If you’re a fan of DCOMs (Disney Channel Original Movies), we know exactly what you were doing on Memorial Day weekend in 2016. You were watching the DCOM marathon on Disney Channel, which was being aired in honor of the 100th Disney Channel Original Movie, Adventures In Babysitting. The marathon featured the 51 most popular DCOMs, and Disney later proceeded to air all 99 DCOMs over the course of the month. It was a perfectly concentrated dose of nostalgia for the Disney Channel fans who grew up on these movies and are still waiting for High School Musical 4.
Disney Channel Original Movies are proof that TV movies don’t always have to be lame -- they can actually be quality films despite low budgets. They also gave us some big name stars, including Zac Efron, Shia LaBeouf, and Selena Gomez. Sure, they were excessively cheesy sometimes and often hit you over the head with the lessons they were trying to teach, but they were entertaining, dammit. (Or maybe they were the only things Disney aired at night when we were trying to sleep.) Still, their impact is unquestionable: millennials may not know their state capitals, but they definitely have extensive knowledge of the discographies of both Hilary Duff and Raven-Symone. I don’t know the capital of Iowa, but I do know all of the lyrics to “We’re All In This Together”, so thanks for that, Disney.
Disney Channel Original Movies were an inescapable part of many of our childhoods. You knew that whenever you saw those kids jumping around in that weird Disney void with film reels that shit was about to get real. Now, on the eve of Disney Channel’s 40th anniversary on April 18th, we’re looking back at the very best Disney Channel Original Movies.