So this thread is a semi-spawn of "Nickelodeon; when did it start to suck?". This thread concerns the first... brave soul who dared to stand up and challenge that channel (well, technically in carriage terms Cartoon Network holds that status, but we'll get to them later): The Disney Channel.

For me, it was when they went teenybopper in 2002, and slaughtered the Mickey TV and Vault Disney.

Whelp... I gotta say that I watched Lizzie McGuire... even though I felt like that old man that hangs out at the skatepark or playground by himself.

After that ended, Disney Channel was dead to me.

The Disney Channel used to be for everyone. My family and I can watch it together. They used to air actual Disney shows and movies. I stopped watching it on a regular basis in 1997 but I loved to watch Vault Disney. When they got rid of Vault Disney, I lost faith in the Disney channel period. They have nothing Disney related on that channel now. It's all tween shows with the same plot or lame cartoons. I don't watch the channel anymore and my kids don't like it either.

When they decided to do teen shows. It just wasn't the same after that. That's when they started getting rid of the Disney characters during the commercials. Then they started to have the casts of the teen shows do stuff for them for their platinum/special edition DVDs, which is very annoying. They just ruin the songs. In Little Mermaid, some girl sings Kiss the Girl, and in Peter Pan, they had this teen group sing The Second Star to the Right. Horrible, just horrible.

this channel was good til 1997

Exactly. As soon as the Disney Channel went basic in 1997, it fell apart. The only thing good that was still on it was Vault Disney, and then they got rid of that (can't remember exactly when, but I think it was in 2002). I grew up watching the Disney Channel...now it's one of the worst channels on TV. I mean, they don't even show their classic cartoon shorts anymore! Back in the 80's and into the 90's, Disney Channel would not only show all their classic stuff that my parents grew up watching, but their new stuff as well, plus lots of movies and shows that weren't even made by Disney. That channel used to have something for everyone. Now, it's all about the tweens.

I have to agree that it did start to go downhill in 97.

Before, it was a true Premium channel. They put up quality Disney shows that people were willing to pay to watch. Shows like Dumbo's circus, Mickey Mouse Club, Winnie the Pooh, and even Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers before it went to regular TV. Almost every kid wanted the Disney Channel because most of that stuff never aired on regular TV. I personally thought that only rich kids had it, and getting the free preview weekend was like having a bit of the good life for two days.

Today the Disney brand is everywhere and the Disney Channel is free (I think at one time in 97 there were two Disney Channels, free and pay?) so it's now totally about the bottom line and ratings. So now the shows are trying way too hard to be trendy and hip. And the acting is beyond horrible! I have no idea how my niece watches that station all day.

Does anyone know the difference between Hanna Montana and Lizzy Mcguire? I cant. I guess the kids cant either so it makes it easy to shuffle out the old tween queen for a younger model so the product tie-ins can be protected. We have to save the product tie-ins!!!

These days I forget that I even have the Disney Channel, since I never stop there unless my finger pushes the wrong channel number.

A channel I would have killed to have 25 years ago, I would almost pay to have it removed today...

I believe Disney Channel jumped in 2002 (like I said). Why? Not trying to get confrontational, but I grew up with the 1997 Disney Channel. It got close in 2000 when they altered the Mickey-Eared TV logo's coloration and environment. 2002: That did it for me. Vault Disney was gone, they were trying to be "hip", UGHHHH!

definately 97, they were showing less and less of my faves like darkwing

Blame it all on Zoog.

And the money and ratings too.

Just after 9/11 it went downhill. It's all thanks to those racist terrorists from Asia.

Notice everything starts to suck in 2000

Blame it on the Rain ya ya ..hahah

I think its because of:

Thats so Raven (she's a big drama queen)

Hannah Montana ( Hey her dad cut the mullet!)

Naturally, Sadie (Canadian, no comment)

Phil of the future (Philllllllllllllll....... Hey at least the caveman pet they have is funny)

Life with Derek ( hey, I didn't think Middle school relationships worked.)

Cory in the house( this is why they should not do spinoffs)

1997.

Also, when the disney channel started to feature a lot of "tween" shows that are corny and really offensive to watch. I miss the old stuff.

haha yes like that one show Zoey 101, i duno what station it plays on but i do know it's like a preteen/ drama.

Zoey 101 is on Nickelodeon.

This "Parents Television Council" apparently likes Disney Channel's putrid dreck:

http://parentstv.org/PTC/publications/release/2007/0308.asp

Oh that's a bunch of B-S!