in a night.
This is no different than Oogie Boogie Bash or the Magic Kingdom parties, all the food isn’t good and you can’t see it all.
@@WDWNT right, but the availability of those things and your ability to do them play into the value
@@melsmith244you're only right though if you already know they won't address your points in a future review. And you just can't make an informative realistic review if you attend only the opening night of an event like this.
I love your channel! Just wanted to share that the Jollywood Facebook group had a bit of a rough start, and many many folks had a tough time on the first night. Some refunds were issued to those who requested them. It's totally fine for people to feel disappointed, and I think many were hopeful because your voice holds weight when it comes to Disney to give it them for such an underwhelming, messy, and awful experience from this hard ticket event.
I read plenty of negative reviews from Paying customers... Not freebies..
I don't always agree with you, but do always appreciate your candor and willingness to take a stand.
Go to the Nightmare sing-a-long early because you might want to see it twice. It was SO good. Sit closer to the back so you can see the effects on the sides. I was impressed with Jollywood Nights! Had a great time and plan to go again!
It might just be me, but personally I wouldn't go to a sing along for a movie I have at home when paying to go to an event like this. It doesn't feel like a good use of time. But again, that's just my thoughts. :)
@@KyraHogue would you spend your time riding rides? I can do that anytime, so the shows were a priority. Like you said, different perspectives. ❤️
From what I saw, it’s not actually a Sing a Long
@@daisylauren3742 I would probably prioritize the Muppets and the Tip Top lounge for event specific offerings. Maybe rare characters. I'd go on rides as well. Basically my view is to see unique things first, then taking advantage of any smaller wait times.
I don't care about holding people accountable for reviews because I can tell who's telling the truth or not or whose experience just might not be my experience. I think there is merit in "I paid for an event and couldn't do much" complaint. I think we all know many RUclipsrs/Vloggers are there on the first day "to see if they can do everything" which is not the thought of the average person. I do believe you tell the truth, but I don't think you're the only one that tells the truth. As a person that would be driving or flying from Texas, I would NEVER go to a Disney event on the first day/night if for no reason than I just don't want to be around that many people and that much chaos. Over my lifetime I can count on one hand how many times I've been to Disney so I wouldn't be so jaded as a person that is in the park everyday or reminiscing about what was and what could be. I plan to go every year several times if possible, but I hope to not get to that point. Thank you for the update. It seems Disney is making changes to the event so those reviews on the first night are probably null anyway. 😂
We went to the second event and as guests who were focused on the shows and interactions, we loved it! We went all out and dressed up as Muppets Christmas Carol characters (and were so happy at the number of guests and cast members that we got smiles out of!) and had a blast!
We rode one ride, but that’s all we wanted to do. We weren’t focused on specialty food or drinks.
As Muppets fans, we were thrilled! We’re hoping they host them again next year and excited to try to go to two parties next year!
Tom, I don't know what people are talking about either. I viewed your vid on Jollywood and you said you like very few things at Brown Derby, and I believe you gave a great review in all on that video. Your passion of Disney, to me, is on point. Being raised in So. FLA, where it is a rite of passage, when you get your driver's license and a car to gather up your friends and go to Disney World, I lived through a lot of changes to that park. Tom, you are the voice of the fans of Disney. At least to me you are. And from what I had seen about Jollywood, I found it only negative that the price you pay, it's only a four-hour party. And I believe the Tip Top Club could have been done better, then just a kiosk, tent type set up. When you see the movie of TOT, and part of the story is getting to the Tip Top Club, they should have made it look more like what was in the movie. Anyway, I'm looking forward to all your reviews coming. Thank you, Tom and staff, for all you do. 😁
Tom created the “honest reviews” genre. He is right about them making the influencers front like was wrong. It looked like the Tower area needed to be enlarged and more rare characters. Can’t wait to hear what Tom says in a few weeks.
This is why you’re my favorite Disney commentator. I appreciate your honesty and experience with everything Disney. Your channels, program and content are top notch. The best and my first go to when I want to really learn or understand something new or old at Disney. Thank you Tom and your excellent team for your hard and well thought out work.
I value most the ones who paid for themselves and tried to accomplish all their goals in the evening-because the fact is, YOUR company has to send in a mini fleet of reporters, or as you stated, go back multiple times to do it all.
Do you realize some of us are over here checking out these events, wondering if maybe we should try to do it in 2027, or maybe Orlando Informer in 2026-oh but wait we will have had to come up with the money for Epic in 2025, and good Lord I guess I should save something for retirement.
We can never do all these events, MUCH LESS more than once. So I do value those who went once (such as that family who got cancelled for vloggers in the rain), because if I ever afford to go, it will be once in a lifetime. And I will have a full review of that $160 4 hours and my 4 activities I chose same as the next guy
I’ve watched you long enough to know you say what you think even when it’s not the popular opinion. That’s why I think you’re one of the best disney reviewers.
Some of these Vloggers and influencers just want click throughs. Negativity sells. I appreciate your honesty. I have disagreed with your assessment here and there. But I know I comes from a good place. Thanks for calling out the BS.
Tom I appreciate you. Your reviews are the only “influencer” reviews I would watch or put any weight into.
Thank you tom for saying what needed to be said, but let's name names here: Tim Tracker and Jen have been accepting free tickets for years and refuse to disclose it.
I am suspicious of vloggers on the media list and dislike most of them. I would say however that when the batch of them (who are notoriously, sickeningly positive) say they didn’t enjoy it, I’m inclined to think it was a disappointment. Is it enjoyable and acceptable to endure long lines for everything “like a Park day” when you are paying a separate price for a fairly short 4 hour window?
I have a lot of problems with this new hard ticket event. My biggest problem with Jollywood nights event is that they don't allow you to come in until seven, where the mickeys very merry allows people to start going in at four. It seems rather ridiculous to pay pretty much a full day price for only half the amount of time. While having a chance to see characters that you don't normally see or going to 2 or 3 shows that they don't normally have may be worth something a little extra. It's not like what I have seen and experienced you get at mickeys very merry party. In my opinion, Jollywood nights does not even scratch the surface of what MGM/Hollywood studios used to do back in the day. To me, this hard ticket event feels like a huge money grab for low hanging fruit done with little to moderate effort.
I think for the price they should let you in for the same hours as the Magic Kingdom hard tickets and hope they run the skyliner for the full length of the party by the time we go. We specifically booked a skyliner hotel so we wouldn’t have to worry about transportation and I feel like those 2 things would be fairly easy to adjust. I think first night issues & rain played a big part in all the negative reviews but they really got to me so glad you said it was mostly positive. I think we can skip the Brown Derby and the rest of the night will be solid. The lack of merch to go with the party seemed odd too but I don’t really want to spend more so that will help!
This was a solid master class discussion. Thank you Tom!
Why can’t I get tickets for a jollywood nights…ohh because Tom has tickets for 3 or 4 shows, wtf, disney needs to limit locals so out of staters that spend money can attend these events
It's hard to tell if Tom is simply being contrarian or if he wants everyone to JUST STOP stealing his Eeyore aesthetic. The fact is that Disney hyped the hell out of it, invited the entire vlogosphere and then put up a less-than-impressive event - the result should not be surprising to anyone.
While I think the mention of the word "ethics" is pretty laughable in this context, if you do want to look at it from a jounalistic perspective think of it this way: Theatre and film critics never pay for their tickets, yet they manage to give impartial reviews.
Good point about the theatre and film critics. According to Tom, I guess they are "unethical."
Film and theatre "Critics" very often mark things up or down based on who's performing, who directed, etc etc. Very rarely is any of those reviews truly impartial (you think any human being has absolutely no bias, no preferences, and for some going to more events for free is a very easy motive). You only have to look at rotten tomatoes and look at Critic vs Audience score to see how grossly different it can be and large margins do not come down to opinion, that comes down to critics deciding whether they want to bash something or hype something for reasons other than the actual content. So if anything is laughable here, its your argument.
I would be curious though, to know from Disney hyping it (which any company selling something is going to do) by "less-than-impressive event" what were the actual expectations? What did people expect that didn't happen?
If "going to more events for free" was the goal, wouldn't they have erred on the side of being overly positive about the experience? This gets more laughable by the minute.
I mean, the cost differential is staggering lol
@@WDWNT Between professional theatre tickets and Jollywood nights? Seems like they’re in the same price range to me…
I don’t watch the high profile Disney influencers anymore because they never give an “honest” review. To many of the them now anyway. I try to find the “Mom and Pop” types and watch real people give real advice about these things.
I don’t always agree with your reviews (although the majority of times I do) but this is more down to personal preference and taste. One thing that keeps me coming over and over though is this channel’s undeniable knowledge, current and past, of everything Disney and the real honesty and love for the product.
🙌🙌🙌 great job Tom
I went to Jollywood Nights on the 18th and was very impressed. I agree with you completely Tom. This is not something worth getting up in arms about. I appreciate your honesty on all of this.
I thought it waa worth my money and time!
We were there that night, too! We were the ones dressed up as Muppets Christmas Carol. We had a fabulous time and I highly recommend it! We’re hoping to go again next year :)
I'm so over this knee-jerk reaction stuff. I haven't been to the party myself, but from what I saw of the videos, it looks fine. My YT feed is being flooded with all of this negative clickbait and it's driving me up a wall.
Love you, Tom! Thank you for always keeping things real.
I do wonder how much of the bad experiences by the non-influencers were because of all the influencers, along with the issues that may came along with being the first night of an event that's never been held before.
However, personally speaking, if it takes two or three times having to pay for a special ticket event to see and do most of it, then it is definitely not worth it in my opinion. I don't have an over abundance of cash so I count on honest reviews like Tom's to help me determine whether something is worth the price or not. I appreciate the Tom's reviews. I however do not appreciate the reviews where an influencer is trying to butter up to Disney and says they can't do anything wrong or those that say Disney can't do anything right.
But as with everything Disney, I am hoping that they turn it into something great. Even though it will never compare to the Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights.
Your ethics are the biggest reason why I subscribe to your show. If it's great you let us know. If it's subpar or doesn't meet Disney standards you point that out too. From all the videos I have seen you are very fair and honest. Thank You to you and your crew.
Tom, don't always agree with your opinions/reviews but I do know I can
always get honesty and integrity from your videos. Thanks for that!
There are some things that don't run completely smoothly. But together you can accomplish a lot of them❤️✨✨
"Tom Rants" is my favorite feature He always speaks so honestly and Disney sometimes listens.
His “rants” are refreshing. A lot of us are nodding in agreement at them. It’s disingenuous to “review” Disney and say everything is great. That gives the average new visitor an unattainable goal, especially when they spend their first hour in line just to get inside.
I just want to say….this seemed like one of the best Rants/Honest messages I’ve seen! Bravo Sir!
Most of the reviewers are adults. Disney adults have a very different experience than families (like being able to go to the latest parades and shows). I don't watch videos for reviews. I watch reviews to live vicariously, or curmudgeon humor, whichever is on offer
Your honest opinions are always appreciated Tom.
“I get caught up in my own rant” 😂😂😂
You’re definitely the best Tom, thanks for your knowledge and honesty! 🎉
Thanks for your commitment to the cause. I don't know that I would be doing this while on a Disney cruise.
Tim and Jenn did a really terrific review of JWN. They said you CAN have fun at the event. Great reporting Tom!
Thank you Tom. This rant was definitely needed. My husband & value your opinion.🥰
This is why Tom is our Disney hero.
Get people's who's business is selling Disney out of reviewing Disney!
Bro is throwing wild shade at dfb for no reason
Tom, DFB does not always give gold stars to everything Disney. They are very good at seeing things from different peoples POV.
Well said about the influencers Disney giving them free admission, special treatment etc.
Especially priority over regular guests.
Its despicable behavior.