Top 10 things to watch on Disney+
By Maria Gil
Social distancing can be hard, so it’s important to have some top-notch entertainment to keep you sane. If you’re in need of some strong nostalgia and a bit of escapism, Disney+ is a good place to start. Here are my top 10 recommendations to keep you sane while staying inside!
Diary of a Future President
This Disney+ original TV series follows the story of Elena Cañero-Reed, a 12-year-old girl who has just begun middle school (year 6 to year 8 in the USA). The show navigates the ups and downs of school life as she begins her journey to become the future president of America. This show has a beautifully diverse cast of Latinx individuals and is set in the make-believe city of Miami Gables, Florida, which is known for its diverse Latinx population. Give it a try if you want a taste of Miami life (trust me it is pretty accurate) with a strong female cast of diverse Latinas!
The Imagineering Story
This documentary is the Disney series of your dreams! If you are a Disney fan, this one is definitely for you. Each episode has a run time of about two hours and covers the chronological historical timeline of the Disney brand. The series begins by looking at the creation of the Disney parks and how Walt Disney pushed his Imagineers to think outside the box. It also covers the hardships the company faced when the Disney brothers died and how everyone pushed through to keep the legacy of Walt alive.
Ducktales (2017)
In an age of reboots, nothing can be as good as the original source content, except in the case of Ducktales. The Ducktales reboot modernises the original 80’s cartoon and gives Uncle Scrooge, Webby, Donald, Huey, Dewey and Louie actual personalities and character arcs as they go on daring adventures to find treasure. All the characters from the original cartoon return better than ever! The new television series puts a heavy focus on family bonds and love as the triplets solve mysteries. This heartwarming and daring series rewrites history as the McDuck families run around getting in all sorts of trouble.
Cinderella 3 A Twist in Time (2007)
While it is called ‘Cinderella’, this story focuses more on Anastasia, the younger of the two ugly stepsisters. Anastasia finds herself in possession of the Fairy Godmother’s wand. Anastasia presents the magic wand to her mother, Lady Tremaine, who uses it to turn back in time to the day when the Grand Duke fitted the glass slipper on Cinderella and makes sure it fits on Anastasia instead, changing the course of history. The best part of this movie is that we are graced with Prince Charming’s personality. Ever seen the GIF of him jumping out the window? It is in this movie.
Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure
This three-season series is the sequel to Tangled the Movie and follows Rapunzel as she adapts to her new royal lifestyle. After wandering beyond the walls and finding strange spires perturbing in the outskirts of Corona, Rapunzel’s magical blonde hair returns which sets off new mysteries in Corona. Rapunzel sets out to figure out the mystery of her hair and tries to save her home from dark evil forces. This series is perfect for those who loved Kim Possible. It has friendship, action, adventure and romance.
Disney Pixar’s Anything
All Pixar movies are so incredible that it is challenging to choose one. Go down memory lane and binge-watch all the Toy Story movies in order and be in awe in the improvement in 3D animation. Watch Incredibles back to back with no ten-year wait for the direct sequel. Cry your heart as Sully says goodbye to Boo in Monster Inc. The choices are plentiful, and each movie will leave you with a warm feeling that will take away the coronavirus anxiety.
The Princess Diaries
This cult classic follows the story of Mia, an unpopular high schooler who learns that she is the sole heir to the kingdom of Genovia. Soon she finds herself being groomed to become a princess with the coolest grandmother ever (Julie Andrews). This is a must-watch if you are into girl power movies that focus on self-love and empowerment.
Disney’s Newsies: The Musical
The Newsies is one of the few Broadway musicals that has been professionally recorded, making it accessible at any time to the general public. The Newsies is about the famous newsboy strike of 1899 in New York City that changed child labour laws in America. This production won the 2012 Tony Award for best musical score and choreography. It was also nominated for best musical. The Newsies is the perfect introduction to professional stage musicals.
Disney’s Gravity Falls
Gravity Falls is the kid-friendly love child of The Twilight Zone and X-Files. Twins Dipper and Mabel spend their summer vacation in the small paranormal town of Gravity Falls with their great-uncle Stan who runs a small museum of mysteries. The twins soon find themselves discovering paranormal anomalies all over the city and try to investigate them after finding a mysterious journal. This comical TV series is perfect when you want to watch something that doesn’t require too much commitment.
The Mandalorian
If you are a Star Wars fan, this is a must-watch. Home to the internet sweetheart Baby Yoda, this eight-episode series is set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi and 25 years before The Force Awakens. It follows the story of Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his exploits across the New Republic.