Fans will see a dramatically reimagined version of Magic Kingdom Park’s Main Street, U.S.A., this Christmas—at least on their screens at home. An exclusive animated holiday broadcast is set to transform the iconic Walt Disney World Resort area into something completely unexpected.
Disney and ESPN Reimagine Main Street, U.S.A., for Christmas Day Special
The transformation comes courtesy of Dunk the Halls, an animated alternate telecast airing on December 25, 2025. The special offers an imaginative twist on the Christmas Day basketball game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks. Instead of real-time footage of the players, audiences will watch an animated version of the game in which Mickey Mouse, Stitch, and other Disney characters take over the court as playful “alternates.”
Dunk the Halls returns with Stitch joining the alt cast for Cavaliers-Knicks on Christmas Day!
Watch exclusively on ESPN2, Disney+, Disney XD, Disney Channel, and the ESPN App 🎁
Dunk the Halls returns with Stitch joining the alt cast for Cavaliers-Knicks on Christmas Day!
Watch exclusively on ESPN2, Disney+, Disney XD, Disney Channel, and the ESPN App 🎁 pic.twitter.com/Jiz7Zocuzl
— ESPN (@espn) November 18, 2025
To set the stage, the creative team behind the broadcast reimagines Magic Kingdom Park’s Main Street, U.S.A., as a full-fledged basketball arena.
Fans can tune in at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Christmas Day across ESPN2, Disney+, Disney XD, Disney Channel, and the ESPN App. This year’s broadcast builds on the success of the 2024 debut, which featured an alternate telecast starring Disney characters during the Spurs–Knicks Christmas matchup.
Changes at the Real Magic Kingdom Park
While the animated special shows Main Street, U.S.A., looking strikingly different, visitors spending Christmas Day inside Magic Kingdom Park will experience the classic version of the land they know and love. There will be no closures, no construction, and no disruptions linked to the special.
The basketball court, characters, and transformed Main Street, U.S.A. exist only in the broadcast, not in the Disney park itself. Guests can still enjoy traditional holiday offerings, parades, and entertainment, regardless of their connection to the animated event.
Which Disney characters would you like to see play in Dunk the Halls? Share your ideas with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
