The Fabulous Sounds of Christmas at Disneyland — One More Time!

Forgive me for falling off the face of the earth… We’ve spent the last 2 months packing to move, moving, and unpacking from the move, and these days I’m lucky if I can find my pants in the morning, let alone get a blog update together. So if you will allow me to coast a little longer, I’m reviving the now-annual reposting of one of my most popular posts: “The Fabulous Sounds of Christmas at Disneyland.”

Scroll down and you’ll find MP3s of every song on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. Christmas music loop. Happy holidays!


Several years ago, MiceAge.com’s Al Lutz  posted an article (since updated – click HERE!) with a complete listing of the songs played on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. at the holidays. Even better, he dug up exactly which album each song came from. However, because Disneyland’s Christmas music loop was created around 1972, most of the tracks on it are from albums that are long out of print and have never been released on CD.

As a former college radio DJ and record shop rat, I zealously took on the challenge of tracking down every single song in the Main Street Christmas loop. Starting in the spring, I spent six or eight months combing local record stores, trawling the web, and stalking eBay. Along the way I may have overpaid for a couple of records, but I also enjoyed the thrill of discovery every time I came upon another rare gem.

After I’d collected all the albums (some of which, I realized, may once have been in my Lawrence Welk-loving grandma’s record collection), I had to digitize the songs with a complicated setup involving my record player, a 4-track recorder and my computer, since they hadn’t invented those USB turntables yet. Some of the records were not in the greatest shape, so a few of the songs have quite a bit of authentic hiss and pop that was impossible to filter out.

Next I spent an inordinate amount of time sequencing the songs so that they flowed seamlessly and there were no duplicates of songs or artists back to back (tricky to do when there are two versions of “Jingle Bells” and of “White Christmas,” plus five songs by the same artist). I’m not sure now why I didn’t go with the actual in-park sequence that Al documented…. I guess the me of seven years ago thought she knew better than whichever cast member slaved over the very same task back in 1972!

The last project was creating packaging for my new compilation album, which I’d dubbed The Fabulous Sounds of Christmas at Disneyland! I used the various Christmas albums’ art as inspiration and found these blank CDsdesigned to look like 45s, with plastic grooves in the top and everything!

I was so pleased with the results that I made copies of my album for everyone I knew who was even remotely interested in Disneyland and/or Christmas, and it’s become an annual tradition to search out new people on whom to inflict my pet project.

Which is why this year I’m giving The Fabulous Sounds of Christmas at Disneyland! to all of you. Posted below are all the songs, plus a PDF file of the cover art, if you feel like burning the album to a disc. To grab the MP3 file, right-click on the song title and select “Save Link As…” or its equivalent. Note that the songs on my version are not arranged in the order in which they play at Disneyland—for that sequence you’ll have to check out Al’s article. But I did include a bonus track not found on the original Main Street Christmas loop…

And for all you Walt Disney World fans, I’ve noticed that the loop played in the Magic Kingdom at Christmastime sounds an awful lot like Disneyland’s, so maybe this album will work for you too!

The Fabulous Sounds of Christmas at Disneyland

1. White Christmas – Lawrence Welk

2. The Christmas Tree – David Rose

3. Zu Bethlehem Geboren – A Music Box Christmas

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Ed Sullivan Presents Music of Christmas

5. Twelve Days of Christmas – David Rose

6. Silver Bells – Raymond Lefevre

7. Caroling, Caroling – Hollywood Pops Orchestra

8. Still, Still, Holy Melody – A Music Box Christmas

9. I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Lawrence Welk

10. Jingle Bells – Raymond Lefevre

11. The First Noel – Ed Sullivan Presents Music of Christmas

12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Lawrence Welk

13. Lobe Den Herren – A Music Box Christmas

14. Toyland – David Rose

15. Deck the Halls – Lawrence Welk

16. Petit Papa Noel – Raymond Lefevre

17. Ihr Kinderlein Kommet – Felix Slatkin

18. White Christmas – Ed Sullivan Presents Music of Christmas

19. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – A Music Box Christmas

20. Carol of the Bells – Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra

21. The Christmas Song – David Rose

22. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Lawrence Welk

23. O Tannenbaum – A Music Box Christmas

24. Christmas Waltz – David Rose

25. Jingle Bell Rock – Hollyridge Strings

26. Ihr Kinderlein Kommet – A Music Box Christmas 

27. Deck the Halls – Felix Slatkin

28. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Lawrence Welk

29. Jingle Bells – A Music Box Christmas

30. Do You Hear What I Hear? – Ed Sullivan Presents Music of Christmas

31. Believe… In Holiday Magic 

Click HERE to download the CD cover + tray art!

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16 Responses
  • Carla
    January 31, 2014

    Thanks for the music! I made a copy for my niece and she hasn’t stopped playing it yet (more than a month post-Christmas). Question for you–we will be at WDW in May for our 9th anniversary and I’ve finally scored a 7:00 pm Le Cellier reservation (we’ve never been there). I’m considering forking over the $$ for the Italy overlook to watch Illuminations afterward. But, I’ve read that the ‘preferred viewing spot’ with the Magic Bands is pretty good–right between the two gift shops just as you enter the World Showcase from Future World (and even better if the powers-that-be let you get right down by the water). Of course, that assumes that we could get Illuminations as one of our 3 choices, I’m sure it isn’t unlimited. Which spot do you prefer? Also, what do you think of the whole Magic Band thing? It seems like one of those Disney ideas that is pretty good in theory, but is a disaster in reality. You can only pick 3 rides, and no more normal Fastpasses! Just based on that info, I’m pretty bummed about the whole thing.

    • Carrie
      January 31, 2014

      Italy Overlook, all the way! Yes, Showcase Plaza is a great spot for watching IllumiNations, but only if A) you get there early enough to be in the first row of people and B) you’re lucky enough to be let into the front area by the water (depends on wind direction). Otherwise, you’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a huge crowd, looking up over the tops of people’s heads. I would take a private viewing spot over that place any day. And the view from Italy Overlook is fantastic, to boot! Re: MagicBands, I think this: “It seems like one of those Disney ideas that is pretty good in theory, but is a disaster in reality.” I think once we’ve tried it, we’ll feel that the minor increase in convenience is still outweighed by all the things we lost because of it. Spontaneity being chief among these…

      • Carla
        February 4, 2014

        For the love of my sanity, help!! I am getting the biggest run-around trying to book the Overlook. I started with Catered Events, who first insisted that you could not rent the Italy Overlook. I explained what I wanted, and they transferred me to Planning, who sent me to Recreation (huh??) who said that I needed someone in Conventions, since it is considered an event space. Conventions sent me back to Catered Events, and I did get someone there who believed that the Overlook COULD be rented, but insisted that there would be a 10 person food and beverage minimum (in spite of the fact that no food could be served there!), and was just positive that there was no place in Epcot that could be used by paying only a site fee with no food. And the whole time I’m wanting to say “don’t you people know Carrie? She said that this could be done so I KNOW that it can!”. The only Disney website that I’ve ever seen the Overlook mentioned is on the Disney Meetings site, so I’m going to try to call them tomorrow. In the meantime, do you remember who you booked through (a different number or department or even your planner)? Thank you so much!

        • Carrie
          February 5, 2014

          Hi Carla! Oh my gosh, what a runaround! This is one thing I really dislike about Disney—the right hand never knows what the left is doing! Ask one question of 50 CMs, you’ll get 50 different answers! My planner at the Contemporary was Colleen Durbin. She had never heard of Italy Overlook, but all she had to do was check with Epcot and then we were allowed to use it. (And I only knew about it cuz another bride had used it many years before.) She even told me she later booked it for another couple’s proposal. You can only work with her if you’re staying at the Contemporary, but maybe the DCE person for your resort could call her and learn what the deal is. There is absolutely no reason for them to charge a food and beverage minimum at a place that can’t serve food—that is ridiculous!

  • Deb
    December 14, 2013

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Our family has the The Fabulous Sounds of Christmas at Disneyland on constantly, it is our absolute favorite this time of year. It brings back great memories of our Christmas trips to WDW. And it’s all thanks to you, Carrie, and your hard and diligent work. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    • Carrie
      December 14, 2013

      I’m so glad to know your family is enjoying it! Thanks for your kind words, and Merry Christmas to you too!

  • Heather
    December 14, 2013

    Congratulations on the move! Now, get those dishes unpacked and in the cabinets
    and get back to bloggin’!

    • Carrie
      December 14, 2013

      LOL! Aye aye, Cap’n!

  • samantha
    December 12, 2013

    thank you! i remember you posting about it last year and i am so excited to have it for my very own! and merry christmas!!

    • Carrie
      December 12, 2013

      Merry Christmas to you too!

  • Hope at Disneyland
    December 11, 2013

    So THAT’s where you’ve been. I was wondering why you’d been so quiet lately. 😉 I hope the move wasn’t too bad and that you’re settled. I also hope you had your mail forwarded to your new place. Happy holidays!

    • Carrie
      December 12, 2013

      Yes! We got a lovely Christmas card from two bears I think you know…

      • Hope at Disneyland
        December 12, 2013

        Yay! 🙂

  • mattie
    December 11, 2013

    thank you so much!!!!

    • Carrie
      December 12, 2013

      Glad you like it!

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