“American Idol” season 21 winner Iam Tongi brought warmth and joy to the “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” this year, delivering a festive performance that not only captured the spirit of the season but also celebrated his Hawaiian roots. The fan-favorite singer’s appearance made the beloved holiday tradition even more special for audiences around the world.
Tongi Brings Island Vibes to the 2025 Christmas Parade
Tongi made history back in 2023 as American Idol’s first-ever Pacific Islander champion. Two years later, the 21-year-old recently wrapped up a headlining tour. And now, Tongi once again represented his home state in his performance of “The Christmas Song” during “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade.”
Performing all the way from Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Kapolei, Hawaii, Tongi performed his rendition, originally popularized in 1946 by the Nat King Cole Trio.
Tongi Records a Christmas Classic
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of both two longtime Yuletide staples—King’s Hawaiian’s sweet rolls and Bing Crosby’s 1950 hit “Mele Kalikimaka—Tongi teamed up with Crosby’s estate to put his own spin on the holiday classic.
Tongi said the experience “surreal.” He continued, “Growing up in Hawaii with my big family, we used to go door-to-door at Christmas, singing ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ and other Christmas carols. I can’t believe there’s going to be a whole generation of people hearing my voice on it.”
Inside the 40th Anniversary of the ‘Magical Christmas Day Parade’
DisneyFor four decades, the Magical Christmas Day Parade has been filling our Christmas mornings with holiday cheer. The parade first aired in 1983 as a way to bring the enchantment of the parks into peoples’ homes. What began as a simple broadcast of festive floats with iconic characters has grown into a spectacular celebration featuring unforgettable performances and heartwarming moments that bring families together year after year.
Walt Disney World’s Very Merry Christmas Parade began on the ABC network in 1983 with Joan Lunden as the first host and Mike Douglas as co-host. Regis Philbin was later added as an on-street interviewer. In 1991, the first year there was a parade from both Magic Kingdom Park and (then) Disney-MGM Studios, Philbin and Lunden began a five-year run as co-hosts, before both were replaced by a series of rotating hosts for the next four years.
The parade travels down Main Street, U.S.A. and features appearances of iconic characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Pluto, as well as floats featuring celebrities, musical performances, marching bands from different schools and community groups across the country, and highlights of events and properties at their theme parks and other productions.
Most of the program is taped in November and early December for broadcast on Christmas Day. However, until the early 1990s, the parade was broadcast live, according to Disney Wiki. For the 2014 edition, the program was rethemed as the Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration, and included performances from Aulani Resort in Hawaii. It was renamed as Disney Parks Unforgettable Christmas Celebration in 2015. In 2016, it officially became the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no parade footage, instead, it featured smaller-scale “Christmas Cavalcades” with characters like Mickey, Goofy, and Disney Princesses in a royal procession, instead of a large traditional parade. The parade returned in its usual format the following year. In 2024, the parade made its first livestream broadcast on the Disney+ YouTube channel.
