Thursday, October 1, 2026
Two of Disney’s most iconic universes arrive at UBS Arena for a magnetic musical celebration involving stars of the hit movie franchises.
The stage is set, on Aug. 23, for a rousing pop-style concert. The Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour showcases the chart-topping tunes from the popular Disney Channel films “Descendants,” “Descendants 2,” “Descendants 3,” and more recently, “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” melded with the four ZOMBIES films. After all, where would we be without Zombies!
Inspired by the worlds of Auradon and Seabrook High, with elaborate staging — including high-energy choreography, exciting visuals and costumes — stars of the films come together for a magical evening. It’s Disney, so expect nothing less! Just be prepared for singing, dancing and endless fun.
The cast features 18-year-old Malachi Barton, certainly no stranger to the spotlight. Known for his role as vampire Victor, in “ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires,” he joins the dynamic performers who bring these films to life. He’s excited to join the cast that includes Kylie Cantrall, Freya Skye, Malia Baker, Dara Reneé, Joshua Colley, and Mekonnen Knife.
“Fans can expect a great mash-up of music. Even though they’re from different franchises they fit so well with each other. Both of the franchises have this pop-rock feel to the music,” Barton says.
The set-list includes Disney’s chart-topping hits: “Rotten to the Core,” “Ways To Be Wicked,” “Someday,” “Do It Like the Zombies Do,” “Red,” “Love Ain’t It,” and many more.
“The music rides this roller coaster of emotions. There are slow songs, fast songs, and then group mash-ups. It’s something that Disney hasn’t done in a bit.” Barton continues.
As “the ultimate family event of the summer,” according to the Mouse House, the show encourages audiences to dance, sing and engage with their favorite actors. Of course, the songs are the true star.
“‘Place to be’ and ‘Don’t Mess With Us’ from Zombies get really big. ‘Rotten to the Core’ and ‘Bam,’ that’s a big one. Everybody’s just going crazy the entire show. It makes our job easier when the crowds going crazy,” Barton adds enthusiastically.
Fans have opportunities to interact with the cast during the concert. And what could be better than filming an Instagram video with the stars? In several stops on the tour, Barton has pulled out his phone to shoot Instagram reels with the audience. He enjoys recreating his signature "transition" style videos, making it easy for fans to know exactly what to do. It's a special detail that truly connects with today’s generation of Disney fans, according to Barton.
“What I’m really looking forward to is continuing to meet all of the fans. As somebody in the spotlight, you have these followers and you have no idea who they are that have been following you for a really long time. We were in Oklahoma City, and there was like 11,000 people there. I didn’t know people in Oklahoma knew who I was. It’s been so wild.” Barton says.
The young Disney star is fully coming into his own now. The tour has brought him front and center into arenas — something new to him. And yet he feels right at home.
As he put it (prior to his Madison Square Garden appearance on Aug. 21): “It is such a shock to my system how not nervous I have been, it’s really weird. I’ve always loved performing. It’s not so much the nerves; it’s more like pure adrenaline from people screaming your name in an arena. The nerves haven’t taken over yet, but hey, we have Madison Square Garden coming up so we’ll see.”
Barton spent most of his childhood in front of a camera, living a life very different from his friends. While few get to perform in front of thousands and call it work, Barton admits that, like everyone else, he struggles with maintaining a work-life balance.
He shares some advice for young performers heading into showbiz: “Don’t let go of being a kid. It’s really important to just focus in on having a normal childhood and hang out with your friends, having healthy outlets outside of just working and performing, because that’s been a really big thing for me.”
Barton is eager to share this concert experience with new friends on Long Island. And, of course, plenty of Disney magic awaits!
