Credit: DisneyChristmas morning is only 5-sleeps away! We hope your holiday shopping is done or nearing completion. Next up, prepping for the magical morning. For our crew, that means our traditional Christmas breakfast of waffles and strawberries topped with fresh whipped cream (yummm!) and the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade playing in the background while we open gifts.
So, set some reminders on your calendars because this year’s Christmas Day special is chock-full of magic and special performances you don’t want to miss. Plus, if you can’t BE at Disney for Christmas, bring Disney to your living room!
This year’s lineup includes hosts 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.
With Cinderella Castle and Sleeping Beauty Castle in the background from each coast in Florida and California, this year’s parade tradition will delight viewers as it travels down Main Street U.S.A.
Viewers will also get to enjoy sneak peeks at upcoming attractions and experiences like 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.
During the special, musical performances include:
- 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 Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade will be airing Wednesday, Dec. 25, from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST, 9:00-11:00 a.m. CST/MST/PST. For your local airtime schedules, check the listings on ABC and on the ABC app.
Will you be watching this Christmas morning tradition with us? Let us know in the comments where you’ll be watching form and what other Christmas traditions you celebrate with your family!