Jingle Bell Jingle Bam?

[Jazzerfan]

My daughter and I are going Dec. 12-17 for a girls birthday trip. I never experienced the dessert party and was thinking of trying this. We are at Epcot that day and have lunch/candlelight processional package for 5pm show. If I booked the dessert party for 6:30pm would we have enough time to enjoy the processional and then head over to Hollywood Studios? When does the actual dessert party and fireworks start?
Just curious - feedback please?

 

[yulilin3]

My daughter and I are going Dec. 12-17 for a girls birthday trip. I never experienced the dessert party and was thinking of trying this. We are at Epcot that day and have lunch/candlelight processional package for 5pm show. If I booked the dessert party for 6:30pm would we have enough time to enjoy the processional and then head over to Hollywood Studios? When does the actual dessert party and fireworks start?
Just curious - feedback please?

CP is about 45 minutes long, you can leave through International Gateway and walk (this is the fastest alternative) or take a boat over
The JBJB dessert party takes place int he courtyard of the Chinese Theater

 

[missthatgator]

We were at the first jingle bell jingle bam last Thursday. I honestly wasn’t expecting much because I’d heard a lot of poor reviews from last year’s show - but we all loved it!

I would definitely do that over Fantasmic but i’ve honestly never been a big fan of Fantasmic so I’m pretty biased

 

[eeyoresmom]

I haven't seen JBJB but I've heard and read several reviews that it is much improved this year. Wondering myself if this and just walking around HS is worth an evening of a very short trip.

 

[Scoobie]

Where is a good place to watch this from if your not doing the dessert party? We were going to have dinner at 5:00 then catch this, but decided to have dinner after so we can find a spot early enough (whatever that is!). We will be watching it Dec. 22nd, should be busy. Would an hour be enough time to find a good spot? TIA!

 

[bryanb]

2017 JBJB

I didn't watch the entire thing. Will be going at the end of the month and was trying to decide between JBJB or Fantasmic. I've seen Fantasmic at DL BUT...I lost interest partway through that video and the fact that Fantasmic has seating and that we'll be there (where JBJB plays) for the Star Wars show late that night is swaying me toward Fantasmic. But I was considering JBJB because it's seasonal.

In defense of Fantasmic, the YouTube videos don't do it justice. You definitely have to see it in person. (And in off-topic defense of the Disneyland version of Fantasmic, it's amazing even without bleachers. The transformation of Frontierland and New Orleans Square, with the show rising up on the Rivers of America create this incredible atmosphere there. The whole area becomes part of the story... including some ships that were plying the waters during the daytime.)

I haven't seen JBJB but I've heard and read several reviews that it is much improved this year. Wondering myself if this and just walking around HS is worth an evening of a very short trip.

I'm glad to hear that JBJB is improved this year. I watched it last year and was quite disappointed. The show was oddly paced and drawn out. We had a really great spot for the show, but if you didn't stand in exactly the right place in front of the theater, you would miss out on the scope of the projections. Definitely one of the weaker fireworks shows... so hopefully they have improved it.

 

[SueM in MN]

My sister and I saw JBJB on November 10.
We were kind of underwhelmed. The ‘story’ of the show was Prep & Landing and looking for ‘the Big Guy’. We are not that familiar with those characters and the segments with them were dull to us because of that.
Except for the Nightmare Before Christmas segment, the rest didn’t seem to have much to do with story, but just seemed kind of random.
We were just to the left and behind the large speaker towers, which meant we could not see the whole sweep of the show. I was glad to have seen it once, but would probably not go out of my way to see it again.

On the other hand, we really liked the Christmas projection show on Tower of Terror. The entrance to the street was jammed, but once you got past that, it was fine and not real crammed. We liked that it repeated, so you could watch as many times and in as many places as you wanted. I would see that again.

 

[slpeters]

We really enjoyed it--but we did the dessert party and thought the array of holiday cocktails were really good and really took advantage of them. So we may have been particularly easy to please by the time the show started.

 

[tinkerpea]

Anyone experience the JBJB Dessert Party? Would love a review... to know what to expect re: seating location, viewing location, etc.!

I also want to know, they have a few dates still available for our December dates but as there is t of us I want to make sure it's worth it, I felt the starwars one was chaotic and lacking

 

[slpeters]

I also want to know, they have a few dates still available for our December dates but as there is t of us I want to make sure it's worth it, I felt the starwars one was chaotic and lacking

We did the party and really liked it. The party took place right up front in the courtyard of the Chinese theater. We had photos with Santa Goofy, a Christmas ornament souvenir and the little glasses that transform the lights. The food was quite good and involved savory options as well (cheese dip with pretzel bread sticks and spinach dip). We ended up seated with a couple who were actually really fascinating. The cocktail selection was seriously good--all five of them. For us that turned out to be the main "value"--if you didn't partake in that I suppose there would be less value but I think it would still be great. The party area was not particularly crowded and the bartenders were working it. The viewing area was up front but just far enough back to have good perspective. I don't think they could have come up with a better area. Many people sat for the show (on the ground, no chairs), some stood. We had a really wonderful evening of it.

 

[FastPasser.]

I want to make sure it's worth it

What would you like to hear that would make you sure it's worth it?

 

[slpeters]

I was discussing the JBJB show with dh last night and we both agreed that if we had to skip one of the night time shows at DHS it would be Fantasmic! if that sets the bar any more precisely. On the other hand we would also definitely put Rivers of Light over Fantasmic! so maybe we just didn't really care for Fantasmic!

 

[tinkerpea]

What would you like to hear that would make you sure it's worth it?

Whether the food selection was decent, if their is allocated seating instead of having to try and find somwhere like the starwars one.
If you get enough time to actually enjoy if, and get your monies worth of the desserts and drinks.
Starwars you was rushed out after an hour, and most of that is spent queuing for drinks!

 

[tinkerpea]

We did the party and really liked it. The party took place right up front in the courtyard of the Chinese theater. We had photos with Santa Goofy, a Christmas ornament souvenir and the little glasses that transform the lights. The food was quite good and involved savory options as well (cheese dip with pretzel bread sticks and spinach dip). We ended up seated with a couple who were actually really fascinating. The cocktail selection was seriously good--all five of them. For us that turned out to be the main "value"--if you didn't partake in that I suppose there would be less value but I think it would still be great. The party area was not particularly crowded and the bartenders were working it. The viewing area was up front but just far enough back to have good perspective. I don't think they could have come up with a better area. Many people sat for the show (on the ground, no chairs), some stood. We had a really wonderful evening of it.

Fab review thanks, we have done frozen one starwars when it was starwars days.and the start wars fireworks one last year which we thought was Terrible.
Hopefully this will make up for it

 

[FastPasser.]

Whether the food selection was decent

Based on guest feedback, my sense is that it's more than decent.

if their is allocated seating instead of having to try and find somwhere like the starwars one.

It's totally different. Tables are preassigned, so you have a table long before you arrive and you have seating.

If you get enough time to actually enjoy if, and get your monies worth of the desserts and drinks.

Basing your decision on whether or not you can eat and drink $79 worth probably will not work out. The price is based on what it costs Disney and also on the fact that it's a unique Disney experience.

Starwars you was rushed out after an hour

The dessert parties at Epcot and DHS are all about the same length. You have, at most, an hour and fifteen minutes before you're required to vacate the venue.

most of that is spent queuing for drinks!

That's not usually the case at the Star Wars party or at the JBJB party.

 

[hertamaniac]

A very good show now that the fireworks have been expanded/added. Overall, DHS has really transformed into a great holiday location at night.

 

[slpeters]

Whether the food selection was decent, if their is allocated seating instead of having to try and find somwhere like the starwars one.
If you get enough time to actually enjoy if, and get your monies worth of the desserts and drinks.
Starwars you was rushed out after an hour, and most of that is spent queuing for drinks!

We arrived at the time listed (so we had 75 minutes) and I think we were seriously the last people to arrive, so if you wanted more time apparently you could get it. We liked the food (both the savory and sweet selections) and probably (a little embarrassed to admit this) had about eight rounds of drinks--we're big guys, what can I say. OK, I'm a big guy and my husband's Irish. Anytime either of us would get up we would stop by the bar and pick up one for each of us. At one point I think we both ended up at the bar with different bartenders at the same time and still each picked up a round. There were two bartenders and they were movin'--I think I waited behind one person once, otherwise it was just walk up. Everyone had assigned times to see Santa Goofy so you didn't have to wait for that either. We had time to eat, drink, drink some more and still have a fascinating conversation with our tablemates. They were sort of middle aged (so slightly older than us) and I initially thought they were going to be a bit stodgy but once we got to talking it turns out they travel all over the country to comic cons and she makes all their costumes which were amazing. And they ended up showing us the pictures of all the times they met John Barrymore. The party was extremely well organized. We never felt rushed and frankly if we sat in a bar and ordered the drinks we had (which of course we would never do--actually I don't think we ever would sit in a bar and order that much, but hey it's a vacation) it would have cost more than the ticket. We thought it was great value!

 

[Best Aunt]

We arrived at the time listed (so we had 75 minutes) and I think we were seriously the last people to arrive, so if you wanted more time apparently you could get it. We liked the food (both the savory and sweet selections) and probably (a little embarrassed to admit this) had about eight rounds of drinks--we're big guys, what can I say. OK, I'm a big guy and my husband's Irish. Anytime either of us would get up we would stop by the bar and pick up one for each of us. At one point I think we both ended up at the bar with different bartenders at the same time and still each picked up a round. There were two bartenders and they were movin'--I think I waited behind one person once, otherwise it was just walk up. Everyone had assigned times to see Santa Goofy so you didn't have to wait for that either. We had time to eat, drink, drink some more and still have a fascinating conversation with our tablemates. They were sort of middle aged (so slightly older than us) and I initially thought they were going to be a bit stodgy but once we got to talking it turns out they travel all over the country to comic cons and she makes all their costumes which were amazing. And they ended up showing us the pictures of all the times they met John Barrymore. The party was extremely well organized. We never felt rushed and frankly if we sat in a bar and ordered the drinks we had (which of course we would never do--actually I don't think we ever would sit in a bar and order that much, but hey it's a vacation) it would have cost more than the ticket. We thought it was great value!

Best trip report ever.

 

[tinkerpea]

Based on guest feedback, my sense is that it's more than decent.
It's totally different. Tables are preassigned, so you have a table long before you arrive and you have seating.
Basing your decision on whether or not you can eat and drink $79 worth probably will not work out. The price is based on what it costs Disney and also on the fact that it's a unique Disney experience.
The dessert parties at Epcot and DHS are all about the same length. You have, at most, an hour and fifteen minutes before you're required to vacate the venue.
That's not usually the case at the Star Wars party or at the JBJB party.

I'm pleased that's not been your experience of the starwars party's we've done a few now, and the ones that are held inside the starwars area, have been exactly like I described ..no places free to put food and drinks, we had to ask them to open up a reserved for disabled table both times., ( we're not the only ones who have found getting a table a problem.) And the drinks lines have been ridiculous..
I don't expect to eat 79 worth of food and drink, but like I said at the starwars ones we got very little.

Anyway I've booked it now. Based on others reviews.

 

[tinkerpea]

We arrived at the time listed (so we had 75 minutes) and I think we were seriously the last people to arrive, so if you wanted more time apparently you could get it. We liked the food (both the savory and sweet selections) and probably (a little embarrassed to admit this) had about eight rounds of drinks--we're big guys, what can I say. OK, I'm a big guy and my husband's Irish. Anytime either of us would get up we would stop by the bar and pick up one for each of us. At one point I think we both ended up at the bar with different bartenders at the same time and still each picked up a round. There were two bartenders and they were movin'--I think I waited behind one person once, otherwise it was just walk up. Everyone had assigned times to see Santa Goofy so you didn't have to wait for that either. We had time to eat, drink, drink some more and still have a fascinating conversation with our tablemates. They were sort of middle aged (so slightly older than us) and I initially thought they were going to be a bit stodgy but once we got to talking it turns out they travel all over the country to comic cons and she makes all their costumes which were amazing. And they ended up showing us the pictures of all the times they met John Barrymore. The party was extremely well organized. We never felt rushed and frankly if we sat in a bar and ordered the drinks we had (which of course we would never do--actually I don't think we ever would sit in a bar and order that much, but hey it's a vacation) it would have cost more than the ticket. We thought it was great value!

Brilliant thattahsts what I was after, and it's incredibly helpful..we absolutely loved the frozen one we did a few years ago, and the starwars premiem party ..but didn't enjoy the starwars fireworks dessert party at all .

This sounds far better organised then that.
I managed to book for the 5 of us, last night as for our dates they are sold out the whole two wks bar one night.