ABC recorded the 2025 Christmas Day Parade at Walt Disney World last month, before the holiday season officially started. For each of the last 3 years, I’ve spent the filming day in Magic Kingdom–here’s photos from my experience seeing it shot live. Plus, when the show airs on ABC, Disney+ and YouTube, the performer lineup, likely 2026 filming dates, and more.
Let’s start with the basics about ABC’s Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. As indicated above, the show is pre-recorded over a month in advance over a couple days at roughly the same time as the Thanksgiving weekend special. This is going to come as a disappointment to some who are watching the parade and dreaming of seeing it shot live on December 25, 2026 or some future Christmas Day. It didn’t always used to be pre-recorded. Back in the day when the parade was hosted by Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden, that would’ve been live (at least, partially).
If you show up to Walt Disney World or Disneyland on Christmas Day you will not see any celebrity performances live. Fortunately, you will still be able to see Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade in person…but the same would be true any day between December 22nd and New Year’s Eve. You can also see that same parade during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and a day or two in early November when the ABC special is actually filmed.
The vast majority of the 2025 ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade was recorded in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World over the course of the weekend before Veterans Day. On Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9. This was almost a full week before the holiday season officially started, albeit after the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on that Friday.
Here’s everything else you need to know about ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, starting with when to see the 2026 version live in Magic Kingdom…
When to See the 2026 Disney Christmas Day Parade Filmed Live
For those planning ahead for 2026 Walt Disney World vacations, ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade will probably be filmed on Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, 2026.
This has been the case for 3 consecutive years, so it stands to reason they’ll repeat the process again in 2026. (Before penciling in your dates, see our list of the 10 Best and 10 Worst Weeks to Visit Walt Disney World in 2026 & 2027, as the weeks around this date make both lists.)
The only real wildcard is the new Disney Starlight Night Parade. Due to that being performed twice nightly on non-Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights, there was a 3+ hour block during which no filming could be accomplished at Magic Kingdom.
The result was less be shot at Walt Disney World and more at Disneyland, which mostly impacted the Thanksgiving special–not the Christmas Day Parade. The only reason we’re even mentioning it here is the possibility that production crews deem that too much of a hassle, and opt to film next year at Disneyland instead. That strikes us as unlikely.
There will be other non-parade performances filmed elsewhere, but those vary more year-to-year based on celebrity schedules–but usually happen between late October and mid-November. The ones that aren’t shot in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World or Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland are also more difficult to see in person, as they’re not intended for regular guest viewing.
Hosts of the 2025 Disney Christmas Day Parade
Alfonso Ribeiro returns for his second year as host of the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade. Known for his infectious energy and warm personality, Alfonso brings the perfect mix of fun and holiday cheer to the celebration (photos of the hosts and musical performances throughout the post are via Disney–parade photos are mine).
Joining him for the first time is Ginnifer Goodwin, the voice of everyone’s favorite bunny cop in Disney’s Zootopia 2, whose Disney roots and love for storytelling make her an ideal co-host for this magical tradition. And keeping the excitement rolling from the parade route is Maia Kealoha, who stars as Lilo in the Disney live-action film Lilo and Stitch, sharing all the festive moments as our parade correspondent.
As for what to expect from the ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, the special features holiday classics, plus original music, and heartwarming stories about how the Disney Parks bring families together. It also showcases what’s coming in 2026 from the Walt Disney Company–to the parks, streaming services, and theaters. Basically, these specials are one part entertainment and one part infomercial for all things Disney.
Where, When & How to Watch the 2025 Disney Christmas Day Parade
Here’s how and where to watch the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade on December 25, 2025:
- ABC Television Network: 10:00 a.m. EST/9:00 a.m. CST/5:00 a.m. MST/5:00 a.m. PST*
- Hulu and Disney+ Streaming Services: 1:00 a.m. EST/8:00 a.m. PST
- YouTube: 1:00 a.m. EST/8:00 a.m. PST
If you miss the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade on December 25, 2025, you can stream the special through January 4, 2026. So you can celebrate wherever you and your loved ones gather! (*Disney indicates the parade airs “live” at 5:00 a.m. MST/PST, but we assume the correct time is 7 a.m., unless it somehow airs earlier on the West Coast?)
Songs, Performers & Locations for the 2025 Disney Christmas Day Parade
The 2025 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade will also feature the following musical performances:
- Gwen Stefani – “White Christmas” from Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland
- Coco Jones – “This Christmas” from Millennium Falcon at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Iam Tongi – “The Christmas Song” from Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina Hawai‘i
- Lady A – “Winter Wonderland” from World Celebration Gardens at EPCOT
- Nicole Scherzinger – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” from Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland
- Mariah the Scientist – “Please Come Home for Christmas” from Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Bebe Rexha – “Last Christmas” from Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom
You won’t want to miss the incredible floats and dazzling decorations of the parade at Walt Disney World and all the holiday magic that comes to life. Plus, catch a sneak peak at what’s to come in 2026 from the Walt Disney Company. Disney fans will be happy to catch sneak peeks of Disney and Pixar’s all-new movie Hoppers and the live-action Moana, both releasing in 2026.
We always watch the ABC Disney Christmas Day Parade to see what’s teased or revealed for the year to come. Honestly, I’m not expecting much in that regard this year. Neither Walt Disney World nor Disneyland have major new rides in the pipeline for the next couple of years, so there isn’t really much that can be revealed.
It’s more likely that there will be a sizzle reel about things that have just debuted, such as Starlight Night Parade, Test Track 3.0 and Zootopia: Better Zoogether at Walt Disney World, along with the ongoing Disneyland 70th Anniversary in California.
We also might expect to see brief teases of the upcoming Tropical Americas, Monstropolis, Piston Peak Cars Land, Villains Land, Avengers Campus Expansion, Coco Boat Ride, and Pandora – World of Avatar (which would make sense as synergy for the new film). Or they might opt to focus internationally, where the curtain was just pulled back on Disney Adventure World and the upcoming Arendelle area.
As for my experience watching the filming of the ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade live in person, it’s fun. This is the third year I’ve sought out parade filming weekend in Magic Kingdom, after years of avoiding it.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is fun to watch, as it’s presented largely as normal and in uninterrupted fashion. It’s cool to see the production in action. Cameras swoop up and down in the middle of Main Street to capture footage of the parade as it runs mostly as normal.
The runtime is maybe 1-2 minutes longer than it’d be if you watched it live, in-person on Christmas Day. It might even be shorter, since there are no commercial breaks when you’re actually in Magic Kingdom.
There are some minor additions and spots where the performers and floats move slightly slower for the sake of the film crews, but it’s otherwise about 95% the same. The biggest visible difference to all but the keenest of eyes is normally the (spoiler alert) addition of Mrs. Claus in addition to Santa on the finale float.
It’s really the musical numbers that differ. These might look quick, but are actually the result of meticulous work in shooting, re-shooting, and careful editing. There’s a lot of stopping, pausing, and restarting. It is not like a traditional concert with the performer singing a variety of different holiday hits.
It’s the same song several times, and then the next performer moving on to their song…also performed several times. What you see in the span of a couple hours on television can take multiple days to record.
The big downside of watching the recording of ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade is the crowds and congestion in Magic Kingdom
With 2025 being the third year in a row that Disney has recorded the ABC Christmas Day Parade on the exact same weekend, word has gotten out among locals and diehard fans. As soon as the schedule updated in October, we shared that you can see Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade filmed during the day for free! This site isn’t the only one that publicizes this information.
Consequently, crowds were heavy along the parade route to watch Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade with approximately half of the Sunshine State descending upon Main Street. It gets worse every year, and there’s also the wildcard of whether/where Disney will allow regular guest viewing.
Last year, there was no parade viewing along Main Street for regular guests. The curbs were lined with chosen (off-duty) Cast Members and a ‘curated’ audience in the latest Disney holiday attire, etc. Day guests entering or exiting the park were routed through the bypass corridors behind Main Street.
This was unfortunate because it limited viewing options to Liberty Square or Frontierland, and this was despite higher crowds there for the specific purpose of seeing Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade (it was actually added to the schedule last year, whereas it wasn’t the previous year).
The crowds continue to grow for these free performances of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade as more locals are priced out of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which now costs over $200 on some nights. Many Annual Passholders are also blocked out from visiting the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when day tickets to Magic Kingdom are around $200.
Suffice to say, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy an excellent parade that’s normally paywalled–and it’s easy to see why crowds are increasing. And even though there’s more congestion along the parade route (and it’s Jersey Week/Veterans Day), the wait times for rides are not that bad. A good portion of the crowd is there only for the parade filming.
Beyond this, there are pros and cons to the ABC Holiday Specials being filmed in Magic Kingdom.
One upside is that Magic Kingdom typically has longer hours to accommodate the filming and accompanying guest disruptions. The park usually opens at 8 am both days, closing at 11 pm or midnight (this year was 11 pm). These extensions make strategizing easier.
One downside of filming is that the entire area in front of Cinderella Castle is usually blocked off for the on-stage performances. Sometimes other pathways are also blocked off; those are often short-lived, but it can make for longer walks and backtracking around the park if you get unlucky.
The musical performances in front of Cinderella Castle are more variable. As noted above, there’s only one during the 2025 ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade–more was shot at Disneyland and the other parks. Some years, there’s a ton filmed in front of Cinderella Castle.
Generally speaking, the daytime performances are much more crowded and it’s difficult to see anything going on. This crowd is curated, with Cast Members and invited guests getting the front and center spots.
Regular guests fill-in behind then, and a lot of people randomly stop to watch the action. So unless you’re committed to standing around for a while–including a ton of dead time–you aren’t getting a good view.
Additionally, there are fireworks–lots and lots of fireworks–during the nighttime performances (these are for the Thanksgiving special, which is ‘set’ at nighttime). Given those two things, we always skip the daytime musical performances and do rides then, returning in the evening for musical numbers and the accompanying pyro.
Here are more of my photos from the ABC Christmas Day Parade filming in Magic Kingdom:
Ultimately, spending all day in Magic Kingdom for the ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade filming is a fun experience that we recommend, especially to repeat visitors and fans. Assuming next year’s recording happens on November 7-8, 2026, it should be easy to plan a visit around it.
My advice to other fans reading this who are on the fence about visiting Magic Kingdom on these days is to do it. Rather than camping out for a parade spot 3-4 hours in advance, just get a subpar view in Frontierland at the last minute. After that, skip the rest of the daytime performances and return to the Cinderella Castle hub area around sunset. Enjoy a couple hours of performances with fireworks, lower crowds, and better visibility.
On the other hand, Walt Disney World first-timers should probably consider different dates. No matter how you slice it, watching the ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade takes time, and this is one of the busier stretches during the holiday season. If your schedule is flexible, you’ll definitely come out ahead by visiting during our favorite week to visit Walt Disney World, which is a few weeks later. That offers lower crowds and prices, plus the full Christmas season (remember, this special is shot before the holiday season officially kicks off).
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Were you in Magic Kingdom during the day or at night when the 2025 Holiday Specials were filmed? Did you watch the parade, musical performances on stage, or both? What was your experience? Have you been in Walt Disney World or Disneyland during past filmings? Would you like to attend? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!