Disney Launches Updated WATCH Disney Channel, Disney Junior & Disney XD Websites
[via press release]
DISNEY/ABC TELEVISION GROUP UNVEILS NEW DESIGN AND ADDITIONAL FEATURES FOR WATCH DISNEY CHANNEL, WATCH DISNEY XD
AND WATCH DISNEY JUNIOR
WATCH Disney Junior Launches Disney Junior en Español
Radio Disney and Radio Disney Junior Live Streams Now Available on WATCH Disney Channel and WATCH Disney Junior
Disney/ABC Television Group is today re-launching its industry-defining WATCH services for Disney Channel,Disney XD and Disney Juniorwith an intuitive, character-focused redesign and new features that include the launch of Disney Junior en Español, access to Radio Disney, the ability to play games on Android and Kindle Fire devices and premieres of some of each networks’ most anticipated programming.
The WATCH services make it possible for fans to watch popular shows anytime, anywhere via desktops, connected TVs, smartphones and tablets. Fans who verify with a participating TV provider can access live streams of their favorite network, as well as exclusive content. Beginning today, each network WATCH service now also features the following:
- Disney Junior is launching Disney Junior en Español, marking the first time the network has made an entire block of programming available in Spanish on mobile devices. Series include “Sofia the First,” “Doc McStuffins,” “Jake and the Never Land Pirates,” “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Henry Hugglemonster,” as well as short-form series “Minnie’s Bow-Toons” and “The Doc Files.” Additionally, Android users can draw, paint and color pages from their favorite Disney Junior shows with Disney Junior Color! en Español.
- World premiere of a new “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” episode “Donald Jr.” available in English and Spanish.
- Launch of Radio Disney Junior, a six-hour block of programming hosted by Genevieve Goings (“Choo Choo Soul”) and featuring “The Best of Radio Disney Junior with Genevieve”; “Magical World of Disney Junior,” featuring music from popular Disney and Pixar movies; “Pirates & Princesses” themed songs; “Storybook Hour” where kids can hear one of their favorite Disney stories like “Brave,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Tangled” and “Monsters Inc.”; and “Get Up and Move,” a one-hour programming block dedicated to health and wellness.
- Android and Kindle Fire users have access to exclusive Disney Junior games and activities, including “Disney Junior Color,” which offers interactive coloring pages from popular series; “Disney Junior Puzzles,” featuring 90 puzzles, each with a magical Disney Junior video reward; and “Mickey’s Pet Playhouse,” which lets kids play along with Mickey Mouse to adopt, groom and play with virtual pets.
- The world premiere of the highly-anticipated comedy series “Girl Meets World” is available for viewers who have verified their account with a participating TV provider.”Girl Meets World” premieres June 27 on Disney Channel.
- Addition of music videos and recently launched short-form series “Dogs Rule…Cats Not So Much.”
- Live audio stream from Radio Disney.
- Five exclusive games, available only to Android and Kindle Fire users. “Jessie’s Run,” “Chew Toy Chase” and “Riley’s Message Mayhem” are quick time-based games that challenge players to beat the clock with their favorite characters from “Jessie,” “Dog With A Blog” and “Girl Meets World.” Authenticated users can also play “Sticker Stacker,” a game with over 70 levels, and “Slide Me Crazy,” a puzzle-based game featuring favorite Disney Channel characters in exciting, high-speed game challenges.
- On June 23, verified viewers will be able to watch the world premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie “Zapped,” starring the multi-talented recording artist/actress Zendaya (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Shake It Up”). “Zapped” premieres June 27 on Disney Channel.
- Exclusive premiere of summer episodes: “Phineas and Ferb Save Summer,” “Wander Over Yonder: The Nice Guy / The Timebomb” and “Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures: Ride The Wild Pac-Topus.”
- Android and Kindle Fire users will also have access to three new Disney XD games exclusive to the WATCH experience: “Phineas and Ferb: Summer Soakers” takes the backyard water fight to a whole new dimension; “Prank-a-Tron 5000” lets users create their own soundboards, prank noises and audio effects from the random, funny world of Disney XD; and “Ultimate Air” dares players to take the ultimate challenge and defeat Disney XD villains in this high-stakes arcade style game.
Powered by Ludei’s HTML5 hardware acceleration technology, all the WATCH games developed by Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media team are designed to deliver a robust, high-performance fan experience across multiple mobile platforms.
The WATCH apps have been downloaded more than 20 million times and have over 1.7 billion video views. Currently Disney/ABC Television Group has agreements in place for its authenticated WATCH products with a variety of Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs), including Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, DISH, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber and AT&T U-verse. The service is available on multiple devices, including desktops, iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, select Android devices, Amazon Kindle Fire, Apple TV, Nabi, Windows 8 and Roku.
Over the past several years, the Disney/ABC Television Group has consistently unveiled innovative, award-winning multiplatform services and apps. In addition to the WATCH services, other notable DATG apps include the Disney Junior Appisode app, which offers true interactive viewing, allowing kids ages 2-7 to touch, tap, swipe, tilt, shake and talk their way through various fun-filled activities embedded into episodes of some of their favorite Disney Junior shows; the award-winning WATCH ABC Player and WATCH ABC Family Player apps; the ABC News app; and the Emmy Award-winning official Oscars app, which provided unique backstage viewing experiences for the 83rd, 84th, and 85th Academy Awards.
About Disney/ABC Television Group
The Disney/ABC Television Group is composed of The Walt Disney Company’s global entertainment and news television properties, owned television stations, and radio stations. This includes ABC Entertainment Group, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations Group, Disney Channels Worldwide, Radio Disney and ABC Family, as well as Disney/ABC Domestic Television and Disney Media Distribution. The Company’s equity interest in Hulu and its 50% equity interest in A&E Networks and Fusion round out the Group’s portfolio of media businesses.