Meet ‘Ollie’ The Gingerbread Man and His New Jollywood Nights 2024 Merchandise. Last year was the first year for a brand new extra-ticketed holiday event at Hollywood Studios called Jollywood Nights. While we happened to be there on opening night for a media preview of the event, things were not looking as great as they could have been. Longer than expected lines, food ran out, and the entertainment was packed in with long wait times.
But that was opening night, and by the second and continuing on for the rest of the dates last year Disney Entertainment and Parks did a complete turnaround and made Jollywood Night a success that we all have come to expect from a holiday party. It did have to live up to its own standards of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. They added more showtimes, fixed the lines and waits, added more characters, and learned on the job how to make the fans happy.
That is why we are very excited about this year’s Jollywood Nights return. While we wait for November 9th, 2024, for opening night, we can all learn a little bit about Disney World’s newest character ‘Ollie’ and check out some of the new merchandise coming to this year’s holiday party.
Are you planning to ring in the season at Disney Jollywood Nights in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? For the very first time, we invite you to take the Tinseltown magic of this special holiday celebration home with a full merchandise collection including apparel, accessories, home décor, collectibles, and a pin — all decorated with festive artwork featuring our favorite jolly gingerbread man, Ollie!
Some of you may be wondering: who is Ollie? To answer this question, I sat down with Justin Dring, Concept Artist for Disney Live Entertainment, and the rest of the creative team that brought Ollie to life. Here’s what I learned about Ollie’s origins:
Last year, this adorable new holiday character was introduced at Disney Jollywood Nights. He’s a talented and energetic gingerbread man who brings his own festive cheer to this glamorous event, inspired by the golden age and aspirations of Tinseltown.
The Disney Live Entertainment creative team behind Ollie wanted to capture the classic aesthetic of mid-century holiday cards and 1940s-1950s advertisement illustration. This vintage style, with its timeless elegance and vibrant charm, perfectly complements the glitzy theme of the event.
The team also drew inspiration for Ollie from their personal holiday traditions, adding a layer of warmth and authenticity to the project. For Justin, holidays revolve around baking sweets and gingerbread cookies using his grandmother’s cherished recipes. This heartwarming tradition and the familial spirit of the holidays is exactly the sentiment the team sought to infuse into the event.
Every aspect of Ollie’s design, from the optimistic twinkle in his eyes to his stylish holiday attire and star-quality hair, was meticulously crafted to encapsulate the whimsy and cheer of the holiday season while complementing the artistic flair of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
But Ollie’s story is far from over. As his journey continues to unfold, we invite our guests and fans to stay tuned for more sweet updates and to indulge in the magic of Ollie at Disney Jollywood Nights.
Speaking of sweet updates: who wants to see all the new holly jolly Ollie items? The Spirit Jersey has a fun, all-over pattern featuring Ollie in his Jollywood best. A “Happy Ollie Days 2024” (we do love a good pun here!) retro graphic can be found on the front of the Spirit Jersey, while the event logo is displayed across the back.
If you’d prefer to take home a tee, be sure to grab this graphic tee featuring Ollie on a Sunset Boulevard stroll. These items go perfectly with the event-exclusive Lug bag, great for holding all your park party essentials!
The ear headband features Ollie as plush, embroidered ears with satin bow ties. The event marquee is on the top of the headband with “2024” written down the side to mark the year that you visited our holiday party.
The mug has a retro-inspired, diner silhouette with images of Ollie and the event logo. This is the perfect mug for a cup of hot cocoa paired with your Jollywood Nights marshmallows, courtesy of Wondermade, which will be provided upon exit and are included in your ticket.
If you’re looking to bring a little bit of holiday cheer to your own Christmas tree, this picture-perfect ornament is the souvenir for you. And if you’re building your pin collection, you cannot leave the party without an Ollie trading pin.
This event assortment can be found in Stage 1 Company Store during this year’s event. These items are exclusive to party guests, so be sure to get your tickets now and come ready to shop this holiday season. To purchase tickets for Disney Jollywood Nights, happening on select nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, visit DisneyWorld.com/Jollywood.
I can’t wait to see you at the party! Happy Ollie-days!
