Disney XD facts for kids
Logo used since June 1, 2015
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English Spanish (via SAP audio track, a Spanish language simulcast of the channel is also available) |
| Picture format | HDTV 720p (downscaled to center cut 480i for the SD feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| Parent | Disney Branded Television |
| Sister channels |
List
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| History | |
| Launched | February 13, 2009 |
| Replaced | |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Watch live |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Affiliated Streaming Service | Disney+ |
| Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Vidgo | |
Disney XD is a TV channel in the United States. It is owned by The Walt Disney Company. This channel is mostly for kids aged six to eleven.
Disney XD shows many different programs. These include new original TV series. It also airs older shows and movies from its sister channel, Disney Channel. You can also watch movies that were shown in theaters. Sometimes, it shows programs from other companies. There is even a special block for competitive video gaming.
In 2023, about 44 million homes in the U.S. could watch Disney XD. This number was higher in 2013, when 82 million homes had the channel. More people are now watching shows online. Because of this, Disney XD is available in fewer homes. Some TV providers, like Charter Spectrum and Verizon Fios, have stopped carrying the channel.
Contents
The Story of Disney XD
How Disney XD Started
Disney XD first started on February 13, 2009. The very first show aired was an episode of Phineas and Ferb. Later that day, the channel showed its first original series, Aaron Stone. Other new cartoons like Kid vs. Kat and Jimmy Two-Shoes also started then.
From Toon Disney to Disney XD
Disney XD took over the channel space that used to be Toon Disney. Toon Disney was a channel focused on cartoons. It started in 1998. Later, Toon Disney added a block of shows called Jetix in 2004. Many shows on Disney XD, especially cartoons, used to be on Toon Disney as part of the Jetix block.
Jetix channels in other countries also changed to Disney XD. This started in France in April 2009. The name "Disney XD" came from a mini-website on Disney.com. On that website, "XD" stood for "Disney Xtreme Digital." But for the TV channel, "XD" doesn't actually mean anything. Disney just thought it looked "cool."
New Shows and Events
The first original movie made for Disney XD was Skyrunners. It premiered in November 2009. In April 2012, Disney XD started a special block called "Marvel Universe." This happened because Disney bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009.
In November 2016, the Pokémon cartoon series moved to Disney XD. It used to be on Cartoon Network. The new season, Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, first aired in December 2016. Regular Pokémon episodes began in May 2017.
In August 2017, a new version of DuckTales premiered on Disney XD. Later, some Disney XD original shows started showing new episodes on Disney Channel. These included Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Milo Murphy's Law, DuckTales, and Big Hero 6: The Series. Disney XD still showed reruns of these. In 2020, DuckTales and Big Hero 6: The Series moved back to Disney XD for their final seasons. Both shows ended in 2021.
What You Can Watch on Disney XD
Disney XD's schedule has many animated and live-action shows. These shows are for kids and young teenagers. The content includes original series and shows that used to be on Disney Channel. Besides full-length shows, Disney XD also airs short series during commercial breaks. These short shows are usually one to three minutes long.
The channel also shows original movies made for TV from Disney Channel. You can also watch feature films that were shown in movie theaters. Unlike Disney Channel, Disney XD has regular TV commercials. Disney Channel mostly shows ads for its own programs or Disney movies.
Sports on Disney XD
ESPN, another channel owned by Disney, has created sports content for Disney XD. For a while, Disney XD had a short program called SportsCenter High-5. This program showed a countdown of exciting sports moments. Disney XD also showed parts of the 2018 Overwatch League as part of its D|XP block.
In 2019, Disney XD started airing the NFL's Pro Bowl. It was shown at the same time on ESPN and ABC. In March 2023, Disney XD also showed a special animated version of an NHL game. This game was themed around the cartoon Big City Greens.
Special Programming Blocks
Disney XD has had several special blocks of shows:
- Randomation Animation – This was a morning cartoon block on Saturdays. It started in July 2013. Shows included Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures and Phineas and Ferb.
- Show Me the Monday – This block aired on Monday nights. It started in late 2013. It showed new episodes of Disney XD original series like Lab Rats and Gravity Falls.
- Animacation – This was a morning cartoon block during the summer of 2014. It aired on weekdays. It showed new and old animated shows. It also premiered shows like Doraemon: Gadget Cat from the Future.
- D|XP – This was a prime-time block about video gaming. It was for teenagers. It started in July 2017. It showed coverage of gaming tournaments like Evo 2017. It also aired Overwatch League matches.
- Anime Block – This block showed different anime programs. It started in February 2017 and aired on Saturdays. Shows included Pokémon and Yo-kai Watch. This block stopped in 2020.
- Marvel on Disney XD – This block showed animated series from Marvel Animation. It aired on Sunday mornings. It started in April 2012 as Marvel Universe. It featured shows like Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble.
Other Disney XD Services
| Service | What it Does |
|---|---|
| Disney XD HD | This is the high-definition version of the Disney XD channel. It started at the same time as the regular channel in 2009. Most new shows and movies on Disney XD are shown in HD. Most TV providers offer this HD version. |
| Disney XD On Demand | This service lets you watch select episodes of Disney XD shows whenever you want. You need to have a pay TV provider to use it. |
| DisneyNOW | In September 2017, the Disney Channel app became DisneyNOW. This app combines content from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and Radio Disney. You can watch shows from all four services in one app. The old Disney XD app was closed in February 2018. |
Disney XD Around the World
Many Disney XD channels around the world have closed down. This happened mostly after Disney+ launched. Disney+ is a streaming service that offers many Disney shows and movies.
For example, Disney XD closed in Australia and New Zealand in January 2019. Its shows moved to Disney Channel there. In India, the channel changed its name to Marvel HQ and then to Super Hungama. Disney XD also closed in Italy in October 2019.
The Spanish and German versions closed in April 2020. The French channel closed a week later. Disney XD in Singapore closed in June 2020. The channels in the UK, Ireland, and Africa closed in October 2020. The channels in Southeast Asia, Scandinavia, and the Middle East closed in December 2020. The Japanese and Turkish channels closed in January 2021. The Latin American channel closed in March 2022.
The latest closure was in the Netherlands in May 2025. Now, only two international Disney XD channels are still running. These are in Canada (until September 1, 2025) and Poland.
More to Explore
- Disney Channel - the main channel that is like Disney XD
- Toon Disney - the channel that came before Disney XD
- Jetix - a global brand that had shows on Toon Disney
See also
In Spanish: Disney XD para niños
