The magic of your favorite Disney theme park will be feature in three new holiday TV specials this year. ABC and the Disney Channel have lined up some of today’s biggest stars and most-popular musical acts to deliver the holiday spirit direct to your television.
Performers to include Sting, Shaggy, Portugal. The Man, Pentatonix, Andy Grammer, Ingrid Michaelson, Ally Brooke, Meg Donnelly, Grace VanderWaal, Lindsey Stirling, and more.
During the specials, viewers will get exclusive looks at upcoming Disney Parks attractions, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, opening soon at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.
ABC officially kicks off the holidays with “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration,“ Thursday, Nov. 28 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC; followed by “Disney Channel Holiday Party @ Walt Disney World,“ premiering Friday, Dec. 13 (8:00-8:30 p.m. EST), on Disney Channel and in the DisneyNOW app. As part of the annual tradition, the “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” airs Christmas morning, Wednesday, Dec. 25 (10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST, 9:00-11:00 a.m. CST/MST/PST; airtimes vary, check listings, on ABC and on the ABC app).
“The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” kicks off the holiday season Thursday, Nov. 28, from 8:00-10:00 p.m. EST, on ABC and on the ABC app. Join hosts artist Matthew Morrison, singer-songwriter and TV host Emma Bunton, and TV host Jesse Palmer as they present the two-hour prime-time special on Thanksgiving night from Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort in California. This magical celebration will feature celebrity musical performances among a flurry of Disney holiday entertainment. During the prime-time special, viewers will be treated to several Disney Parks sneak peeks, including a behind-the-scenes look into Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, opening in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park in California.
Musical performances include the following:
- Grammy Award-winning icons Sting and Shaggy perform duets and solo numbers from Walt Disney World Resort, including a new festive reggae version of “Silent Night (Christmas is Coming).”
- Grammy Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man performs “Happy Christmas” and “Merry Christmas Everybody” from Disneyland Resort.
- Three-time Grammy Award-winning group Pentatonix will sing a cappella renditions of “Deck the Halls” and “Here Comes Santa Claus” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Singers Ingrid Michaelson and Andy Grammer perform an all-new original holiday song from Disneyland Resort.
- International pop star Ally Brooke sings “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Singer-songwriter and TV host Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) performs “Santa Baby” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- The Tony, Emmy and two-time Golden Globe-nominated artist Matthew Morrison performs a medley from Walt Disney World Resort of “When You Wish Upon A Star” from the upcoming album “Disney Dreamin’ with Matthew Morrison” and the classic “Let it Snow.”
- Acclaimed two-time Billboard Award-winning electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling pulls all the strings for “Carol of the Bells” from Walt Disney World Resort.
“Disney Channel Holiday Party Walt Disney World“ airs Friday, Dec. 13, from 8:00-8:30 p.m. EST/PST, on Disney Channel and in the DisneyNOW app. Disney Channel’s “Zombies 2” stars Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim will co-host this holiday party with artist Matthew Morrison, treating fans to a magical holiday celebration featuring performances from Shaggy, Pentatonix and Disney Channel stars Issac Ryan Brown (“Raven’s Home“), Ruby Rose Turner (“Coop & Cami Ask the World”) and Kylie Cantrall (“Gabby Duran & The Unsittables”) broadcast from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and aboard the majestic Disney Fantasy – part of the Disney Cruise Line fleet. During the special, viewers will enjoy exclusive Disney Parks sneak peeks, including a first look at Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida in spring 2020 and Disneyland Park in California in the future. Viewers will also get an exclusive look at the Disney Channel Original Movie sequel “Zombies 2,” premiering on Disney Channel in 2020. Additionally, “BUNK’D” stars Scarlett Estevez and Israel Johnson will host a special family segment highlighting the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program.
Musical performances include the following:
- Disney Channel’s “Zombies 2” star Meg Donnelly sings “Home for the Holidays” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Disney Channel stars Issac Ryan Brown (”Raven’s Home”) and Ruby Rose Turner (”Coop & Cami Ask the World”) perform “12 Days of Christmas” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Disney Channel’s “Gabby Duran & The Unsittables” star Kylie Cantrall performs “Santa Claus is Coming to Town“ aboard the Disney Fantasy.
- Three-time Grammy Award-winning Pentatonix performs an a cappella rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Two-time Grammy Award-winning reggae star Shaggy sings “Jamaican Drummer Boy” from Walt Disney World Resort.
“Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” airs Wednesday, Dec. 25, from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST, 9:00-11:00 a.m. CST/MST/PST; airtimes vary, check listings, on ABC and on the ABC app. Disney’s annual Christmas celebration airs Christmas morning on ABC hosted by artist Matthew Morrison, singer-songwriter and TV host Emma Bunton, and TV host Jesse Palmer. Joining as co-hosts are ABC’s “black-ish” star Marsai Martin with Hollywood Records Artist and Disney’s “The Lion King” star JD McCrary, who voiced young Simba in the live-action film. Presented from Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort in California, the show features the Christmas Day Parade down Main Street U.S.A., heartwarming stories and amazing celebrity performances. Among the exclusive Disney Parks sneak peeks planned for this special are Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida in spring 2020 and Disneyland Park in California in the future, plus Avengers Campus coming to Disney California Adventure Park in California in 2020. Viewers will also get a special look at “the most magical flight on earth”: the newly opened Disney Skyliner gondola system, connecting Walt Disney World Resort guests to two Disney theme parks and four resorts, including the new Disney’s Riviera Resort, opening Dec. 16.
Musical performances include the following:
- Seventeen-time Grammy Award-winning Sting performs “Soul Cake” off his platinum-selling album “If On A Winter’s Night…” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Two-time Grammy Award-winning reggae star Shaggy sings his new Caribbean-flavored original song “Christmas with Friends” from Walt Disney World Resort
- Three-time Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Pentatonix performs “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Singers Ingrid Michaelson and Grace VanderWaal sing “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” from Disneyland Resort.
- Grammy Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man performs “White Christmas” and “Feel it Still” from Disneyland Resort.
- International pop star Ally Brooke performs “Christmas Through Your Eyes” from Walt Disney World Resort.
- The cast of the new Disney+ original “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” performs a high-energy medley from Disneyland Resort.
The Disney holiday specials are appointment TV for so many Disney fans across the country who don’t have the good fortune to make it to a Disney theme park this holiday season. They’ve become a tradition in our house. How about yours?