The 60 best Disney Channel Original Movies to Watch this Weekend
While the heyday of Disney Channel movies may be behind us, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the classics over and over again. From High School Musical to Cadet Kelly, some of the DCOMs you grew up watching with your besties, are even better now. Plus, sometimes you just need a feel-good film to put you in a good mood. Here's a look at 60 of the best DCOMs of all time (in no particular order).
Kim Possible (2019)
The iconic animated series comes to life in this live-action where Kim Possible and her BFF Ron Stoppable have to come together to take down Dr. Drakken and Shego before they take over the world.
Zombies (2018)
When students from Zombietown have to start attending Seabrook High School, they soon find out that they have a lot more in common than what everyone else thinks.
Tangled Before Ever After (2016)
Curious to find out what happened between Tangled and Tangled Ever After. Now you can! Follow Repunzel and Eugene as they set off on a new adventure together before she officially becomes the princess of Corona.
Adventures in Babysitting (2016)
A remake of the film of the same name, two teenage girls accidentally swap phones during an event, which causes them to babysit the wrong family for the night.
Invisible Sister (2015)
Scientific genius Cleo accidentally turns his sister, Molly, invisible after an experiment gone wrong. She has to find a way to turn her back to normal before midnight or her sister will never be seen again.
Descendants (2015)
The children of iconic Disney villians get the chance to leave the banished Isle of the Lost to attend Auradon Prep and realize that they have bigger dreams than following their parents’ evil footsteps.
Teen Beach Movie (2013)
We thought Disney didn't make DCOMs like they used to until this one came around. Starring a young Maia Mitchell, Teen Beach Movie, is about two kids, Brady and Mack, who accidentally get swept into an old 1960s beach movie. They must wait until the end of the movie to go back home, but in the meantime, they mess up the plot when the main characters fall in love with Brady and Mack instead of each other. In the end, Brady and Mack make it back home, shortly before some of the cast of the '60s movie arrives on shore in the present day, setting up the plot for Teen Beach Movie 2.
Radio Rebel (2012)
Super shy girl Tara discovers her voice when she hosts a radio show as the mysterious Radio Rebel. However, with her secret in danger of being revealed, she has to find a way to keep it from coming out or telling the world who she really is.
Lemonade Mouth (2011)
Of all the DCOM musicals, Lemonade Mouth feels the most like it could have happened at your school. In it, five ragtag friends meet at detention and realize they have one major thing in common: music. They start a band called Lemonade Mouth so they can compete in a competition called Rising Star, but while practicing to smash the competition, they also get involved in a school protest against removing the school's lemonade machine. It sounds random, but it's so high stakes when you're watching! You're gonna love rocking to the jams in this flick.
The Suite Life Movie (2011)
Twins Zack and Cody decide to be a part of a special experiment that makes them realize they have a deeper link than they originally thought. However, they soon realize that final phase would mean one of them would be alive and they have to save themselves before it’s too late.
Avalon High (2010)
Based off the books of the same name by Meg Cabot, new girl Allie discovers that her brand new high school has a strong link to Camelot and the legends of King Arthur. She has to try to piece the big mystery together before all her new friends are in danger.
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010)
The musicians at Camp Rock find themselves going head-to-head against the nearby Camp Star to find out which is the best and who will have to shut down by the end of the summer.
Starstruck (2010)
Regular teen Jessica Olsen and teen superstar Christopher Wilde randomly meet one night, causing them to go on a crazy adventure around Los Angeles together. Christopher soon realizes that being famous is not all that it turns out to be and must decide between doing what he loves or what everyone else expects him to do.
Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009)
When a show is as amazing as Wizards, there's no way it's not going to get the DCOM treatment. In Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, the Russos go on vacation to the Caribbean. When Alex tries to cast a spell on her parents to convince them to let her hang out with the cute boy who works at the hotel, she ends up getting caught and gets grounded for two months. In a fit of rage, Alex wishes her parents never met, and her wish comes true. And while it seemed like a total win at first, Alex, Justin and Max quickly realize that they could disappear forever if they don't reverse the spell as soon as possible. Basically, this movie is NO JOKE.
Princess Protection Program (2009)
This classic Disney Channel flick saw then real-life besties Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato join together for a Disney Channel royal spy flick. In it, Demi is a royal princess named Rosalinda who's hiding out in Louisiana from the evil General Kane who is dead-set on capturing her so he can take over her country of Costa Estrella. Selena portrays Carter, the regular girl tasked with teaching Princess Rosie how to be a normal girl. Even though the girls don't get along at first, they become quick friends when they realize they both have something to learn from each other. And together, they have the potential to rule the school. The only thing standing in the way of their awesome year is that General Kane will stop at nothing to find and capture Rosie. This movie will take you back to the good ol' days when Demi and Selena were friendship goals.
Hatching Pete (2009)
After taking over as the school mascot for his friend, Cleatus, Pete starts to see that his new routine is a hit among the school. However, everyone still believes it’s Cleatus in the suit, leading him to become more popular while Pete stays behind.
Camp Rock (2008)
Camp Rock is what you get when you take two of Disney Channel's hottest musical acts and make a movie with them. This summer flick sees the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato playing alternate-reality versions of themselves called Connect 3 and Mitchie. Mitchie is a hopeful musician who has to deal with the pressure of feeling inferior to her fellow Camp Rock attendees because they all have super famous parents and she only got her slot at camp because her mom is the caterer. Meanwhile, Shane is struggling to break out from the chains of his label and make more meaningful music. In the end, they're the only two who can help each other embrace who they truly are deep down inside. This movie kicked off the real-life ship, Jemi, that will never die. And trust me, you'll be able to watch their finale performance of "This Is Me" 1000 times without it ever getting old.
Minutemen (2008)
A group of best friends use a time machine to help change all the embarrassing moments they and their family classmates have faced over the years. However, their changes to the events causes bigger questions that they had imagined.
Twitches Too (2007)
The two lost princesses of Coventry try to find a balance in their new lives now that they know their true identities. However, when a clue leads them to believe that their father is actually alive, they have to do whatever it takes to find him and protect their home.
High School Musical 2 (2007)
East High School is officially out for the summer and our favorite group of musical kids decide to get jobs at the local country club to help make some extra cash. However, a clear split between the town’s rich kids and those working causes a clear divide especially as an upcoming talent show keeps Troy split between both worlds.
Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board (2007)
Back in Hawaii to celebrate his grandfather’s wedding, Johnny starts to butt heads with his brand new “uncle”, a 12-year-old dirtboarder who isn’t happy to be joining this surfing family.
Jump In! (2007)
Not every hit DCOM is a musical, but they usually have something that you can groove and move to. That's definitely the case for Jump In! There are no standard musical numbers, but there is double dutching, which is just as awesome to break it down to; Corbin Bleu from High School Musical plays Izzy, a high school boxer living life in his dad's shadow who realizes he loves double dutch when his next door neighbor (and crush) Mary — played by Keke Palmer— asks him to step in for a friend in a local tournament. This movie is basically High School Musical if you replace basketball with boxing, singing with double dutch, and Troy and Gabriella with Izzy and Mary. You can pretty much figure the ending is EPIC.
Return to Halloweentown (2006)
In the final film of the Halloweentown series, Marnie decides to go to Witch University to study magic and finally learn more about what it takes to be a Cromwell. But when she gets there she’s disappointed to discover that magic is forbidden and there’s a dark secret that the school’s staff doesn’t want anyone to know.
The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006)
Our favorite girl group is back and this time they have their sights set on taking over Barcelona. The Cheetah Girls decide to sign up for a special music competition, but they soon realize that the trip of their dreams is taking them in different directions. Will the Cheetah Girls stay together? Or will they break up for good?
Read It and Weep (2006)
This classic DCOM is a little more low-key than the rest of the entries on this list, but it's no less fun to watch. The story follows a girl named Jamie who becomes a bestselling novelist after accidentally turning in her journal as her homework assignment. Suddenly an overnight sensation, Jamie lets the perks of fame get to her head and she begins to alienate her friends and family. But when the school realizes that her book is actually based on her negative feelings about them, her overnight popularity disappears as quickly as it arrived and she has to figure out how to win back the true friends who were always there for her. This low-key classic has one of the sweetest (and one of the only) kissing scenes in DCOM history.
Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior (2006)
There's a reason why Wendy Wu is the fifth-most viewed DCOM of all time. Brenda Song is basically London Tipton in this movie about a high school girl who just wants to go shopping and hang out with her friends, but when she finds out she's the reincarnation of an all-powerful female warrior, her whole life changes. Now, Wendy must train to defeat an ancient evil spirit that is trying to destroy the world, all while running for Homecoming Queen.
Cow Belles (2006)
Aly and AJ Michalka make their acting debut together as Taylor and Courtney Callum in this hilarious DCOM. The spoiled sisters must go to work at their father's dairy factory after carelessly causing a fire in their house. While at first, no one respects them and they make mistake after mistake on the job, they soon realize the importance of working hard and help save the factory from a fraud who steals money meant for the workers' paychecks.
High School Musical (2006)
Troy is the school's hottest basketball player and Gabriella is the new girl who's also a bookworm. When the two students from opposite sides of the... school yard (?) have a chance meeting during some New Year's karaoke, they realize pretty quickly that they love music about as much as they love each other. Only thing is, the cool kids, the mathletes, and the theater kids are not supposed to mix. Are they brave enough to follow their hearts and shake up the status quo?
Twitches (2005)
One of the spookier DCOMs, Twitches revolves around two twin sisters with magical powers, Alex and Camryn who were separated at birth and adopted by two different families. On their 21st birthday, the twins bump into each other for the first time. That's when they learn about their past and the magical land of Coventry that needs their help. The two sisters join forces to learn more about their powers and save Coventry.
The Proud Family Movie (2005)
After her 16th birthday doesn’t go as planned, Penny and her family head off to an island where they’re invited as special guests by a mysterious Dr. Carver. However, they soon realize that the island is filled with dark secrets and they have to stop it all before it’s too late.
Go Figure (2005)
In the hopes of becoming an Olympic figure skater, Katelin Kingsford accepts a scholarship that requires her to be on her brand new school's hockey team so she can train with the coach of her dreams.
Disney's Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama (2005)
Originally created to be the show's series finale, Kim Possible has to stop Dr. Drakken's big plan to take over the world through the use of small mechanical robots. The film is also the first animated DCOM to be released.
Now You See It... (2005)
Producer Allyson finds Danny to take part of a magic competition series to find the next big magician. However, things quickly turn dark on the show and the duo have to figure out what really is going on.
Halloweentown High (2004)
In an effort to help bridge Halloweentown and the mortal world, Marnie proposes that several students for Halloweentown take part in a foreign exchange program to prove that humans have changed since they last co-existed. However, after they start in their brand new school, it become evident that there's a group of people who seem to be against anyone magical and they have to find them to take them out for good.
Tiger Cruise (2004)
Maddie decides to take part on the Tiger Cruise, a special program allowing military families to come aboard a ship for a small amount of time, in an effort to convince her father to leave his job and come join his family again. But the ship soon goes into high alert due to the September 11, 2001 attacks and Maddie gets a glimpse at the side of his job that she hasn't yet seen.
Stuck in the Suburbs (2004)
Basically every fangirl's dream, Stuck in the Suburbs is about two girls, Brittany and Natasha, who accidentally trade phones with pop star Taran Killam. Yes, Saturday Night Live's Taran Killam, who plays Jordan Cahill, a singer who is tired of his record company controlling him. When Brittany and Natasha prank Jordan's stylist into cutting off all of his hair, Jordan sees it as a step toward individuality. The girls work to get Jordan his phone back and help Jordan become the singer he really wants to be.
Zenon: Z3 (2004)
Zenon competes in the Galactic Teen Supreme contest which is being held to commemorate the opening of a brand new colony on the moon. However, after a series of weird events causes everyone to question whether it's safe, Zenon tries to find out who or what is behind everything.
Pixel Perfect (2004)
A super young, super cute Ricky Ullman stars in this DCOM about a computer programmer, Roscoe, who makes a humanoid hologram named Loretta to sing and dance for his best friend Sam's band. When Loretta makes the band a hit, Sam starts to get jealous, especially because Roscoe, whom Sam has a crush on, seems infatuated by the "perfect" Loretta. When the world goes crazy for the holographic pop star, everything spins out of control.
Full-Court Miracle (2003)
The Philadelphia Hebrew Academy Lions basketball team have always hoped of winning the Liberty Tournament. They turn to Lamont Carr, a NBA prospect, into coaching them believing him to the the Judas Maccabeus that they need to get out of their slump.
The Cheetah Girls (2003)
Four singing and dancing New York teens who call themselves The Cheetah Girls are gearing up to compete in their school's talent show when they're discovered by a famous record producer named Jackal Johnson. But when Jackal tries to make the band of friends into something they're not, it draws a wedge between the besties. The girls have to decide if the shot at superstardom is worth risking their cheetah sisterhood. This musical flick stars Raven Symoné at her Disney Channel prime and the music and dancing is beyond Cheetah-fierce with it's super powerful girl-power message.
Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-off (2003)
Eddie Ogen is the ultimate baseball heartthrob at his school, but soon figures out his passion for cooking after taking a class. He secretly signs up for a special cooking competition and tries to find a way to take part in the two things he loves.
The Even Stevens Movie (2003)
Shia LaBeouf has had some major roles since his time as a Disney star, but this movie will forever be one of his best. The Even Stevens Movie is about the Stevens family going on vacation together after a random guy comes to their house and offers them a trip to an island they've never heard of. They end up stranded, but what they don't realize is they're on a reality show and every else is in on it.
Right on Track (2003)
Based on the true story of the Enders sisters, Courtney and Erica try to find their way into the competitive and male-dominated sport of drag racing. While breaking down barriers and records, the sisters try to balance their growing careers and their personal lives.
You Wish! (2003)
After wishing on a special coin that his brother never existed, Alex's life is suddenly different and his brother is a famous TV star. Despite having a better life than before, he realizes how much he misses his brother and tries to find a way to reverse the wish to return everything back to normal.
Gotta Kick It Up! (2002)
A former internet executive becomes a teacher at a predominantly Latinx community and decides to start a cheer team in hopes that they reach their full potentials on and off the matt.
Get a Clue (2002)
Who doesn't love a young Lindsay Lohan film? In Get a Clue, LiLo stars as Lexy Gold, a popular high school student who writes an article about a teacher who then goes missing. With her friends (including an adorable Brenda Song), Lexy goes undercover to solve the mystery of her teacher's disappearance, using cool gadgets and their fashion intuition (Lexy realizes a detective is a fraud because "a New York detective could never afford a platinum watch, a Pumoni suit and alligator boots).
Tru Confessions (2002)
In an effort to win her own TV show, Tru Walker decides to film a documentary about her brother and his disability. As she films her experiences, she soon finds out how life is really like for the rest of her family, while also finally getting the chance to show what it's been for her.
Cadet Kelly (2002)
When eight grade firecracker Kelly Collins is forced to attend military school after her mom marries Brigadier General Joe Maxwell, the colorful fashionista has trouble falling in line with her cadet classmates. But in the end, it's Kelly's classmates that might end up falling into step with her.
Double Teamed (2002)
Based on a true story, Double Teamed is about two twins who start at a new school in order to play for the volleyball team. Their extreme height gets them noticed by the basketball coach right away, however, and their father signs the twins up for the team without informing them. The sisters must learn about sportsmanship as they navigate a new school, a new sport, and their future.
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001)
New guy Kal is out to get revenge after the Cromwell witches took down his father in the first film. When all of Halloweentown turns to black and white over his new spell, Marnie has to find a way to reverse it before it remains permanent and the special world is gone forever.
Jett Jackson: The Movie (2001)
Jett Jackson is ready to leave behind of Silverstone and start a new chapter in his life. However, while filming the would-be finale of the TV series, he accidentally switches worlds with Silverstone and must try to save the world before it's too late.
The Luck of the Irish (2001)
Kyle Johnson is not only the most popular guy in school, but he also seems to be the luckies. However, when his gold coin necklace stolen which ends up setting off something in his family that causes him to turn into a leprechaun. He has to get the coin back or else risk being completely turned into one for good.
Motocrossed (2001)
Andrew Carson is a star in the motocross world. Even though his twin sister Andrea loves to ride too, their father feels like these kinds of sports aren't for girls. But when Andrew gets hurt in an accident, there's no way he can participate in the next big race. This is Andrea's chance. While their dad heads to Europe to find someone to take his son's place, Andrea secretly trains and takes part in the race with her mom's help so that she can prove she's got what it takes.
Zenon: The Zequel (2001)
Zenon sneaks back to Earth in an effort to find out the big secret behind her space station which is set to be shut down soon. She bands everyone that she knows so they can help save it before everyone else returns to Earth and the home that she has always known is gone for good.
The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)
Two best friends find a special weather machine and decide to use it to make it snow in Los Angeles. However, they soon lose control of it and have to work alongside with its original owner, Santa Claus, to fix it before its too late.
The Color of Friendship (2000)
There's a reason why this film took home an Emmy award. Mahree and Piper couldn't be totally different from one another. After begging her family to let her study abroad in the United States, she soon starts to learn the harmful effects of segregation in her native South Africa.
Johnny Tsunami (1999)
Johnny Kapahaala is living his best life in Hawaii where he gets to surf all day and hang out with his friends who he's known all his life. But everything turns upside down when he's dad is suddenly transferred to Vermont and Johnny is forced to trade his surfboard for a snowboard.
Smart House (1999)
Everyone's homes seemed pretty lame after Smart House premiered on Disney Channel in 1999. I mean can you create a concert in your living room with a simple command?
Smart House, which pretty much predicted Amazon's Alexa, is about 13-year-old Ben, whose family wins a competition to move into a state-of-the-art, computerized house. When Ben's widowed father starts dating the home's creator, the house, depicted by a computerized housekeeper named Pat, gets jealous and becomes an aggressive, overbearing mother. Ben and his family must work together to calm Pat down and save themselves.
The Thirteenth Year (1999)
Cody Griffin looks forward to his 13th birthday, but soon realizes that things aren't what they seem. While his life is currently looking up thanks to being the fastest swimmer on his school's team and his smooth relationship Samantha, he suddenly develops scales and a mermaid fin. After discovering that his birth mother was actually a mermaid, he tries to look for answers while also hiding his secret from people who are hunting him and his kind down.
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999)
According to Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, there will be a space station colony in just 31 years. That's the premise of the movie where Zenon, a 13-year-old who lives on the space station, gets into some trouble, landing her on earth, GASP! She must return to the space station and stop Parker Wydham, the owner of the station, from crashing the whole thing AND get back in time to see her favorite pop group, Microbe, perform live in concert. Zetus lupetus! This is one of the all time greatest DCOMs because of it's great story, super quotable lines, and an adorable young Raven-Symoné.
Halloweentown (1998)
Despite the many iterations of this franchise, including an unfortunate recasting for the fourth movie, the original Halloweentown is the best. The story follows Marnie, a 13-year-old girl who finds out she is a witch, as is her grandmother. Marnie follows her grandmother, Aggie, to her home in Halloweentown, where it's Halloween all the time. There, Marnie gets caught up in the plot of an evil demon. Marnie must save the town and her family before it's too late!
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