Prep & Landing (series)

American short film series

Prep & LandingPoster of the first television specialDirected byKevin Deters Stevie WermersStarringDave Foley Derek Richardson Sarah Chalke (More)Music byMichael Giacchino (1–3) Christopher Willis (4)ProductioncompaniesWalt Disney Animation Studios (most productions)Disney Television Animation (The Snowball Protocol)Distributed byDisney–ABC Domestic TelevisionRelease dates December 8, 2009 (2009-12-08) (1) December 7, 2010 (2010-12-07) (2) December 5, 2011 (2011-12-05) (3) November 27, 2025 (2025-11-27) (4) Running time95 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget14,000,000 Prep & Landing is a series of computer animated television Christmas specials produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios (2009–2011) and Disney Television Animation (2025). Voices of Dave Foley, Derek Richardson and Sarah Chalke are featured in the specials.

[edit] Prep & Landing (2009)[edit] Main article: Prep & Landing Wayne, a Christmas elf, is part of an elite organization known as "Prep & Landing", whose job is to ready millions of homes around the world for Santa Claus's visit. After working with "Prep & Landing" for 227 years, Wayne looked forward to getting promoted. Instead, Wayne is overlooked by his former partner, and Wayne is introduced to Lanny, a rookie whom Wayne has to also train. Wayne, still bitter about the promotion, decided to slack off during the mission. He permitted Lanny to do all of the work, which is disastrous. Meanwhile, Santa is informed mid-flight of a massive snow storm and that Wayne and Lanny have not fully prepared the house yet. He is told to cancel the landing, which has never happened before, when they promised to make it up for a boy named Timmy, who is living at the house. Wayne and Lanny discovered that the re-routing was a final decision, but after hearing Timmy thanking them in his sleep, Wayne decided to fix it. He called up Santa, telling him that he must land at Timmy's house. Wayne and Lanny then worked together to land Santa safely on Timmy's roof. On Christmas morning, Santa showed Wayne that Timmy had a merry Christmas. Santa offered a promotion to Wayne, but he turned it down so he can work with Lanny.

Operation: Secret Santa (2010)[edit] Main article: Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa Wayne and Lanny, who are now partners, are called by Magee to meet with a secret contact, who turns out to be Mrs. Claus, who sends Wayne and Lanny on a new mission to retrieve a box from Santa's secret workshop. Later they sneak into Santa's office while he is asleep, using their high tech equipment from the previous film. Lanny's expertise at dressing the tree enabled them to enter the hidden workshop where they recovered the box and escaped just in time. Mrs. Claus revealed the contents of the box to be the last part of the first toy that Santa had ever made, and gave the complete toy back to him as his Christmas Present.

Naughty vs. Nice (2011)[edit] Main article: Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice Wayne and Lanny have to recover classified North Pole technology from a hacker after it was stolen from the Coal Elf Brigade, a unit of Christmas elves responsible for children on the naughty list. They have to team up with a member of the Coal Elf Brigade, who turns out to be Noel, Wayne's estranged younger brother. Wayne reluctantly accepts, and the three elves set off to the house. Wayne accidentally triggers a booby trap, which Noel is able to fend off. Lanny is captured by the hacker, who turns out to be a child named Grace Goodwin. She blames her toddler brother Gabriel for her bad behavior, and wants to put herself on the nice list. She manages to, but Noel recovers the device. Angry at being shown up, Wayne yells that he wishes he never had a brother. Noel is hurt, and tells Wayne how he was Noel's hero. Wayne apologizes, and the brothers reconcile. The device malfunctions, and Wayne and Noel pull off a daring mission, saving Christmas. The next day, they're named "Elves of the Year."

[edit] Tiny's BIG Adventure[edit] A one-minute short film, titled Tiny's BIG Adventure, was released on-line on December 9, 2009, along with Prep & Landing. It was released on DVD on November 22, 2011, and on DVD/Blu-ray of Prep & Landing: Totally Tinsel Collection, on November 6, 2012.

[edit]

Character

Prep & Landing

Operation: Secret Santa

Naughty vs. Nice

The Snowball Protocol

Wayne

Dave Foley

Lanny

Derek Richardson

Magee

Sarah Chalke

Santa Claus

W. Morgan Sheppard

Christopher Swindle

Timmy Terwelp

Mason Vale Cotton

Cameo

Mrs. Claus

Betty White

Grace Goodwin

Emily Alyn Lind

Mr. Thistleton

Chris Parnell

Noel

Rob Riggle

Crumbles

Phil LaMarr

Renato

Manny Jacinto

Chef Geoff

Danny Pudi

Janice

Dulcé Sloan

[edit] Wayne and Lanny appear in the comic book Prep & Landing: Mansion Impossible, where they prepare Avengers Mansion for a visit from Santa. The story was written by Kevin Deters, and illustrated by Joe Mateo, being released on November 16, 2011, in Avengers #19, Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #20, and Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #20. Wayne and Lanny are part of the Walt Disney Animation Studios characters that appear in the 2023 short film Once Upon a Studio gathering to take a group photo. On September 5, 2025, Disney Publishing Worldwide released a Prep & Landing book, as part of the Little Golden Books collection. The Prep & Landing franchise is the basis for Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! (November 14, 2016 – January 5, 2020; November 11, 2023 – present), a seasonal holiday-themed nighttime show at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Prep & Landing turned the behind‑the‑scenes myth of Santa’s workshop into a high‑tech caper, a twist that resonated with families used to superhero blockbusters. The series’ clever blend of slap‑stick comedy and genuine goodwill gave kids a fresh narrative that still feels cosy – elves with gadgets, a mission‑briefing briefcase, and a villain you actually want to see fail. That modern spin on an age‑old legend makes it a repeat‑viewing staple, especially when the whole household is looking for something short enough for a holiday night in but clever enough to hold adult attention.

All three original specials are now bundled in Disney+’s holiday collection, so a subscription gives you instant access and the convenience of binge‑watching. If you prefer physical media, look for the “Prep & Landing – The Complete Collection” DVD, which often includes bonus featurettes on character design and a behind‑the‑scenes look at the animation pipeline. Keep an eye out for seasonal sales in December; retailers typically discount Disney holiday DVDs by up to 20 %. For families with older kids, the 95‑minute feature can be a stand‑alone movie night without the need for a marathon.

Set the scene by dimming the lights and serving classic British treats – mince pies, shortbread, and a hot cup of mulled cocoa. Pause after each mission briefing to let kids guess what the elves will do next; it sparks imagination and mirrors the series’ interactive tone. If you have tech‑savvy teens, cue up a quick DIY craft: create your own “elf‑badge” using cardboard and glitter, mirroring the series’ badge‑giving ceremony. The short runtimes also make it easy to slot in a game of secret‑elf scavenger hunt between episodes, extending the festive fun beyond the screen.