Disney Night is returning to Dancing with the Stars for Season 35, bringing a celebration of music from Disney on Broadway, special guest performers, and a schedule change for the upcoming episode.
Dancing with the Stars Disney Night 2026
Disney announced that this year’s Disney Night will air on Monday, November 2, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, rather than the show’s usual Tuesday time slot.
The change accommodates ABC’s coverage of the November 3 midterm elections. The competition will return to its regular Tuesday schedule the following week.
This year’s presentation will celebrate Disney’s history on Broadway, incorporating music from both classic animated films and their theatrical adaptations. Eight remaining celebrity couples will perform routines inspired by Disney favorites, with additional performances featuring Broadway stars.
Actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, best known for her starring role as Elphaba in Wicked, will join series’ regulars Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli as a guest judge.
Disney has confirmed the following performances for the eight remaining couples:
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: Quickstep to “A Star Is Born” from Hercules
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: Jive to “You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!” from Peter Pan
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: Contemporary to “Easy As Life” from Disney’s Broadway musical Aida, featuring Heather Headley
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: Jazz to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins, featuring Kyra Belle Johnson
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: Samba to “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid, featuring Michael James Scott
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa: Paso Doble to “Satisfied” from Hamilton
- Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: Quickstep to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, featuring Rodney Ingram
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: Waltz to “I See the Light” from Tangled, featuring Heather Headley
In addition to the competitive routines, the show’s professional dancers and troupe will perform numbers set to songs from The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, The Greatest Showman, and Aladdin.
The episode will also feature live performances by Broadway talent, including Tony Award winner Heather Headley, who originated the title role in Disney’s Aida and played Nala in the original Broadway cast of The Lion King.
The upcoming episode will bring back team dances, with the remaining contestants divided into two groups. Hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will also participate in the team performances.
Team Slaytopia, led by Tatyana Ali and joined by Ribeiro, will dance to “Zoo” from Zootopia 2. The team includes Ali and Jan Ravnik, Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, and Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa.
Team Wildcats, led by Connor Wood and joined by Hough, will perform “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical. The group includes Wood and Rylee Arnold, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, and Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson.
The team performances will contribute to the contestants’ scores as they continue competing for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
History of Disney Night on Dancing with the Stars
Disney Night has been a recurring tradition on Dancing with the Stars for more than a decade. The first Disney Night aired on April 14, 2014, during Season 18, featuring routines inspired by The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Frozen, with Donny Osmond serving as guest judge.
Over the years, the themed episodes have incorporated elaborate costumes, Disney characters, animated visual effects, and musical selections from across the company’s film catalog. In 2015, Disney highlighted the integration of animated characters into live performances as part of the celebration.
The 2026 edition expands that tradition by spotlighting Disney’s theatrical productions, with live Broadway performers joining the celebrity contestants.
Dancing with the Stars Disney Night airs Monday, November 2, from 8 to 10 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ (again, one day earlier than its usual timeslot, due to Election Day), with next-day streaming available on Hulu. Fans can vote during the live broadcast by phone or online at dwtsvote.abc.com.
If you haven’t seen it, be sure to check out the impressive Dancing with the Stars production put on at Disneyland Park for the opening performance of Disney Night from season 28 in 2019.
Which Disney-inspired performance are you most excited to see? Share your thoughts with us on social media.
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