Earlier this month, ABC filmed the “Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. I spent the day watching that TV particular being filmed in Magic Kingdom, from park opening till after park closing, and thought I’d share images plus my expertise–plus when the present airs on ABC, Disney+ and Hulu over Thanksgiving weekend.
To not destroy the phantasm or something, however the ‘The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” shouldn’t be broadcast reside from Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Not like the tv particular itself, the recording is not carried out neatly over the course of an hour or 90 minutes. So don’t make the error–like some followers do–of displaying as much as the parks on the evening it airs, anticipating to see it reside. (This truly does occur–so much–with ABC’s Disney Christmas Day Parade. I’m guessing it’s not practically as widespread with the Thanksgiving particular.)
Suffice to say, the Disney vacation tv specials that air round Thanksgiving and Christmas are pre-recorded beginning in November at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in California, and different locations world wide. Final 12 months, this included Aulani Resort in Hawaii, aboard Disney Cruise Line, and at Disneyland Paris.
The specials characteristic vacation classics, plus unique music, and heartwarming tales about how the Disney Parks carry households collectively. Additionally they showcase new sights which can be coming quickly or just lately opened at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, in addition to sneak peeks of films and reveals coming to theaters and streaming companies. Principally, these specials are one half leisure and one half infomercial for all issues Disney.
We at all times watch each the Thanksgiving spectacular and the ABC Disney Christmas Day Parade particularly for that reason–to see sneak peeks and what’s revealed for 2025. Actually, I’m not anticipating a lot in that regard this 12 months. Neither Walt Disney World nor Disneyland have a lot within the pipeline for the following couple of years, so there isn’t actually a lot that may be revealed. Listed here are some potentialities and predictions which can be considerably lifelike:
- First Look Inside Island Tower on the Polynesian
- New Tropical Americas Idea Artwork or Particulars
- New Take a look at Monitor 3.0 Idea Artwork
- WDW Leisure Announcement for 2025
- New Starlight Parade Idea Artwork or Debut Date
- Disneyland seventieth Anniversary Begin Date
- Paint the Night time at Disneyland Return Date
- Sneak Peek at Walt Disney Audio Animatronics Determine
- DLR Leisure Announcement for 2025
That’s actually about it. Personally, I believe asserting begin dates for Starlight Night time Parade at Walt Disney World and Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary take advantage of sense, particularly since households begin fascinated by and reserving subsequent 12 months’s journeys whereas watching these reveals. Nevertheless it could be untimely for bulletins about both–and people are extra probably in the course of the ABC Christmas Day Parade, regardless.
Extra probably, there’s a sizzle reel about issues which have simply debuted (accomplished EPCOT overhaul and Tiana’s Bayou Journey) and maybe a recap of the D23 Expo bulletins, minus the controversial stuff (Rivers of America substitute and MuppetVision closing).
With that mentioned, we additionally assume the ”The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” is legitimately fulfilling and would watch even with out the expectation of any information. The performances are fulfilling and it’s a pleasant ‘style of Disney’ whereas at dwelling. Actually, we’ve each come to favor the Thanksgiving weekend particular to the ABC Disney Christmas Day Parade, regardless of the latter being the enduring particular we each grew up on.
Anyway, listed here are particulars concerning the ”The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” in case you wish to catch it reside or on streaming companies…
Hosted by Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, ”The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” returns for its ninth 12 months with a glowing spectacle of latest musical performances from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in California and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko’Olina, Hawaiʻi.
Narrated by Kristen Bell, who will share the story of how the Disney Parks kicks off probably the most magical vacation ever, “The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” airs on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 8:01 p.m. EST/PST on ABC. The particular is obtainable to stream beginning December 2, 2024 on Hulu and Disney+.
”The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” performances embrace the next:
- Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro – “Deck the Halls” / “Holly Jolly Christmas”
- Auliʻi Cravalho – “Past” (from “Moana 2”)
- Elton John – “Your Tune”
- John Legend – “At all times Come Again” / “Have Your self a Merry Little Christmas”
- Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies – “White Christmas”
- Ava Max – “O Holy Night time” / “1 Want”
- Leslie Odom, Jr. and the Imani Milele Choir – “Little Drummer Boy”
- Carly Pearce – “Let It Snow”
- Pentatonix – “It’s the Most Fantastic Time of the 12 months”
- Anika Noni Rose – “Milele” (from “Mufasa: The Lion King” in theaters Dec. 20)
- SEVENTEEN – “Santa Claus Is Coming to City”
“The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” is produced by Disney govt and senior govt producer Sally Hopkins Conner for Disney Yellow Footwear Studio, who introduced on manufacturing firm EverWonder Studio, and govt producers Michael Antinoro and Ashley Edens in addition to Movie 45.
The vast majority of the 2024 ”The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” was filmed at Walt Disney World over Veterans Day weekend. For these planning forward for 2024 Walt Disney World holidays, it’ll most likely be filmed across the similar day subsequent 12 months.
See our listing of the 10 Finest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026, because the weeks round this date make each lists. (It’s actually like flipping a change with heavy crowds in the future and low season the following.)
With that mentioned, I used to be within the parks over Veterans Day weekend, and regardless of all accommodations being offered out (nicely, I believe there have been a pair random suites left at Coronado Springs), the crowds had been fully manageable. It was busy, however not bonkers. Longer hours actually helped, but it surely nonetheless wasn’t practically as dangerous as crowds throughout the identical stretch both of the final two years.
That bodes nicely for 2025 and 2026, particularly–as famous above–since there’s nothing new to attract vacationers to the parks. That’s, except Bob Iger is true and Epic Universe is “truly constructive” for Walt Disney World. That, or in the event that they lastly come to their senses and carry again the Cinderella Fortress Dream Lights for Christmas 2025!
As for my expertise watching the filming of the 2024 “The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular,” it was very constructive–with one large exception, however that was an unforced error on my half.
Up to now, we’ve warned that this may be boring to observe in particular person and it creates congestion. What you’re seeing on tv now would possibly look actually enjoyable to see in particular person, however is the results of meticulous work in taking pictures, re-shooting, and cautious enhancing.
This isn’t to say it’s not fulfilling to observe (it’s!), we simply wish to set expectations appropriately. There’s a variety of stopping, pausing, and restarting. The songs you see carried out on stage usually are not like a conventional live performance with the performer singing a wide range of totally different vacation hits. It’s the identical tune a number of instances, after which the following performer shifting on to their tune…additionally carried out a number of instances. What you see within the span of a pair hours on tv can take a number of days to file.
One other factor to notice is that you simply can not rise up near the musical performances. That’s as a result of the gang is ‘rigorously curated’ for these performances–it’s no coincidence that everybody within the viewers is photogenic and simply so occurs to be carrying the most recent vacation types offered on the Disney Retailer!
There are reserved viewing areas at Walt Disney World for all of those performances, and everybody you see at dwelling within the viewers is often a Forged Member and their households/invited visitors. Most people is allowed to observe from farther again–that’s the place I watched, off to the precise facet of the Central Plaza.
I’m completely positive with this, because it’s nonetheless simply attainable to listen to the performances and (vaguely) make out the performers. It’s just like the equal of getting nosebleed seats at a live performance. (The up-close images on this publish had been shot with a telephoto lens and cropped.) Listening to the music and seeing the fireworks is ok by me, and I used to be in a position to try this from my spot within the Hub.
Watching the musical opening, particularly, was a very enjoyable expertise. This can be a prolonged musical medley with fast transitions and, to this clumsy and uncoordinated man’s eye, a variety of fancy and hard dance strikes. Consequently, it took a number of takes to get this proper, however not practically as many as final 12 months.
Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro did a terrific job, with the latter being a incredible addition. Final 12 months, it was each of the Hough siblings who carried out and, nothing towards Derek Hough, however Alfonso was much more enjoyable. He helped hype up the gang, cracked a number of jokes, and simply had a terrific dude. I do know it’s a mistake to evaluate celebrities based mostly on superficial experiences–good or dangerous–however he struck me as a cool and good man.
The factor that did make this take longer was the presence of (spoiler alert) Disney characters on stage in the course of the 2024 “The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular.” For no matter cause, they had been recorded in another way (individually for probably the most half, it appeared) from the core performances. I’ll be curious to observe the particular when it airs to see whether or not there are tighter photographs of the characters.
In any case, it was particularly enjoyable to observe in particular person as a result of there are fireworks within the 2024 “The Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular” and, like every thing else, there have been additionally a number of takes of the pyro.
Attending to a sure level within the routine triggered fireworks, then the performers would goof up, and it’d all need to be carried out once more. If the pyro was triggered (and it typically was), there could be an extended delay between takes, as they’d have to attend for the fireworks to be reset and the smoke to clear.
In combination, this was the second-most pyro I’ve ever seen in a single day at Walt Disney World…behind solely final 12 months’s filming of the particular. That’s actually saying one thing, since we’ve carried out New 12 months’s Eve and Fourth of July at each Magic Kingdom and EPCOT numerous instances!
I additionally watched a bunch of musical performances, all after Fortunately Ever After.
Final 12 months, I made the error of displaying up previous to the fireworks and getting caught within the crowd and not likely seeing something. So this 12 months, I figured I’d watch the parade filming in the course of the day, after which revisit the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage instantly after the fireworks.
This turned out to be an enormous mistake. As I used to be consuming dinner, I acquired a textual content message from a pal who knew I used to be in Magic Kingdom for the filming expressing pleasure concerning the Elton John efficiency. I believed he was kidding, as there had been “rumors” about Sir Elton recording for every of the final two years.
He was not. Right here I used to be, clearly having fun with a positive meal at Pecos Invoice, whereas Elton John was performing in entrance of Cinderella Fortress just a few hundred yards away. By the point I rushed over to catch it, there was nothing to catch. So I’ll be watching that for the primary time on December 1 like everybody else. Suffice to say, I didn’t depart the hub for the remainder of the evening after that!
In any other case, the performances had been a variety of enjoyable and the visuals, as at all times, had been spectacular. There’s a cause I’ve carried out this two years in a row, and in all probability, will likely be again for a 3rd. Nicely, the actual cause is that this particular is shot in the course of the opening weekend of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas, Disney Jollywood Nights, and the kickoff to Christmas season. So I’m already at Walt Disney World for all of that. However I may keep away from Magic Kingdom in the course of the filming, as previously, however as an alternative have purposefully chosen to go to throughout it.
That’s as a result of spending all day in Magic Kingdom for the ABC vacation particular filming is a novel expertise. It’s a ton of enjoyable to see Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade filmed in the course of the day (and free of charge!) and the performances at evening for the Thanksgiving particular, full with tons of fireworks, are additionally incredible. For those who don’t thoughts considerably elevated crowds over the vacation weekend and components of the park being closed off (not rides, however walkways) whereas recording is going on, it’s a good time to go to!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every thing you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have been you in Magic Kingdom in the course of the day or at evening when the Vacation Specials had been filmed? Did you watch the parade, musical performances on stage, or each? What was your expertise? Have you ever been in Walt Disney World or Disneyland throughout previous filmings? Would you wish to attend? Ideas on ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade or the Thanksgiving weekend particular? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
