Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi has directed a new holiday short for Disney, titled “A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever.” The film features the voice of Disney Legend John Goodman and focuses on themes of imagination and friendship during the holiday season. The short is available to stream on Disney+ and online.
Disney has also announced the launch of its Holiday Magic Tour, which will visit more than 20 cities worldwide. The tour aims to bring joy to children and communities through donations, local events, and special surprises. Activities will include visits to schools, children’s hospitals, nonprofit organizations, toy deliveries by VoluntEARS, exclusive movie screenings, and a surprise Broadway cameo. Popular shows across Disney networks such as ESPN’s First Take, SEC Nation, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America, The View, Live with Kelly and Mark, Tamron Hall, and Wheel of Fortune will help promote the campaign.
Joanna Balikian, Senior Vice President of Brand Management at Disney said: “For generations, Disney has been part of how families celebrate the holidays—through the impact we have in communities, the stories we share, and the lifelong memories we help create that bring people together. This year, Disney is continuing that legacy of making magic during the holidays all over the world.”
The new short film tells the story of a young girl whose doodle comes to life after Santa mistakes her drawing for a holiday wish. John Goodman voices Doodle in this production. Eric Goldberg from Walt Disney Animation Studios served as an advisor on animation for this project alongside Untold Studios and creative agency adam&eveDDB.
This follows last year’s Emmy-nominated “A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus,” also directed by Waititi. Waititi commented: “What makes this story uniquely Disney is the fact that it’s set in the world of a kid. It’s a kid and her new best friend, navigating the complex world together, and doing it just with the power of friendship and imagination.”
Disney continues its longstanding partnership with Marine Toys for Tots by encouraging participation in its Ultimate Toy Drive through December 24. Donations can be made online or at select locations including Disney Stores and theme parks until December 14. Special shopping sprees are planned across all 50 states along with community events such as a toy distribution in Detroit.
Additionally, this year’s campaign includes merchandise featuring characters like Stitch from Lilo & Stitch alongside other favorites from Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars franchises.
Families can participate in holiday activities at Disney Parks globally or enjoy seasonal programming on Disney+, including classics like Home Alone (1990) and upcoming releases such as “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie,” premiering November 14.
More information about these initiatives can be found at https://www.disney.com/HolidayMagic.
