What a week here at The Main Street Mouse! Santa arrived at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, the Avengers: Doomsday countdown kicked into high gear, Star Wars announced its 50th anniversary plans, and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays menus were revealed. If you missed anything, here’s your catch up on the biggest stories from the past seven days.
Santa Comes to Walt Disney World
Ho ho ho! Santa has a brand new home at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this year, and our guide shows you where to meet Santa at Disney World in 2026, including the new Santa’s Holiday Grove. We also spent a family holiday day at Disney Springs with the Tree Stroll, Santa, holiday treats and a surprise tree lighting.
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, check out our Disney Jollywood Nights 2026 review with what’s new, what’s better and the treats worth trying, plus why the Christmas Taco Cookie at Jollywood Nights is a holiday showstopper. And there’s a new witch in town, as Billie Doe from Disney’s Hexed is coming to Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Basketball fans, Dunk the Halls returns with Mickey, Stitch and Angel bringing the Knicks vs. Spurs Christmas Day game to Magic Kingdom.
EPCOT Holiday Eats and Festival News
Foodies, this one’s for you! Our EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays 2026 Foodie Guide has every Holiday Kitchen, Cookie Stroll treat and new menu item with photos. Collectors can also grab the new Figment popcorn bucket at the Festival of the Holidays.
Looking ahead to next year, the EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2027 Disney on Broadway Concert Series lineup was revealed for its 10th anniversary, and a new Once Upon A Stage exhibit brings the music of Disney on Broadway to EPCOT. We also got a look at how Imagineers use VR to preview the new Monsters, Inc. show, Welcome to Monstropolis.
Disneyland Celebrates the Holidays
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort officially kicked off on November 13! Find out where to meet Santa, Santa Jack and every holiday character at Disneyland, plus holiday character dining, and see our guide to Disneyland holiday entertainment 2026, from A Christmas Fantasy Parade to the fireworks.
Giving Back This Holiday Season
Disney launched its Make the Holidays Magic campaign, with ways to help kids in need and every holiday celebration across Disney, and Disney’s 79th annual toy drive for Toys for Tots is here, with how and where to donate. Plus, Disney Cruise Line’s Magic Meets the Seas float returns for the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Deals and Disney Vacation Club News
Planning a winter getaway? The Disney World winter resort deal has rooms from $99 a night for December and early 2027 stays. Disney Vacation Club members got good news too, as DVC Membership Magic Beyond returns for 2027 at $99 with bigger ticket savings and all 8 DVC Moonlight Magic 2027 dates were announced.
At Disney Springs, Level99 founder Matt DuPlessie joined Bob Iger and Joe Rohde on the blooloop 50 Immersive Influencer list.
The Avengers: Doomsday Countdown
Doom is coming! The Fantastic Four arrived at Avengers Campus at Disneyland along with new Doctor Doom merch, and Avengers: Endgame Encore is now on Disney+ with new scenes that set up Avengers: Doomsday.
Marvel fans also had the VisionQuest finale and Marvel’s official podcast, and now Disney+ has added VisionQuest to the Avengers: Doomsday watch list, hinting at Vision and the Maximoff twins. Plus, Smirnoff is bringing the MCU to Grand Rapids with an exclusive Doomsday collectible, and WWE Worlds Collide: Doomsday brings an Avengers themed wrestling event to Walt Disney World on December 15.
Star Wars Turns 50
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Lucasfilm revealed a year long Star Wars 50th anniversary celebration, including a new Disney+ documentary with never before seen 1977 footage. Fans can also see Star Wars: A New Hope on Cosm’s giant dome in March 2027.
For the holidays, move over Elf on the Shelf, because Darth on a Hearth is here! And pin traders can mark their calendars, as Disney Store announced a TikTok Live shopping event and a Times Square pin event.
Movies, TV and Streaming
Dance your cares away! The Fraggle Rock: A Holiday Gift trailer is here, with the special premiering December 4 on Apple TV. Pixar dropped the Gatto trailer, and it is full of cat chaos, and The Game Awards 2026 will stream live on Disney+ for the first time on December 10.
Get to the chopper! Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’s returning as Dutch in a new Predator movie. In other movie news, James Gunn and Peter Safran are out at DC Studios as Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham takes over, and You’ve Got Mail is getting a reboot at Warner Bros.
Around Orlando and Universal
The holidays are here at Universal too! Universal Orlando Holidays 2026 began November 14 with Epic Universe holiday decor, Grinchmas, holiday food and more, and we rounded up Christmas dining at the Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando. Reality TV fans can watch the Traitors finale with fellow fans at Universal CityWalk on November 19.
And in big business news, we looked at whether Netflix could buy NBCUniversal and what a deal could mean for Universal Orlando and Epic Universe.
We Remember
This week we said goodbye to a Disney treasure. We are remembering Donnie Dunagan, the voice of Bambi, who has died at 92. We were honored to have Donnie as a guest at our Expo, and we will always treasure that time with him.
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 (November 1 to 7)
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