Disney Channel Archives - Over The Top Mommy

Disney Channel

All the Reasons to To Love Disney Channel’s Fall Programming

October 18, 2018 / Entertainment

I was invited to a media event in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

If you’re a Disney Channel-watching family like we are, you waited for what seemed like forever, to watch the season premieres of this Fall’s programming! We had the honor of attending a very special event on the Disney Studios Lot and were so excited to get an advanced peek at the Season Premiere episodes of “Andi Mack and “Raven’s Home Remix” and it’s obvious this season on Disney Channel is going to be the best one yet and there are all the reasons to be watching!

Andi Mack

Do you watch Andi Mack? The series, on its 3rd season, premiered as a contemporary coming-of-age story about a relatable girl (Andi) who’s trying to determine where she fits in and the many amazing ways she can live her life. On the eve of her 13th birthday, Andi learns that her older sister, Bex, is actually her mother. This revelation puts Andi on an unfamiliar path of self-discovery which she navigates with the help of her loving albeit complicated family; her two best friends, Cyrus and Buffy; and her middle school crush, Jonah Beck. Along the way, Andi learns that sometimes the unexpected is what makes life great.Fast forward to the season finale of season 2 and that cliffhanger ending? I was dying to know all summer, what exactly was going to happen with Andi’s parents! And now that the season premiere for season 3 has already happened, can we just talk about Andi and Jonah now? Personally, I’m so proud of how far Andi has come in knowing what she wants and what she deserves.We got to meet Lilan Bowden (aka “Bex” or Andi’s mom on the show) and Sophia Wylie (aka Buffy) at the Fall Programming event we attended and they were both so nice and very sweet in person. You can catch Andi Mack, Mondays on Disney Channel at 8 PM ET/PT.

Raven’s Home: Remix

The highly anticipated “Raven’s Home” fall premiere, “Raven’s Home: Remix,” is about how Booker sets out to land the starring role in the school’s musical about a boy who loves playing basketball and performing hip-hop. When Raven has a vision of Booker receiving a standing ovation, she’s convinced he’s perfect for the role and encourages him to go for it. However, when Nia discovers the part requires someone who is great at basketball and can rap – two things Tess excels at – she tries to convince Coach Spitz to let Tess audition for the role. When he refuses because Tess is a girl, a determined Nia takes a stand to prove girls can do anything boys can do.The dynamic all-musical episode features eight original songs and dance numbers performed by the multi-talented cast and showcases strong themes about girl empowerment (girls being able to do anything that boys can do), following your heart, self-empowerment and self-expression. Did you catch the episode? It was so good!
Catch new “Raven’s Home” episodes on Friday evenings at 8:00pm ET/PT on Disney Channel.

Coop and Cami: Ask the World

Although we only got a sneak peek at the all-new series Coop & Cami”, it was so cute when we watched the full season premiere on Disney Channel.The live-action family comedy follows Cooper (Coop) and Cameron (Cami) Wrather, two middle school siblings who co-host Coop’s online show “Would You Wrather.” With the help of their little brother Ollie and Coop’s best friend Fred, the duo fields offbeat questions and results to the show’s millions of followers (aka Wratherheads) who help them solve problems – both mundane and madcap. Every day is an adventure in the Wrather’s hectic household, which also includes their older sister Charlotte and mom Jenna, as Coop and Cami tackle adolescence and everyday family situations with humor and heart.You can catch new episodes of “Coop & Cami Ask the World” Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on Disney Channel.

Disney Channel’s All-New “Legendary” Music Video

I think my favorite part of the event was when we got a sneak peek at the all-new music video “Legendary” featuring Raven’s Home star Navia Robinson, as well as 16 other dynamic, multi-talented and collaborative young actresses/leading ladies from the Disney Channel. “Legendary” is an affirming anthem and music video that supports girls’ great potential everywhere and heralds the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child (Oct.11). The video debuted Monday, Oct. 8 on Disney Channel. Aimed at tweens, ages 8-14, “Legendary” encompasses the spirit of camaraderie and delivers the powerful message that when girls and young women support each other and work together, nothing is out of reach. This initiative further amplifies Disney Channel’s brand promises: “Express Yourself,” “Believe in Yourself” and “Celebrate Your Friends and Family.” The music video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis (director of Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Fifth Harmony music videos) and the song was written and produced by The Heavyweights; the GRAMMY®-nominated production team composed of Jamie Jones,Jack Kugell and Matt Wong; along with songwriter Hanna Jones. Watch the “Legendary” video here:

Have you and your family watched any of these shows this Fall? If so, what’s your favorite? Share with me in the comments!

Some images and logos are property of Disney Channel and used with permission.

4 Reasons Why THIS Mom’s Excited About Disney’s Descendants! #DisneyDescendants

July 31, 2015 / Disney DVDs, Disney Movies, Entertainment, Movies

*Minor spoilers included in this post.

Disney’s “Descendants” is the latest Disney Channel Original Movie. The film is a way fun twist on the classic fairy tales we all know and love. We get to meet the kids of some of Disney’s most well-known villains. Mal (daughter of Maleficent), Evie (daughter of Evil Queen from “Snow White”), Carlos (son of Cruella de Vil), and Jay (son of Jafar), all happen to be modern day teens, around the same age! After living their entire first years banished to the Isle of the Lost (it’s where all of the Disney Villains are exiled to), with their parents, the teens get the chance to attend high school in the magical land of Auredon! This means they get to see what everyday life is like there, where everything isn’t about being evil. According to the film’s director Kenny Ortega, Disney’s Descendants takes us way past the “happily ever after” of what happens in the classic Disney stories we grew up with. You’ll have to watch it to get the film though, to get the entire story!

Take a peek at the extended trailer:

I can’t put my finger on just one reason why I’m so excited about Disney’s Descendants. I’ve gotten excited every time one of the previews has come on during all of the months preceding its release. I can even sing along with the songs on the trailer now. I think there are a lot of reasons why I feel this way about this latest Disney Channel Original Movie.

First of all, I’m what you’d call a true “Disney Channel Mom”, so I get excited about pretty much anything happening with Disney Channel. On any given day, depending on if I’m working or off for the summer, I might find myself watching anything from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to Jessie to Teen Beach 2 (the sing-a-long version) at my house. If you’re wondering…yes I sing AND dance along whenever it’s necessary, which is always. Not only do I enjoy watching these shows with my daughter, but I’ve also found myself with the shows on while doing other things, like dishes or blogging, when my daughter isn’t even in the room! Yep, I will totally claim being a Disney Channel mom! As soon as I read that Kenny Ortega had a major hand in this film (he’s the director), I squealed inside. In our house, we know Mr. Ortega as “THE High School Musical guy“. He’s responsible for High School Musical trilogy, which was one of the most fun Disney Channel series of dance movies in my opinion. High School Musical 3 was one of the first films that got my daughter and I dancing together in our living room. It’s the series that millennials still hold hope out for a fourth film, perhaps “College Years Musical”. (even though everyone knows it’ll never happen)

Mr. Ortega’s extensive list of works goes way back though to films like Dirty Dancing. I love that he can adapt a story and tie in the singing and dancing elements to it, making it something that the entire family can watch together. I get giddy when I see interviews with Mr. Ortega talking about Disney’s Descendants though. You can pretty much count on anything he’s working on to be genius and go gold!

Here’s a musical clip from the film. I love “Rotten to the Core“. It’s just super catchy! Tell me what you think?

When the first sneak peek of Descendants was on, my daughter pointed out how much she liked “Evie”, the daughter of Evil Queen, and a character that’s played by Colombian-American actress Sofia Carson. My daughter loves her costume and her hair for the movie and tells me every time we see a preview that Evie is her favorite. Then she made another connection…Sofia was on Austin & Ally, which is one of my daughter’s favorite shows on Disney Channel! (Yep, that means I watch it too!). Since then, she’s done more research on her own about Miss Carson and comes to me to share tidbits of information about her. “Mom, did you know that “Sofia” is a singer too?” “Sofia goes to UCLA, Mom AND she does acting.” I love that my daughter adores Sofia Carson mainly because I feel that she’s a great role model to the kids who are watching her and looking up to her. She’s showing them how important it is to pursue an academic career regardless of what path your acting career is taking you in. Disney Channel has done such a great job choosing Sofia Carson not only as an actress but as a role model as well.

As a mom of a pre-tween, I love that this film has a story that can speak directly to kids as young as my daughter’s age! (she’s 10) Once you get past how scary these kids’ parents are, you get to see their vulnerable side. You get to see that, they too, have many of the struggles “normal” kids do everyday. I love that the film conveys the message to its viewers that you get to choose who you’re going to be, despite who your parents are or what you were born into. As my daughter grows, I’m looking for deeper messages like this in what she watches on TV, as well as on the big screen. As a mom, I am content knowing that Disney is creating thoughtful, quality content like this for our kids to watch!

So, are YOU excited to watch Disney’s Descendants?

You can watch more Descendants clips on their YouTube channel!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images property of Disney Channel.

Our Adventures at the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Filming

November 12, 2013 / Disney, SoCal Fun

I never take for granted how close we live to The Disneyland Resort! Since it’s just a hop, skip & a jump to the parks, we are often able to attend special events, on short notice, like the taping of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade filming. This year, we were able to attend the final day of filming, which included the parade portion and a performance by the cast of Teen Beach Movie!

Disneyland opened at 9 a.m. that day and we arrived at the Main Gate around 8:45 a.m. I didn’t realize that guests would be allowed to enter at 8 a.m., so we weren’t able to find a spot that was within the close filming area where the celebs were going to be dancing. We still found a seat on the curb down in front of Plaza Inn. This is where the parade floats, characters, dancers, and giant balloons all approached though, so we had the prime spot for taking pictures of it all. We were also filmed a couple of times in audience shots, so we still may end up on TV, right? I won’t post photos of the actual parade until it actually airs because there were a few special parts added to this that aren’t normally included and I feel like it spoils some of the magic, but I will share a couple of fun pics that we took from the curb!

This is Pooh waiting patiently for the festivities to begin.

Here’s Emi trying to be patient as she sits on the curb, showing off her DisneySide!

Emi was taking her own pics and videos during the parade!

After sitting there for about 3 hours, we were startving and went to get something to eat. After we returned, we saw that the woody from Teen Beach Movie was parked at the front of Main Street and we knew what this meant…..the cast would soon be entering the park!

I’m pretty sure I had to walk up and back Main Street about 6 times just to get this shot because the CMs were shooing everyone to keep on moving!

We finally made our way through the insane crowd to the top of Main Street, and there we waited and waited and waited…..until they FINALLY came out!

I LOVE Maia! She is so adorable!

Well all of them came out except for Ross Lynch. Thank goodness I had Emi there to let me know that Ross’ mommy, Stormy, was walking right in front of where we were standing, and that it looked like she was going backstage, so we knew he was coming out soon.

This is his mom going to get him and escort him out.

Ross Lynch!

I cannot describe my daughter’s expression when he walked out! Not only her expression but the fact that she was flushed too! This is the 2nd time within 2 months that she’s seen Ross & Maia this close up. (our other opportunity was when Ross & Maia were in Downtown Disney)
After the Teen Beach Movie portion of the show began filming, which we couldn’t sit or stand and watch, we decided to head towards the Matterhorn. That was when Emi realized Rydel Lynch was walking in front of us! Yep, she’s Ross’ sister and a member of R5! She was hanging out with Ellington Lee Ratliff ,who’s also in R5. So, of course, we had to pace behind them for a couple of minutes until I got my big “Mommy Courage” up enough to ask them if they’d take a pic with Emi! They were very nice. I definitely see an R5 concert in our near future!

Emi with Rydel Lynch and Ellington Lee Ratliff

It was an amazing day at Disneyland. I also learned what I’ll be doing differently for next year’s taping.
Here are some of my tips if you’re planning on attending the taping for the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade:
1. Arrive at Disneyland 1-11/2 hours before the park opening.
2. Dress festively in Christmas attire and holiday Disney gear so you can attract the cameras’ attention, but also layer because it gets HOT! If you have babies or small children, the cuter they are dressed, they more likely they’ll get on camera.
3. Bring water and snacks because you might not be able to get up and get food.
4. Wear sunblock and bring extra! It is almost ALWAYS hot at Disneyland!
5. For the most camera time, sit on the sunny side of Main Street! It’ll be hot, but it’s worth it!
6. Be prepared to smile and have fun!

It was an exciting day for us at Disneyland.

It’s always an adventure with Emi and I can’t wait for our next trip to the parks!

Downtown Disney Meet and Greet With Ross Lynch and Maia Mitchell!

July 22, 2013 / Disney, Disney

We watch quite a bit of Disney Channel in our home. For the longest time, all we saw were commercials for the upcoming release of the Disney movie, “Teen Beach Movie”! We set up our DVR to record it, because Emi can never get enough of Disney Channel movies! She LOVES Ross Lynch (aka Austin from “Austin & Ally”) and Maia Mitchell (she appeared on “Jessie” before and is now on “The Fosters“) I’m pretty sure that just during the first week that Teen Beach Movie was officially released, she’d probably watched it AT LEAST 20 times!

Going down the Mickey & Friends escalator, all ready to meet Ross & Maia!

Running to the tram. I wonder if she’s excited?

We are fortunate enough to live near The Disneyland Resort, where they had a merchandise signing event for the movie. Ross and Maia would be making an appearance and signing Teen Beach Movie merchandise.

The part I didn’t realize was that we were supposed to camp out the night before, with all of the other teenagers or we wouldn’t get a “voucher” to meet them. I honestly thought if we got there a few hours ahead of time, that we’d be fine. Now I know for next time! (Will there be a Teen Beach Movie 2?)

HOWEVER, when we arrived in Downtown Disney, we stopped to look around and see which way to go….and there he was! Ross was walking right in front of us…OMG Ross Lynch!!!! All I could think was, “Hey, that’s the guy on that show!” and I’ll admit I was a little stumped, but Emi was the one who EXTREMELY short on words and just had this giddy expression on her face!

Ladies and Gentleman, may I present to you...the backside of Ross Lynch!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with…the backside of Ross Lynch!

(it’s a Jungle Cruise joke)

So, while the people who had been waiting in the line for HOURS stood far away from, WE were right next to Ross and Maia AND got to be front row when they did some filming for a “Disney 365″segment! I don’t think Emi has ever been that close to one of her celeb crushes and although she was overwhelmed by the crowd, she had a giant smile from ear-to-ear!