To celebrate Hallmark Channel's 25th birthday, network unwraps premiere dates for 3 'Countdown to Christmas' movies for 2026

‘Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story’ kicks off Hallmark Channel’s 17th annual ‘Countdown to Christmas’ on Oct. 17

‘Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True’ premieres Nov. 28

‘A Grand Biltmore Christmas’ premieres Dec. 5

Hallmark Media press release & photo

During a virtual panel hosted by the Television Critics Association, President of Hallmark Media and Hallmark Chief Brand Officer Darren Abbott, and Head of Programming for Hallmark Media Michelle Vicary unwrapped premiere dates for three of this year’s most highly anticipated original holiday movies.

Now in its 17th year, America’s No. 1 holiday programming event, “Countdown to Christmas,” will get its biggest kickoff yet from America’s No. 1 sport, when “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story” premieres Friday, Oct. 17 (8 p.m. ET/PT), on Hallmark Channel and streams next day on Hallmark+.

“Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True” brings holiday magic into viewers’ homes when it premieres Saturday, Nov. 28 (8 p.m.), and streams next day on Hallmark+. Hallmark Media and Walt Disney World Resort – “The Most Magical Place On Earth” – team up for the first time ever for an all-new, original holiday movie filled with magic and romance when Lacey Chabert (“Haul Out the Holly,” “Mean Girls”) and Travis Van Winkle (“Good Sam,” “ ’Tis the Season to be Merry”) star in “Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True.” Richard Kind (“Only Murders in the Building,” “Inside Out”), Christy Carlson Romano (“Kim Possible,” “Even Stevens”) Bryce Durfee (“General Hospital”), Taegen Burns (“The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers”) and Asher Alexander (“Hal & Harper”) have also been cast, while Patrick Renna (“You Gotta Believe,” “The Sandlot”) is featured in a cameo role.

“A Grand Biltmore Christmas” transports the audience into the Gilded Age when it premieres Saturday, Dec. 5 (8 p.m.), and streams next day on Hallmark+. Holland Roden (“Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story,” “Teen Wolf”) and Niall Matter (“We Met in December,” “This Time Each Year:) are acquaintances in the Gilded Age who become more than that in the present-day in a brand-new holiday love story set at Biltmore Estate. Jonathan Frakes (“A Biltmore Christmas,” “Star Trek: Picard”) reprises his role from the original 2023 film.

The news was shared as part of the network’s celebration of Hallmark Channel’s 25th birthday.