Playhouse Disney

Playhouse Disney
Launched	April 6, 1997 (prelaunch, as Disney Channel Preschool Block) February 1, 1999 (official, as Playhouse Disney)
Closed	February 13, 2011
Network	Disney-ABC Television Group
Owned by	The Walt Disney Company
Replaced by	Disney Junior
Sister channel(s)	Disney Channel Disney XD

Playhouse Disney is a defunct brand for a slate of programming blocks and international cable and satellite television channel that was owned by the Disney Channels Worldwide unit of The Walt Disney Company's Disney–ABC Television Group. It originated in the United States and Canada as a morning program block on the Disney Channel. Its programming was targeted at children ages 1–8, featuring a mix of live-action and animated series.

The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel was relaunched as Disney Junior on February 14, 2011. The 22 cable channels and blocks using the Playhouse Disney brand around the world were relaunched under the Disney Junior brand over the next two years, concluding with the rebranding of the Russian channel in September 2013.

History

Prior to Playhouse Disney's launch, Disney Channel had aired a lineup of preschool-targeted programs (which were mixed alongside animated series aimed at older children) during the morning hours since its debut in April 1983. On April 6, 1997, Disney Channel underwent a relaunch that signified the beginning of its full conversion into a commercial-free basic cable channel, and its morning program block now utilized a similar graphics package for its promotions as that used for the channel's afternoon children's programs. After Disney Channel's preschool block premiered three new original series in 1998 (PB&J Otter, Rolie Polie Olie, and Out of the Box), the block rebranded as Playhouse Disney in October 1998.

One of the Playhouse Disney block's most popular series was Bear in the Big Blue House, an educational live-action series from Jim Henson Productions that debuted in October 1997, focusing on the adventures of Bear (voice by Noel MacNeal); the series was named by TV Guide as one of the "top 10 new shows for kids" that year.[1] For the first three years of its run, the Playhouse Disney block originally aired each weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and weekends from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Following each program, which usually ran 23 minutes (most of which, with the exception of movies, aired without promotional interruption), the remainder of the time period was filled by blocks of either short segments or music videos (the latter of which were originally aired under the banner "Feet Beat").

Programming

Original programming

• Bear in the Big Blue House (October 20, 1997 – April 28, 2006)
• PB&J Otter (March 15, 1998 – April 8, 2005)
• Rolie Polie Olie (October 4, 1998 – June 2, 2006)
• Out of the Box (October 7, 1998 – June 10, 2005)
• The Book of Pooh (January 22, 2001 – September 4, 2005)
• Stanley (September 15, 2001 – May 16, 2008)
• JoJo's Circus (September 28, 2003 – January 4, 2009)
• The Koala Brothers (October 1, 2003 – May 16, 2008)
• Higglytown Heroes (September 12, 2004 – April 4, 2009)
• Breakfast with Bear (June 20, 2005 – September 15, 2006)
• Little Einsteins (October 9, 2005 – February 13, 2011)
• Charlie and Lola (November 7, 2005 – February 13, 2011)
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (May 5, 2006 – February 13, 2011)
• Handy Manny (September 18, 2006 – February 13, 2011)
• Johnny and the Sprites (October 9, 2005 – June 28, 2009)
• My Friends Tigger & Pooh (May 12, 2007 – October 9, 2010)
• Bunnytown (November 10, 2007 – February 13, 2011)
• Imagination Movers (September 6, 2008 – February 13, 2011)
• Special Agent Oso (April 4, 2009 – February 13, 2011)
• Jungle Junction (October 5, 2009 – February 13, 2011)