It’s Christmas!!!  With darker, colder and wetter evenings, curling up on your sofa with a blanket and loved ones, eating snacks and watching television is one of the best things in the world! 

There are plenty of new original shows and films to enjoy this year, such as “Skeleton Crew” or “Dream Productions”, plus there’s a wide selection of classic films like Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “A Muppets Christmas Carol”, “Miracle on 34th Street”, and all instalments of “Home Alone”, “Die Hard” and “The Santa Clause” franchises.

Whether it’s engrossing TV (FX’s The Bear S1-3, FX’s Shōgun, FX’s Say Nothing, Only Murders in the Building S1-3, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Rivals), reality/documentary series (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, The Kardashians S1-5, Vanderpump Villa, Welcome to Wrexham S1-3, Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story), premium blockbusters (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Inside Out 2, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, Wish) or a box-set to see you through the “Twixmas” period (every episode ever of Grey’s Anatomy, The X-Files, Modern Family, The Simpsons), Disney+ and Hulu has something for everyone.

Here are my suggestions on what to watch on Disney+ this Christmas:

Note: The availability of some of these titles may vary between countries, and in the US, they may require a Hulu subscription to watch via Hulu On Disney+.

Doctor Who – Joy To The Worlds

This Christmas Day, my family will be sitting down after our roast dinner to enjoy the latest Doctor Who special.   This year’s special tells the story of what happens when Joy checks into a London hotel in 2024, she opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel — discovering danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.   

This new original special arrives on Disney+ on Christmas Day at 9:10 a.m. PST / 12:10 p.m. EST.  It’ll be available on the BBC iPlayer in the UK.

Nutcrackers

If you’re after a brand new original movie for the holidays, “Nutcrackers” is a choice choice.  It stars Ben Stiller as Mike, who is on the heels of closing the biggest deal of his career, he’s pulled away from his bachelor life in the big city to a farm in rural Ohio in order to take care of his recently orphaned nephews. The four rowdy boys cause trouble every which way they turn. What Mike thought was going to be a quick trip turns into an unexpected adventure. As the holidays approach, he discovers the big hearts behind the boys’ mischief. This forces him to decide between his career and being the uncle his nephews need him to be.

“Nutcrackers” is out now on Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ in the United States and on Disney+ around the world.

An Almost Christmas Story

This new original short follows Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost young girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.

This charming short is available to stream on Disney+ now.

Marvel’s What If? – Season 3

Marvel’s animated series “What If…?” returns in Season 3 for its culminating adventure through the multiverse. Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters. The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Season 3 features fan-favorite characters like Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder, and numerous others

Disney is going to be once again spreading out this series across the Christmas holiday, with the first episode premiering on Disney+ on Sunday, 22nd December 2024, with a new episode being released every day!  It’s almost like a unique What If? Advent calendar for the finale!

Skeleton Crew

“Skeleton Crew” tells the story of four kids searching for their home planet after getting lost in the Star Wars galaxy, and the strange aliens and dangerous places they encounter on their adventure.

A new episode is being released every Tuesday throughout December, including Christmas Eve!  I will be sitting on Christmas Day morning watching “Skeleton Crew” with a healthy breakfast of chocolate!

Dream Productions

Riley is growing up and when her memories need some extra processing, Joy and the rest of the Core Emotions send them to Dream Productions. Acclaimed director Paula Persimmon faces a nightmare of her own: trying to create the next hit dream after being paired up with Xeni, a smug daydream director looking to step up into the big leagues of night dreams.

This new Pixar limited series will hit Disney+ on December 11th 2024.

Elton John: Never Too Late

This new original documentary is directed by R.J. Cutler and David Furnish. The documentary follows Elton John as he looks back on his life and the astonishing early days of his 50-year career in this emotionally charged, intimate and uplifting full-circle journey. As he prepares for his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium, Elton takes us back in time to recount the extraordinary highs and heartbreaking lows of his early years and how he overcame adversity, abuse and addiction to become the icon he is today.

“Elton John: Never Too Late” hits Disney+ on Friday 13th December 2024.

Inside Out 2

This year’s most popular film is available to stream on Disney+ and continues the story of emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust who have been running a successful operation by all accounts. However, when Anxiety shows up, they aren’t sure how to feel.

Out of My Mind

Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but because she is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, she is not given the same opportunities as her classmates. When a young educator notices her student’s untapped potential and Melody starts to participate in mainstream education, Melody shows that what she has to say is more important than how she says it.

This original movie was released on Disney+ for Thanksgiving and if you haven’t given it a whirl yet, it’s a lovely family film for the holidays. 

Deadpool & Wolverine

Something for adults here.  This epic Marvel movie sees Deadpool’s peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.   If you’re after something a little different, this might be one for Boxing Day!

What do you recommend watching on Disney+ this Christmas?  Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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