Disney Parks, ABC celebrate the season with holiday specials, star-studded music performances

Disney Parks and ABC are celebrating the holidays in style this year with two holiday specials, “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration,” and “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration.”

The first holiday special, “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration,” will air on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. EST. The second, “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration,” will air on Christmas morning, Monday, Dec. 25 at 10 a.m. EST.

The holiday specials will include performances by some of the most popular recording artists in the music world today, appearances by Disney characters, magical wish-come-true moments and an impossible-to-miss castle lighting ceremony featuring the Disney castles around the world.

Julianne Hough returns as host this year, and will be joined by Nick Lachey for both specials. Both hosts will perform together on the steps of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World on “The Wonderful World of Disney” special. Hough and Lachey will join co-host Jesse Palmer for the special, and kick off the season in a way only Disney can.

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

• Ciara, performing a medley of Christmas songs at Cinderella Castle
• Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel will join fellow “Frozen” star Kristen Bell to perform together for the first time on primetime television, singing “When We’re Together” from “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.”
• Grammy Award-winning country artist Darius Rucker, who will sing “Winter Wonderland”
• Emmy-nominated actress and singer Lea Michele will be joined by special guest Joey McIntyre to sing the classic holiday duet, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”
• Multiplatinum-selling girl group Fifth Harmony will sing “Can You See” from “The Star” soundtrack, as well as “The Christmas Song”
• Fitz and the Tantrums, performing their hit “HandClap,” as well as their original Christmas song, “Santa Stole My Lady”
• Multi-Grammy-nominated trio Hanson, performing “Finally It’s Christmas” from their recent Christmas album
• In Real Life, performing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
• Jason Derulo, performing “This Christmas”

The second holiday special, “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration,” will also be hosted by Hough and Lachey, with co-host Palmer, as they take viewers on a ride down Main Street, U.S.A. and beyond.

Musical performances for this special include:

• Ciara, singing “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort
• Darius Rucker, as he decks the halls with a song from his Christmas album, “Home for The Holidays”
• Fifth Harmony, performing “Sleigh Ride”
• Fitz and the Tantrums, performing the popular Christmas song, “Last Christmas”
• Jason Derulo, singing “Silent Night” from Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort
• Lea Michele, performing the holiday classic, “Let It Snow”
• 98° will turn up the heat with their new song, “Season of Love” from “Let It Snow,” their first full-length Christmas album in 18 years
• Broadway’s Telly Leung and Arielle Jacobs of “Aladdin” will take over Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a performance of “A Whole New World”

Additional performances for this special will also be announced at a later date.

For more updates on the filming of the Disney holiday specials, stay tuned to our website, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channel.

Check out our coverage from last year’s holiday special tapings below: