Holiday Gifts for the Disney Fans in Your Life

December 8, 2016January 6, 2017

By Nicole Nalty

The holidays are filled with festive cheer, but figuring out what to get everyone on your gift list can be overwhelming. We’ve searched to find something for everyone on your list––and for gifts found at Disney Store, D23 Gold Members get a sweet discount!

For the Star Wars Fan
It’s an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan… The debut of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is just a few days away, and Episode VIII will be here before we know it. Pick up the Rogue One Elite Series deluxe figurines, add to a friend’s Funko collection with a new Jyn figure, or make friends and family feel the Force with the BB-8 App-Enabled Droid, with the all-new Star Wars Force Band.

For the Tech-Savvy Parent
Help parents stay informed about their kids’ online activity with Circle with Disney. Parents are able to filter content, set bedtimes for devices, and limit screen time to make room for family time.

For Tykes and Tweens
For little ones who love Disney Junior and Disney Channel, try a Lion Guard action figure set, or for the budding performer, an Elena of Avalor guitar. And, as long as they’re not rotten to the core, the Descendants Neon Lights Ball dolls are perfect for tween playtime.

For the Wayfinder
We immediately fell in love with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest heroine, and this Moana doll is perfect for the friend who won’t stop singing along to the soundtrack––you’re welcome! (P.S.: You should definitely give yourself this Pua Plush. You deserve it.)

For Someone Marvel-ous
For your friends who are really super, how about a Marvel Avengers figure set, or Marvel Legends Series action figures? And, for the friend who won’t stop talking about the newest Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2 trailer, try giving this tee.

For Your Friend Who Likes Warm Hugs
Elsa and Anna are a dynamic duo! The Frozen Northern Lights Elsa and Anna dolls are perfect for your favorite Frozen fanatic. If it’s not chilly enough to build a snowman, you can add this sweet Storybook plush ornament to your tree.

For the Radiator Racer
Cars fans are getting revved up for Cars 3, but in the meantime, give them the Cars “Flag Finish” McQueen, or add a little Cars to their coffee table with The Art of Cars book.

Tsum-thing Sweet
We all have at least one friend who is tsum-obsessed… You’ll want to gift this calendar as early as possible so your friend can countdown to Christmas! Earn extra brownie points by fishing out the new Finding Nemo set.

Find these gifts at participating retailers.

Pluto’s Christmas Tree Brownies

December 8, 2016November 30, 2020

Like watching the classic Disney animated short Pluto’s Christmas Tree, these charming Christmas tree brownies will put you in the holiday spirit.

Ingredients

Brownies—store-bought or using your favorite recipe
Candy canes
Green icing
Multi-color nonpareils
Yellow star-shaped candy sprinkles

Directions

1. Cut brownies into triangle shapes.
2. Break off candy canes into one-inch pieces and place a piece into the bottom of each triangle-shaped brownie. The candy cane will serve as the tree’s “trunk.”
3. Apply green icing onto the tree in a zigzag pattern.
4. Sprinkle nonpareils generously on top of each brownie (these are the tree’s “ornaments”).
5. Finish off each tree by placing a single, yellow star-shaped candy sprinkle at the top.

Unique Holiday Hijinks from Some of our Favorite Disney TV Shows

December 7, 2016July 1, 2022

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or even Winter Solstice, there are a lot of reasons to make merry this time of year. To help celebrate the season, we’ve taken a fond look back at how some of our favorite Disney TV shows make the holidays merry and bright.

Phineas and Ferb – “Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation”
Of course Phineas and Ferb want to make the most of their Christmas vacation, but Doctor Doofenshmirtz celebrates Christmas by using his naughty-inator to keep the city of Danville on Santa’s Naughty List. No evil scheme can stop Phineas and Ferb from having holiday fun! With the help of their friends Buford, Baljeet, and Isabella (who is happily celebrating eight days of Hanukkah, but is glad to help out her pals), they put Danville back on the Nice List and keep Christmas Vacation full of fun and good cheer.

Even Stevens – “Heck of a Hanukkah”
The Stevens’ celebration of Hanukkah gets a magical twist when Louis wishes he had never been born after his silly antics ruin everyone’s Hanukkah presents. In a twist on the classic story It’s a Wonderful Life, Louis watches his family’s life if he had never been born and discovers that his silly antics are what brought his family happiness in the first place. Returning to the timeline where he had been born, Louis and the Stevens’ family are able to enjoy their Hanukkah celebration because of the happiness they bring each other.

Kim Possible – “A Very Possible Christmas”
You would think that for an action hero like Kim Possible, the holidays would be full of crazy adventures! However, after receiving a thoughtful Hanukkah gift from Kim, Ron Stoppable decides to take on her spy duties so that she can spend the holidays with her family. It’s a wonderful idea for a gift, but of course, Ron ends up caught up in Doctor Drakken’s nefarious plans and the entire Possible family team up to help save him. But the big mission doesn’t stop the holiday celebrations: Drakken agrees to a seasonal truce and invites everyone over for Christmas dinner. It’s a true miracle for the season!

The Weekenders – “The Worst Holiday Ever”
With a big group of friends, you know there has to be many ways to make merry! All four of the Weekenders celebrate different holidays during December, and together the friends recount the worst experiences they’ve had during their celebrations. But whether it’s Tish’s horrendous Hanukkah, Tino’s wacky Winter Solstice, Carver’s crazy Kwanzaa, or Lor’s crummy Christmas, the friends know that they still have a reason to celebrate, because no matter the holiday, they still have their friendship!

Bear in the Big Blue House – “A Beary Bear Christmas”
Holiday celebration in the Big Blue House is a fun and fuzzy adventure! Bear celebrates Christmas and shares with his friends his favorite Christmas tradition of finding the Christmas berry. Shadow teaches everyone about the celebrations of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, while a stray dog named Jack is invited to celebrate in the Big Blue House—and reminds everyone that no matter what holiday you celebrate during the winter, the most important thing is being able to celebrate with those you care about!

Lilo & Stitch, the Series – “Topper”
Now that Stitch has his own Ohana, he is finally able to celebrate Christmas! Lilo tries to teach him about how Christmas is celebrated in Hawai’I, but soon everyone learns about intergalactic holiday fun when one of Jumba’s experiment pods is mistaken for a Christmas present. Stitch’s first Christmas becomes an adventure to remember, and he learns what makes the season so important to his ‘ohana.

The Proud Family – “7 Days of Kwanzaa”
While the Proud family usually celebrates Christmas during the holiday season, they learn about the traditions of Kwanzaa after inviting a homeless family to join them for Christmas dinner. The family teaches them about the meaning of Kwanzaa and the importance of valuing family and unity over presents and possessions. The Prouds learn an important lesson about the meaning of the holiday season and sharing their support and love with others.

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody – “Christmas at the Tipton”
Celebrating Christmastime at a hotel is already a unique experience, but Zack and Cody’s holiday takes a turn for the unusual when a snowstorm keeps everyone trapped in the Tipton. A couple named Mary and Joseph tries to find a place to stay during the storm, but the Tipton doesn’t have any vacancies. The very pregnant Mary ends up stuck in an elevator with Zack and Cody and the twins help her deliver her baby! Only at the Tipton hotel could such seasonal hijinks end up mirroring the classic Christmas story and give all the hotel’s residents a holiday to remember.

Lizzie McGuire – “Aaron Carter’s Coming to Town”
When we think of a classic Christmas celebration, certain things always come to mind: Christmas lights, gingerbread men, and… early 2000s pop sensation Aaron Carter? For Lizzie McGuire and her friends, Aaron coming to town to film his new music video is the most wonderful time of the year! Not only do Lizzie and her friends get to be extras in Aaron’s new video, but Lizzie gets to share a kiss with Aaron under the mistletoe!

Home Sweet Home: 5 Can’t-Miss Gingerbread Houses at Disney Parks and Resorts

December 7, 2016January 6, 2017

By Nicole Nalty

There’s no place like home for the holidays…but a visit to the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resorts is a close second! If you’re heading on a Disney vacation this holiday season, it will be hard to miss all of the delightful décor––but make sure you keep an eye out for these sweet houses. Here are a few of our favorites:

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
This house takes inspiration from the hotel’s namesake––the truly grand gingerbread house stands at 16 feet high and uses 1,050 pounds of honey and 800 pounds of flour. Not to mention the 400 hours it takes just to bake the gingerbread! Stop by any day (excluding Sundays) to see gingerbread house decorating demonstrations in the lobby.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Speaking of grand, over in California you’ll find another grand home––modeled after Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa itself––inside the lobby. At seven feet tall and 12 feet wide, look for details like the Grand Californian Hotel’s iconic stained-glass sliding doors on this “Grand” Gingerbread House.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Hop off the monorail in the Grand Canyon Concourse and make your way over to this Frozen-inspired gingerbread holiday castle. Disney fans will notice the design style as an homage to Disney Legend Mary Blair, whose mural towers high above this seasonal sweet. There are 16 hidden Olafs in this castle––can you find them all?

Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland Park
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention this happy haunt…Celebrating its 15th year, this year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house celebrates Sally’s arrival. The house, made by stitching together different gingerbread houses and treats to create one frightful delight, contains 200 pounds of gingerbread, 200 pounds of powdered sugar, and 1/3 pound of glitter.

Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
Our final entry technically isn’t a house, but it’s so impressive we just had to include it! The beach may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Christmas, but this almost unbelievable gingerbread creation may change your mind. Made with 36 pounds of honey, 96 pounds of floor, 100 pounds of icing, this Holiday Carousel is so realistic––and it actually spins! Hidden character hunters should be on the lookout for 17 hidden Mickeys.

Breaking News from Duckburg—New DuckTales Image Revealed!

December 7, 2016

By Beth Deitchmnan

With the holidays upon us, there’s a lot of “Ho, ho, ho-ing” in the air. But this morning, we’re hearing a rousing chorus of “Woo-oos,” thanks to the release of a brand-new image from the new DuckTales series—making its debut, as we learned today, on Disney XD in Summer 2017! And in the spirit of the season, Disney XD also shared the gift of a teaser for the series, which will make its broadcast debut this Friday on Disney Channel, during Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special.

There’s so much to see in the new image that it’s safe to say DuckTales is going to be quite the thrill ride, with returning favorites Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck featured prominently, along with Scrooge’s mischievous grandnephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie. But check out the backseat, and you’ll notice that Webby (aka Webbigail Vanderquack, the granddaughter of Mrs. Beakley, Scrooge’s housekeeper) is back—and we’re beyond excited to see Launchpad McQuack, Scrooge McDuck’s pilot, behind the wheel.

The new series from Disney Television Animation will be executive-produced by Annie Award nominee Matt Youngberg (Ben 10: Omniverse), with story editor/co-producer Francisco Angones (Disney XD’s Emmy®-nominated Wander Over Yonder) and art director Sean Jimenez (Disney XD’s Annie Award-winning Gravity Falls) rounding out the creative team.

So tune in to Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special on Disney Channel this Friday, December 9, and stay tuned to D23.com for all the news from Duckburg. Summer can’t come soon enough!

Jimmy Kimmel to Host the Oscars—Plus More in News Briefs

December 6, 2016December 6, 2016

By Courtney Potter

Jimmy Kimmel to Host the 2017 Oscars® on ABC

He’s had a great 2016, and now it’s looking like Jimmy Kimmel is off to an amazing start for the new year! After successfully hosting this year’s Emmy® Awards, Jimmy has been tapped to host the 2017 Academy Awards®—set to air this February, exclusively on ABC.

Jimmy announced his new gig via Twitter, saying, “Yes, I am hosting the Oscars. This is not a prank. And if it is, my revenge on @TheAcademy will be terrible & sweet.”

So mark those calendars! The Oscars will bring all the glitz and glamour Hollywood has to offer to ABC on February 26. Expect a few of Jimmy’s now-patented Matt Damon jokes, too…

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Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
December 11, 2016
Holiday Gingerbread House Workshop at Downtown Disney
December 13, 2016
D23’s Disney Springs Holiday Celebration
December 13, 2016
D23’s Moonlight and Mistletoe Dinner
July 14-16, 2017
D23 Expo 2017
Studios
December 16, 2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters
February 16, 18 and 22, 2017
Newsies in select movie theaters
March 17, 2017
Beauty and the Beast opens in theaters
May 26, 2017
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
opens in theaters

Parks
November 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29; December 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World Resort
November 10–January 8, 2017
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort
November 11–January 8, 2017
Holidays at Disney Springs
January 20, 2017
Main Street Electrical Parade returns to Disneyland park
August 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
Television
December 1-25, 2016
Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas
December 25, 2016
The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration, 9–11 a.m. on ABC
January 15, 2017
Mickey and the Roadster Racers Premieres at 9 and 9:25 a.m. ET on Disney Channel and Disney Junior
February 26, 2017
The Oscars® are broadcast on ABC

Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical—In Cinemas This February!

Ready to “Seize the Day” in a whole new way? Disney Theatrical Productions has partnered with Fathom Events (the leaders in entertainment events broadcast to the big screen) to bring their Tony Award®-winning smash hit musical Newsies to cinemas across the country. And they’ll “open the gates” for a rare three-day event this February! Check out the brand-new official trailer for the exclusive experience, above.

Filmed live this past September at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre—with several members of the original Broadway cast, including Tony® nominee Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelly), Kara Lindsay (Katherine Plummer), Ben Fankhauser (Davey), and Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Crutchie)—Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical will also include exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and creators.

Tickets for the three showings—on February 16, 18, and 22—and information about the select 700 movie theaters participating can be found at FathomEvents.com.

Brand-New Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Teaser Trailer

So we don’t get to revisit with Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot ‘til next summer—but the good news is, we’ve just gotten our hands on a brand-new teaser trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2! Check out the clip—which premiered over the weekend at Comic Con Experience 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil—above.

We’re not sure what we like most—watching our intrepid anti-heroes zooming around space once again, or how unbelievably adorable lil’ baby Groot is. Those eyes! That voice! We can’t take it!

Look for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in a cinema near you on May 5!

Epcot’s Spaceship Earth Transformed into Star Wars Death Star

Big Star Wars fun at Walt Disney Resort this week… To celebrate all the massively cool additions inspired by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, our pals down at Epcot got into the Force-full spirit by transforming their giant Spaceship Earth into the Death Star! Some lucky Star Wars fans and Disney Parks Blog readers got to experience this totally unique event up close and personal. But if you couldn’t make it yourself, never fear! We’ve got some video of the amazing transformation, above.

Additionally, during the meet-up, actor Mads Mikkelsen—who plays Galen Erso in Rogue One—made a surprise appearance and took part in a quick (but fun!) Q&A session with the audience. Among the night’s other big announcements was the news that the film’s Advanced Weapons Research (AWR) Troopers are coming soon to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, along with new Rogue One props that will be joining the Star Wars Launch Bay, where making-of footage will be added to the Launch Bay Theater. (West Coasters, fret not—similar updates will be found at Disneyland’s Star Wars Launch Bay.) But wait, there’s more: Fan fave nighttime show Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on December 16 and will join Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! as a second nightly fireworks spectacular through December 31. And! A new Star Wars Guided Tour is also in the works for the ultimate Star Wars fan visiting the park. So many Star Wars goodies, so little time; stay tuned for more info on all of the above as it becomes available…

Disney Junior’s Mickey and the Roadster Racers—Premiering on January 15

Oh boy! The latest madcap animated adventure for the preschool set from Disney Junior, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, will make its TV debut at 9 and 9:25 a.m. EST on Sunday, January 15—with a big simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Two more episodes will premiere the next day, Monday, January 16 (at 9 and 9:25 a.m. EST), on Disney Channel.

The series—set to premiere internationally throughout 2017—takes our pal Mickey Mouse and the gang, along with their unique transforming vehicles, on hilarious, high-spirited races all over the world… as well as plenty of shenanigans in their hometown of Hot Dog Hills. Off the racetrack, Minnie and Daisy run their own successful business as Happy Helpers—solving problems for anyone in need of a helping hand. Meant for kids ages 2 through 7, the stories are designed to convey lessons about friendship, teamwork, optimism, and good sportsmanship.

NASCAR stars Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick, and Jeff Gordon will recur on the series as race car drivers Jiminy Johnson, Danni Sue, and Gordon Gear, respectively. Additional guest stars include TV personality Jay Leno as announcer Billy Beagle; Tim Gunn (Project Runway) as Robbie Roberts; Tony Shalhoub (Monk) as Luigi (yes, it might just be his character from Disney•Pixar’s Cars!); and comedian/writer Patton Oswalt as Mr. McSnorter.

Main Street Electrical Parade Returns to Disneyland Resort January 20

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! A few months ago, we clued you into some very exciting news: The legendary Main Street Electrical Parade would be returning to Disneyland Park for a limited time. And now, we can give you a specific date to circle on your calendar: January 20, 2016!

This “encore” performance will run nightly until June 18—which will mark a full 45 years since the parade first lit up Main Street, U.S.A., in 1972! During this limited-time celebration, guests will also enjoy special merchandise and food offerings inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade; keep your eyes peeled here, and with our pals over at Disney Parks Blog, for more info.

Minnie’s Milk-and-Cookie Mini-Cups

December 6, 2016July 16, 2018

Help Santa get through a long winter’s night with Minnie’s milk-and-cookie mini-cups.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
Nonstick cooking spray
Brown melting chocolate (milk chocolate)
Milk

Special Materials

Stainless steel shot glasses

Directions

Prepping the dough:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix on low speed to incorporate.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
4. Remove from mixer and gently mix in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
5. Roll the dough on wax paper to a quarter-inch thick. Place onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Chilling the dough prevents it from spreading while baking.)

Baking the cookies:
6. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Lightly spray the insides of the stainless steel shot glasses with nonstick cooking spray.
8. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and break off a piece, enough to create a shot glass shape inside the shot glass (the serving will vary depending how big the glass is). Press the dough firmly at the bottom and against the walls of the shot glass, making sure it’s tightly packed. Leave a well in the middle big enough to pour the milk in to.
9. Bake shot glasses about 15–20 minutes. Check first to see if they’re ready at 15 minutes; if not, continue baking until the top edge begins to brown.
10. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, turn stainless steel shot glasses upside down to gently ease the mini-cup cookies out.

Coating the mini-cup cookies with chocolate:
11. Place milk chocolate in a microwave-proof container and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time until melted.
12. Pour melted chocolate into the insides of each mini-cup, swirling the chocolate to make sure it completely coats the surface. (If not, once milk is poured into the cookie mini-cup, it will start to soften and break down the cookie.) If necessary, use a butter knife to apply chocolate to any uncoated parts.
13. Chill cookie mini-cups in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes, allowing the chocolate to harden and cool.
14. Take cookie mini-cups out of the refrigerator. Fill each one with milk before serving.

Make Your House a Holiday Winner with Help from The Great Christmas Light Fight Judges

December 6, 2016January 10, 2017

By Beth Deitchman

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go!

From store windows and Disney theme parks to homes in your very own neighborhood, December brings shorter days that give way to festive light displays that, quite literally, make the season merry and bright. But if you haven’t started decorating your house—or if you simply don’t even know how to begin—we’ve pulled in some experts. The Great Christmas Light Fight returned to ABC this week with a host of holiday homes whose owners are each battling to be the brightest bearer of holiday cheer. We spoke with the series’ co-hosts, Taniya Nayak and Carter Oosterhouse, and asked them to share some of their expertise with Disney fans.

Both Taniya, an interior designer, and Carter, a designer and builder, stress that it can be “illuminating” to focus less upon lights and more upon the story that you want to tell with the decorations you place around your house. “I think that a great design starts with a story or a theme and that kind of creates the whole picture,” Taniya says, elaborating, “And that applies both with interior and all the way to your Christmas lights display. We’ve found that there are a lot of stories that we were kind of able to feel connected to, and it’s a great way to keep that theme together and stay focused on what you’re doing with your lights.”

A mistake many people make, Carter says, is to use too many lights. “They will throw lights on one side of the house and just put them everywhere. It’s just like in your home, when you walk into your living room and there’s not a healthy balance between your sofa and your other furniture around your living room. It’s the same with Christmas lights if there’s not a healthy balance, because there are too many lights over here and not enough over there. That can really be offsetting to the eye.” The analogy Taniya makes is to a good outfit that becomes a great one when you remove a single element, “to make it nice and clean,” she explains.

And, Taniya suggests, there’s an easy way to achieve that when you’re lighting your house: “Just follow the lines of your house. Do a nice outline—clean lines are always fun.”

When it comes to inspiration, you can look to local houses that catch your eye—and, of course, the spectacular displays on The Great Christmas Light Fight—but both Carter and Taniya stress that childhood memories can burn brighter than the most elaborate décor. Carter points out, “This year [on the show] we saw a lot of nostalgia, where people were bringing in older elements that they brought from the ’50s and ’60s, which was really cool because they refurbished them. They used pieces that were from the town where they grew up, and that brought back memories for them.” But what surprised Taniya, she says, is, “That randomly brought back memories for me—not that I grew up in these towns, but when I was a little kid I remember how these nativity scenes and inflatables looked.” Vintage pieces are a wonderful touch, Carter says, because “you can definitely tell whether it was made last week or was made in the sixties. You can see the difference.”

Taniya and Carter have both met Disney fans who have gone to great lengths to infuse their homes with that special Disney magic. “I went to a house this season and this guy is just head over heels in love with it’s a small world—and so am I,” Taniya remembers, sharing, “Every single year that I was going to Walt Disney World we would end on it’s a small world. It was my favorite, and the one that I always wanted to remember.” Taniya was blown away by the homeowner’s use of animatronics and music. “It was crazy in the best way,” she marvels.

At another home, Carter recalls a house that used a Disney castle as a background, with fireworks simulated by lighting effects. The foreground boasted large video screens that featured clips from Disney movies, pieced together to tell the story of the display. “It was way over the top but very Disney,” Carter says, and he noticed an extra sprinkling of pixie dust as he saw the excitement the display brought to onlookers. “The cool thing that we realized is that these people within the town may or may not have been able to get to Disney theme parks, so these guys brought Disney to them within their little town—which was so special.”

Taniya reveals that while it can be competitive, holiday lighting rarely turns into a heated battle. “It’s actually the opposite,” she says. “There’s a big Christmas light display community, and people within the community help each other out, which is so fitting.” Tune in as the The Great Christmas Light Fight continues on December 12 (with episodes airing at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC.

Mickey Mouse Felt Ornament

December 5, 2016January 8, 2018

Add some Mickey Mouse joy to your Christmas tree with this Mickey Mouse felt ornament.

Materials

D23 Mickey Mouse felt ornament template
Scissors
Black felt
Red felt
Glue
Hot glue gun
2 white buttons, each one about 1/2 inch diameter
Satin ribbon or string, 8 inches long

Directions
1. Print our Mickey Mouse felt ornament template and cut out figures A and B.
2. Use the Mickey head template (figure A) as a guide to cut out Mickey’s head in black felt.
3. Use figure B as a guide to cut out the half-moon shape in red felt.
4. Apply glue to the back of the red felt and place it on top of the black felt so that the curved edge of the red felt sits perfectly along the curved edge of the black felt. Press down firmly on the red felt to help it stick.
5. Position the two white buttons onto the red felt as pictured and affix using hot glue.
6. Make a loop with the ribbon and affix to the top back of the ornament using a hot glue gun.

Reindeer Cookies

December 4, 2016November 30, 2020

A sweet treat to share with those near and deer to your heart.

Ingredients

Brown melting chocolate (milk chocolate)
Peanut-shaped peanut butter sandwich cookies
Mini pretzels
Candy eyeballs
Mini red chocolate-covered candies

Directions
1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.
2. Place brown melting milk chocolate in a microwave-proof container and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time until melted.
3. Dunk peanut butter sandwich cookies in melted chocolate, coating it all over. Place cookies on cookie sheet for decorating.
4. Place mini pretzels on the top one-third of the cookie for Rudolph’s “antlers.”
5. Place a pair of candy eyeballs below the antlers, then place a single piece of red chocolate-covered candy for Rudolph’s “nose.”
6. Let cookies chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, allowing the chocolate to harden and cool.

Jimmy Kimmel to Host the 2017 Oscars® on ABC

Save the Date! Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:

Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical—In Cinemas This February!

Brand-New Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Teaser Trailer

Epcot’s Spaceship Earth Transformed into Star Wars Death Star

Disney Junior’s Mickey and the Roadster Racers—Premiering on January 15

Main Street Electrical Parade Returns to Disneyland Resort January 20

Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar: