Family Vacation’ Cast on Living Their Best Life Amid All the Drama

Summer is here!

The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation cast is letting loose for the back half of Season 5. After a contained trip to Key West, roomies Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Vinny Guadagnino, Deena Nicole Cortese, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, and Angelina Pivarnick are back in their full element, outside the proverbial bubble.

Next, the fam goes a little bit country in El Paso and later ventures without the kids to watch DJ Pauly D do his thing in San Diego. One thing they can’t seem to take a vacation from is the drama as Angelina comes to terms with the fact that her marriage is reaching a breaking point.

We caught up with some of these MTV reality show icons to go into the fun and shenanigans to come.

MTV

During this part of the season, you guys seem to have more freedom to explore — not like in Key West when Angelina was trying to escape producers to shop for some clothes.

Jenni “JWoww” Farley: I actually think because COVID restrictions were lifted a bit more, we do have those freedoms we didn’t have in the Florida Keys. We’re able to explore and fly to other places whereas the Florida Keys was very much a COVID bubble. Now we’re actually able to go into stores, restaurants, and clubs and live our best life. It feels very much like the old Jersey Shore before COVID. We all had an incredible time. Even with the drama.

So that means more traditional meatball days?

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi: Oh yes!

Deena Nicole Cortese: Definitely! I feel like in San Diego we had crazier meatball times. We stayed up very late some nights. It was like our mom’s time, so we really enjoyed it.

MTV

You mentioned the drama. Angelina looks to be at the center of it once again with her marriage on the rocks. How hard is it for you as roommates to be involved?

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino: It hasn’t been easy in the last year or two when it comes to Angelina. You can give all the advice until you are blue in the face. I think this season you get to see how her decisions play out that really do involve all of us.

Jenni, there was a special moment where your fiancé Zack set up a ceremony with your kids to unite you as a family. Did that reaffirm the positives about why you continue to have cameras follow your life? To have those memories captured?

Jenni: It really is a once-in-a-lifetime. You’re able to capture moments you never thought you would. Having that footage and going all the way back to 2009 when we all met each other for the first time — it really is a library of moments that are priceless in my book.

MTV

What are you most excited about this part of the season?

Jenni: A lot of drama.

Nicole: Drama, yes. Also, a lot of drinks. A lot of fun times. It’s just us. It’s pretty much like every season. Drama, fun times. Hopefully, we can do 20 more seasons because I’m ready for it.

Mike: I think it’s a very entertaining season. This was the first season in a year or two that we are able to move freely around the cabin. COVID restrictions have been lifted, and we were able to have room to live our best life. You really feel we are filming the way we normally did before.

MTV

Jenni: The first time we experienced El Paso with the restrictions being lifted was probably one of the best moments.

Mike: Kudos to us, though, because we came through with some amazing content in quarantine. I think we did two or three seasons, which were great. We were nominated for “Show of the Year” those years. Now I think we can get back to business.

Deena: Even walking down the street this time we felt like, “Woah, we haven’t done this in years.” Walking outside instead of being stuck in one place. It was really refreshing this season. Even though there was drama.

When I watch the teaser I see cowboy hats, thrown drinks, and Mike’s hair. It seems like we have a little bit of everything to look forward to.

Deena: We’re bringing it all back.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Season 5 Returns, Thursday, June 23, 8/7c, MTV