The area in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland was closed on Monday for the filming of holiday specials scheduled to air on ABC. Guests arriving at the park found the iconic landmark transformed into a television set, complete with a stage and production setup. Cast members on site informed visitors that filming would take place later in the day and that anyone in the park was welcome to watch.
Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) shared photos indicating that a "Christmas special" or "Disney Parks Holiday Special" was being taped. His follow-up noted that the entire area in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle had been closed off in preparation for the event, and people were already being allowed to wait behind ropes to view the performances. Separately, Mike and Matt, described as friends of Daps Magic, stopped by on Monday morning and captured photos and videos of the production setup.
The staging included what appeared to be a set for a performer and a band. Guests also encountered a photo prop labeled "The Wonderful World of Disney Holiday Spectacular," marking an early start to the holiday season just days before Halloween. Signs at the location indicated that the filming was for the "Disney Parks Holiday Special" for ABC, though no air dates were provided.
For those hoping to catch a performance, reported times varied slightly. The Daps Magic report indicated the first filming would apparently begin at 3:00 PM, with the final filming scheduled for 10:30 PM. Desmond's post suggested the first performance was expected around 3:05 PM. The use of terms like "apparently" and "expected" in these reports indicates that these times were derived from signs, cast members, and observers, rather than from official announcements.
The event appeared under several different names, including Desmond's references to the "Christmas special" and "Disney Parks Holiday Special," the signs reportedly indicating "Disney Parks Holiday Special," and the prop stating "The Wonderful World of Disney Holiday Spectacular." The information available does not clarify how these names relate to one another, so they are not being treated as interchangeable.
Traditionally, Disney airs one holiday special during Thanksgiving weekend and another on Christmas Day, often featuring holiday parades from Walt Disney World or Disneyland. The report speculated that because filming was occurring both during the day and at night, it is "very possible" this production could be for both annual specials. This remains the report's guess, as no confirmation on the number of specials or their air dates was provided. The signs did confirm that whatever is filmed will air on ABC. The report also mentioned that, traditionally, content aired on ABC for the holidays becomes available on Disney+ the following day, describing past practice rather than a confirmed announcement for this year.
Guests planning to visit Disneyland should be aware that the area in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle was closed for these preparations and filming, meaning the usual photo spot may not be available. For those interested in watching a performance, the reported times were around 3:00 to 3:05 PM for the first showing and 10:30 PM for the last. As these times are reported and not officially confirmed, visitors are advised to check the Disneyland app for any updates and to keep their plans flexible.
