What Happend to the Disney Channel we grew up with?

[C-Otter]

I remember when my family first got cable in 95. The three main channels I always watched was Nick, Cartoon Network, and the Disney channel. I am now a Junior in college and I have tried watching the Disney channel again and I am very disappointed to what happened to it. I was just wondering were did the old shows and movies that I grew up with went? I always loved how they played great animated movies like Felix the Cat, Rover Dangerfield and Once upon a Forest and many more awesome movies. I've looked at the T.V. schedule and all I see are shows like Hannah Montana and Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Fine I know that Disney is appealing to a different generation but I feel there is too much of it, I don't even see the Ink and Paint Club listed anymore Is there anybody else that feels this? It just really saddens me I see nothing Disney about the Disney Channel anymore...

 

[razzery]

I didn't really watch much Disney channel as a kid, I was definitely a nickelodeon girl. I feel nickelodeon shows have changed more for the worst than disney.

 

[belleatheart]

I agree on both, I would go in waves of watching Disney and Nickelodeon, but let me tell you, I loved the Babysitter's club on Disney Channel on the weekends, the show about the girl that was psychic, and growing pains, oh what a time. The movie I used to love watching was Return to Witch Mountain with the twins, then there were others I just can not remember right now. Nickelodeon was also pretty awesome, Doug!! Legends of the Hidden Temple, Double dare, those were the days....

 

[kroberts]

Kids channels in general have gone really down hill in recent years, and I think it really reflects in the behavior of a lot of kids. Not to say all kids have turned into brats, but there's definitely a trend toward mature/obnoxious behavior. You used to be able to trust Disney, at least, for really family-friendly entertainment, and I don't see how the behavior of Disney's current stars (nude photo scandals, reports of showing up late and throwing tantrums on-set) can possibly be setting a good example. That being said, I don't think their programming is nearly as engaging anymore. I wish they played more of the old movies and shows.

 

[Joanna71985]

I really miss the old Nick and Disney shows.

 

[_frazzle]

Kids channels in general have gone really down hill in recent years, and I think it really reflects in the behavior of a lot of kids. Not to say all kids have turned into brats, but there's definitely a trend toward mature/obnoxious behavior. You used to be able to trust Disney, at least, for really family-friendly entertainment, and I don't see how the behavior of Disney's current stars (nude photo scandals, reports of showing up late and throwing tantrums on-set) can possibly be setting a good example. That being said, I don't think their programming is nearly as engaging anymore. I wish they played more of the old movies and shows.

Yeah I agree with this. When I was little I would come home from school and watch TailSpin or Aladdin or Timon & Pumbaa but now all that's on are weird shows. To tell you the truth I havn't watched Disney Channel since Lizzie McGuire went off lol. Thank goodness for Toon Disney though. They still have some of the good stuff.

 

[CelebrationNM]

I don't see it the same way. Hannah Montana, Zac and Cody, High School Musical, etc ARE the Disney Brand to the kids growing up today. Mickey and Friends give way to "Hannah Montana" and characters that "tweens" can relate to as they get older. I also think there are positive messages being promoted in these shows.

They're not all live-action sitcoms, either. There is Phineas and Ferb, an original slam-dunk cartoon that came out within the past year. Mini-programs like the Disney Channel Games highlight the importance of getting outside and being active with friends. Read: "It's cool to do sports".

I don't disagree that the programming has changed, but I don't think it's for the worse.

 

[anijac1412]

I don't see it the same way. Hannah Montana, Zac and Cody, High School Musical, etc ARE the Disney Brand to the kids growing up today. Mickey and Friends give way to "Hannah Montana" and characters that "tweens" can relate to as they get older. I also think there are positive messages being promoted in these shows.

They're not all live-action sitcoms, either. There is Phineas and Ferb, an original slam-dunk cartoon that came out within the past year. Mini-programs like the Disney Channel Games highlight the importance of getting outside and being active with friends. Read: "It's cool to do sports".

I don't disagree that the programming has changed, but I don't think it's for the worse.

I agree 100% with this. Here in Canada our equivalent of the Disney channel is Family channel (It's pretty much the same, just the commercials are different), and the shows HAVE changed, but I don't think it was for the worse. Especially with shows like Wizards of Waverly place, Cory in the House and Suite Life... I think they've just changed the type of shows to "live-action sitcoms", which tweens really do relate to more than exagerated cartoons.

I don't feel there is any negative influence in these shows. What the stars do OFF camera has nothing to do with the show itself. And I know tweens do like to follow the stars' lives, but it still has no impact on the appropriateness of the show itself.

But like it was said, there still are cartoons like Phineas and Pherb, and Kim Possible, etc.

 

[Ppufi]

Toon Disney is ending next year, and with it, all good programming. Disney should be Mickey and friends, original movies, and great cartoons. Now it's, blah. Some of the programming is almost sick. And their characters are idiots. So, yeah, DC stinks right now.

(I do like how they brought back the Muppets in DC:Almost Live though)

 

[namara87]

I LOVED Once Upon a Forest. I think I'm more of late 90's era, but one of my all-time favorites was Bug Juice, that is still the original reality tv in my head I think they should bring back Vault Disney too, how I miss Zorro and Spin and Marty.

 

[laundry]

Bug Juice

it doest come in a jar! bug juice comes from who you are!

 

[punkyb87]

I didn't really watch much Disney channel as a kid, I was definitely a nickelodeon girl. I feel nickelodeon shows have changed more for the worst than disney.

I was more of a nick girl too. Especially in the early 90's. Nick is the complete opposite of what it used to be. We always had basic cable and had to order disney in a special package. It wasn't until when "That's so Raven'' had the first season until it was included with the basic cable package. So I'm not to familiar with the old disney.

I sure did like to see duck wing duck when I could though

 

[orangekid13]

I don't know how long it's been since I've seen one of the old classic mickey, goofy, donald, pluto, etc cartoons... I think my favorite was the Chip and Dale ones

House of Mouse is a small attempt to bring that kind of cartoon back but there's too much other storyline with it to take up time

 

[pyr8freak87]

I used to love watching the disney channel. I miss the old shows like Doug, Ahh Real Monsters, Rocko's Modern Life, So Weird, Boy Meets World, and I can't remember any of the other one's right this minute...but I would be be happy even with reruns.

 

[orangekid13]

I used to love watching the disney channel. I miss the old shows like Doug, Ahh Real Monsters, Rocko's Modern Life, So Weird, Boy Meets World, and I can't remember any of the other one's right this minute...but I would be be happy even with reruns.

careful you're listing Nickelodeon shows there...
come to think of it I think they officially shortened it to Nick...

 

[Joanna71985]

Toon Disney is ending next year, and with it, all good programming. Disney should be Mickey and friends, original movies, and great cartoons. Now it's, blah. Some of the programming is almost sick. And their characters are idiots. So, yeah, DC stinks right now.

(I do like how they brought back the Muppets in DC:Almost Live though)

What?? They can't end Toon Disney!

 

[CelebrationNM]

It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out. Toon Disney will be replaced by "Disney XD". The idea is to have a network targeted at tween boys, so it will offer more action-oriented programming: live action, cartoons, etc.

 

[pyr8freak87]

careful you're listing Nickelodeon shows there...
come to think of it I think they officially shortened it to Nick...

Oh ha ha...I was little...what did I know.......well atleast i got boy meets world right, and so weird.

 

[orangekid13]

it's ok. heck, when I was in 6th grade I got to be on Figure It Out (the year they did "family style") which would have felt like cheating if we didn't spend the week before at Disney World (they paid for my flight and my mom's so we had them book the flight there for a week early and got my dad and sister tickets on the same flights)
that and I won

I still like Disney better

 

[Joanna71985]

it's ok. heck, when I was in 6th grade I got to be on Figure It Out (the year they did "family style") which would have felt like cheating if we didn't spend the week before at Disney World (they paid for my flight and my mom's so we had them book the flight there for a week early and got my dad and sister tickets on the same flights)
that and I won

I still like Disney better

You go to be on Figure it Out?!?!?! That is so cool! I loved watching that show growing up. What was your talent?