WYNTK: Disney Rings in the New Year and Looks Back at 2025, Football and Cheetahs Coming This Week Across the Worlds of Disney
End 2025 and start 2026 off right! Here are the Top 6 things coming from The Walt Disney Company for the week of December 29th - January 4th.
Valentine’s Day Merchandise (December 29, Disney Store)
Disney is kicking off the season of love early with the release of its Valentine’s Day merchandise collection at the Disney Store. The new lineup includes a wide variety of giftable items such as plush, watches, pajamas, Spirit Jerseys, and even themed droids, making it easy for fans to find something special for the Disney lover in their life. Adding to the excitement, Disney Store will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of Winnie the Pooh with additional merchandise drops arriving the same day.
Monday Night Football: Chargers @ Falcons (December 29, ESPN)
ESPN closes out the NFL’s Week 17 slate with an interconference matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Atlanta Falcons. With playoff implications still in play, this will be one to watch. For those wanting more NFL action, ABC and ESPN will broadcast a NFL double header on January 3.
The Year: 2025 (December 29, ABC)
ABC’s The Year: 2025 offers a comprehensive look back at the moments that defined the past year across news, entertainment, sports, and culture. The annual special has become a familiar year-end tradition, blending reflection with perspective as audiences prepare to turn the page to a new year. Robin Roberts returns to host, joined by her ABC News colleagues and a wide range of celebrity guests, including the Jonas Brothers, Luke Bryan, A’ja Wilson, Miles Canton, Christian Siriano, Robert Irwin, and more. And be sure to keep an eye on Laughing Place all week long for our own look back at 2025 — along with a look ahead to what’s coming in 2026.
Cheetahs Up Close with Bertie Gregory (January 1, National Geographic)
National Geographic welcomes the new year with Cheetahs Up Close, led by Emmy-winning filmmaker and explorer Bertie Gregory. The special delivers an intimate look at one of the world’s most elusive and endangered predators, blending cutting-edge cinematography with Nat Geo’s signature storytelling. You can check out our review of the show.
College Football Playoff Quarterfinals (December 31–January 1, ESPN)
ESPN’s College Football Playoff coverage continues with the quarterfinal round spanning New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The fun kicks off on New Year’s Eve with the Cotton Bowl Classic, and continues on New Year’s Day with the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. For those wanting more New Year’s Fun, ABC will broadcast the Rose Parade at 10am PT from Pasadena.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (December 31, ABC)
ABC rings in 2026 with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, the longest-running New Year’s Eve celebration on television. This year’s headliner is legend Diana Ross who will perform live from Times Square. Beyond that .38 artists will perform across New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Puerto Rico. This year’s broadcast will be the longest ever going from 8pm to 4am. Join hosts Ryan Seacrest, Rita Ora, Chance the Rapper, Rob Gronkowski, and Julianne Hough for America’s New Year’s Eve tradition.
