Primetime Special “Sofia the First: The Floating Palace” Premieres November 24 on Disney Channel
via Disney Channel press release:
PRINCESS SOFIA SETS SAIL FOR A HIGH SEAS ADVENTURE IN HER FIRST-EVER PRIMETIME SPECIAL “SOFIA THE FIRST: THE FLOATING PALACE,” PREMIERING SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24 ON DISNEY CHANNEL
Ariel from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” Makes Special Appearance
Disney Legend Jodi Benson and Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”)
Guest Star
Sofia and her family take to the high seas for a royal vacation in the first-ever “Sofia the First” primetime special, “Sofia the First: The Floating Palace,” premiering SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (7:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel and THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28 (7:00 p.m., ET/PT) on the 24-hour Disney Junior channel. The undersea adventure, in which Sofia is magically transformed into a mermaid, features a special appearance by Princess Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” voiced by Disney Legend Jodi Benson who reprises her iconic role from the animated film. The special also introduces a new character named Oona, a young mermaid voiced by Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”).
A full-length preview of “Sofia the First: The Floating Palace” will debut on WATCHDisneyJunior.com and the WATCH Disney Junior app for smartphones and tablets beginning Monday, November 11. The special will be simulcast on WATCH Disney Channel the same day as the linear premiere on Sunday, November 24 and will be available for download on iTunes, Amazon and Xbox beginning Monday, November 25.
2013 to date, “Sofia the First” is cable TV’s #1 series in Kids 2-5 and Girls 2-5, and the #1 preschool cable TV series in Total Viewers and Women 18-49. Its animated TV movie prequel, “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess” remains the #1 cable TV telecast of all time in Kids 2-5 and Girls 2-5, and the #1 preschool cable TV telecast ever in Total Viewers and Women 18-49.
“Sofia the First: The Floating Palace” takes Sofia and her family on an extraordinary journey to Merriway Cove, where Sofia meets a young mermaid named Oona. After helping Oona untangle her fin from a net, Sofia’s magical amulet transforms her into a mermaid too, allowing her to explore the underwater world with her new friend. During their adventure, Sofia learns that mermaids mistrust humans and are angry that her family’s floating palace is in their cove. When Oona is captured by a horrible sea monster, Sofia – with a little help from Princess Ariel – must find a way to save her and create harmony between their two worlds.
On Friday, November 15, DisneyJunior.com/Sofia will launch “Sofia the First: Mermaid Princess,” a game in which players help Sofia rescue Oona from the clutches of the sea monster. The site will also feature “Sofia’s Royal Catch & Match,” an online activity based on the classic card game “Go Fish.”
Created for kids age 2-7 and their parents/caregivers, and starring the voices of Ariel Winter (ABC’s “Modern Family”), Sara Ramirez (ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”), Wayne Brady (“Let’s Make a Deal”), and Tim Gunn (“Project Runway”), “Sofia the First” follows the adventures of Princess Sofia, a young girl who is learning how to adjust to royal life after her mom marries the king. Along the way, she discovers that the inner character of kindness, generosity, loyalty, honesty and grace is what makes a real princess.
The series was developed by Craig Gerber (“Pixie Hollow Games”) who also serves as executive producer and story editor. Jamie Mitchell (“Special Agent Oso”) is executive producer and director. John Kavanaugh (“Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo”) serves as songwriter/music director and Kevin Kliesch (“Tangled Ever After”) is the composer. “Sofia the First” is a production of Disney Television Animation.
Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior’s series blend Disney’s unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills. In the U.S., Disney Junior is a daily programming block on Disney Channel and a 24-hour channel. There are 33 Disney Junior channels in 24 languages around the world.