Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Choo Choo Express (NR, 2009)

Mickey (voiced by Wayne Allwine), Goofy (Bill Farmer), Donald (Tony Anselmo), and the rest of the Clubhouse gang reunite for a snowbound adventure in MICKEY MOUSE CLUB HOUSE CHOO CHOO EXPRESS. Even though winter’s nowhere in sight, Professor Von Drake (Corey Burton) is craving snowy white stuff, so he heads off to make some Easy-Freezey, never-melting snow for his friends to play in. It’s up to Mickey and friends to assemble the pieces to the Clubhouse Choo Choo Train to haul the snow home from atop the mountain before making the rounds to pick up more pals to join in the fun.

It’s hard to go wrong when you mix classic characters with eye-catching, colorful CGI and strong educational content for preschoolers. Put Disney in charge of the operation, and the result is a (predictably) impressive package that pleases both parents and kids. Young kids will be particularly drawn to the boisterous, fun-loving characters, who speak directly to them and ask for their help in solving the puzzles that emerge along the journey.

In terms of educational value, the special earns bonus points for giving preschoolers multiple occasions to practice basic skills like colors, shapes, and patterns, as well as challenging them to take on more advanced ones like addition, auditory identification, and telling time. The best part is that this content is woven so tightly into the story that kids won’t even realize they’re learning as they go.