Each year, starting with Thanksgiving morning, ABC and the Disney Channel, air three holiday specials featuring and filmed in Disney Parks and locations around the world. We’ve learned more details about this year’s specials (which are taping right now in Disney World).
The first special, The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration, hosted by Matthew Morrison, Emma Bunton, and Jesse Palmer airs Thanksgiving Day, November 28 from 8:00 to 10:00 pm EST on ABC and on the ABC app.
The special will share scenes from Disney World and Disneyland and feature musical performances, and a behind-the-scenes look at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, opening in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge December 5, 2019 in Hollywood Studios and January 17, 2020 in Disneyland.
Musical performances include the following:
- GRAMMY® Award-winning icons Sting and Shaggy perform duets and solo numbers from Disney World, 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.
- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning group Pentatonix will sing a cappella renditions of “Deck the Halls” and “Here Comes Santa Claus” from Disney World.
- Singers Ingrid Michaelson and Andy Grammer perform an all-new original holiday song from Disneyland.
- International pop star Ally Brooke sings “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” from Disney World.
- Singer-songwriter and TV host Emma Bunton (‘Baby Spice’), performs “Santa Baby” from Disney World.
- The Tony, Emmy, and two-time Golden Globe -nominated artist Matthew Morrison performs a medley from Disney World of “When You Wish Upon A Star” from the upcoming album “Disney Dreamin’ with Matthew Morrison” and the classic “Let it Snow.”
- Two-time Billboard-Award winning electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling pulls all the strings for “Carol of the Bells” from Disney World.
December’s Friday the 13th will be Merry with the airing of Disney Channel Holiday Party @ Walt Disney World from 8:00 to 8:30 pm EST/PST on Disney Channel and the DisneyNOW app. This special will be hosted by Disney Channel’s “ZOMBIES 2” stars Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim and will include musical performances from Disney World and the Disney Fantasy. We will be treated to a first look at Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway coming to Hollywood Studios in 2020 and Disneyland “in the future”. Viewers will also get an exclusive preview of the Disney Channel Original Movie sequel “ZOMBIES 2,” premiering on Disney Channel in 2020.
Musical performances include the following:
- Disney Channel’s “ZOMBIES 2” star Meg Donnelly sings “Home for the Holidays” from Disney World.
- Disney Channel stars Issac Ryan Brown (”Raven’s Home”) and Ruby Rose Turner (”Coop & Cami Ask the World”) perform “12 Days of Christmas” from Disney World.
- 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 Disney World.
- Two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning reggae star Shaggy sings “Jamaican Drummer Boy” from Disney World.
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airs Christmas Day from 10:00 am to 12 pm. EST, 9:00 to 11:00 am CST/MST/PST; airtimes vary, check listings, on ABC and on the ABC app. The annual Christmas Day show is hosted by Matthew Morrison, Emma Bunton, and Jesse Palmer. Co-hosts include ABC’s “black-ish” star Marsai Martin with Disney’s “The Lion King” star JD McCrary, who voiced young Simba in the live-action film.
This special will include the Christmas Day Parade down Main Street U.S.A. and is taped in Disney World and Disneyland. Park previews will include a look at Avengers Campus coming to California Adventure in 2020.
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 Disney World.
- Two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning reggae star Shaggy sings his new Caribbean-flavored original song “Christmas with Friends” from Disney World.
- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning a cappella group Pentatonix performs “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” from Disney World.
- Singers Ingrid Michaelson and Grace VanderWaal sing “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” from Disneyland.
- GRAMMY® Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man performs “White Christmas” and “Feel it Still” from Disneyland.
- International pop star Ally Brooke performs “Christmas Through Your Eyes” from Disney World.
- The cast of the new Disney+ original “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” performs a medley from Disneyland.
Which special will you be watching? Let us know in the comments!
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