What To Watch on Disney+ While Social Distancing

In this post, we cover some of the highlights of Disney+ (sign up here). We’re focusing here on things exclusive to Disney+ or that you probably didn’t see elsewhere. We’ll likely expand this list in the future (maybe through another post) to talk about some of the obvious options for your time at home—like an Avengers or Star Wars marathon.

New On Disney+ (March - April 2020)

While we’ll spend the bulk of this post talking about the best things to watch on Disney+, we also want to highlight the newest releases…

• (Now!) Frozen II — Disney brought Frozen II early to Disney+

• (Now!) Disney Insider — A new “behind the scenes at Disney” docuseries debuted in late March

• (April 3) Onward — With movie theaters across the country closed, Disney is bringing Onward to Disney+ April 3

Now, let’s talk about some of the best movies and shows on Disney+…

Family Sundays

Family Sundays is a fun and timely show—20 episodes of about 10 minutes, each covering an Disney-themed craft you can do at home. If you can’t track down all the supplies, you might have to be a little creative, but in any case this is a perfect show to watch if you’ve got time at home with the family.

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Circuit (Experimental Films)

This collection of short films from Walt Disney Animation Studios is a fantastic offering of some of the studio’s most innovative thinking. Even if you don’t like a few, they’re only 5-7 minutes long, and that includes an introduction from the creator and the credits.

These are a really cool use of the platform. They aren’t all home runs, but they’re all creative in their own ways, and they go a great job of showcasing the wide range Walt Disney Animation Studios is capable of.

Waking Sleeping Beauty

Waking Sleeping Beauty is an in-depth look at the renaissance that occurred at Walt Disney Animation Studios in the lates 1980s and early 1990s. Similar to The Imagineering Story, there’s a little bit of everything—drama, heartbreak, corporate infighting, and a lot of great Disney tunes.

Steamboat Willie

Steamboat Willie is under 8 minutes long and a cornerstone of Disney history. It’s one of the first appearances of Mickey Mouse on film and is considered his public debut.

The Imagineering Story

On the one hand, every Disney+ watchlist you’ve seen has The Imagineering Story. On the other—The Imagineering Story is great! Even if you’re not into the parks, the documentary series has something for everyone from history to engineering to art to project management.

Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic

Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic is a straightforward behind the scenes look at how the Disney parks are transformed for the holiday season. It makes good use of the 45 minutes it takes, and it’s definitely a healthy dose of magic if you’re in a time of need.

The Mandalorian

There’s plenty of commentary out there about The Mandalorian because it was the big Star Wars exclusive to Disney+. While we’re fans, we do think it bears mentioning—The Mandalorian is a show you need to watch for what it is.

As a fun space western, The Mandalorian succeeds. But it’s not going to carry the mantle of Star Wars over the next few years in the same way a movie trilogy, or even some of the pre-existing tv shows, might. To that end, the show should be appreciated by Star Wars fans and non-fans alike.

Mickey Mouse (Shorts)

I honestly don’t think the Mickey Mouse shorts are must-watch Disney+ for their quality, but they deserve a place on this list nonetheless. These new shorts are a big part of modern Disney, particularly Disney parks. The newest Disney ride—Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway—is based on the shorts, there’s a new Mickey Shorts theater at Hollywood Studios, and you can hardly walk through a Disney hotel lobby without one of the shorts playing.

I’m guessing many of you haven’t seen a single of these shorts, and thus a few of the newest Disney parks gags might go over your head. Do yourself a favor and work through this list, you’ll be more “in the know” when the parks reopen.

One Day At Disney

One Day At Disney was announced at D23 2019 as a “secret project” at The Walt Disney Company…and honestly that may have worked against it because it’s good, but there are a few better “behind the scenes” products on Disney+. That said, it’s a good show, and it’s fascinating to reflect on how big The Walt Disney Company is and the variety of roles their Cast Members fill.

Disneyland Around The Seasons

Disneyland Around The Seasons is actually an episode of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World Of Color, a docuseries from the 1960s in which Walt Disney discussed happenings at The Walt Disney Company. While there is something of a seasonal aspect to the show, it’s really more just a look at Disneyland in 1966. It gets a bit slow at parts, but it’s worth pushing through for some of the cooler moments, especially things you’d never imagine seeing at a Disney park these days.