 Logo used since 2014 | |
 Disney Television Animation's headquarters inGlendale, California. | |
| Disney Channel Animation | |
| Formerly |
|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | |
| Founded | December 5, 1984; 40 years ago (1984-12-05) |
| Founder | Gary Krisel |
| Headquarters | 811 Sonora Avenue Glendale, California 91201[1] |
Number of locations | 3 |
Key people | Meredith Roberts (SVP,GM)[2] |
| Products |
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| Parent | Walt Disney Television (1984–2003) Disney Branded Television (2003–present) |
Disney Television Animation (DTVA; also shortened toDisney TVA),[3] formerly known asWalt Disney Pictures Television Animation Group andWalt Disney Television Animation, is an Americananimation studio that serves as the television animation production arm ofDisney Branded Television, a division ofDisney Entertainment Television, which is a division ofDisney Entertainment, which is one of the three main divisions ofThe Walt Disney Company. The studio was originally established in 1984, by Gary Krisel during the reorganization and subsequent re-incorporation of Disney following the arrival of then CEOMichael Eisner that year.
The division is responsible for developing and producinganimated television series, films, specials and short films for broadcast on the Disney branded networks;Disney Channel,Disney XD andDisney Jr., as well asDisney+.
The Walt Disney Company first ventured into thetelevision industry as early as 1950, beginning with the one-hour Christmas special,One Hour in Wonderland. This was followed by the 1951 Christmas special,The Walt Disney Christmas Show, thelong-running (1954–2008)anthology series,The Wonderful World of Disney (which was Disney's first regular series as a whole), thechildren'svariety showThe Mickey Mouse Club, and theadventure series,Zorro (1957–1959).
However, one element was missing from Disney's expansion into television: an original animated television series. Until the early 1980s, the studio had never produced its own original animated shows in-house, becauseWalt Disney felt it was economically impossible. Nearly all pre-1985 TV animation waswrap-around segments made to bridge the gaps on existing theatrical material onThe Wonderful World of Disney.Osamu Tezuka met Walt at the1964 World's Fair, at which time Disney said he hoped to "make something just like" Tezuka'sAstro Boy someday, but nothing came of it.
The hiring of a new CEO for The Walt Disney Company in 1984, Michael Eisner, led him to push to expand Disney into new areas thus the establishment of a television animation division that year, whose output would be shopped to all markets: networks,Disney Channel and syndication. Eisner held a meeting at his home in which he brought up the concept of doing a series on theGummi bear as his kids like the candy. Originally, the staff was told that they could not use the principal Disney cartoon characters in the new shows.[4]
The Walt Disney Television Animation department was formed in November 1984 with Gary Krisel as president[5] and Michael Webster as senior vice president.[6] This was considered a risky move because animated TV series was generally consideredlow-budget investments for most of the history of TV cartoons up through the 1980s. Many critics say thatDisney's own animation studio had lost most of its luster duringthe period from Walt Disney's passing in the 1960s through the 1980s. However, the studio took several risks that paid off handsomely. The studio successfully gambled on the idea that a substantially larger investment intoquality animation could be made back through bothnetwork television and over-the-air insyndication, as well ascable. The final result is a string of higher budgeted animated television productions which proved to be profitable ventures and raised the standard for the TV medium.
The first productions to make it to air from the studio arrived in 1985, with Eisner's concept fleshed out intoAdventures of the Gummi Bears, joined by an original conceptThe Wuzzles,[4] both which are based upontalking animal-based conceptions. The third series in a similar vein,Fluppy Dogs, was produced as a single 45min-longTV movie pilot that aired onABC onThanksgiving 1986 and was loosely based a series of children's books and line of toys about a race of anthropomorphic pastel-colored dimension-hopping alien called "fluppy dogs." Dismal viewership ensured the project never made it to series.[7]
In 1987, Disney finally unveiled the newest series yet in its cycle, and the first in their successful long-time line of syndicated animated shows,DuckTales. Though still forbidden from using the star characters, minor characters such asScrooge McDuck andHuey, Dewey and Louie were allowed, and Disney did concede to allow for a brief appearance byDonald Duck to establish the series, allowing them to adapt theDuck universe adventure serials byCarl Barks into animation.[4] The show was successful enough to spawn a feature film,DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, and two spin-off series:Darkwing Duck andQuack Pack. 1990 releaseTreasure of the Lost Lamp was the first movie from TV AnimationDisney MovieToon unit.[8] Disney Television Animation hired a director of specials, Sharon Morrill, in 1993.[9]
The success ofDuckTales also paved the way for a new wave of high-quality animated TV series, including Disney's ownThe New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1988. Later, early that spring,Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers debuted on March 4, 1989, and was paired withDuckTales in an hour-long syndicated show through the1989-1990 television season. Inthe 1990–1991 season, Disney expanded the idea even further, to createThe Disney Afternoon, a two-hour-long syndicated block of half-hour cartoons, which premiered much later on September 10, 1990.DuckTales was one of the early flagship cartoons in the block.
On August 24, 1994, withJeffrey Katzenberg's resignation,Richard Frank became head of newly formed Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications (WDTT), which included WDTA, from units ofThe Walt Disney Studios.[10] Morrill was in charge of the firstAladdin direct-to-videosequel launchingDisney Video Premiere/Direct to Video unit.[11]
Threeoverseas Disney studios were set up to produce the company's animated television series.[12] Disney Animation Australia was started in 1988.[13] In 1989, the Brizzi brothers sold Brizzi Films to Disney Television Animation and was renamed Walt Disney Animation France.[14] Also that year, Disney Animation Japan was started.[15] Walt Disney Animation Canada was opened in January 1996 to tap Canada's animator pool and produce direct-to-video.[16] As direct-to-video increased in importance, the overseas studios moved to making feature films.[12]
WDTT chair Frank left Disney in March 1995. With Krisel expecting to be promoted to head up WDTT but passed over, Krisel left WDTA at the end of his contract in January 1996.[17] At the time the Walt Disney Company merged withCapital Cities/ABC, TV Animation was a unit ofWalt Disney Television within the Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications group (WDTT).[18] With the retirement of WDTT group presidentDennis Hightower in April 1996 and ongoing post-merger reorganization, the unit (along with its Disney TV parent) was transferred tothe Walt Disney Studios.[19]
When the September 1, 1997 season started, the block droppedThe Disney Afternoon (temporally rebranded as the"Disney-Kellogg Alliance"), moving shows toDisney Channel. On September 13, 1997, Disney's ABC unit launchedDisney's One Saturday Morning. The programming block included several new shows, such as101 Dalmatians,Recess,Pepper Ann,Disney's Doug, andMickey Mouse Works.
In January 1998, Disney also reached a deal to program a new children's block forUPN,Disney's One Too, to replace that network's internalUPN Kids block. The syndicated block ran until the debut ofOne Too on September 6, 1999; which aired mainly the same shows asOne Saturday Morning.
By April 1998,Disney MovieToons was folded in withWalt Disney Video Premieres films and network television specials of Disney Television Animation as Morrill moved to executive vice president over her pre-existing units. At the same time, Barry Blumberg was elevated to the executive vice president for network and syndicated animated television series. Both reported to Disney Television president Charles Hirschhorn.[9]
In the second quarter of 2000, due to weak financial performance, Disney Animation Canada was closed.[16]David Stainton took charge of the company as executive vice president in January 2000 then as president in February 2002 underThomas Schumacher.[20]
Due to the reconstruction, Disney and ABC also rebranded itsOne Saturday Morning block toABC Kids (a subtle tribute to theFox Kids brand after being acquired by Disney through its purchase ofFox Family Worldwide in 2001) on September 14, 2002, alongsideOne Too intoAnimation Weekdays from five days ago. On August 31, 2003, Disney discontinued theAnimation Weekdays block, thus ending their deal with UPN.
After the relaunch as ABC Kids, many of the shows' premieres moved to sister networkToon Disney due to schedule constraints. The remaining shows included:The Weekenders,Teacher's Pet,House of Mouse,Lloyd in Space,Teamo Supremo, andFillmore!. All new episodes finished airing by 2004, allowing the network to switch to syndicating promotions for new original shows forDisney Channel and upcomingJetix brand (which held the previous Fox Kids library).
In January 2003, Disney initiated a reorganization of its theatrical and animation units to improve resource usage and continued focus on new characters and franchise development. Disney then transferred all Television Animation toDisney Channels Worldwide. In this reorganization, the Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premieres unit moved from Television Animation toFeature Animation. The studio was then renamedDisneytoon Studios. While Stainton took over as President of Disney Feature Animation from Schumacher, Blumberg returned to WDTVA as president.The Proud Family (withJambalaya Studio) andKim Possible became the first cartoons produced by Disney Channel.
In 2004, Walt Disney Television Animation formed a joint venture with partnerJetix Europe to produce animated series for the Jetix Europe-owned channels globally, titledJetix Animation Concepts. Three shows were produced by WDTA under the banner:Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!,Get Ed, andYin Yang Yo!.
Throughout the 2000s, Disney continued to create new animated Disney Channel (andPlayhouse Disney) Originals such asLilo & Stitch: The Series,Dave the Barbarian,Brandy & Mr. Whiskers,Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,My Friends Tigger & Pooh, andThe Emperor's New School were in already in production. At this point, animated series would have to be produced solely by the network's animation division. So Disney Channel began experimenting with newer animation techniques to reduce costs under the re-establishedDisney Channels Worldwide.
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The Buzz on Maggie was among the first Disney series to fully utilizeAdobe Flash animation, thus saving costs and allowing experimentation.American Dragon: Jake Long (which premiered just months prior) andThe Replacements received cleaner redesigns for their second seasons (noteworthy, as both series originated as their creator's storybooks) to ease the animation styles for fitting TV budgets. The success ofKim Possible also helped show that there was marketing value in Disney Channel cartoons as the network ordered a fourth season (opposed to the standard three seasons of 65 episodes). Disney soon launchedPhineas and Ferb soon after the closure of Kim Possible (which surpassed it as their longest-running animated series).
In 2009,Disney–ABC Television Group rebranded both Toon Disney and Jetix asDisney XD with the Jetix brand officially being retired by 2010. The goal was to simplify the marketing of channels by merging the two brands. In 2011, the ABC Kids block closed as well. By the early 2010s, the television group started to create some original shows for newly sister channel Disney XD. The group renamed the animation studio to justDisney Television Animation (orDTVA).Playhouse Disney was rebranded asDisney Jr. in 2011 and receiving standalone channels in 2012; by replacingSoapnet (domestically) and theJetix Play channels (internationally).
Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil became the first Disney XD original animated show preceding Disney Channel'sFish Hooks. The following Disney XD cartoons wereMotorcity,Tron Uprising,Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, andPenn Zero: Part-Time Hero. All of which were co-produced by other animation resources except forThe 7D (which was originally greenlit for Disney Jr.).
In 2015, the studio debutedDescendants: Wicked World, their first project based on thelive-actionDescendants franchise by theDisney Channel Original Movies division.[21][22][23][24]
Despite still making original shows for the main channel by 2014, most animated shows such asGravity Falls andWander Over Yonder shifted as Disney XD Originals.Mickey Mouse, Descendants: Wicked World, andTangled: The Series remained the only shows not moved to the sister channel.
In 2016, Disney XD greenlitBig City Greens (then titledCountry Club). Disney announcedMilo Murphy's Law for Disney XD that same year, alongsideBig Hero 6: The Series and areboot ofDuckTales as early as 2015 becoming the first reboot of the studio.
However, to renovate marketing, Disney ceased production of all original shows for Disney XD. The last shows created werePickle and Peanut,Future-Worm! andBilly Dilley's Super-Duper Subterranean Summer were all announced, as early as 2014, but would air in the sequential years.
Since 2017, the studio has collaborated withWalt Disney Imagineering andDisney Parks, Experiences and Products in providing character designs and animation for various attractions inDisneyland Resort,Walt Disney World andDisney Cruise Line from theMickey Mouse universe andThe Disney Afternoon. These includeMickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway in 2020, Aqua-Mouse, a water coaster for theDisney Wish in 2021, theDisney Treasure for 2024 and theDisney Destiny for 2025,DuckTales: World Showcase Adventure forEPCOT in 2022 and theMickey's Toontown refurbishment in 2023. In April 2025,Disney Live Entertainment announced a live-stage show forDisney's California Adventure "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!" based on theMickey Mouse Clubhouse franchise.[25][26][27][28][29]
Beginning in 2018, several productions from the studio have gotten live-action adaptations by theDisney Channel Original Movies andWalt Disney Pictures sister studios, including aKim Possible live action film which premiered on Disney Channel in 2019 andChip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers as a live-action animation hybrid film on Disney+ in 2022. In October 2023, it was reported thatAtomic Monster andDisney Television Studios were developing aGargoyles live-action series for Disney+.[30] In December 2024, Kiara and Kion fromThe Lion King II: Simba's Pride andThe Lion Guard got adapted in thephotorealistically animated prequel filmMufasa: The Lion King.[31][32][33]
In February of that year, the studio greenlit two new showsAmphibia andThe Owl House, to mark their return to animation.Big City Greens (initially intended to air on Disney XD) switched to Disney Channel. The remaining solely-produced shows by the studio, such asStar vs. the Forces of Evil,DuckTales,Big Hero 6: The Series, andMilo Murphy's Law, moved their premieres as well, with many of their productions being wrapped up.
In early 2019, the studio began making animatedinterstitial for Disney Jr. and Disney Channel based on the characters from the productions of the studio likeMickey Mornings, a revival ofMinnie's Bow Toons andMe & Mickey Vlog for Disney Jr. andChibi Tiny Tales,Broken Karaoke, Disney Roadtrip andHow Not To Draw for Disney Channel. Since 2020, the division has also been used by Disney to cross-promote multiple live-action film franchises produced by Disney Branded Television for Disney Channel Original Movies andDisney+ Original Films as well making shorts based on the live-action films from theWalt Disney Studios library and rides and attractions from Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. Additionally, the division has been produced several season-themed compilation specials of the Disney Channel's interstitial shorts hosted by characters fromBig City Greens,The Ghost and Molly McGee,Hailey's On It! andKiff under the nameShorts Spectacular. In 2022, the division launched acrossover series under the nameChibiverse based onChibi Tiny Tales.[34][35][36]
In Summer 2019, long-time Disney Television Animation head Eric Coleman left the studio to become development executive atIllumination. Coleman was replaced by former general manager ofDisneyToon Studios Meredith Roberts who served as senior VP animation strategy at Disney TVA since the shut down of DisneyToon Studios on 2018. The studio would inherit the former DisneyToon Studios building as a third animation unit for future productions.[37][38]
In 2019, Disney greenlit two new shows,The Ghost and Molly McGee andMoon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, a co-production with corporate sister studioMarvel Animation. The same year it was revealed that the studio was working onMonsters At Work, a spin-off sequel series of theMonsters Inc. franchise fromPixar, andPhineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe for theDisney+ streaming service.[39][40]
In February 2020, the studio announced that they were working onThe Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, a revival and sequel to the original2001 series for Disney+.[41] In October 2020, the studio ordered a new seriesHamster & Gretel for Disney Channel.[42][43] In November 2020, it was announced thatPoint Grey Pictures would produce aDarkwing Duck reboot with Disney TVA for Disney+.[44] The same month the studio debutedThe Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, a sequel series to the originalMickey Mouse (2013) series.[45]
Late 2021 and early 2022 saw several changes in management at Disney TVA, with formerBlue Sky Studios executive Lisa Fragner joining as vice-president of development for Disney+ in November 2021, alongside longtime Disney TVA executive Elizabeth Waybright Taylor, who was also promoted as vice-president of development the same month. Fragner would oversee development on projects for Disney+, while Taylor would supervise Disney Channel projects.[46] In February 2022, Sarah Finn was promoted to senior vice-president of production, overseeing physical production for projects across all three Disney networks.[47] On July 22, 2022, Douglas Bensimon and Edward Mejia were both promoted to VP of current series; Bensimon will oversee development on original series, while Mejia will work on series based on preexisting Disney IP.[48]
In 2021, the studio would order a slate of original series, the first ones whereKiff, a co-production withTitmouse, Inc.,Hailey's On It! andPrimos for Disney Channel.[49][50][51]Alice's Wonderland Bakery,Rise Up, Sing Out andFirebuds for Disney Jr..[52][53][54] In August 2021, the studio would announce two new holiday moviesMickey's Tale of Two Witches andMickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas for Disney Jr.[55][56] In December of that year the studio greenlitThe Witchverse, a joint venture with Baobab Studios for Disney+.[57]
In January 2022, the studio announced that they had begun production onBig City Greens The Movie: Spacecation for Disney Channel and Disney+.[58][59] In February 2022, it was reported that Disney TVA was developing an animated film based onSuperfudge withAGBO forDisney+.[60] The studio is also developing a film titledSchool for Sensitive Souls as part of former Disney Branded Television presidentGary Marsh's overall deal with Disney.[61][62] On November 2021, it was revealed that as part of Lisa Fragner's promotion as VP of development at Disney TVA an animated feature film adaptation ofConfessions Of An Imaginary Friend was in the works.[63]
In April 2022, the studio announced that it will collaborate with sister animation studio20th Television Animation onRhona Who Lives by the River for Disney+.[64][65][66] In May, the studio orderedCookies & Milk, produced by Cinema Gypsy Productions & Jesse James Films.[67]
In June 2022, Disney Television Animation General Manager Meredith Roberts was promoted to Executive Vice President of Animation at Disney Branded Television.[68] The same month the studio greenlitZombies: The Re-Animated Series based on the Disney Channel Original Moviefranchise.[69] In Summer 2022 the studio started a collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Yellow Shoes for redesigns and animations of classic characters from theWalt Disney Animation Studios film and shorts library such asDumbo,Orange Bird,Oswald The Lucky Rabbit,Hei-Hei,Stitch, andTimon and Pumbaa. The redesigns were provided by Paul Rudish and Asia Ellington with the animation being provided byMercury Filmworks, the collaboration as well included animations from different "The Wonderful World Of Mickey Mouse" characters forAR magnets within the Walt Disney World Passholder.[70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79]
In November 2022, the studio began developing workplace comedy seriesIntercats a co-production with Baobab Studios.[80] The same month the studio started development inSofia The First: Royal Magic, a sequel series ofSofia The First as part of the 10th anniversary of the original series with the project being fully greenlit in August 2024.[81][82] Later the studio debuted their firststop-motion project a Christmas special named"Mickey Saves Christmas" which aired on ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Jr..[83] Another stop-motion special “Mickey And Friends Trick Or Treats" debuted in October 2023.[84] A series of sequel shorts based on the specials "Mickey's Christmas Tales","Mickey's Spooky Stories" and"Mickey and Minnie's Christmas Carols" debuted in November 2023, October 2024 and November 2024.[85][86][87]
In January 2023, the studio announced thatPhineas And Ferb would be getting a revival with two brand new seasons for Disney Channel and Disney+.[88] In June 2023, the studio would announceStuGo, another co-production with Titmouse, Inc. for Disney Channel.[89][90] The same month it was announced thatThe Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse franchise would be ending after the premiere of the specialSteamboat Silly which debuted in July, 2023 on Disney+.[91]
In August 2023, the studio announcedMickey Mouse Clubhouse+, their first reboot based on a preschool property.[84][92]
In June 2024, it was announced that the studio would revive thePrep & Landing series who originated atWalt Disney Animation Studios in a new holiday special under the namePrep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol.[93] The same month during theAnnecy International Animation Film Festival as part of a panel in honor of the studio's 40th anniversary Meredith Roberts mentioned that the studio was looking in future strategies who will try to meet kids where they're consuming content, which includes gaming and web-based content as well the division is boldly entering new territory, with projects in development in genres that Disney Television Animation has yet to explore for kids and family co-viewing audience.[94]
In September 2024, it was announced thatKiff would be getting two standalone specials with a Halloween special namedThe Haunting of Miss McGravy's House for October 2024 andLore of the Ring Light which debuted in January 2025.[95]
In November 2024, the studio announced a new original Christmas specialMickey and The Very Many Christmases for Disney Jr.[96] The same month the studio debutedAn Almost Christmas Story, an original stop-motion short film in collaboration with Titmouse, Inc.,Esperanto Filmoj,Maere Studios and 88 Pictures for Disney+, however the studio will remain uncredited for unknown reasons.[97][98][99]
In April 2025, the studio alongside sister studios Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios joined Sotheby’s AnimAID | The Art of Animation online auction by providing several production material of their library to benefiting local animators and their families who have been affected by theJanuary 2025 Southern California wildfires. The auction event for all the animation divisions withinThe Walt Disney Company was hosted by Disney Television Animation CEO Meredith Roberts.[100]
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