The Disney Takes a Holiday exhibit is now open at Walt Disney Presents in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and for 2026 it trades Christmas movie props for Walt Disney World’s own holiday history. Inside the Walt Disney Theater, three classic Disney holiday shorts are playing on a loop: On Ice, Pluto’s Christmas Tree and The Art of Skiing.
Last year this space held screen-used props from The Santa Clause, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Noelle and Babes in Toyland, the same season Santa Claus and Santa Duffy moved into Walt Disney Presents. Disney’s October announcement pointed to more film props for 2026. What opened instead is a look at how the parks themselves get ready for the season.
The first window is set up like a cozy living room, with a writing table full of colored pencils and crumpled drafts, a red Letters for Santa mailbox, and oversized envelopes addressed to Santa from Minnie, Donald and Goofy. The placard reminds guests they can still mail wish lists to the North Pole from special mailboxes at Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs.
The Deck the Halls case is the one our popcorn bucket readers will want to see. It holds a well-worn mold and the oversized popcorn piece it makes, the same kind that decorates Magic Kingdom’s giant Christmas tree. A placard credits the backstage Holiday Services team, which looks after more than 50,000 decorations and over 800 themed Christmas trees. Hollywood Studios gets its own spot here too. A Walt Disney Imagineering ground plan for the Hollywood Boulevard Christmas tree, labeled Studio Tour, sits next to a photo of toy soldiers marching past the Chinese Theater and its Great Movie Ride marquee.
Another case traces Disney park holidays back to the opening of Disneyland in 1955, with paper Christmas trees and a Mickey wreath. The final window is a snow day with a top hat snowman, skis and a giant candy cane. Its placard explains “snoap,” the bubbly mixture that air cannons turn into falling flakes during Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. It dissolves soon after landing, so nobody has to shovel.
The Walt Disney Theater trades its usual Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream film for three shorts on a continuous loop. On Ice dates to 1935. The Art of Skiing from 1941 gave Goofy his famous yell, and Pluto’s Christmas Tree from 1952 sends Chip and Dale scrambling through Mickey’s tree.
Santa is on the way too. Disney has not announced when daily Santa visits begin inside Walt Disney Presents, but Santa will be meeting guests during Disney Jollywood Nights, starting with the first party this Saturday, November 7.
Our take: this is the stronger version of this exhibit. Movie props are fun, but these cases show the side of the holidays guests almost never see, from the warehouse team to the mold behind a decoration most people pass in seconds. Longtime fans will spot the Studio Tour plan right away. Then grab a seat in the theater and let Goofy take it from there.
Disney lists the holiday offerings at Walt Disney Presents through January 6, 2027. You will find it near the entrance to Toy Story Land, next to the Walt Disney Studios Lot.
