Disney XD facts for kids
Logo used since 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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| Sister channels |
List
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| History | |
| Launched | February 13, 2009 |
| Replaced | Toon Disney |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Watch live |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV | |
Disney XD is an American TV channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. It's mainly for kids aged 6 to 11, especially boys.
Disney XD shows many different programs. These include original TV series, movies from its sister channel Disney Channel, and films from other companies. It also has a special block for competitive gaming.
The channel offers a Spanish-language option. You can often choose this through a special audio setting on your TV.
As of 2016, about 77.5 million homes in the United States could watch Disney XD.
Contents
History of Disney XD
Disney XD started on February 13, 2009. The very first show to air was an episode of Phineas and Ferb. Later that day, its first original series, Aaron Stone, premiered. Other new cartoons like Kid vs. Kat and Jimmy Two-Shoes also joined the lineup.
From Toon Disney to Disney XD
Disney XD took over the channel space of Toon Disney. Toon Disney was a channel focused on cartoons that started in 1998. It later added a block of shows called Jetix. Many of the cartoons on Disney XD, especially animated ones, used to be on Toon Disney as part of the Jetix block.
The name "Disney XD" came from a mini-site on Disney.com. The "XD" doesn't actually stand for anything specific. According to a Disney executive, it was chosen because it looked "cool." The letter X has many cool connections, and people can imagine what it means. "XD" is also a popular emoticon for laughter!
Key Moments and Shows
The channel's first original TV movie, Skyrunners, came out in November 2009. In 2012, Disney XD launched a block called "Marvel Universe." This happened because Disney bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009.
In 2016, the popular Pokémon anime series moved to Disney XD from Cartoon Network. The new season, Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, started airing in December 2016.
In 2017, Disney XD premiered a new version of DuckTales. Later, some of Disney XD's original shows, like Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Milo Murphy's Law, started showing their new episodes first on Disney Channel. However, DuckTales and Big Hero 6: The Series moved back to Disney XD for their final seasons in 2020.
What's on Disney XD?
Disney XD's schedule mostly includes cartoons and live-action shows. These are made for kids and young teenagers. Many shows are original to Disney XD, while others used to be on Disney Channel.
Besides full-length shows, Disney XD also airs short series. These are like mini-episodes that fill commercial breaks. They usually last one to three minutes.
The channel also shows original TV movies from Disney Channel. Plus, it airs movies that were first shown in theaters.
Unlike Disney Channel, Disney XD shows regular TV commercials. Disney Channel usually only shows ads for its own programs or Disney movies.
Sports on Disney XD
Disney XD has also shown sports-related content. Its sister network, ESPN, has helped create some of this. For example, Disney XD showed parts of the 2018 Overwatch League. This is a professional video game competition.
In 2019, Disney XD started airing the NFL's Pro Bowl. This is a special football game featuring top players. It was shown at the same time on ESPN and ABC.
In 2023, Disney XD also took part in ESPN's hockey coverage. They aired a special animated version of a game, themed around the show Big City Greens.
Past Programming Blocks
- Randomation Animation – This was a morning cartoon block on Saturdays. It featured shows like Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures and Phineas and Ferb. It ran from 2013.
- Show Me the Monday – This block aired on Monday nights. It showed new episodes of Disney XD original series. Some popular shows included Lab Rats and Gravity Falls.
- Animacation – This was a morning cartoon block during the summer of 2014. 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 focused on video gaming. It started in 2017 and showed content from Disney's own gaming channels. It also featured e-sports coverage from ESPN.
- Anime Block – This block showed various anime programs. These included Pokémon, Yo-kai Watch, and Beyblade Burst. It aired on Saturdays starting in 2017. It stopped in 2020 when Netflix got the streaming rights for Pokémon.
- Marvel on Disney XD – This block featured animated series from Marvel Animation. It launched in 2012 as "Marvel Universe." Shows included Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble.
Other Disney XD Services
| Service | What it is |
|---|---|
| Disney XD HD | This is the high-definition version of the Disney XD channel. It launched at the same time as the regular channel in 2009. Many of Disney XD's shows and movies are made and shown in HD. |
| Disney XD On Demand | This service lets you watch select episodes of Disney XD shows whenever you want. You can get it through your TV provider. |
| DisneyNOW | In 2017, the Disney Channel app became DisneyNOW. This app combines content from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and Radio Disney. You can watch live TV and on-demand shows from all these channels in one place. |
| Former services | |
| Disney XD App | This was a mobile app that let you stream Disney XD content. You needed to log in with your TV provider details to watch most shows. The app closed in 2018. |
Disney XD Around the World
Disney XD channels used to be available in many countries. Like the American channel, these international versions were also created by combining Jetix and Toon Disney.
However, most international Disney XD channels have closed down since 2019. This is mainly because Disney+ was launched. Disney+ is a streaming service that offers many Disney shows and movies.
For example, Disney XD closed in Australia and New Zealand in 2019. Its shows moved to Disney Channel there. In India, the channel changed its name to Marvel HQ. Disney XD also closed in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Singapore, the UK, Ireland, Africa, Southeast Asia, Scandinavia, the Middle East, Japan, and Turkey.
The latest closure was in Latin America in 2022. Now, outside of the United States, Disney XD only has full-time channels in Canada and Poland.
See also
- Disney Channel - the main channel that is a sister to Disney XD
- Toon Disney - the channel that Disney XD replaced
- Jetix - an international brand that aired on Toon Disney
