You'll Have to Watch ‘Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown’ the Old-School Way
Published Dec. 5 2020, 4:50 p.m. ET
Disney Channel is about to host an all-star reunion of some of its biggest celebrities, but will Disney+ subscribers get in on the fun? Unfortunately, we don’t know when Challenge Accepted! Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown will be on Disney+ — or even if it’s coming to the streaming platform — so you’ll probably have to tune in live to watch the big event.
The special will air on Disney Channel on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. EST, and will also be available on the DisneyNOW app. The site What’s on Disney Plus, meanwhile, speculates that the special will also hit Disney+ for a limited time in the U.S. and other regions, but there’s no official word on that front.
‘Challenge Accepted’ features some of the biggest Disney stars.
In a press release, Disney says Challenge Accepted: Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown “centers around Santa and Mrs. Claus … as they enlist the help of Disney Channel stars to save the holidays from Ebenezer Scrooge. The stars will take on a series of zany holiday-themed challenges to lift her evil curse on Christmas.”
The special will include a performance by Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 star Meg Donnelly — alongside one lucky fan — plus a musical number by the international pop group Now United. The cast also includes Milo Manheim, Chandler Kinney, Trevor Tordjman, Kylee Russell, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson, Sky Katz, Jason Maybaum, Mallory Mahoney, Raphael Alejandro, Will Buie Jr., Christian J. Simon, Ruth Righi, Ava Kolker, and Ramon Reed.
Familiar faces take lead roles in the special.
As you can see in this Challenge Accepted! Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown preview, That’s So Raven and Raven’s Home star Anneliese van der Pol steps into the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for the special. “Enough is enough!” her version of Scrooge exclaims in the clip. “It’s time to end the holidays.”
Luckily, Santa and Mrs. Claus — played, respectively, by Entertainment Tonight anchors Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner — are on hand to thwart Scrooge. “Mr. Claus and I need your help,” Mrs. Claus says, as she and a not-so-Jolly Old Saint Nicholas ring up the Disney Channel stars. “Scrooge has cursed the holiday!”
Disney Channel has other holiday treats in the works.
On Friday, Dec. 11, fans can check out Disney Channel Holiday House Party, which “features Disney Channel stars, remotely from their homes, delivering a holiday sketch comedy show for kids and families.”
“Hosted by Miranda May (Bunk’d), the ensemble of comedic actors will deck the halls with a variety of wacky characters and hilarious sketches, including a Gen Z influencer take on a Charles Dickens classic, a Disney Wand ID fail, and a High School Musical throwback,” Disney adds. “Starring are Raphael Alejandro, Suzi Barrett, Issac Ryan Brown, Kylie Cantrall, Scarlett Estevez, Kaylin Hayman, Ramon Reed, Trevor Tordjman, Ruby Rose Turner and Tobie Windham.”
And on Friday, Dec. 18, Disney Channel is airing a Christmas-themed episode of Raven’s Home, featuring Anneliese in a much less dastardly role.
“It’s Christmas Eve and the Baxter/Grayson family are trying to make the best of the holiday when a storm hits and disrupts their plans to celebrate together at a cabin on the lake,” Disney says.
“Snowed in at three different places — Raven and Chelsea are lost in a snow tunnel, dads Devon and Garrett are stuck at the cabin and the kids are home alone — they all must lean on each other to help keep their inner ‘Christmas Cray’ alive!”
Sounds like a holly, jolly time to us!
