Nothing is more magical than a combo of a Disney movie and Christmas spirit! So, it makes sense that Disney has quite a few Christmas movies under their belt – even if they felt the need to retell A Christmas Carol three different times! Here are 12 Disney Christmas movies to stay in and watch this holiday season. Grab yourself a hot chocolate and get cosy.
Best Disney Christmas Movies List
1. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a retelling of both The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann and Marius Petipa’s as well as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, which is about a young girl who is gifted an egg for her mother and goes into a fantasy land to find the key to open it.
Clara needs a key to unlock the golden egg she was gifted on Christmas Eve, which was made by her father before he died (because there’s nothing Disney loves more than dead parents), gets wrapped up in and adventure to bring peace to the magical land.
2. Beauty And The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
Although Disney sequels can be very hit or miss, this Disney Christmas movie is sweet.
An Enchanted Christmas is set at a Christmas party at the castle after the spell is broken. After Lumiere and Cogsworth get in an argument about how “saved” the Christmas before, Mrs. Potts tells the story.
Before the curse was broken, Fore, a pipe organ, tries to sabotage the Beast and Belle’s budding relationship because he actually prefers to be an instrument than a human. He sabotages them ice skating which leads them to make snow angels, but the Beast is upset that his is a monster and goes into the castle. Despite the Beast wanting to cancel Christmas, Belle holds it anyway.
3. Frozen
A lot of people are sick of Frozen and if we’re being really picky it technically isn’t even classed as a Disney Christmas movie because it was set in summer, but I felt it deserved a spot anyway.
If you don’t somehow already know what Frozen is about; Elsa becomes queen after her parents death, but has been hiding her ice powers for years after she accidently hurt her sister Anna. Anna is ecstatic that the kingdom is open again and falls in love with a man she just met, she asks for Elsa’s permission to marry Hans who (like any sane person) says no. The two have a fight and Elsa flees the kingdom when she accidently reveals her powers.
4. Toy Story
Toy Story is another movie that technically isn’t a Disney Christmas movie, but you get toys for Christmas as a kid and… well this is Toy Story. It’s also a season all about childhood nostalgia and who didn’t try get a peak of their toys “coming to life” after seeing the movie as a kid?
Woody is jealous when Andy gets Buzz for his birthday and becomes his new favourite toy. To the dismay of the rest of Andy’s toys, Woody tries to get rid of Buzz and then has to face the consequences.
You might also be interested in my Toy Story 4 review.
5. A Christmas Carol
Disney really like A Christmas Carol so I feel like I don’t need to explain that much about it, I think we all know the gist of A Chrsitmas Carol now.
This one has Jim Carrey, and the animation style is a lot like The Polar Express.
6. Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas is like several Disney Christmas movies rolled into one. It’s a collection of three Christmas stories; Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas, A Very Goofy Christmas, and Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of the Magic.
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas
I’ve lost count of the number of times The Nightmare Before Christmas has been mentioned on this blog but it just fits into so many categories. It’s a Halloween movie, a Tim Burton movie, has Christmas music, and is a Disney Christmas film.
The film follows Jack as he finds himself disillusioned after another Halloween of the same old thing. He wanders out of Halloweentown and finds Christmastown. Mesmerised by the holiday, he decides to take Christmas for himself.
8. Muppets Christmas Carol
Yet another Disney rendition of A Christmas Carol feat. The Muppets.
I think this retelling of the Christmas classic is actually one of the best! I love the comedic relief the muppets add.
9. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
We can’t forget about Mickey’s Christmas Carol, which I loved as a kid.
It’s actually a bit of a crossover film with Scrooge McDuck playing Ebenezer Scrooge, while Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio, Robin Hood and other characters appear. I miss when Disney made films like this.
10. Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
It’s not Christmas for me until I hear Jack Frost sing North Pole North Pole.
The Santa Clause trilogy is the best known of these Disney Christmas films. The final instalment is about Jack Frost trying to steal the Santa job from Scott, while he’s too busy trying to keep the in-laws-off his back and convince them they’re in Canada, manage Christmas, and keep Carol happy.
11. Santa Clause 2
Scott is fully settled into his new life as Santa and feels that everything is going perfect. Except, Curtis forgot to tell him about the Mrs. Clause, which means that he has to find a wife before Christmas Eve or he can’t be Santa anymore.
Meanwhile, Charlie has been acting out and Scott finds love where he least expects it.
The sequel introduced Neil & Laura’s daughter, Lucy, who quickly became one of my favourite characters.
12. The Santa Clause
The Santa Clause is arguably the most iconic Disney Christmas movie!
Scott has his son Charlie for Christmas but isn’t a great dad, and focuses more on work. Charlie wakes up in the middle of the night to Santa on the roof but Scott startles him and he falls to his death. Scott puts on Santa’s coat and has to complete Christmas – and become the new Christmas. No one believes Charlie’s story and Scott loses custody.
What do you think about these Disney Christmas films? Which is your favourite?