For that entire generation growing up in the 1990s and 2000s, the Disney Channel was one (though not the only) source of entertainment after they finished their homework. Certainly it was not like this for everyone and, in fact, it happened that factions were created between those who watched the series and films in real time on Disney Channel and those who were “forced” to catch up on reruns on Italia 1 or Rai 2. In any case there are real cinematic pillars that continue to proudly stand out in our memories. Two out of all? Camp Rock e High School Musical.
And even if they haven’t aged very well, those films continue to make us smile and amuse us despite the fact that many years have passed and the performers are almost all fathers of families by now. That’s why in this article we decided to pay homage to Disney Channel’s most popular titles, in historical times before Disney + .
This is the official ranking of the ten most popular Disney Channel Original Movies of all time. Between obvious titles and others that, probably, you will have forgotten.
10) Jett Jackson: The Movie (2001)
The famous Jett Jackson was a children’s TV series, aired on Disney Channell from 1998 to 2001 and starring the late Lee Thompson Young. On the show, the actor played the titular Jett Jackson, a boy who, after moving to North Carolina, becomes the television star of the show “Silverstone.” While Jett’s life is largely that of a normal American teenager juggling friends and family, the character he plays in Silverstone is a secret agent with no family.
In 2001, the TV series finds its conclusion with a Disney Channel film in which Jett is suddenly catapulted into the fictitious reality of Silverstone.
It all begins when the young star considers abruptly leaving the show, despite the excellent ratings. During the filming of the series finale, Jett’s world and that of Silverstone end up imploding into each other by accidentally switching roles. So while Silverstone discovers for the first time what it’s like to have a family, Jett must become a real spy battling super villains. The two treasure the experience and Jett finally decides not to abandon the show and therefore not even her alter ego.
9) Johnny Tsunami – A surfer in the snow (1999)
Johnny Tsunami was one of the very first Disney Channel Original Movies.
The story is that of Johnny Kapahala, a Hawaiian boy, a surf enthusiast and nephew of Johnny Bartholomew Tsunami, a living legend of surfing. When he’s forced to move his family from the clear beaches of Hawaii to the snow-capped mountains of Vermont, it’s no surprise that Johnny feels like a fish out of water. In the school of the new city there are two groups: that of the Skies, who practice skiing, and that of the Urchins, who practice snowboarding instead.
After a miserable approach to the first group, our young protagonist decides to join the Urchins team, since snowboarding is basically just surfing on the snow. Albeit with many difficulties, Johnny manages to build a new life, to create solid and special friendships and to find in snowboarding a new sport in which to throw himself body and soul. All this also thanks to the special help of his grandfather and mentor Tsunami.
8) A star in the suburbs (2004)
Let’s get to 2004 and this time the leading actresses are two faces much loved by serial audiences. We are talking about Danielle Panabaker and Brenda Song, best known for their respective roles in The Flash and in the franchise of Zach & Cody. In A star in the suburbs, the two actresses play high schooler Brittany Aarons, who dreams of moving to the big city, and friend Natasha Kwon-Schwartz, happy instead to have finally planted roots in a place. The monotonous and quiet provincial life of the two is shattered when Brittany accidentally swaps her cell phone with that of the assistant of the pop star she adores.
The whole plot of the film – the first Disney Channel to have an original soundtrack – therefore revolves around this fun that for which. The ending is typical of many Disney Channel movies, i.e. a happy ending seasoned with a concert for a fundraiser in which the friends make up and our protagonist has finally understood the pleasure of what she already possesses.
7) Wendy Wu: Novice Warrior (2006)
Another film always starring Brenda Song but this time it’s 2006. Wendy Wu is a Chinese-American girl who is very popular in her community and happy with the life she leads between school, family and friends. Wendy’s reality, however, changes drastically when she receives a visit from Shen, a young Buddhist monk who says he needs her badly. Why? Well, apparently Wendy would be the reincarnation of a powerful ancient warrior and therefore the only hope of defeating the evil spirit ready to wipe out the whole world.
Thus begins a hard training for the girl to become an expert in martial arts and better prepare herself in the fight against evil. A sequel had also been announced for the film but between stops and various problems the project never went through.
6) Cadet Kelly – A rebel in uniform (2002)
The 2000s, between hipster trousers, clamshell phones and questionable accessories, also gave us Hilary Duff and her golden age with Disney Channel. In 2002, the second Disney Channel Original Movie starring the young star was released for television. In Cadet Kelly, a rebellious Manhattan teenager is forced to leave everything behind to move with her mother and new husband to the military academy that her stepfather directs. Not only that, she is also forced to enroll in the aforementioned military academy.
Life at the George Washington Military Academy is really hard for Kelly, who finds herself having to learn hard and precise rules. Furthermore, although she has made friends with some girls, the cadet Captain Jennifer Stone always tries in every way to put a spoke in her wheels. Frustrated by the new life that has been imposed on her, Kelly initially thinks of giving up but then, both in order not to disappoint her mother and to prove her worth to her stepfather, the girl decides to give it her all and to find a purpose within of the academy. Which, as you can imagine, happens and also with excellent results.
5) A song for the Cheetah Girls (2003)
Based on the book series of the same name written by Deborah Gregory, A Song for the Cheetah Girls was the very first musical produced and produced by the Disney Channel. Bubbles, Chuchie, Aqua and Do are four friends who share the dream of making it in the music world with their group: the Cheetah Girls. To succeed in their intent, the girls attend the school for the arts and entertainment in Manhattan and decide to participate in the talent show organized by the school itself.
After an audition that went very well, the four are approached by Jackal Johnson, a famous alumnus of the school and manager who would like to hire them for his record label. After the first hesitations, mainly caused by Bubbles’ selfish attitude, the Cheetah Girls accept and prepare to record their first single. The road to success will also soon become a journey of confrontation and growthin which our protagonists will understand what teamwork really means.
4) The Proud Family – The Movie (2005)
In 2005, after only two seasons, the adventures of the Proud family ended with a film. In Italy the TV series aired on Rai 2 and the story revolved around Penny Proud and her eccentric and noisy family. In the 2005 film, the newly sixteen-year-old Penny after getting yet another no from her father Oscar, decides to sneak away from home to join the dance troupe of her favorite rapper. Discovered and grounded, Penny is now more and more sure of wanting to leave home and never speak to her parent again.
The story takes an unexpected turn when the whole Proud family is invited on a sensational journey by the mysterious Doctor Carver. The super villain, who has always tried to create an army of humanoid peanuts (we’re not kidding, that’s the plot), appears very interested in the formula created by Oscar for his snacks. Determined to take possession of it in full view, Carver thus invites the Proud family to the Isle of Legumes. A series of daring vicissitudes will lead little Penny to make peace with her father and save the rest of the family.
3) Halloweentown – Witches are born (1998)
So here we are on the podium of this ranking entirely dedicated to Disney Channel original films.
Memory lane takes us back a bit again in time and more precisely to 1998 with Halloweentown. In the film, an iconic Debbie Reynolds plays the witch Aggie Cromwell, grandmother of the little protagonists Marnie, Susie and Dylan. One Halloween evening, the kids, suspicious of their maternal grandmother’s surprise visit and strange behavior, decide to follow her to a mysterious bus stop. This is the gateway to Halloweentown, a magical and quirky town where Grandma reveals she’s actually a witch.
Furthermore, a dark force threatens the town and so Marnie and her little brothers are called to help their grandmother and the other inhabitants. Halloweentown – Witches are born is the first chapter of a film saga that also includes sequels Halloweentown II – Kalabar’s Revenge, Halloweentown High – Books and Magic and Return to Halloweentown
2) Camp Rock (2008)
Second position for a small timeless classic that launched the career of the Jonas Brothers and that of a then unknown Demi Lovato. Although there is also a sequel from the name Camp Rock 2 – Final Jam, the first film of 2008 remains unbeatable and iconic, even if it has aged quite badly. Impossible today not to feel embarrassed by that 2000s style that is now so outdated and by the acting incapacity of three quarters of the protagonists.
Sweet Mitchie manages to make her dream come true when she gets the chance to spend the summer at Camp Rock, a summer camp dedicated to music and with a talent show planned for the end of class. At the same time, Shane Gary, frontman of the band Connect3 where he plays with his two brothers, has no intention of teaching his uncle’s summer camp. The boy lacks inspiration and desire to carry on, at least until he finds them in Mitchie’s genuine and passionate voice.
1) High School Musical’ (2006)
In first place could not fail to place the best-known film of the Disney Channel, the one that even if you’ve never seen it you’ve necessarily heard of it: High School Musical.
Once again it is the music that dominates, the one that fills Gabriella’s heart with joy and that leads her path to cross with that of Troy Bolton, captain of the basketball team and school idol. Although their worlds are very distant, the boys are united by the invisible thread of music which represents for Gabriella the dream of a lifetime while for Troy the possibility of moving away from a path already traced for him.
The couple are accompanied by other historical figures such as the queen bee Sharpay Evans and her brother Ryan or friends Chad Danfort, teammate of Troy, and Taylor McKessie. Enriched with unforgettable songs such as Start of Something New, Breaking Free e Bop to the TopHigh School Musical remains one of the most successful and popular made-for-television films in Disney history to this day.
