Hallmark simply introduced that “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True,” the first-ever Christmas film filmed at Walt Disney International, has wrapped filming. Right here’s the most recent, plus what we learn about taking pictures places and the way this may have an effect on initiatives going ahead.
As fundamental background, Walt Disney International and the Hallmark Channel have teamed up on an all-new, unique vacation film known as “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True.” The film is about to premiere throughout Hallmark Channel’s seventeenth annual Countdown to Christmas in 2026, and used to be shot on location at Walt Disney International in Florida.
Ryan Landels is the creator and director of “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True.” Starring Lacey Chabert, Travis Van Winkle, Richard Type, Christy Carlson Romano, Bryce Durfee, Taegen Burns, and Asher Alexander, with Patrick Renna in a cameo position, this first-ever Walt Disney International vacation film is soon-to-be vintage Christmas romance.
In “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True,” Lindsey (Chabert) and her prolonged circle of relatives head to Walt Disney International to spend a paranormal Christmas in combination. However the dream of a jolly vacation will get dashed when Lindsey discovers her room is subsequent door to Philip (Van Winkle), a disastrous first date she just lately had, who’s additionally there on a circle of relatives go back and forth.
As Lindsey and Philip’s paths go all over their Walt Disney International go back and forth, the frost begins to thaw as they be informed they’re now not so other from every different in any case. Because of the magic of Disney, the vacation want Lindsey made in Cinderella fountain simply may flip their competition into romance. Perhaps. That is Hallmark, so endings are at all times unpredictable and happiness is rarely assured.
A brand new Hallmark Channel Instagram Submit shared through Disney Parks, showed that “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” filming has wrapped. It doesn’t point out when that came about, nevertheless it’s protected to surmise that it used to be a minimum of a few days in the past.
Right here’s the Instagram put up:
Something that’s attention-grabbing to me is the manufacturing timeline for “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True.” Filming kicked off in a while sooner than the reliable announcement on December 7, 2025. We all know this as a result of more than one readers reported seeing crews and celebrities round Walt Disney International within the week main as much as the announcement.
If the amount of social media sightings is any indication, Magic Kingdom served as the main filming location for the Hallmark Christmas film. More than one sightings befell round Cinderella Citadel and the Wishing Smartly, which is sensible given, ya know, the name. (Heads up that conceivable spoilers observe, however I imply c’mon, is it actually conceivable to wreck a Hallmark movie? Somebody who incessantly watches them may just most certainly wager all the plot presently with 90% accuracy.)
Crews have been noticed filming a “glass slipper second” between the leads close to the wishing smartly in mid-January, with the overall main forged provide together with Richard Type. The manufacturing labored briefly throughout park working hours, briefly blocking small sections of the parks whilst shooting pictures sooner than reopening the spaces to visitors.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios additionally hosted filming. Crews have been noticed in Toy Tale Land, as not anything screams “romance” like literal screaming youngsters and essentially the most chaotic space in all of Walt Disney International. I might think this used to be in large part a synergy play, and we’re going to look a large number of places that Walt Disney International needs to focus on. I’d think there used to be additionally filming at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom, even supposing I don’t recall seeing studies of it.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Hotel used to be showed as some other filming location. This is likely one of the extra quintessential ‘holiday mode’ Walt Disney International lodges…and in addition house to the brand new Island Tower, which continues to be in energetic DVC gross sales. In step with the plot synopsis, the tale comes to the primary personality finding her resort room is subsequent door to a disastrous first date, so the lodge environment most probably performs an important position.
I’m in truth somewhat shocked that they didn’t mockup a fashion room for Disney Lakeshore Resort, movie in that, after which circle again for B-roll later this 12 months as soon as that challenge progresses to some degree the place the outside is in completed shape. It’ll without a doubt be in energetic gross sales through then, even supposing possibly even Disney realizes the outside is a tad too generic? My hope used to be/is that parts have been additionally filmed on the Grand Floridian (highlighting its fresh renovation) or Wasteland Resort (my private favourite), which might be logical places for a Christmas film.
In line with what we all know, the filming timeline for “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” used to be roughly 3 months. The primary scattered studies of filming surfaced in early December and Hallmark showed it had wrapped in past due February.
That’s in reality a actually lengthy timeline for Hallmark films, which might be famously produced on tight schedules on shoestring budgets. What made this manufacturing distinctive used to be the complexity of filming in energetic theme parks and lodges slightly than on closed units or small cities that may be extra simply managed.
No longer slightly the similar as taking pictures in one of the vital international’s most well liked holiday locations throughout certainly one of its busiest seasons. Even though I’d consider there used to be after hours get entry to, it used to be most certainly restricted as a result of that point is costly. The group in large part needed to paintings round working hours, and there used to be most certainly a long way much less time according to day throughout which they may shoot.
Even so, it’s most certainly protected to think that filming didn’t remaining an uninterrupted 3 months. There used to be some filming in December, a lot of which used to be most certainly B-roll throughout the guts of the vacation season, after which it looks as if main pictures kicked into top equipment in January, after the Christmas crowds subsided. That gave the group a few weeks with the decorations nonetheless up, plus some other month or so with the vanilla parks.
It’s additionally most certainly truthful to mention that the Walt Disney International film goes to be the blockbuster of Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas 2026. Even nowadays, the unique announcement continues to be the pinned put up on a number of in their social media channels, and the response it gained dwarfed the whole thing else the corporate and its stars have posted just lately. So the everyday timeline is most certainly in large part beside the point right here.
That is advertising for Walt Disney International, in order that they’re most probably foot the invoice for a portion of manufacturing whilst additionally permitting expanded (and once more, expensive) after hours get entry to to the parks. Between that and the truth that this film could have wider enchantment, we’d be expecting a a long way larger finances and manufacturing high quality than virtually each and every different Hallmark film ever. That is most certainly why it options Hallmark’s heavy-hitter in Chabert and an in a different way sturdy forged through Hallmark requirements.
We additionally wonder whether “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” is the explanation why the cranes have not begun to look round Cinderella Citadel. Crews have made spectacular growth on that challenge whilst ultimate in large part invisible, which used to be now not the unique plan. On the contrary, Walt Disney International introduced in past due December that cranes would seem over a month in the past.
It’s conceivable that Walt Disney International discovered challenge logistics to permit for portray with out the cranes up till a definite level. It’s additionally conceivable that one hand didn’t know what the opposite used to be doing, and cranes up round Cinderella Citadel within the morning hours would’ve posed a problem for Hallmark filming crews.
We’ll most certainly by no means know in some way, however regardless of the reason why, it’s been nice to look such a lot growth with out seeing such a lot of cranes. Kudos to Walt Disney International on that! It’ll be attention-grabbing to look whether or not cranes seem at any level, or if all the challenge will also be performed with out them. (With a bit of luck that bodes smartly for the longer term set up of Dream Lighting fixtures!)
Did you listen the scoop? #WaltDisneyWorld magic meets @Hallmark vacation pleasure in an all-new film coming in 2026! 🎬✨ %.twitter.com/2jkWKzFJbn
— Walt Disney International (@WaltDisneyWorld) December 7, 2025
Extra About “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True”
“Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” is a collaboration between the Hallmark Channel and Walt Disney International; it marks the 1st time ever that those vacation powerhouses will staff up for a brand new, unique film.
“The partnership between Hallmark and Disney dates again a long time, when a shared Kansas Town connection and friendship between Hallmark’s founder, J.C. Corridor, and Walt Disney himself resulted in our first-ever authorized merchandise, together with the first actual greeting card that includes Mickey Mouse,” stated Darren Abbott, Leader Logo Officer, Hallmark. “We’re extremely joyful to amplify our dating past the goods we create in combination and onto the display with this heartwarming and glad Christmas film that embodies the easiest of each manufacturers.”
“Storytelling is on the middle of each Disney and Hallmark, and that magic shines even brighter throughout the vacations,” stated Sally Conner, VP World Content material. “We’re extremely joyful that Walt Disney International will function the immersive environment for a Hallmark vacation film highlighting the cheerful festivities of the season. Throughout our theme parks, lodges, and past, numerous distinctive tales spread and new reminiscences are made each day with our visitors. This movie is a superb option to percentage that pleasure and pixie mud with fanatics all over the place.”
We’re actually taking a look ahead to “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True.”
Hallmark Channel Christmas films are our final responsible satisfaction throughout the vacation season. We watch a large number of them–simply two-dozen according to Christmas. I’m now not even going to faux it’s towards my will. They’re great to position on within the background.
The finishing of each and every unmarried one is predictable from concerning the 10-minute mark. There’s virtually at all times a small the town personality (and environment) in a dating with a large town personality who isn’t proper for them, or a large town personality rediscovering their roots in a small the town. On occasion there are cats and/or castles. I actually like those ones.
My one large hope is they don’t overproduce “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” or lean too onerous into the ‘unfastened advertising’ attitude.
Just a little of Toy Tale Land is ok, however I actually hope there’s no a ten minute tangent about happening a seek for the lacking factor in grandma’s well-known Christmas cookies, and soliciting the lend a hand from the Tiana’s Meals staff. That may well be somewhat a lot.
A part of the name of the game sauce of Hallmark Channel films is that they have got this b-movie high quality to them. They’re comfortable, like a heat hug. A part of why many fanatics have stopped observing the ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade is as it’s no matter the complete opposite of this is. It feels overly-commercial. (Just a little ironic since over-commercializing vacations is like Hallmark’s entire factor!)
My hope is that “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” threads the needle and finally ends up turning into a guilty-pleasure cult vintage. It doesn’t want to be good-good or so-bad-it’s-good. The film simply must have simply the correct quantity of cheesiness, Hallmark sentimentality, and Christmas at Walt Disney International window-dressing.
This era actually wishes what mine had again within the day with the Most sensible 10 TV Presentations Set at Walt Disney International and Most sensible 10 Walt Disney International TV Specials. It’d be great if “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True” turns into a brand new access on that 2nd record!
Making plans a Walt Disney International go back and forth? Find out about lodges on our Walt Disney International Inns Evaluations web page. For the place to devour, learn our Walt Disney International Eating place Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney International Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular have a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney International Experience Guides will lend a hand. For complete recommendation, the most productive position to start out is our Walt Disney International Shuttle Making plans Information for the whole thing you want to understand!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you bring to mind a Hallmark Channel Christmas film set at Walt Disney International? Taking a look ahead to “Vacation Ever After: A Disney International Want Come True”? Any predictions about settings or plot issues? Any questions we will be able to mean you can resolution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas beneath within the feedback!
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