Raising Disney Channel: what parents of kids 4–7 should know
Disney Channel, Disney's cable channel for kids and families, has no age rating of its own, because US TV ratings apply to each show, not to a channel. On Disney+, Bluey is rated TV-Y and the live-action series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and the Descendants movies are TV-G. The DisneyNOW app, which streamed Disney Channel shows with a TV login, shut down on September 23, 2024, according to Laughing Place; the shows stream on Disney+, which is 13+ on the App Store. In 2025, Disney agreed to pay $10 million to settle FTC claims about its YouTube videos, not the TV channel.
Disney Channel at a glance
- –Official rating above age 7
No official rating for a channel - –Violence in rating descriptors
No channel-level descriptors - –Scary content in rating descriptors
No channel-level descriptors - –Bad language in rating descriptors
No channel-level descriptors - –Sexual content, drugs, or alcohol in rating descriptors
No channel-level descriptors - –Rated 12 or higher in the UK or Germany
No channel-level BBFC or FSK rating
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count. Rating reasons marked mild, very mild, or brief don't count.
| Type | Disney's US cable channel for kids and families; shows also stream on Disney+ source |
|---|---|
| Example show ratings | Bluey: TV-Y; Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: TV-G; Descendants films: TV-G, per Disney+ US source |
| DisneyNOW app | Shut down on September 23, 2024, along with other Disney network apps, per Laughing Place source |
| Disney+ app | App Store 13+; contains ads; paid plans source |
| FTC settlement (2025) | $10 million over Disney videos on YouTube not labeled "Made for Kids" (not the TV channel) source |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Disney Channel?
Short answer: Disney's US cable channel for kids and families.
It airs live-action series and movies, such as Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and the Descendants films, plus cartoons, including Bluey, which also airs on Disney Junior. Disney Channel shows and movies stream on Disney+.
Disney Channel: what's on it
Short answer: The channel isn't rated; each show is.
- Bluey: TV-Y on Disney+.
- Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: TV-G on Disney+.
- Descendants movies: TV-G on Disney+.
We checked only these examples and couldn't confirm that every Disney Channel show is TV-G. Check each show's own page.
DisneyNOW, Disney+, and the FTC case
Short answer: DisneyNOW is gone; Disney Channel shows stream on Disney+.
Laughing Place reported that Disney shut down DisneyNOW and its other network apps on September 23, 2024. The Disney+ app is 13+ on the App Store, contains ads, and needs a paid plan. In September 2025, the FTC announced that Disney would pay $10 million to settle claims that it let children's data be collected through Disney videos on YouTube, such as Toy Story and Frozen clips, that weren't labeled "Made for Kids." The FTC's release doesn't name Disney Channel.
The habit kids may copy: the big-kid shows
Many Disney Channel series star teenagers, and younger siblings often watch along.
Try tonight: who's this show for?
Pick a show together and look up its rating with your child. Ask: "Is this one made for kids your age, or for big kids?" In our program, this is the lesson "Wisdom": thinking before deciding.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What is Disney Channel rated?
Channels aren't rated in the US. Each show has its own rating; for example, Bluey is TV-Y and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is TV-G on Disney+.
What happened to the DisneyNOW app?
Laughing Place reported that Disney shut it down on September 23, 2024.
Where can I watch Disney Channel shows?
Disney Channel shows and movies stream on Disney+, which needs a paid plan.
What was the FTC settlement with Disney about?
Disney videos on YouTube that weren't labeled "Made for Kids." Disney agreed to pay $10 million in 2025.
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