New Disney Stop-Motion Animated Special – Mickey Saves Christmas!

Now that the holiday season is upon us, the Disney Channel and Disney Junior are ready to bring an abundance of cheerful and festive programming for the entire family. One special in particular looks quite promising, and recalls holiday memories of stop-motion animated specials from the past, “Mickey Saves Christmas.”

Now through January 2, Disney Channel’s Fa-la-la-lidays and Disney Junior’s Magical Holidays has curated new programming that will include holiday-themed episodes of shows like “The Villains of Valley View,” “Big City Greens,” “Puppy Dog Pals,” and “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery.” The new series “Firebuds” will include both a Hanukkah and Christmas story in its 22-minute holiday episode.

Mickey Saves Christmas

One special in particular will remind many viewers of the holiday television specials of the 1960s and 1970s that were produced by Rankin/Bass Productions (the company behind the classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and other perennial favorites). A new stop-motion holiday special, “Mickey Saves Christmas,” follows Mickey, Minnie, and their pals as they attempt to celebrate the perfect Christmas at their snowy cabin.

Not only will the special appeal to the young and the young at heart, but “Mickey Saves Christmas” is also a departure for Disney from its usual programming. The studio hasn’t produced much content with stop-motion animation in recent memory. With Netflix recently releasing “Wendell & Wild” and “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” it is refreshing that Disney is also adding an animated project in this charming format to their library.

The producers of the special have a lot of experience creating stop motion programming. “Mickey Saves Christmas” is a collaboration between Disney and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the animation production company that produced the Adult Swim animated television series “Robot Chicken” and “Titan Maximum.” They also produced the stop-motion animated short, “Mickey Mouse and the Magical Snowy Holiday,” for Disney Junior back in 2020.

“Mickey Saves Christmas” has all the ingredients of a classic holiday special. The setting in a snow-covered forest, original songs, whimsical art direction, heartfelt writing, and classic character designs are sure to bring back wonderful feelings of nostalgia to many viewers.

The holiday special is directed by David H. Brooks (“Ultra City Smiths”), with original music from songwriting team Laura Schein and Ben Zeadman (“Honor Society”).

The voice cast includes Bret Iwan as Mickey Mouse, Kaitlyn Robrock as Minnie Mouse, Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck, Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck, and Bill Farmer as Goofy and Pluto. Real-life couple Brock Powell and Camryn Grimes voice Santa and Mrs. Claus, respectively.

“Mickey Saves Christmas” premieres November 27 as a simulcast on ABC, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD and November 28 on Disney+ and Hulu.

More Holiday Cheer on the Disney Channel

Also included as part of Disney Channel’s Fa-la-la-lidays programming event are holiday-themed episodes of family favorites. Let’s take a closer look…

• The Villains of Valley View “How the Villains Stole Christmas”
  Friday, Dec. 2, at 8:00 p.m. EST on Disney Channel
  Set in the past, Onyx issues an annual ruin Christmas challenge. The villain family breaks up into two teams to win it all but gets more than they bargained for.
• BUNK’D: Learning the Ropes “Hauntin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
  Friday, Dec. 2, at 8:30 p.m. EST on Disney Channel
  While planning an over-the-top Christmas bash, Parker encounters several ghostly visitors who teach him the true meaning of the holiday.
• Raven’s Home “A Country Cousin Christmas”
  Friday, Dec. 2, at 9:00 p.m. EST on Disney Channel
  Alice’s mom Betty Jane pays a surprise visit to the Baxter home for the holidays, but her insistence on celebrating things her way puts a damper on Raven’s Christmas cheer. Meanwhile, Booker, Ivy and Neil help Victor with a charity event at the Chill Grill.
• Big City Greens “Virtually Christmas”
  Saturday, Dec. 3, at 9:00 a.m. EST on Disney Channel
  Monday, Dec. 5, at 8:00 p.m. EST on Disney XD
  In this half-hour special, when Cricket gets snowed in at the Remingtons’ on Christmas Eve, he attempts to recreate his family’s Christmas Eve traditions in a virtual reality video game. Alfonso Ribeiro (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) guest stars as a virtual reality video game character, Mr. Extras.

Holiday Programming on Disney Junior

For preschoolers, parents and caregivers, special holiday-themed episodes of favorite Disney Junior series will be premiering all season long as part of Disney Junior’s Magical Holidays:

• Puppy Dog Pals “Wrap Party Pups/Fixing Santa’s Sleigh”
  Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7:00 p.m. EST on Disney Junior
  • “Wrap Party Pubs” – The pets go on a mission to find Grace’s gift before she needs to swap presents.
  • “Fixing Santa’s Sleigh” – When Santa’s sleigh breaks down mid-delivery, the pets make it their mission to fix it.
• Firebuds “Hanukkah Hullabaloo/The Christmas Car-Sled Race”
  Monday, Nov. 28, at 7:00 p.m. EST on Disney Channel
  Friday, Dec. 2, at 10:30 a.m. EST on Disney Junior
  • “Hanukkah Hullabaloo” – Bo gets carried away decorating his house for Hanukkah.
  • “The Christmas Car-Sled Race” – Bo enters a car-sled race to try to win his dad a Christmas present. Melissa Rauch (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Lou Diamond Phillips (“Elena of Avalor”) recur as Bo’s mom and dad, Beth and Bill Bayani, respectively.
• Alice’s Wonderland Bakery “The Gingerbread Palace”
  Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7:00 p.m. EST on Disney Junior
  Friday, Dec. 2, at 7:00 a.m. EST on Disney Channel
  Alice and her friends build a gingerbread palace to host a Christmas dinner for all of Wonderland.
• Eureka! “Jingle Bog Rock”
  Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 7:00 p.m. EST on Disney Junior
  Eureka invites Bog to perform with her band at Winterfest when she invents a new instrument that only he is able to play.

Let’s Hear From You! 

Any other stop-motion animation fans out there? It’s just such a magical medium. Let me know your thoughts on Disney’s holiday programming!