10 Best Moments From the Disney Family Singalong

Tonight (April 16), pop’s biggest stars like Ariana Grande, Christina Aguilera and more covered some of Disney’s most-loved — and sing-along friendly — hits. As the world continues to suffer and combat the coronavirus, the hourlong special offered some levity, laughs and a ton of nostalgia.

Over a montage of memorable scenes from Moana, Frozen, Toy Story and more Disney classics, host Ryan Seacrest said: “Tonight, we come together and take a break to share in the joy of Disney.” As the special started, Seacrest greeted viewers from his kitchen — which had been ever so slightly dressed up in Disney paraphernalia, from a wooden Disneyland sign to a Mrs. Potts and Chip tea set.

He didn’t waste much time, though — nor could he afford to, as the special packed in well over 20 performances from the comfort of each superstars’ home. From a surprise performance from Beyonce to a High School Musical reunion, these were the best moments from the show.

Derek Hough, Hayley Erbert and Julianne Hough — “Be Our Guest”
Derek and his girlfriend, fellow dancer Hayley, went all out to kick off the show with a performance that boasted a 10/10 production value. Complete with stunning Beauty & The Beast-themed costumes (Derek dressed as the Beast, Hayley as Belle in the yellow ball gown), impressive choreography and countless camera angles (including from inside their oven), the duo’s performance was plenty as is — and yet they still made it better by FaceTiming in Julianne. She quickly changed into a costume as well, reappearing in Belle’s classic blue and white dress. And after busting some moves of her own, plus a final few flips and spins from Derek and Hayley, the highly-entertaining performance came to an end.

Little Big Town — “A Spoonful of Sugar”
The members of Little Big Town joined forces — virtually, of course — to perform this Mary Poppins’ classic. Videoing in from their respective kitchens, each member was fittingly surrounded by spoonfuls of sugar, chocolate chips and more sweet treats. But what truly made this moment stand out was the appearance, and performance, from each band members’ children, making it a true family sing along — as the show intended.

Auli’i Cravalho “How Far I’ll Go”
Prior to singing her heart out, Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, chatted over FaceTime with host Ryan Seacrest, telling him that her song of choice, “How Far I’ll Go,” is “really relatable and inspiring during these times. It’s about feeling stuck where you are but wanting more from life and dreaming about the future.” She then gave a soaring vocal performance on a split-screen with the animated Moana, all while delivering similar facial expressions and fully embracing the gravity of the film’s pivotal moment.

Beyonce — “When You Wish Upon a Star”
In what was arguably the biggest surprise of the night — if not of the entire quarantine thus far — Beyonce delivered a filtered selfie video and jaw-dropping performance of this timeless track from Pinocchio. “I’m very honored to be a part of the Disney family,” she said before diving in. Accompanied only by a piano — and keeping the camera tight on herself without offering any glimpse of her home (sorry to us all) — she proceeded to sing so delicately that for those few moments everything felt lighter. “Please hold on to your families tight, be safe, and don’t give up hope,” she ended by saying. “We’re going to get through this, I promise.”

Darren Criss — “I Wanna Be Like You”
The singer-actor selected what he called a less obvious choice, performing “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book. After introducing the song by inviting viewers to “monkey around” with him, he got down to business playing the box drum, two different guitars and also accompanying himself on four-part harmonies. All the while, he boasted his impressive Disney wardrobe that included a Mickey Mouse cardigan and the all-time-classic Disney Mouseketeer hat. And even though at one point nine different angles of Darren Criss filled television screens in homes across the country — it still didn’t feel overdone.

Ariana Grande — “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)”
Following a humbling introduction from Elle Fanning, in which she called Grande extraordinary, unbelievable and incredible, the popstar said that this song from Hercules has always been “my number one favorite. I love Alan Menken’s music.” As Grande’s manager Scooter Braun later revealed on Twitter, she shot and mixed the entire performance — including her harmonies — on her iPhone in just one day. She even got in full makeup and costume, paying homage to Meg by wearing all purple, for the tender and vocally stunning video that she completed with a flower as her only prop. But with a voice like hers, what more do you need?

Christina Aguilera — “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”
Wrapped up in a Mickey Mouse blanket, a cozy-looking Christina Aguilera (accompanied by her snoozing dog) performed this love song from The Lion King and took it to new heights — both vocally, and in terms of intention. Though she left the talking to Tracee Ellis Ross, who introduced her, Christina didn’t need to say much more as her stripped-down clip delivered a strong message on its own with lyrics like, “The world, for once, in perfect harmony” — a much-needed reminder to look out for one another, now more than ever.

Thomas Rhett — “Do You Want to Build a Snowman”
Sandwiched between two of his daughters, Willa Gray and Ada James, Thomas Rhett spoke-sang this Frozen favorite. While Willa Gray (who was dressed as Elsa) and Ada James (who was dressed as Anna) offered some slight backing vocals, the two really came in to play when it was time to let it snow: they reached inside their buckets and released handfuls of white confetti into the air — and all over their dad.

Cast of High School Musical — “We’re All In This Together”
“Just when you thought we couldn’t give you any more feels…” teased Ryan Seacrest as the hour was coming to a close, he introduced a special guest who was “hunkered down in the middle of nowhere” with spotty WiFi: Zac Efron. In a very lo-fi video, Zac told viewers to remember that “we are all in this together” before tossing it to director Kenny Ortega, who was wearing a High School Musical track jacket and said “we’re finishing off this sing-along jam with a bang.” He was then joined by original cast members Vanessa Hudgens, Corbin Bleu, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel and Monique Coleman for an all-star reunion of “We’re All In This Together.” Including cameos from Raven-Symoné, TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and the cast of the Disney+ show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, the fun-filled throwback performance doubled as a perfect closing sentiment.