The Christmas season of 2023 is upon us, and everyone is searching for the true meaning of Christmas in the form of holiday movies. Being the time of year for family, many are searching for a holiday film that appeals to the whole family, and what better streaming service to look to than Disney Plus? Check out this list of 30+ of the best Christmas movies on Disney Plus 2023.
If you enjoyed these Christmas movies on Disney Plus 2023, check out these other articles: Best New Year’s movies, Hallmark fall movies, Best Black Christmas movies on Netflix, Best serial killer movies.
Christmas Movies on Disney Plus 2023
Disney+’s New Snow-rrivals
Dashing Through The Snow (2023)
Plot: After a traumatic experience, Eddie Garrick, a social worker, who lost his Christmas spirit and no longer believes in the magic of Christmas. At the request of his estranged wife, he brings his daughter Charlotte to work where a magical adventure begins for them.
Star Cast: Ludacris, Lil Rey Howery, Madison Skye Validum
The Naughty Nine (2023)
Plot: A fifth grader named Andy has been a troublemaker this year, resulting in him being put on the naughty list and feeling unfairly shafted by Santa. He assembles a crew with eight other naughty children, with a mission of breaking into Santa’s Village in the North Pole and taking the presents they believe they deserve.
Star Cast: Danny Glover, Winslow Fegley, Camila Rodríguez
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever (2023)
Plot: After getting stuck with his family in the snow during his winter vacation, Greg worries about getting the new console.
Star Cast: Wesley Kimmel, Hunter Dillon, Spencer Howell
More Christmas movies on Disney Plus’s Cozy Classics
Noelle (2019)
Plot: Kris Kringle’s daughter is full of Christmas spirit but wishes she could do something important like her brother Nick, who will take over for their father this Christmas. When Nick is about to crumble like a gingerbread cookie from all the pressure, Noelle suggests he take a break and get away from the North Pole…but when he doesn’t return, Noelle must find her brother and bring him back in time to save Christmas.
Star Cast: Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Shirley MacLaine
Godmothered (2020)
Plot: An inexperienced fairy godmother in training tries to prove that people still need fairy godmothers.
Star Cast: Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher, Willa Skye
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
Plot: The Guardians are on a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill and head to Earth in search of the perfect present.
Star Cast: Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)
Plot: The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special is a 2020 CGI-animated Christmas special based on the Star Wars franchise, in which Rey trains Finn in the ways of the force. Directed by Ken Cunningham from a script by David Shayne, it is produced by Lucasfilm Animation and The Lego Group alongside Atomic Cartoons.
Star Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Plot: The Muppets perform the classic Charles Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge. Other Muppets — Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and Sam the Eagle — weave in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases — past, present and future. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.
Star Cast: Michael Caine, Dave Goelz
Christmas Movies on Disney Plus Merry Marathons
The Santa Clause (1994)
Plot: Divorced dad Scott has custody of his son on Christmas Eve. After he accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit, they are magically transported to the North Pole, where an elf explains that Scott must take Santa’s place before the next Christmas arrives. Scott thinks he’s dreaming, but over the next several months he gains weight and grows an inexplicably white beard. Maybe that night at the North Pole wasn’t a dream after all — and maybe Scott has a lot of work to do.
Star Cast: Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, David Krumholtz
Home Alone (1990)
Plot: When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men plan to rob the McCallister residence, and that he alone must protect the family home. Written by John Hughes.
Star Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O’Hara, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
Plot: When Mrs Claus visits the children of Pineville, she finds some unexpected stowaways on her sleigh: a group of mischievous puppies, Santa buddies, who help save Christmas from disappearing.
Star Cast: Kaitlyn Maher, Josh Feldman, Danny Woodburn
Christmas Movies on Disney Plus Seasonal Shorts
Prep & Landing (2009)
Plot: Wayne is an elf who believes that Christmas is just a job. After working for 227 years preparing homes for Santa’s arrival, he wonders if all his efforts make any difference. His patience is put to the test when he is paired with Lanny, an idealistic rookie who embraces the holiday spirit. The elves encounter unexpected challenges on their mission, and Wayne learns that his job does indeed have impact in a very surprising way. Short film.
Star Cast: Stevie Wermers, Kevin Deters, Dave Foley
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017)
Plot: When the kingdom of Arendelle empties out for the holiday season, Anna and Elsa realize that they have no family traditions of their own. So Olaf sets out on a merry mission to bring home the very best traditions and save Christmas.
Star Cast: Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Stevie Wermers
Disney+ Classics
A Christmas Carol (2009)
Plot: Though London awaits the joyful arrival of Christmas, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge thinks it’s all humbug, berating his faithful clerk and cheerful nephew for their view. Later, Scrooge encounters the ghost of his late business partner, who warns that three spirits will visit him this night. The ghosts take Scrooge on a journey through his past, present and future in the hope of transforming his bitterness.
Star Cast: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Plot: In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain’s main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity.
Star Cast: Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood, Maureen O’Hara
The Polar Express (2004)
Plot: Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump”; “Cast Away”) reunite for “Polar Express,” an inspiring adventure based on the beloved children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
Star Cast: Tom Hanks, Josh Hutcherson, Eddie Deezen
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Plot: The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.” When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life — he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.
Star Cast: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherin O’Hara
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
Plot: During the World War II bombings of London, four English siblings are sent to a country house where they will be safe. One day Lucy finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world called Narnia. After coming back, she soon returns to Narnia with her brothers, Peter and Edmund, and her sister, Susan. There they join the magical lion, Aslan, in the fight against the evil White Witch, Jadis.
Star Cast: Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell, Liam Neeson, Tilda Swinton
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Plot: Lonely transit worker Lucy Eleanor Moderatz pulls her longtime crush, Peter, from the path of an oncoming train. At the hospital, doctors report that he’s in a coma, and a misplaced comment from Lucy causes Peter’s family to assume that she is his fiancée. When Lucy doesn’t correct them, they take her into their home and confidence. Things get even more complicated when she finds herself falling for Peter’s sheepish brother, Jack.
Star Cast: Sandra Bullock, Peter Gallagher, Bill Pullman
Jingle All The Way (1996)
Plot: Workaholic Howard Langston wants to make things up to his son, Jamie, and wife, Liz. He promises to get Jamie the hottest toy of the season, Turbo-Man — even though it’s Christmas Eve and the toy is practically sold out. As Langston hunts down the elusive gift, he runs into mailman Myron (Sinbad), another father on the same quest. With the clock winding down, Langston’s moral code is tested as he starts to learn the real meaning of Christmas.
Star Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jake Lloyd, Rita Wilson
Disney+ Animated Christmas Favorites
Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon A Christmas (2021)
Plot: After a series of mishaps, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the gang are separated all over the world and must try to get back to Hot Dog Hills by Christmas Eve. A mysterious and jolly stranger shows up to tell them about The Wishing Star, which could be the secret to bringing everybody home in time to celebrate together.
Star Cast: Bret Iwan, Kaitlyn Robrock, Daniel Ross
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas (1999)
Plot: A handful of Disney’s famous characters spread Christmas magic and love through three heartwarming Mickey’s Christmas carol stories. Discover the true meaning of the holiday season with Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey.
Star Cast: Russi Taylor, Wayne Allwine, Tony Anselmo
Other Christmas Favorites on Disney+
The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
Plot: Scott Calvin has been in the role of Santa for the past eight years, and his loyal elves consider him the best one ever. But the world of the “Merry Old Soul” turns upside down when he’s dealt a double whammy of news: Not only has his son, Charlie, landed on this year’s naughty list, but Scott discovers that he must marry by Christmas Eve — just a month away! — or he will stop being Santa Claus forever.
Star Cast: Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, Elizabeth Mitchell
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
Plot: Christmas cheer turns into holiday chaos when Scott Calvin, aka Santa, invites his in-laws for a visit and must, simultaneously, contend with Jack Frost’s scheme to take over the North Pole. Scott, his family and Head Elf Curtis must join forces to foil the nefarious plot.
Star Cast: Tim Allen, Martin Short, Ann-Margret, Alan Arkin
I’ll Be Home For Christmas (1998)
Plot: Estranged from his father, college student Jake is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie, does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake’s rival, Eddie.
Star Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Gary Cole, Jessica Biel, Adam LaVorgna
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Plot: After snarky youth Kevin McCallister loses track of his father at the airport, he mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City — while the rest of the McCallisters fly to Florida. Now alone in the Big Apple, Kevin cons his way into a room at the Plaza Hotel and begins his usual antics. But when Kevin discovers that the Sticky Bandits are on the loose, he struggles to stop them from robbing an elderly man’s toy store just before Christmas.
Star Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Plot: Plagued with worry and insomnia since saving New York from destruction, Tony Stark, now, is more dependent on the suits that give him his Iron Man persona — so much so that every aspect of his life is affected, including his relationship with Pepper. After a malevolent enemy known as the Mandarin reduces his personal world to rubble, Tony must rely solely on instinct and ingenuity to avenge his losses and protect the people he loves.
Star Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
Plot: Young Clara needs a magical, one-of-a-kind key to unlock a box that contains a priceless gift. A golden thread leads her to the coveted key, but it soon disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. In that world, she meets a soldier named Phillip, a group of mice and the regents who preside over three realms. Clara and Phillip must now enter a fourth realm to retrieve the key and restore harmony to the unstable land.
Star Cast: Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, Mackenzie Foy
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Plot: A married couple triy to steal back a valuable heirloom from a troublesome 10-year-old kid while his parents are away.
Star Cast: Archie Yates, Devin Ratray, Macaulay Culkin