ABC and Disney Parks announce details for the holiday specials airing on ABC and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu

Nov 16, 2022 in "Holidays at the Magic Kingdom"

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'The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration' 2022

Posted: Wednesday November 16, 2022 4:$7pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Derek Hough and Julianne Hough return as hosts for ABC’s festive annual special “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration,” Sunday, Nov. 27 (8-10 p.m. ET), and will be joined by co-hosts, Freeform’s Sherry Cola (“Good Trouble”) and Marcus Scribner (“grown-ish”) as they host “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade,” Sunday, Dec. 25 (10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET/7-9 a.m. PT).

'The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration' 2022

“The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” will air on ABC and stream next day on Hulu and Disney+. “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” will air on ABC, stream live on Hulu to all subscribers.

The specials, filmed from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California, will feature musical performances of holiday classics and cheerful new hits, showcase heartwarming family stories, and offer sneak peeks at what’s new around The Walt Disney Company. Plus, Freeform’s Trevor Jackson (“grown-ish”) will musical perform aboard the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Wish and a sneak peek at the highly anticipated upcoming major motion picture “Avatar: The Way of Water,” only in theaters on Dec. 16, 2022.

Musical performances for “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” include the following:

Derek Hough and Julianne Hough – “Such a Night,” “My Favorite Things,” “I Gotta Feeling” medley
Becky G – “Frosty The Snowman” and “What Christmas Means to Me” with Chloe Flower and Ne-Yo
Black Eyed Peas – “A Cold Christmas” and “I Gotta Feeling”
Chloe Flower – “Carol of the Bells” and “What Christmas Means to Me” with Ne-Yo and Becky G
David Foster and Katharine McPhee – “Jingle Bell Rock”
Il Volo – “Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)”
Jordin Sparks – “Trapmas Medley”
Maren Morris – “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
Meghan Trainor – “Here Comes Santa Claus” and “Made You Look” medley
Ne-Yo – “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” and “What Christmas Means to Me” with Chloe Flower and Becky G
Run DMC – “Christmas in Hollis”

In addition to the parade, musical performances for “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” include the following:

Derek Hough and Julianne Hough – “Officially Christmas”
Black Eyed Peas – “Carol of the Bells”
Chloe Flower – “A Liberace Christmas”
David Foster and Katharine McPhee – “Blue Christmas” and “Grown Up Christmas List”
Maren Morris – “When You Wish Upon a Star”
Meghan Trainor – “My Kind of Present”
Ne-Yo – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
Il Volo – “Happy Christmas (War is Over)”

Discuss on the Forums

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ppete1975Nov 20, 2022

Did they all have coats on pretending it was cold 😉

solidyneNov 19, 2022

Really? Can't pronounce them? Which one? Il Volo? I have zero interest in any of these except (maybe) David Foster, but they certainly are pronounceable. Good one! You actually had me for a minute!

Cmdr_CrimsonNov 19, 2022

I don't think you were meant to...😆

JMcMahonEsqNov 19, 2022

Dear Disney, As someone who is not in the Twighlight of their life, and has children at home who are actually kids, we all DO care about new singers who are relevant today and still releasing music and are on contemporary TV, and not old timers who our parents and grandparents watched. We also have absolutely no interest in seeing really old Disney shorts. Like Werther's Originals maybe grandpa liked black and white steamboat willy, but young kids and young adults certainly don't. Oh, maybe Cousin Karen likes some of the old shorts...which are readily available on Disney Plus, and online, and don't need to be on a network slot geared for a younger audience. As to Disney Rides, we love Disney Rides...that's why we go to Disney. But unless it's a new ride or maybe a new Christmas overlay, there is no need to just show us a few old rides. Every ride at WDW has at least 40 youtube walk throughs that show off the ride. Every kid who loves Disney is able to watch them on their smartphones or tablets. Also many families have taken their own videos on their own phones of them riding the rides together. We would all much rather watch ourselves riding rides together as opposed to other families. But if you have a couple good clips of Tron almost being ready, or maybe Guardians to show why we need to get down there soon to ride these new features, definitely show those. Maybe a couple minutes about the new Moanna and/or Villians parks would be good, as between jobs, kids, school schedules, sports schedules, and lives, we don't get the chance to go to D23 conventions or monitor message boards for Disney news. If there is a good parade, we wouldn't mind seeing it. Although I admit we generally sit around and watch a parade when we are in the parks. Most of the time our younger kids don't want to be sitting still for 15-20 minutes to watch a full length parade, but if you got one that we can see the highlights for it, it would be great. Sincerely, Target Demographic No. 123 PS. Who is pluto? Is he one of the Trolls in Frozen? Or is he going to be a new character in Moanna 2 that your going to be announcing?

Brer PantherNov 19, 2022

I remember nothing about the one from 2021.

TrippedUpNov 19, 2022

I was also there that day and did *not* find it neat. The stage and scissor lifts blocked pictures/views of the castle. The audience was all extras, so it wasnt like you could maybe get on TV, and the announcers were doing chitchat on the PA system all night that was a big immersion breaker for me. The rear of the castle was not lit. Considering I didnt get a break on the ticket price for the reduced offering, I found it pretty frusterating.

Dj CoronaNov 19, 2022

I was there last Sunday when they were filming it at MK, it was pretty neat. Probably not so much for the cast members, because it was still going strong at closing time.

HauntedPirateNov 17, 2022

You know what's interesting? Those live Christmas Day parades in the 80's were actually a draw for people. "Oh, look at how beautiful it is there! 81 degrees?? Maybe we should think about booking a trip next year." Not that they need the advertising these days, but you get my point. I believe I was there for a few days in the 80's (I think I have a non-winning prize giveaway ticket from the 15th anniversary from that week somewhere) but don't recall crowd levels. ETA: Found my old 3-day World Passport, stamped December 19, 20, and 28, 1986. Not going to look for the 15th giveaway ticket now. :)

HauntedPirateNov 17, 2022

And it's only 2 of the 3 original members of Run DMC, since Jam Master Jay was murdered 20 years ago. :(

The ColonelNov 17, 2022

I'm just thankful they haven't canceled Christmas yet. Too much money to be lost I guess. We put it on and glance at it occasionally- with the sound very low. The last one I enjoyed was NPH.

ppete1975Nov 17, 2022

Here are some more examples...

ppete1975Nov 17, 2022

Dear Disney, I dont care about the newest singer or the Houghs singing in front of a disney attraction. Why not show disney shorts, including the really old ones? Then add in a host walking the disney parks and showing you a few rides. Then fill in the rest with the amazing parades, characters and/or fireworks. Heck ill even take the candlelight processional. Those are uniquely Disney, and will make you money. Nobody gives a darn about NEEYo singing in front of space ship earth. Sincerely, Your meal ticket. PS say hi to pluto for me

HauntedPirateNov 17, 2022

Sounds like the usual uninspired, corporate, insipid crap they put out these days. The live versions of the Christmas parade were the best and most festive. Even when they taped the Christmas parade back in the early to mid 2000’s, they were good (we were there for a taping in 2002, I remember The Wiggles being there and performing). Since Iger, it’s nothing more than a long infomercial with some B/C-list acts performing awful versions of songs. Case in point: What does the new Avatar movie have to do with Christmas? This formerly-unfavorable curmudgeon’s recommendation is to skip these and spend time with your family instead. Maybe watch an old recorded Christmas parade, like one linked above. 😂

KingoglowNov 17, 2022

I am getting old. Apart from Run DMC, I don't know who any of those names are, and some of them I can't even pronounce. I don't think I will be tuning into this when my family comes for the holidays. But not everything is for me. /Shrug. I am just a paying customer.