Look, Disney+ launched and immediately became the "safe" streaming choice for parents. It's got Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic all in one place, and unlike Netflix where you're three autoplay episodes away from stumbling into something wildly inappropriate, Disney+ feels like a walled garden.
But here's the thing: just because it's Disney doesn't mean everything on there is worth your time. The catalog is massive, and a lot of it is either outdated, overstimulating, or just... not great. Plus, not everything with a Disney logo is automatically appropriate for every age.
So let's talk about what's actually worth watching, what to skip, and how to navigate this thing without your kids ending up on their 47th episode of a show you can't stand.
Ages 3-6: The Preschool Sweet Spot
Bluey is the undisputed champion here. If you haven't watched it yet, start there. It's genuinely funny for adults, emotionally intelligent, and teaches kids about play without being preachy. Episodes are 7 minutes, which is perfect for attention spans and for you maintaining control over screen time.
Encanto and Moana are solid movie choices. Yes, your kid will sing "We Don't Talk About Bruno" 400 times, but these films actually have depth and deal with family dynamics in meaningful ways.
Skip: Most of the Disney Junior content. Shows like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse are fine as background noise, but they're not doing anything for your kid's development, and the repetitive format can be mind-numbing for parents.
Ages 7-10: The Bridge Years
The Mandalorian works surprisingly well for this age group (with some parental guidance on the action sequences). It's basically a space western with a cute baby alien, and it's one of the few shows on Disney+ that doesn't talk down to kids.
Turning Red is excellent for this age, especially for kids approaching puberty. It's about a 13-year-old girl who turns into a giant red panda when she gets emotional, and it handles themes of family expectations, friendship, and bodily changes with humor and heart.
Raya and the Last Dragon is underrated. It's got great female characters, Southeast Asian representation, and actually interesting world-building.
Skip: The live-action Disney Channel shows. Bunk'd, Raven's Home, etc. are just... not good. The laugh tracks are aggressive, the acting is over-the-top, and they're teaching your kids a very specific brand of sarcasm that you'll regret later.
Ages 11-14: The Tricky Middle School Years
The Owl House is genuinely great. It's a fantasy series about a teenage girl who stumbles into a magical realm, and it has LGBTQ+ representation that feels natural rather than forced. The storytelling is serialized and actually respects the intelligence of its audience.
Loki and WandaVision work well for Marvel-interested tweens. They're more cerebral than the typical superhero fare, though you'll want to have watched some MCU movies first for context.
Soul is one of those Pixar films that's really more for adults and older kids. It deals with existential questions about purpose and meaning, and it's beautiful both visually and thematically.
Skip: Most of the Marvel content aimed at younger audiences. Marvel's Spider-Man (the animated series) feels like a step down from what came before, and the constant action can be exhausting.
Here's where it gets interesting. Disney+ has basically every Disney animated film ever made, which sounds great until you actually sit down and watch some of them with 2025 eyes.
The classics that hold up: The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin. Yes, they have dated elements, but they're still watchable and have genuine artistry.
The ones that are... complicated: Peter Pan, Dumbo, The Aristocats. These have racist caricatures that are hard to watch. If you do show them, they require conversation. Here's how to talk about outdated content with kids
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The ones that are just boring: Most of the direct-to-video sequels. The Lion King 2, Cinderella III, etc. were made on shoestring budgets and it shows. Your kid might love them anyway, but don't feel bad about steering them elsewhere.
Don't sleep on the National Geographic content. Welcome to Earth with Will Smith is genuinely fascinating, and nature documentaries can be a great alternative to scripted content when you need something calming.
The World According to Jeff Goldblum is quirky and educational, and works well for ages 8+.
The autoplay is aggressive. Disney+ will queue up the next episode immediately, which is great for binge-watching but terrible for boundaries. Turn off autoplay in settings (Profile → App Settings → Autoplay).
The Kids Profile is actually useful. Unlike some platforms where the kids' mode is an afterthought, Disney+ has a genuinely curated kids section that filters out the more mature Marvel and Star Wars content. Set it up.
Not everything needs to be educational. Sometimes your kid just wants to watch Big Hero 6 for the 12th time, and that's okay. The goal isn't to optimize every minute of screen time; it's to make sure what they're watching isn't actively harmful or completely rotting their brain.
Co-viewing matters more than the content itself. Watching something together and talking about it is worth more than finding the "perfect" educational show they watch alone.
Disney+ is a solid choice for families, but it requires curation. The best approach:
- Build a watchlist of pre-approved content so you're not scrambling when they ask to watch something
- Sample episodes yourself before committing to a series
- Use the Kids Profile for younger children
- Don't feel obligated to work through the entire catalog — quality over quantity
The platform's strength is its breadth, but that's also its weakness. You don't need to watch everything; you need to find the 20-30 titles that work for your family and rotate through those.
And if your kid does end up obsessed with something you find annoying? That's just parenting. At least it's not YouTube unboxing videos.
Want to dig deeper? Check out our guides on how to set up Disney+ parental controls and alternatives to Disney+ if you're looking to diversify your streaming options.
Or ask our chatbot about specific shows or movies you're considering — we can help you figure out if something's right for your family.