Derek Hough was at Walt Disney World on Wednesday night, filming for Disney’s holiday special. Video from the shoot shows Hough in a dark suit dancing in front of a crowd of guests, with Donald Duck in a holiday sweater and other Disney characters lined up behind him and a group of dancers in short, flared skirts joining in.
Derek Hough was spotted filming at Walt Disney World for the Disney Holiday Special yesterday!
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) November 12, 2026
The clip was shot after dark under a row of lamp posts hung with glowing holiday ornaments. Hough starts out on his own in the middle of the street, then the dancers fill in around him for a full routine in front of the characters, with Mickey and Minnie in their Christmas outfits joining the line by the end.
Is He Hosting Again?
Hough hosted last year’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular on ABC, with Ginnifer Goodwin narrating, and he danced in it too, opening the show with “We Need A Little Christmas” alongside Mickey and friends and also performing “December.”
For 2026, Disney and ABC have not announced a host or a performer lineup yet. The video makes it clear Hough is part of this year’s show in some form, but whether he is back as host or appearing as a performer has not been confirmed. With less than three weeks until the Holiday Spectacular airs, a host still has not been named.
A Busy Week Of Holiday Tapings
Hough’s shoot capped a busy stretch of filming at Walt Disney World. On November 10 and 11, Magic Kingdom ran daytime performances of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade for the cameras, and the Disney Villains took over Main Street, U.S.A. for the Christmas Day parade taping. Cameras were also at EPCOT this week, and on Thursday Kelly Clarkson performed in front of the Chinese Theatre at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Both resorts are part of this year’s programming. The Holiday Spectacular airs Monday, November 30, from 8 to 10 p.m. on ABC, with performances from Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airs Christmas morning, Friday, December 25. We have everything we know about both specials so far.
Hough is no stranger to ABC either. He is a judge on Dancing with the Stars, which airs on ABC and Disney+, so a holiday special built around big dance numbers is right in his wheelhouse. If he is hosting again, expect him to do what he did last year: move from park to park, introduce the performers and jump into a few routines himself.
For all the Disney news without the clickbait make sure to follow our accounts! Facebook | Twitter | Threads | Instagram | TikTok
