What a week here at The Main Street Mouse! The holiday parties officially kicked off at Walt Disney World, Disneyland started its big holiday transformation, Beauty and the Beast turned 35, and Godzilla Minus Zero stomped its way into box office history. If you missed anything, here’s your catch up on the biggest stories from the past seven days.
The Holiday Parties Kick Off at Walt Disney World
It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year! We have everything new at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2026, including a Stitchmas! Dance Party and a new home for Pooh, plus all the Very Merry freebies, from the free ornament to cookie locations and photo ops. Heads up: every November party night is now sold out!
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, here’s everything to know about Disney Jollywood Nights 2026, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets got its first ever holiday overlay. Collectors can check out Disney World’s 2026 holiday popcorn buckets, including a Toy Story Gingerbread House, and Disney Vacation Club members can book DVC Hoop Dee Holidays at Fort Wilderness.
Our favorite story of the week? Jack Skellington and Sally helped a Make-A-Wish kid bring Christmas to Magic Kingdom. Grab a tissue for that one!
Walt Disney World Park News
Water park fans got big news as Typhoon Lagoon reopens January 27, 2027, while Blizzard Beach temporarily closes. At Magic Kingdom, the opossums are back on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and we got to meet the Dapper Dans, the four voices keeping a 55 year Magic Kingdom tradition alive.
It’s a girl! A baby zebra is now exploring the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and next door, two Churro-lympics winners are now serving at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Wrestling fans can mark their calendars too, because WWE’s John Cena Classic is coming to Walt Disney World on December 14.
Planning ahead? Disney released 2027 resort deals with savings of up to 35% at Walt Disney World and up to 30% at Disneyland, and our new Thanksgiving at Disney World 2026 guide has the extended park hours, turkey dinners and holiday events for the big week.
Holiday Eats and Sips
A hot chocolate flight? Yes, please! Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar revealed its 2026 holiday menu with Holiday Freight Rolls and more, and we rounded up festive sips and holiday fun around Disney Springs and beyond. Whiskey lovers, Enzo’s Hideaway Bootlegger’s Dinner returns with WhistlePig on December 10.
Looking for a holiday meal outside the parks? Check out Christmas dining in Orlando at Café Tu Tu Tango, Mia’s Italian Kitchen and Mordisco Steakhouse, and the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic named the Orange County Sheriff Foundation as its 2026 charity ahead of the November 20 and 21 event.
Disneyland Gets Ready for the Holidays
The countdown is on! Disneyland’s holiday transformation is underway ahead of November 13, and our Disneyland News This Week covered Mickey’s Mix Magic fireworks, Christmas Day dining reservations and 2026 candy cane dates.
Foodies, we have you covered with the Disneyland Holiday Food Guide 2026 and our Disney Festival of Holidays 2026 Foodie Guide. Plus, Disneyland’s Autopia is going electric, and Disney Legend Bob Gurr says the cars won’t have batteries.
Beauty and the Beast Turns 35
Tale as old as time! Disney is celebrating 35 years of Beauty and the Beast with new anniversary merchandise from Disney Store, Loungefly, Dooney and more. And D23’s Jolly Holiday on the Lot returns with a rare Beauty and the Beast screening at the Walt Disney Studios on December 13.
New Merch and Collabs
Coffee lovers, the Disney and Starbucks Mint to Be holiday collection has arrived at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Disney also revealed its 2026 holiday gift cards, plus stocking pins with Mickey, Minnie, Stitch and Jack Skellington, and this year’s purchase with purchase holiday tote.
The Avengers: Doomsday collabs keep coming! See every Avengers: Doomsday brand collab so far, including Dunkin’s Avengers: Doomsday menu with a Doctor Doom Munchkins tin. Gamers can grab Pixar’s Coco in Fortnite with a Dante sidekick, and young readers can enjoy Lilo and Scratch, a new children’s book where Stitch meets his match this Thanksgiving.
Holiday TV and Streaming News
Grab the hot cocoa! Our New Christmas Movies 2026 guide has every holiday movie coming to Disney+, Netflix, Hallmark and theaters, and the Freeform 25 Days of Christmas schedule is out. Disney fans have plenty to look forward to, from the Mickey’s Home Alone trailer to A Proud Family Wizmas, a new stop motion special, and Disney’s new holiday short The Invisible Horse, premiering November 9.
Also on Disney+, see what’s new on Disney+ in November 2026, the new releases on Disney+ and Hulu this week and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 trailer. Plus, Super Troopers 3 is now streaming on Hulu, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Santa in The Man With the Bag and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause turns 20.
And on Stranger Things Day, Netflix announced that the Stranger Things prequel Other Worlds is officially coming, with a first teaser set in 1955.
At the Movies
The King of the Monsters ruled the weekend! After we shared everything to know about Godzilla Minus Zero, the movie went on to stomp The Cat in the Hat at the box office on its way to a record opening. Families can still catch Bill Hader’s animated Cat in the Hat in theaters now.
Pirates fans, take note: Johnny Depp says he would return as Jack Sparrow to send Pirates of the Caribbean off on a better note.
Disney Company, Pixar and Star Wars News
Big changes at Pixar, as Jonathan Garson was named Pixar’s new president and Jim Morris moves to president emeritus. Across the company, Disney is reportedly planning thousands of layoffs as managers are asked to cut costs 20%. On a brighter note, we saw the robots, AI and 3D printing Disney showed off at its 2026 Accelerator Demo Day.
Star Wars fans, Star Wars: The Experience opens February 2027 in Philadelphia for the saga’s 50th anniversary, and The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is out now.
Around Orlando
Thrill seekers, get ready! Universal Epic Universe is getting a brand new indoor thrill coaster in Dark Universe. Over on International Drive, ICON Park is becoming a shopping destination, as Build-A-Bear Workshop opened its most personalized experience yet and Tom Brady’s CardVault is opening its first Florida store this month.
What a week! Which story was your favorite? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to come back next week for more from The Main Street Mouse!
Missed Last Week’s Update: TMSM Weekly Recap: The Biggest Disney and Entertainment Stories of the Week (October 25 to 31)
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