Wondering what Disney Christmas movies are available on Disney+? We’re sharing your full guide to Disney Christmas movies and specials.
Remember the olden-days, when it took careful planning not to miss your favorite Christmas Movies and Specials for an ENTIRE YEAR? Each week the TV Guide was pored over… what’s that, Kids? Oh, there was a weekly publication of broadcast television shows, sorted by time and date. … Why? Because you had to watch these when they were broadcast, or you would miss them. And, except during the holidays there were hardly ever shows for kids on in the evenings… Why? Because in those days adults had the impression that they were in charge…. I KNOW, right?
Anyway, Christmas movies and specials became a HUGE part of how we celebrate the countdown to Christmas! These days, most of the best ones have been lovingly gathered in one place by our favorite streaming service, so you might not miss them, but there are only so many sleeps until Christmas, so don’t sleep on this list. Here, then are the Best Christmas Movies and Specials on Disney+!
Christmas Specials on Disney+
Toy Story That Time Forgot
Best For: Everyone who loves Buzz, Woody and the gang and can handle some mild dinosaur battling.
Technically this is a day-after-Christmas movie, though in my house this is late November programming. Bonnie goes over to visit her friend Mason after Christmas, bringing a toy away-team of Woody, Buzz, Rex, Trixie the Triceratops and a strange little Christmas ornament. Mason’s loot includes a complete set of “Battlesaurs”, 80’s-style dinosaur action figures who live for battle and who don’t know they’re toys. Can Trixie embrace the power of the imagination and save the day? (Of course she can, it’s Christmas!)
Prep and Landing (and the sequel Prep and Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice)
Best For: Anyone who needs a reminder of how “tinsel” Christmas is. Jingle BAM!
Santa’s delivery system gets a space-age tune-up and a million festive puns in this elf-centric adventure starring Wayne, a veteran of many a Christmas Eve, and his new partner Lanny, whose predecessor got the promotion Wayne wanted. When his grouchiness puts a human boy’s special day at risk, can Wayne find the holiday spirit and save Christmas? (Of course he can, it’s Christmas!) The sequel introduces Wayne’s little brother Noel and the catchphrase “Jingle BAM!”
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
Best For: Those heavily invested in the Royal Family of Arendelle, and their associated snowmen.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Originally prepared as an ABC television special before being released as a “short” in front of the film Coco, this is a holly-jolly tale of adventure as Olaf sets out to explore holiday traditions and bring them back for Anna and Elsa. Filling in some gaps from the royal sister’s youth and tugging at heartstrings as the whole community pulls together to find a lost Olaf, will everyone’s favorite snowman save Christmas after all? (Of course he will, it’s Christmas!)
Disney Junior Holiday Episodes
Best For: Little ones looking for holiday fun.
A Disney+ curated list of Christmas episodes within their Happy Holidays Collection, ideal for little ones in a festive spirit. Includes Christmas episodes of Mickey and Me, Spidey and his Amazing Friends, Super Kitties, Bluey, Mickey’s Christmas Tales and more! Will you need to watch this over and over with your little one? (Of course you will, it’s Christmas!)
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Best For: Anyone looking to have a Marvel-ous Christmas!
James Gunn and his loveable gang of space misfits take on Earth’s greatest holiday with gusto in this in-continuity holiday special. (It takes place before Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, for you Disney Dads who keep track of these things). Seeing that their old pal Star-Lord is unhappy, the other Guardians try to bring the magic of Christmas to Knowhere. Drax and Mantis shine as they plot to give Star-Lord the greatest gift of all: kidnapped Earth Hero Kevin Bacon! Will they discover the true meaning of Christmas and sing a song? (Of course they will, it’s Christmas!)
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Best For: Do you love Disney and Christmas? Then this is for you!
Originally produced for home video release, this holiday anthology of three Disney stories is a warm hug your family will enjoy together every year from now on! “Groundhog Day” goes Duckburg style as Huey, Dewey and Louie are doomed to repeat Christmas over and over until they discover its true meaning. Goofy puts his heart into the holiday for his son Max, and Mickey and Minnie breathe new magic into a “Gift of the Magi” story. (Of course they do, it’s Christmas!)
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas
Best For: The Family That Just Can’t Get Enough Disney Christmas
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Released five years after the original, this collection of Disney Pals celebrating the most wonderful time of the year has more of everything! More Fantasia-level figure skating! More Mission: Impossible-style assaults on Santa’s naughty list! More full-on Donald Duck meltdowns! And even more, as this second installment has expanded to six stories! Will Pluto, adopted by Santa’s reindeer, find his way home to Mickey? (Say it with me – Of course he will, it’s Christmas!)
Christmas Movies on Disney+
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Best For: Anyone who loves the Muppets, and can take them seriously as a troupe of actors.
The first major Muppet project following the passing of Jim Henson, The Muppet Christmas Carol is an astonishingly literate adaptation of Charles Dickens’ story. And a full-on original musical. And it stars Michael Caine for some reason. It’s a ridiculous idea and absolutely shouldn’t work at all, but it is sheer genius. Caine plays it absolutely straight, though there are many laughs and more than a few heartbreaking moments. Holiday magic.
Die Hard
Best For: Moms and Dads after bedtime only, please.
Disney+ has settled a long-standing “is it or isn’t it” argument by including Die Hard in its Happy Holidays Collection with the other Christmas movies. Even if, like me, you are in the “It’s not Christmas until I see Hans Gruber (SPOILER) the Nakatomi Towers Building” crowd, we must insist on after bedtime, as this movie includes strong language, smoking, violence, exploding helicopters, brief nudity and Bruce Willis’ blood, sweat and tears. “Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho.”
Home Alone
Best For: The whole family this and every year.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
A true holiday classic, and easily the topper on this tree. 8-year old Kevin is inadvertently left behind when his family goes to Paris for Christmas, and must defend his home from the most inept career burglars in the history of modern cinema. Sometimes a Christmas movie comes along that is so perfect that you can forgive the laundry list of improbable circumstances necessary to make the plot work. Home Alone is that movie, and is also probably the best-loved kid’s Christmas movie not to involve Santa Claus at all.
So whatever flavor of holiday magic you are in search of, Disney+ has you covered with the Best Christmas Movies and specials to keep you entertained throughout the season! Will it be the merriest ever? Of course it will, it’s Christmas!
