Robert Irwin and Malia Baker are hosting this year’s Disney Parks holiday special on ABC. We spotted the pair at Magic Kingdom today as the annual Christmas parade taping got underway.
Disney Parks Holiday Special 2026 Hosts Spotted at Magic Kingdom
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Who Robert Irwin and Malia Baker are, and their ties to ABC and Disney.
- What the hosts wore and where we saw them during the Magic Kingdom taping.
- How to see the daytime Christmas parade during the taping.
Magic Kingdom welcomes ABC’s cameras each holiday season, and this year’s taping dates are today and tomorrow. ABC hadn’t named a host when it set its 2026 air dates last month. Those dates are November 30th for The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular and December 25th for the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade. Production Team credentials worn by the crew today list both specials, so this week’s shoot appears to cover both broadcasts.
A Mirrorball Champion and a Descendants Star
ABC viewers saw plenty of Robert Irwin last fall, when the Australian wildlife conservationist won season 34 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Witney Carson. His sister Bindi won the Mirrorball Trophy a decade earlier with Derek Hough, who hosted the 2025 Holiday Spectacular.
Malia Baker is a familiar face to Disney Channel fans. She plays Chloe, the daughter of Cinderella, in Descendants: The Rise of Red and Descendants: Wicked Wonderland. The latest film premiered on Disney Channel and Disney+ in July.
Holiday Looks on Main Street USA
We first caught Irwin and Baker walking down Main Street USA with a Cast Member guide and the production team.
The pair also sat down on a set built from towering red glitter gift boxes and oversized gold bows, finished off with gold snowflakes and ornament-filled garland. Both hosts held sparkling gold microphones for what looked like host segments. The set looks great, albeit familiar for Disney fans.
Guests in the park today can catch Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at 2:00pm, and a second daytime show follows tomorrow. Normally the parade is only shown during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, so this is a rare chance to see it without a party ticket. Frontierland and Liberty Square are safer bets for a viewing spot this year. Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade is off the schedule on both days. We also rounded up the rest of the Magic Kingdom entertainment changes for the ABC holiday taping.
Keep Reading
- Find out why day guests get a rare look at the party parade this week in our breakdown of the 2026 Christmas parade taping dates.
- Plan your day around the taping with our full list of Magic Kingdom entertainment changes on November 10th and 11th.
- Mark your calendar with ABC’s 2026 air dates for the Holiday Spectacular and the Christmas Day Parade.
- See what changed last season in our 2025 Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade photos and video.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!