Disney Reveals Performer Lineup for ABC's 2025 'The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular'

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Mariah the Scientist Records Performance at Disney's Animal Kingdom for ABC Holiday Special

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Posted: Wednesday November 12, 2025 1:20pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has announced the performer lineup for The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular, airing Monday, December 1, 2025, from 8-10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Now in its 10th year, the two-hour broadcast will include new musical performances filmed at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai'i. The special will once again combine live performances with holiday scenes and moments from across Disney destinations.

Mariah the Scientist Records Performance at Disney's Animal Kingdom for ABC Holiday Special

Performances include the following:

Derek Hough - "We Need a Little Christmas" and "December"
Aloe Blacc - "This Christmas"
Good Charlotte - "Fairytale of New York"
Coco Jones - "Silent Night"
Mariah the Scientist - "Santa Baby"
Bebe Rexha - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
Nicole Scherzinger - "O Holy Night"
Gwen Stefani - "Shake The Snow Globe"
Iam Tongi - "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride"
Trisha Yearwood - "My Favorite Things"

Mariah the Scientist Records Performance at Disney's Animal Kingdom for ABC Holiday Special

Filming for the special has wrapped up at Walt Disney World, where production crews were first spotted at Disney's Animal Kingdom recording Mariah the Scientist's performance at the Tree of Life.

The Holiday Spectacular serves as the kickoff to Disney's annual holiday television events, leading into the 40th Anniversary Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airing Christmas morning on ABC.

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jah49553 days ago

I gave it a chance (at least part way through having it on in the background) .....after avoiding these specials for years for very good reasons. It actually wasn't terrible. Some pleasant surprises. I admit my bias...I doubt I could ever enjoy it nearly as much as the 80s-90s

Comped6 days ago

I'm always annoyed people confuse this film with the much better Scrooge (1970). That film is a classic, and far underappreciated in the US. A good number of people involved in that film have connections to Disney actually (and it's a very good cast too)... Don't watch the Netflix version it's not as good. Very surprised Disney didn't remake it and Netflix did, it would have been a big hit in the UK and Europe. A song I've never heard of and do not want to hear again. I know the classics are overplayed, but there are better Christmas songs that are underexposed in the US. Granted, her voice makes is difficult to not give a pop-ish squelching (which rules out more theatrical songs like from Scrooge as I mentioned above), but God that was not necessary.

larryz6 days ago

I dunno -- I couldn't watch the whole thing...

Ayla6 days ago

I am admittedly not a GS fan, but WTH was that??

Chi846 days ago

No it’s not lol.

larryz6 days ago

Well, here's a little "piece of the action"...

larryz6 days ago

Now we know why they spent the $16 billion dollars -- for backdrops used in the Holiday Specials!

larryz6 days ago

"Talent" is in the eye of the beholder...

larryz6 days ago

This lineup reminds me of the IBC production of The Christmas Carol...

DCBaker6 days ago

Just seeing this - it was available for several hours on Friday and marked private at some point in the afternoon. Here's a new YouTube link to the Holiday Spectacular that airs tonight on ABC - it appears the show will be available starting at 3am ET:

HauntedPirate7 days ago

I’d say most aren’t legacy acts or popular “stars”. But apparently someone with “diverse music taste” knows better. 🙄

Comped8 days ago

I wouldn't call them legacy acts in terms of being huge popular stars (or even very bankable old acts which had a large amount of popularity at one point) - most of them aren't. At least to me.

Mr. Sullivan8 days ago

I am 24 years old and there is exactly one (1) artist in the line up who would hold any relevance to anyone under 30. I know who most of them are because I've got a fairly diverse music taste, but most of these are legacy acts, not anything current or "hip"