The Disney Channel of old...revisited

[vezner]

I was thinking about my Disney collection and also browsing through the hundreds of shows/movies that are reviewed on this site and it brought a huge sense of Disney nostalgia to my heart. When I was a kid I would visit my grandparent's house (who had a satelite at the time!) and watch Disney channel on occasion. I never had an opportunity to watch Disney at home because of the simple fact that all we had were the 4 or 5 channels available through the antenna. It was a sad existence for TV watchers.

Anyway, the Disney channel always had such family charm back in my youth (and I am mostly referring to the early to mid 80s). It seemed like the whole family could sit down and enjoy it together, no matter what came on. Now days I try to sit down and watch a little disney and I get annoyed out of my mind and the rubbish that I see. Most of Disney channel now days is marketed towards early teens, not families. It's really sad IMO. The quality of the shows has gone down so much over the years.

Anyway, I started to think about my collection and the rest of the Disney shows that I wish I had in my collection, and had a crazy thought. How could would it be if Disney came out with a new Disney channel and dedicated it solely to the classics that most of us in this forum, I'm sure, know and love? I'm talking about the stuff that was made before the 90s. IMO that channel would get way more ratings than the crap that we see on Disney channel today.

Anyone else agree with me? Disney, bring back the magic!

[sethn172]

I was thinking about my Disney collection and also browsing through the hundreds of shows/movies that are reviewed on this site and it brought a huge sense of Disney nostalgia to my heart. When I was a kid I would visit my grandparent's house (who had a satelite at the time!) and watch Disney channel on occasion. I never had an opportunity to watch Disney at home because of the simple fact that all we had were the 4 or 5 channels available through the antenna. It was a sad existence for TV watchers.

Anyway, the Disney channel always had such family charm back in my youth (and I am mostly referring to the early to mid 80s). It seemed like the whole family could sit down and enjoy it together, no matter what came on. Now days I try to sit down and watch a little disney and I get annoyed out of my mind and the rubbish that I see. Most of Disney channel now days is marketed towards early teens, not families. It's really sad IMO. The quality of the shows has gone down so much over the years.

Anyway, I started to think about my collection and the rest of the Disney shows that I wish I had in my collection, and had a crazy thought. How could would it be if Disney came out with a new Disney channel and dedicated it solely to the classics that most of us in this forum, I'm sure, know and love? I'm talking about the stuff that was made before the 90s. IMO that channel would get way more ratings than the crap that we see on Disney channel today.

Anyone else agree with me? Disney, bring back the magic!

Howdy!

Yeah, I'm with you! The Pooh cartoon from the late 80s/early 90s and House of Mouse are the only good stuff on Disney Channel right now! Let's hope this expands!

BTW, watching the stuff that Disney Channel used to show on DVD is good also! I mean, most of the stuff is fullscreen only, some in widescreen, but it's better than Raven and stuff.

Funny thing: on jumptheshark.com, someone said that Nickelodeon used to show good stuff and now it's nothing but high school and teenybopper stuff. The Disney company in whole is mostly like that now! Bring Disney back to the way it was, prior to late 2nd quarter 2002!

sethn172

[Disney Lover]

Yes I miss the old Disney Channel. I agree that its being geared more toward the tweens now a days and most of it is pretty bad.

What shows do they have out on dvd Seth? The only ones that I know of are far more recent.


Tabbi <3

[jamminjake245]

Tales from Anvenlea (sp?) is coming out a long with Ducktales, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and Gargoyles Vol 2.

[Disney Lover]

Well I knew about Ducktales and Chip and Dale but I thought he meant something that has been out for a while already.

For the record I never saw gargoyles or the Avalone show.


Tabbi <3

[sethn172]

Tales from Anvenlea (sp?) is coming out a long with Ducktales, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and Gargoyles Vol 2.

Howdy!

Ooh! Four classics in one day!

sethn172

[stlewis75]

I totally miss Vault Disney. They'd show old movies and episodes of Disneyland and classic cartoons... I don't know why they dropped that. Now the same shows that are on all day are on all night. Can anyone need that much Raven? It's a shame that they have access to such a rich library of great programming, and they use their whole channel to show a variety of about seven different shows, each playing ten times a day. Some kids must love it or they wouldn't do it, but I miss the classic stuff... things older than the internet.

I had heard a while back that Roy Disney proposed turning ABC Family into a "Classic Disney" channel, but then he was kind of forced out of the company. Now that he's kind of back with them, hopefully he'll push for something like that again. They have some great programming at the Disney Channel... they're just not showing any of it.

[spies13]

remember when the disney channel used to show Disney's Halloween Treat and A Disney Channel Christmas...both 90 minute holiday classics. I miss those specials.

[dvdjunkie]

I think if we are going back to the Disney of old we need to go way back to where it all started and remember the "Wonderful World of Disney" and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color". That is where all the best of the Disney shows started. It is my opinion that when the Disney Channel first started they were trying to keep up the tradition but fell into the "commercialization" of the channel and it all went downhill from there.

The original Mickey Mouse Club was a program that started the Spin and Marty serials and introduced us to some colorful characters like Moochie Corcoran. The Hardy Boys originally were a Disney product before they got their own series.

My favorite of all the Disney shows were the original "Wonderful World of Disney" shows that Walt himself emceed each week. We were re-introduced to the True-Life Adventures films - "The Vanishing Prairie", "Bear Country", "Beaver Valley", "The African Lion", "Perri, the Squirrel" and so many more family-oriented shows. The famous coon-skin cap of Davy Crockett was the fad for several years after Walt Disney introduced Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen in "Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier". While Disneyland was being built we were treated to occasional behind the scenes programs on the progress of the park - watching all those orange groves being turned under and seeing 'The Magic Kingdom" rise up was amazing to me.

I hope that the Walt Disney Treasures Tins will bring back to us some of those great family shows and memories of the 50s and 60s when the name Walt Disney stood proudly for family entertainment and not the almighty dollar in our pocket.

[stlewis75]

dvdjunkie - you nailed it! I totally agree. I wish that they'd get around to releasing the True Life Adventures like they've been possibly planning for a few years. I'd love to see those again. I miss old Disney... it's too bad what's gone on there.

remember when the disney channel used to show Disney's Halloween Treat and A Disney Channel Christmas...both 90 minute holiday classics. I miss those specials.

I remember those specials. I think that the Christmas one was my introduction to "Mickey's Good Deed," which remains one of my favorite black & white Disney shorts.

[Edge]

I think cable as a whole in the 80's and early 90's was different.

At the time they were really trying to get viewers away from Broadcast by offering them something different.

Disney channel had to produce quality and other networks did the same.

But Cable is the king now and frankly the networks aren't challanging them with realty shows and stuff done on the cheap. As a result the cable channels have relaxed.

If Satellite or another medium ever becomes legit competition (which right now it isn't) that will change.

But for the most part everything is done on the cheap nowadays. I think most younger people nowadays just watch because they don't know any better. But for those of us who grew up in the 80's we remember the efforts that went in to Saturday morning cartoons and the quality that channels like the Disney Channel used to produce.

Creativity is dead now. A lot of stuff nowadays seems either crude or like its trying to imitate something.

[sethn172]

Creativity is dead now. A lot of stuff nowadays seems either crude or like its trying to imitate something.

Howdy!

"Creativity is dead?" Why, you're wrong! I know this isn't Disney-related here, but I've seen logo surprises and logo nightmares, and THAT'S creativity right there! Let me know if you want more info!

sethn172

[Mouseketodd]

Yes, I miss the old Disney Channel! (I graduated from high school in 1986.)

There'd be Mouseterpiece Theater, Donald Duck Presents, DTV (parts of various Disney cartoons edited together to various popular songs)....

There'd be certain movies and specials (Disney and otherwise) that were scheduled at various times each month: you could watch "The Rocketeer" or whatever was on that month multiple times!

When my wife and I subscribed to DirecTV a couple of yrs ago, we got 3 Disney Channels (one was ToonDisney)! Great, I get to watch Mickey and Donald, and watch classic Disney movies: Old Yeller, Shaggy Dog, The Black Hole -- you name it! WRONG!!! All that was shown was pre-teen programming: Lizzie McGuire, Sister Sister.... I was greatly disappointed, and I still am.

I wish they'd have classic shows (Walt's WWoC, etc.), movies, series, and cartoons. There was a topic not too long ago where I made suggestions on programming -- even if a current channel went thru rearranging. If I can find it, I'll link to it in this thread.

[DarthPrime]

There'd be Mouseterpiece Theater, Donald Duck Presents, DTV (parts of various Disney cartoons edited together to various popular songs)....

I remember those. DTV was great!

[Little Red Henski]

I think cable as a whole in the 80's and early 90's was different.

At the time they were really trying to get viewers away from Broadcast by offering them something different.

Yeah, another reason is these huge corporations started buying all the channels. Now these channels mostly just run inferior "original" programming. Another thing I notice is when new channels start out they actually target their fans but they slowly deteriorate as they get into more homes. Soon they start targeting the lowest common denominator. and start saying screw you to there fans.

[Edge]

One reason why I don't pay $80 for cable.

Essentially I watch maybe 5 channels and of those 5 i probably watch 2% of their programming.

It's not because I am older but the 80's was the last big hurrah for animation (and most sites around the net are based around this belief).

There is some good stuff still out there but it's few and far between.

[Mouseketodd]

Here is a link to the Disney Channel discussion to which I was referring earlier:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... highlight=

Here's my vote for either a Classic Disney Channel, or a new weekly primetime Disney Channel schedule that could appeal to a wide range of ages and interests!!!!

[JEANYLASER]

i wanted disney on parade that i saw in the old disney channel please i want in the dvd or video.

[Siren]

I miss Ocean Girl most of all. That was a great show

[Robin Hood]

Tales from Anvenlea (sp?) is coming out a long with Ducktales, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and Gargoyles Vol 2.

Howdy!

Ooh! Four classics in one day!

sethn172

November 8th
DuckTales: Volume 1
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers: Volume 1
Tales from Avonlea: The Complete First Season

December 6th
Gargoyles: Season 2 Volume 1