Playhouse Disney


Playhouse Disney was a brand of programming blocks and international cable and satellite television channels that were owned by the Disney Channels Worldwide unit of The Walt Disney Company's Disney–ABC Television Group. It originated in the United States as a morning program block on the Disney Channel. Aimed mainly at children at two to seven years of age, its programming featured a mix of live-action and animated series.
The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel was rebranded as the Disney Junior block on Disney Channel on February 14, 2011. The remaining channels and blocks using the Playhouse Disney brand outside the US relaunched under the Disney Junior brand over the next two years, concluding with the rebranding of the Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel Russia on September 1, 2013.

History

Early years (1999–2002)

Prior to Playhouse Disney's launch, Disney Channel had aired a lineup of preschool-targeted programs to compete with Nick Jr. during the morning hours since its debut in April 1983.
On April 6, 1997, Disney Channel underwent a relaunch that signified the beginning of its full conversion into a commercial-free basic cable channel, and its preschool block now utilized a similar graphics package for its promotions as that used for the channel's afternoon children's programs. After Disney Channel's preschool block premiered three new original series in 1998, the block officially launched as Playhouse Disney on February 1, 1999.
One of Playhouse Disney's most popular series was Bear in the Big Blue House, which debuted on October 20, 1997; the series was named by TV Guide as one of the "top 10 new shows for kids" that year.
For the first three years of its run, the Playhouse Disney block originally aired each weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and weekends from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Following each program, which usually ran 23 minutes, the remainder of the time period was filled by either short segments and music videos or an episode of an acquired short series.
On April 16, 2001, Playhouse Disney received a new rebrand produced by motion graphics company Beehive; actress Allyce Beasley began serving as the U.S. block's promo announcer at this time, a capacity she would hold until March 30, 2007, being replaced by Margit Furseth. Playhouse Disney also premiered two new original series, Stanley and The Book of Pooh, in 2001. Radio Disney cross-promoted the block by rebranding its "Mickey and Minnie's Tune Time" block as "Playhouse Disney", and in 2002, the TV block's "Feet Beat" interstitials were renamed "BB's Music Time" to promote the Radio Disney block. On June 25, 2001, Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group announced plans to launch Playhouse Disney Channel, a companion digital cable and satellite channel that would have served the same target audience as the Disney Channel block; plans for the network were later scrapped, although Disney-ABC International Television would launch dedicated Playhouse Disney channels and blocks in international markets between 2002 and 2007. The Walt Disney Company acquired the broadcast rights to The Wiggles as part of their purchase of the Fox Family Channel in 2001; The Wiggles moved to Playhouse Disney in June 2002 and became one of the block's most watched shows during its run.

Marketing expansion (2002–2011)

Like Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney was a commercial-free service, but it did show short "promotional spots" alongside underwriter sponsorships beginning in 2002, within breaks between programs. On September 30, 2002, Playhouse Disney changed its logo to reflect Disney Channel's on-air rebranding. The block also replaced some of its older interstitial material and introduced a mascot that month named Clay, an anthropomorphic clay figure who often used the catchphrases "It's true!" and "Are you with me?"
On March 31, 2007, Ooh and Aah, two puppet monkeys became the official hosts of the block, replacing Clay. Every summer since 2007, Playhouse Disney's end time was truncated to four hours on weekdays. Episodes from Disney Channel's original series were aired during the late morning and early afternoon hours. However, the weekend schedule continued to air for seven hours. By 2010, the Playhouse Disney block had expanded to air from 4:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays, and 4:00 to 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on weekends, each running a different schedule.

Rebranding as Disney Junior

On May 26, 2010, Disney-ABC Television Group announced the relaunch of Playhouse Disney as Disney Junior, which would serve as the brand for the Disney Channel block and a new standalone digital cable and satellite channel in the United States, as well as the new brand for the existing Playhouse Disney-branded cable channels and program blocks outside the US. The Playhouse Disney block ended its 14-year run on February 13, 2011, with the last program to air being an episode of the short series Handy Manny's School for Tools at 8:55 a.m. Eastern Time.
The Disney Junior block debuted on February 14, 2011, with the Little Einsteins episode "Fire Truck Rocket" as its first program. Several former Playhouse Disney series were carried over to the relaunched block including Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent Oso, Imagination Movers, Handy Manny, and Little Einsteins. With the relaunch of the block, the block's mascots Ooh and Aah were retired and several of its older programs were entirely discontinued. Additionally, its episodes are available on Disney Junior's YouTube channel as of January 6, 2011.
The 24-hour Disney Junior cable channel debuted on March 23, 2012, with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode "Mickey's Big Surprise" as its first program, mainly featuring a mix of original series and programs held over from the Playhouse Disney library. Disney Junior took over the channel space held by the Disney-owned soap opera-focused channel Soapnet, largely due to that channel's declining subscriber reach. An automated Soapnet feed remained in operation for providers that did not yet reach agreements to carry the Disney Junior channel or providers that were required to continue carrying Soapnet in addition to Disney Junior until Soapnet fully ceased operations by quietly shutting down on December 31, 2013, at 11:59 pm, following an episode of General Hospital as the last program to air on the network.

Programming

Final programming

Original programming

Acquired programming

Interstitial programming

Former programming

Original programming

Acquired programming

Interstitial programming

  • Circle Time
  • Curious George
  • Will Quack Quack
  • The Adventures of Spot
  • Joke Time
  • Behind the Ears
  • Microscopic Milton
  • Frankenguy and the Professor
  • Magic Drawings
  • Feet Beat
  • Pablo the Little Red Fox
  • Animal Stories
  • Poky and Friends
  • Mini Movies
  • Stanley's Animal Facts
  • Wiggles Time
  • Mike's Super Short Show
  • BB's Music Time
  • Good Manners with Max Time
  • Mickey's Letter Time
  • Page's Word of the Day
  • Sharing Time
  • Use Your Noodle Time
  • Who, What & Where with Bear Time
  • Mini Show-and-Tell Time
  • * Higglytown Heroes
  • * Marcel's Animal Friends
  • Project Playtime
  • Adventures in Nutrition with Captain Carlos
  • Felix and the Flying Machine
  • Here Come the ABCs
  • Go, Baby!
  • Breakfast with Bear
  • This is Daniel Cook
  • Johnny and the Sprites
  • Feeling Good with JoJo
  • Dan Zanes House Party
  • Here Come the 123s
  • ''This is Emily Yeung''

    Programming blocks

Final