Disney+ is the streaming home of, well, everything Disney owns—which at this point is basically half of Hollywood. We're talking classic Disney animation, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and thanks to corporate acquisitions, a huge chunk of what used to be on other platforms. For parents, it's both a blessing (no ads! mostly family-friendly!) and a curse (so much content that finding the actually good stuff feels like a part-time job).
The platform launched in 2019 and quickly became the default streaming service for families. Unlike Netflix's "throw everything at the wall" approach, Disney+ has a more curated vibe—but that doesn't mean everything here is quality. There's plenty of forgettable filler hiding among the gems.
Kids love Disney+ because it has their comfort content. Whether they're rewatching Encanto for the 47th time or bingeing every episode of Bluey, there's something deeply satisfying about having all their favorites in one place.
The platform also does a solid job with nostalgia content—kids discover the shows and movies you grew up with, which creates these weird but sweet generational viewing moments. And let's be real, the Marvel and Star Wars content brings in the older kids and tweens hard.
Bluey — If you haven't watched this Australian masterpiece yet, start here. It's genuinely funny for adults, emotionally intelligent, and models healthy parenting without being preachy. Episodes are only 7 minutes, which is perfect for attention spans and for you maintaining some control over screen time. This is the gold standard.
Puppy Dog Pals — Two puppies go on adventures while their owner is away. It's fine. Not annoying, not brilliant. Solid background TV if you need 22 minutes to make dinner.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse — The classic preschool show that teaches basic problem-solving and counting. It's repetitive by design, which some kids find comforting and some parents find mind-numbing. The "Hot Dog Dance" will haunt your dreams.
Skip: Fancy Nancy — This show tries so hard to be charming but comes off as teaching kids that being high-maintenance and correcting everyone's vocabulary is a personality. Pass.
The Mandalorian — Yes, it's Star Wars, but it's also just a really well-made show about a lone warrior and his weird green child-thing going on adventures. Some violence (it's about a bounty hunter), but nothing gratuitous. Great for kids who are ready for more narrative complexity. Ages 8+ depending on your kid's sensitivity to action.
Gravity Falls — Twins spending summer with their eccentric uncle uncover supernatural mysteries in a weird town. Smart, funny, genuinely clever writing that rewards attention. Some spooky moments, but perfect for kids who are ready for a little edge. Ages 8+.
The Owl House — A teenage girl stumbles into a magical realm and becomes a witch's apprentice. Creative world-building, great LGBTQ+ representation, and actual character development. Ages 8+.
DuckTales (2017 reboot) — Not your parent's DuckTales. This version has sharp writing, ongoing storylines, and genuinely funny jokes for adults. The voice cast is stacked. Ages 6+.
Skip: Bunk'd — A Camp Kikiwaka spin-off from Jessie that's just... not good. Lazy writing, annoying characters, laugh track humor that teaches kids to wait for cues to find things funny.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur — A 13-year-old genius girl and her T-Rex partner protect the Lower East Side. Smart, diverse, great music, and doesn't talk down to its audience. Ages 9+.
Big City Greens — A farm family moves to the big city. Sounds generic, but the writing is legitimately clever and the family dynamics are refreshingly healthy. Ages 7+.
The Simpsons — All 30+ seasons are here. The first 10 seasons are genuinely some of the best TV ever made. Later seasons are hit-or-miss. Some adult humor and references, so know your kid. Ages 10+.
Skip: Most of the Disney Channel sitcoms — Shows like Raven's Home, Sydney to the Max, and Coop & Cami Ask the World follow the same tired formula: wacky situations, laugh tracks, one-dimensional characters, and "lessons" that get wrapped up in 22 minutes. They're not harmful, just... empty calories for the brain.
Disney+ has an incredible movie library—basically every Pixar film, the entire Disney animated canon, and most Marvel movies. But here's the thing: just because it's on Disney+ doesn't mean it's for kids.
Turning Red is about puberty and generational trauma. Encanto deals with family pressure and mental health. These are good things to explore with your kids, but they're not just "throw it on and zone out" content.
Same goes for Marvel—Guardians of the Galaxy is very different from Black Panther in terms of themes and intensity.
Pro tip: Check the rating and actually read the content warnings. Disney+ has gotten better about this, but "PG" covers a huge range.
The Nat Geo content is genuinely excellent—shows like Secrets of the Whales and various nature documentaries are beautiful and educational. But be warned: nature is brutal. There's predator-prey stuff that might be intense for sensitive kids. Preview first if you're unsure.
Disney+ has solid parental controls. You can:
- Set up Kids Profiles that filter out mature content automatically
- Add PIN protection to adult profiles
- Adjust content ratings for each profile (G, PG, PG-13, etc.)
The Kids Profile is pretty good—it defaults to G and PG content and has a simplified interface. But it's not perfect. Some PG content can still be intense (hello, The Lion King trauma), so don't assume Kids Profile = completely hands-off.
Important: Unlike YouTube, Disney+ doesn't have an algorithm constantly pushing new content. This is mostly good—no rabbit holes—but it also means kids will rewatch the same stuff endlessly if you don't actively introduce new options.
The rewatch factor is real. Kids find comfort in repetition, and Disney+ makes it frictionless. This isn't inherently bad, but if your kid has watched Moana 83 times, it might be worth gently introducing something new.
Disney+ is designed to be binge-friendly. Autoplay is on by default. Turn it off in settings if you want natural stopping points. Learn more about managing autoplay features
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Not everything "for kids" is good for kids. Some of the Disney Channel content is just... not great. It's not harmful, but it's also not enriching. You're allowed to have opinions about quality.
The Marvel/Star Wars pipeline is real. If your 7-year-old discovers Marvel, be prepared for them to want to watch everything Marvel. This means navigating increasingly complex storylines and darker themes as they get older. It's manageable, but it requires active parenting.
Disney+ is probably the safest major streaming platform for families, but "safe" doesn't automatically mean "good." There's genuinely excellent content here—Bluey, Gravity Falls, The Mandalorian, and most Pixar films are legitimately worth your family's time.
But there's also a lot of mediocre filler that exists purely to keep kids glued to screens. Your job isn't to ban the filler entirely (sometimes you just need 22 minutes to answer emails), but to make sure it's not the only thing they're watching.
Curate intentionally. Add good shows to their watchlist. Watch new things together. Ask questions about what they're watching. And for the love of all that is holy, turn off autoplay.
- Set up a Kids Profile with appropriate content ratings
- Make a family watchlist of shows you actually want your kids to discover
- Check out our guide to the best kids shows across all platforms for more recommendations
- Explore alternatives to pure screen time