 Logo used since June 1, 2015 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Languages | English Spanish (viaSAP audio track, a Spanish language simulcast of the channel is also available) |
| Picture format | HDTV720p (downscaled tocenter cut480i for the SD feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | |
| Parent | Disney Branded Television |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | February 13, 2009; 16 years ago (2009-02-13) |
| Replaced | |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Watch live |
| Website | DisneyNOW portal |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Affiliated Streaming Service | Disney+ |
| Sling TV,YouTube TV,Hulu + Live TV,FuboTV,DirecTV Stream,Vidgo | |
Disney XD is an Americanpay televisionchannel owned by theDisney Branded Television andDisney Entertainment units ofThe Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years old.[2]
Disney XD's programming consists of original first-runtelevision series, current and former original series andmade-for-television films inherited fromsister networkDisney Channel, theatrically released films, and acquired programs from other distributors, along with a primetime block of programming involvingcompetitive gaming.[3]
As of November 2023[update], Disney XD is available to approximately 44,000,000 pay television households in the United States, down from its 2013 peak of 82,000,000 households.[4] In recent years, Disney XD's carriage has declined with the growth of streaming alternatives including its parent company'sDisney+, and has generally been depreciated by Disney in current retransmission consent negotiations with cable and streaming providers. Notably, the channel was removed in negotiations withVerizon Fios in 2025, and was unavailable onCharter Spectrum from 2023 to 2025.
Disney XD was launched on February 13, 2009, at 12:00 a.m.Eastern Time, with thePhineas and Ferb episode "Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together" being the first show to air on the channel. The channel premiered its first original series,Aaron Stone, at 7:00 p.m. New animated series included in the channel's initial lineup wereKid vs. Kat andJimmy Two-Shoes.[5]
The network replacedToon Disney, an animation-focused channel that was launched on April 18, 1998, which eventually launched a live-action/animation block calledJetix in 2004. Jetix channels outside of the United States were relaunched under the Disney XD banner starting with the France-based service on April 1, 2009.[6] Many of the channel's programs (particularly animated series) previously aired on Toon Disney, mainly as part of the Jetix programming block, which ran on Toon Disney until that channel's shutdown. Disney XD carries the same name as an unrelated mini-site and media player onDisney.com, which stood forDisney Xtreme Digital.[7] According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not have an actual meaning and was chosen simply because it looked "cool." Marsh notes that "the letter X has many cool associations" and that "the beauty of it is the audience can imbue it with all sorts of positive attributes." "XD" is also anemoticon forlaughter.
The channel's first original television movie,Skyrunners, premiered on November 27, 2009.[8] On April 1, 2012, Disney XD launched a block called "Marvel Universe", as a result of Disney's 2009 acquisition ofMarvel Entertainment.[9] By June 2014, Disney XD agreed to a multi-picture development deal with Two 4 the Money andMarVista Entertainment with MarVista having global rights.[10]
On November 17, 2016, it was announced that thePokémon anime series would be moving to Disney XD from its previous broadcaster,Cartoon Network. The twentieth season,Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, was the first season to air and was first broadcast as a sneak peek on December 5, 2016.Pokémon began its regular broadcast on May 12, 2017.[11]
On August 12, 2017, Disney XD premiered a reboot ofDuckTales.[12] In 2018, through a series of promos and news announcements, Disney announced that four of Disney XD's original series (those beingStar vs. the Forces of Evil,Milo Murphy's Law,DuckTales, andBig Hero 6: The Series) would be moving their premieres over to Disney Channel, while Disney XD would continue to air reruns.[13][14] In 2020,DuckTales andBig Hero 6: The Series both returned to Disney XD for their final seasons, both of which ended in 2021.
Disney XD's schedule consists largely of animated and live-action programs aimed at pre-teens and young teenagers. Disney XD content is a mixture of former original series as well as programs inherited from sister network Disney Channel. In addition to full-length live-action and animated original series, the channel also airs short series similar to those seen on Disney Channel during commercial breaks (such asTwo More Eggs), which serve as filler for programs scheduled to end during the half-hour and last usually around one to three minutes.
In addition, Disney XD airsDisney Channel Original Movies and theatrically released feature films.
Unlike Disney Channel (and similarly, fellow sister networkDisney Jr.), whose advertising comes in the form ofprogram promotions,underwriter sponsorships, and interstitials for Disney films,home video, and game releases produced by the channel,[15] Disney XD operates as an advertiser-supported service running traditionaltelevision commercials in addition to promotions for the channel's shows.
Sister networkESPN has produced sports-oriented content for Disney XD; for a period, the channel produced an interstitial program known as theSportsCenter High-5, which featured a countdown of sports highlights. As part of a deal with ESPN, Disney XD carried coverage of the2018 Overwatch League as part of itsD|XP block.[16]
In2019, Disney XD began to air theNFL'sPro Bowl, in a simulcast alongside ESPN andABC.[17]
In March 2023, the channel participated in another sports broadcast as part ofESPN's NHL coverage, with Disney Channel and Disney XD airing a 3D animated,Big City Greens-themed presentation of a game.[18][19]
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Disney XD HD | Disney XD HD is ahigh definition simulcast of the Disney XD channel that broadcasts in the720p resolution; the HD feed launched with thestandard definition feed of the channel on February 13, 2009. Disney XD's original programming is produced and broadcast in HD, along with feature films, Disney Channel original movies made after 2005 and select episodes, films and series produced before 2009. The HD feed is carried through most providers, excludingDish. |
| Disney XD On Demand | Disney XD On Demand is the channel'svideo-on-demand service, offering select episodes of Disney XD's original series and certain acquired programs to pay television providers. |
| DisneyNOW | On September 28, 2017, the Disney Channel app was relaunched as DisneyNOW, which combines the apps of Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD andRadio Disney into one universal app featuring access to all four services. The Disney XD app was discontinued on February 15, 2018.[29] |
| Former services | |
| Disney XD App | Formerly known as "WATCH Disney XD" until a June 2016 rebranding, themobile app anddigital media player apps for Disney XD offer live and on-demand streaming of Disney XD content online. These apps require users toauthenticate with a login from a participating television service provider for access to live video or the newest episodes of a series, though a limited selection of free episodes also are available without a login. The app closed on February 15, 2018. |
Disney XD, similarly born of a merger betweenJetix andToon Disney,[30][31][32] was formerly available around the world. Most of the international Disney XD networks have been closed since 2019, due to the launch ofDisney+.
On January 6, 2019, Disney XD closed in Australia and New Zealand with programs moving toDisney Channel for that network's last year before shutting down itself with its content being subsumed into Disney+. In India, the channel was rebranded asMarvel HQ on January 9, 2019 which was later rebranded asSuper Hungama on March 1, 2022. On October 1, 2019, Disney XD closed in Italy following the non-renewal of itsSky carriage agreement.[33]
The Spanish and German versions were closed on April 1, 2020, followed by France's network a week later. XD in Singapore closed on June 1, 2020,[34] then the British and continental Africa domestic feeds on October 1, 2020.[35][36] TheSoutheast Asian,Scandinavian, and Middle Eastern feeds closed on December 31, 2020. The Japanese and Turkish channels also closed on January 31, 2021.[37] TheLatin American feed closed on March 31, 2022. TheNetherlands feed closed on May 1, 2025.[38]
The latest closure was inCanada on September 1, 2025. Since then, Disney XD only has one international channel operating inPoland.
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