More details on the upcoming ABC Primetime Special 'The Wonderful World of Disney Magical Holiday Celebration'

Nov 17, 2017 in "Holidays at the Magic Kingdom"

ABC's Primetime Special 'The Wonderful World of Disney Magical Holiday Celebration'
Posted: Friday November 17, 2017 11:55am EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

Merry holiday moments from Disney theme parks around the world and a star-studded cast of entertainers will launch a “25 Days of Christmas” countdown when “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” airs Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, from 9:00–11:00 p.m. EST on The ABC Television Network.

The magical two-hour event will be hosted by Emmy® Award-winner Julianne Hough, multiplatinum recording artist and television personality Nick Lachey, and sports star, broadcast correspondent and commentator Jesse Palmer. The show will give viewers a front-row seat to a Disney Christmas party like no other – a family holiday tradition brimming with colorful lights, snow flurries, memorable music and more. From the Cinderella Castle stage at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Hough and Lachey will perform a spectacular opening number named for the primetime special.

Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel will join fellow “Frozen” star Kristen Bell to perform together for the first time on primetime television. The pair, who voiced the characters of Elsa and Anna in the animated blockbuster, will perform in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park in California accompanied by a 30-voice choir. The two stars of stage and screen will sing “When We’re Together” from the brand-new Walt Disney Animation Studios featurette, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.”

The holiday special’s other unforgettable, wish-come-true moments will include an extraordinary castle lighting extravaganza from Disney theme parks around the world – traveling the globe from California and Florida to Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

A Sneak Peek at New Star Wars– and Toy Story-Themed Lands

The force will be with all who tune in for a sneak peek at Disney’s new Star Wars-themed lands, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opening at both Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2019. The new lands promise adventure on a galactic scale when guests steer the Millennium Falcon on a customized secret mission in one attraction and engage in a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance in another.

From the edge of the galaxy “to infinity and beyond,” viewers will discover Andy’s world in the new Toy Story Land to open next year at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The new family-friendly Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and the Alien Swirling Saucers attraction will join the original Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction to give Woody, Buzz and Andy’s entire toy collection a backyard play land scaled to render park guests seemingly toy-sized.

Musical performances in the primetime special will include:

  • Ciara will perform a joyful Christmas medley, including “Jingle Bells” and “Jingle Bell Rock” from a sparkling Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort.
  • Grammy Award-winning country artist Darius Rucker will sing “Winter Wonderland.”
  • Emmy-nominated actress and singer Lea Michele will be joined by special guest Joey McIntyre to sing the classic holiday duet, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”
  • Multiplatinum-selling group Fifth Harmony will sing “Can You See,” from The Star soundtrack, plus “The Christmas Song.”
  • Fitz and the Tantrums will perform their platinum-certified hit, “HandClap,” and their original Christmas song, “Santa Stole My Lady.”
  • Multi-Grammy-nominated trio Hanson will light up the night singing “Finally It’s Christmas,” from their recently released Christmas album.
  • Boy band In Real Life will sing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
  • Multiplatinum powerhouse Jason Derulo will perform “This Christmas.”

Viewers at Home Will Be Able to “Glow with the Show”

For the first time, viewers will be able to “Glow at Home” during select performances in the holiday special, thanks to the brand new “Made with Magic® 3.0: Connected Ear Hat” and the Shop Disney Parks app. Leveraging Bluetooth® technology, the Shop Disney Parks app enables viewers wearing the new 3.0 edition ear hats at home to sync with the ABC holiday special playing on the viewers’ TVs or other devices. Viewers will feel like they are part of the show.

The app also has a remote-control feature to adjust the ear colors and speed of the strobe – a brand-new feature for the Made with Magic® Ear Hats. If viewers at home don’t have the special edition ear hats, not to worry. The Shop Disney Parks app will allow them to enjoy a second screen experience as their mobile phone comes alive, mirroring the spectacle on-screen during select performances. The Made with Magic® 3.0: Connected Ear Hat and the interactive ear hat remote control feature on the Shop Disney Parks app will both be available Nov. 17.

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MagicHappens1971Nov 29, 2017

Its really interesting to see how many of these floats have been recycled or are still in their original form still in use.

ToTBellHopNov 29, 2017

Solve the Cipher Dessert Party confirmed!

GiveMeTheMusicNov 29, 2017

Maybe the snowglobe was accompanied by one of those serial killer letters with magazine clippings used to spell out "You're going on a cruise with Mickey"

ToTBellHopNov 29, 2017

That was what I watched for lol. Kept skipping the musical acts and feel-good pieces. Granted those feel-good pieces really did involve kids doing amazing things. I would’ve been confused getting a snow globe of the Castle to alert me that I’m getting a free cruise though.

DubmanNov 29, 2017

I feel old as well!! Highlights? Not many, but pretty cool preview of Toy Story Land..

ToTBellHopNov 29, 2017

It’s pretty dreadful. Bunch of teenie boppers I don’t recognize, but that’s Disney Channel. Raven’s still there though. She must be about 55 by now. I feel old.

RteetzNov 29, 2017

The Disney Channel special is on all devices through the DisneyNow app as well.

DubmanNov 29, 2017

Just noticed that the Disney Channel Holiday Special is now available On Demand on Spectrum Cable.. Used to be Time Warner for us.. Also, if you search Disney on the guide they also have videos on Happily Ever After and Rivers Of Light available on Demand as well.. Funny that it says original airdate is 12/1/17 but am watching now, commercial free! https://watch.spectrum.net/product/series/14781827/episodes Can't get direct link Also don't forget ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration Thursday, Nov 30th at 9:00 pm

RSoxNo1Nov 17, 2017

I'm sure the effect will be great for the people that live in my wall.

wdwmagicNov 17, 2017

New Made with Magic 3.0 Connected Ear Hat now available This will work with the ABC specials at home.

wdwmagicNov 17, 2017

More details on the upcoming ABC Primetime Special 'The Wonderful World of Disney Magical Holiday Celebration'

HauntedPirateNov 07, 2017

Nah, those artists don't contribute to Disney's bottom line, and that's all that the former-live-Christmas-Parade-turned-90-minute-pre-recorded-infomercial is about these days.

ToTBellHopNov 07, 2017

Shooting is what I see as breaking news every third day on CNN. I am happy with filming.

wdwmagicNov 07, 2017

New music with 98 degrees and Dancing with the Stars.