Disney Holiday Special Filming Starts Today, and Here’s the Catch

OPEN Brief: Disney holiday special filming kicked off tonight at Walt Disney World, and the cameras move from EPCOT to Magic Kingdom to Hollywood Studios over the next four days. The big draw is a rare daytime run of the Christmas parade at Magic Kingdom on November 10 and 11 at 2 p.m. This OPEN guide covers the full schedule, the parade route, who performed at Disney World in 2025, the rumors for 2026, and why our team would sit this one out.

When Is Disney Holiday Special Filming in 2026?

Disney holiday special filming hits EPCOT on November 9, Magic Kingdom on November 10 and 11, and Hollywood Studios on November 12, 2026.

Filming at EPCOT runs from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. tonight. Magic Kingdom follows on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with parade tapings at 2 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Hollywood Studios gets its turn on Thursday.

Here’s the week at a glance, park by park.

Tonight, EPCOT gets things going with an evening shoot, so expect some areas to fill up near the stage after dinner. On Tuesday, the energy shifts to Magic Kingdom for the main event. If you’re touring EPCOT this week, our EPCOT park guide can help you plan around the busy spots.

How Can You See the Magic Kingdom Parade Taping?

Magic Kingdom’s Christmas parade taping starts at 2 p.m. on November 10 and 11, and anyone with a regular park ticket and reservation can watch.

Normally, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade only runs at night during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which needs its own ticket. On these two days, Magic Kingdom runs it in the afternoon so ABC can film it. Annual Passholder park reservations for November 10 and 11 are already full.

Starting at 2 p.m., the parade follows this route.

1. 1
   Frontierland. The Magic Kingdom parade steps off in Frontierland near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
2. 2
   Liberty Square. Magic Kingdom’s floats roll through Liberty Square next.
3. 3
   Cinderella Castle hub. The Magic Kingdom parade circles the hub in front of Cinderella Castle.
4. 4
   Main Street, U.S.A. Magic Kingdom’s parade finishes its run down Main Street, U.S.A., where most of the cameras usually sit.

For everything else happening at the park this season, see our Magic Kingdom guide.

[Swipe or click arrows to view full gallery]

Is Watching Disney Holiday Filming Worth the Wait?

Disney holiday filming is fun to see once, but OPEN’s team says most guests are better off skipping the parks being filmed this week.

People line up early to grab good spots for filming the parade or watching the performers. That means Main Street, U.S.A. gets crowded and stays crowded on filming days. Expect a lot of standing and waiting, because crews sometimes stop and reset for another take.

OPEN’s team would avoid the parks Disney is filming in this week. Park reservations are already full anyway. If you really want to see it, start planning for 2027. Filming has landed in early to mid-November for the past few years, so book around that window.

Great for TV. Rough for your park day.

Want a calmer holiday night instead? OPEN’s Orlando events coverage lists seasonal options that don’t involve fighting a TV crowd for curb space.

Who Performed in Disney World’s 2025 Holiday Specials?

Walt Disney World hosted Bebe Rexha, Trisha Yearwood, Lady A, Good Charlotte, Coco Jones and Mariah the Scientist for ABC’s 2025 specials.

The Holiday Spectacular aired December 1, 2025, and the Christmas Day Parade aired December 25, 2025. Between the two specials, performances were filmed at all four Disney World parks. Bebe Rexha, Coco Jones and Mariah the Scientist each filmed a song for both specials.

Here’s who sang where at Disney World, sorted by park.

Who Hosted the 2025 Disney Parks Holiday Specials?

Derek Hough hosted the 2025 Holiday Spectacular, and Alfonso Ribeiro and Ginnifer Goodwin hosted the 2025 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.

Derek Hough hosted the Holiday Spectacular and performed “We Need a Little Christmas” and “December.” Ginnifer Goodwin, the voice of Judy Hopps in Zootopia 2, narrated that special.

On Christmas morning, Alfonso Ribeiro hosted the parade for the second year in a row, with Ginnifer Goodwin as co-host. Maia Kealoha, who played Lilo in the live-action Lilo & Stitch, reported from the Magic Kingdom parade route.

When Do the 2026 Disney Holiday Specials Air on ABC?

ABC airs the Disney Holiday Spectacular on November 30 and the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade on December 25, 2026.

Both specials include music filmed at Walt Disney World, and the Christmas Day Parade features this week’s Magic Kingdom parade tapings. Each one streams on Hulu and Disney+ the next day.

Here’s when to tune in.

In Mountain and Pacific time zones, check local listings for the Christmas Day Parade. Its local start time there has usually been 5 a.m.

Rumor Radar

Disney hasn’t announced any performers or hosts for the 2026 specials. Here’s what’s leaked so far, and none of it is confirmed.

• Warren Zeiders at EPCOT: Warren Zeiders was reportedly spotted performing “Mistletoe” with a full band in EPCOT’s World Celebration Gardens tonight. Disney hasn’t confirmed it, and it isn’t clear which special the performance is for.
• Hosts: Disney hasn’t named a 2026 host for either special. Alfonso Ribeiro and Derek Hough hosted in 2025, but neither one has been confirmed to return.
• Hollywood Studios Thursday: Hollywood Studios filming on November 12 has no reported performer yet. Last year’s Hollywood Studios segments were filmed at the Millennium Falcon, so watch Galaxy’s Edge.
• Lineup timing: Disney reportedly shared last year’s full lineup about three weeks before the Holiday Spectacular aired. If that holds, an official 2026 announcement could come any day.

Source: Guest and fan-site reports from EPCOT filming, November 9, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Disney Christmas parade filming at Magic Kingdom in 2026?

Magic Kingdom tapes the Christmas parade for ABC on Tuesday, November 10, and Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 2 p.m. both days.

Can regular guests watch the Disney holiday special filming?

Yes. Magic Kingdom’s daytime parade taping is open to guests with regular park tickets and reservations, but Annual Passholder reservations for November 10 and 11 are full.

Who performed at Disney World for the 2025 holiday specials?

Walt Disney World’s 2025 performers were Bebe Rexha at Magic Kingdom, Trisha Yearwood and Lady A at EPCOT, Good Charlotte and Coco Jones at Hollywood Studios, and Coco Jones and Mariah the Scientist at Animal Kingdom.

When does the 2026 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade air?

The Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airs on ABC on Friday, December 25, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. CT) and streams the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

Status Brief

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