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Parents and kids tuning into get their regular dose of Disney may have been surprised with a new morning schedule. It appears that Disney is shortening the Playhouse Disney branded programming block and that a couple staple shows are being phased out.
The Playhouse Disney block now only runs from 8 a.m. to noon. This makes the start of the block two hours later than in the past. Jo-Jo’s Circus, Johnny and the Sprites and The Doodlebops have been completely removed from the station. Higglytown Heroes now only airs on the weekends at 6 a.m. Also being de-emphasized is The Wiggles which is being pushed back to 11:30 a.m. from it’s “primetime” 7 a.m. slot.
Phineas and Ferb, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Imagination Movers are the shows receiving more exposure. The new schedule is below:
| Time | Weekday | Weekend |
| 6:00 | Phineas and Ferb | Higglytown Heroes |
| 6:30 | Imagination Movers | Charlie and Lola |
| 7:00 | Handy Manny | The Wiggles |
| 7:30 | Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | Little Einsteins |
| 8:00 | Little Einsteins | My Friends Tigger & Pooh |
| 8:30 | My Friends Tigger & Pooh | Handy Manny |
| 9:00 | Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | Mickey Mouse Clubhouse |
| 9:30 | Handy Manny | Mickey Mouse Clubhouse |
| 10:00 | Imagination Movers | Imagination Movers |
| 10:30 | Little Einsteins | Handy Manny |
| 11:00 | Charlie and Lola | Phineas and Ferb |
| 11:30 | The Wiggles | Phineas and Ferb |
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
We are really bummed at our house! THe Playhouse Disney AM lineup was a big hit for our 2 yr old. I guess we will watch and use less Disney from now on. Bummer for them!
Who is the bonehead that decided to “de-emphasize” The Wiggles? My kids love the Wiggles, especially my 6 year old special needs boy. He going to miss the Wiggles… guess we can watch DVDs instead of Disney.
This was definitely a bad move for Disney with us (and our 2 1/2 year old.) She used to watch the playhouse disney line up while I got us all ready for the day. Now that I have to monitor what comes on in between the shows (there definitely some material that’s NOT for a 2 year old!) from 6:30-8:00 I’m switching her to Noggin.
Very dissappointing.
I’m so upset over this!!!! How could they do this to us??
Johnny and the Sprites was a great show!
We’re so disappointed that JoJo’s Circus is gone. They keep taking off the good shows. And every time they’ve shortened the Playhouse Disney schedule, they end up changing it back, but this is ridiculous. The shows they’re emphasizing aren’t even really good. They least they could do is put the old shows out on DVD before they take them off the air. And I’ve often wondered why they don’t make a separate Playhouse Disney channel, what with Noggin and Sprout out there.
I had a feeling that they were setting up Imagination Movers to be the “new” Wiggles, especially with Greg gone.
It’s a sad day at our house.
Higglytown Heroes and Feeling Good with JoJo werehuge hits in our house. We are very sad and disappointed for them to be gone.
With the rebranded shows in the early slot, you get the ads for the shows for the Tweens and teens. It would seem the Disney is trying to use the early slot as a “gateway drug” for the older kid shows. I guess the “High School Musical” developers and their ilk have taken over. Yuck.
They even have the same smarmy announcer between shows that I despise so much.
Does anyone know what happened to Emily Yeung in all this switching around? I’ll also add that my child is as “messed up” about the schedule change as a 17 month old can be. Johnny and the Sprites, The Wiggles and Higglytown Heros were regular morning fare for my daughter and I while mommy finished getting dressed. Children at these young ages are creatures of habit. Sitting in the recliner with daddy watching these shows was part of our morning routine. Messing around with it has unsettled things quite a bit.
I was so disappointed with this myself too…that now my daughter and I have started to watch the Noggin & Sprout channels now instead of Disney. It saddens me that they choose to phase out those particluar shows and shorten the playhouse disney schedule, my daughter loved those 3 shows the best as well as Higgleytown Heroes. If Disney brings back these shows..I might return as a viewer.
My son, walked away crying from playhouse disney, today for the first time. He said mommy they don’t show my shows any more! The shows were safe and informative for him to watch without my constant monitoring! Shame on disney! They should have asked the parents of the kids watching first!
Shame on disney! The mornings from 6 am on were filled with appropriate shows for my son. He walked away crying for the first time in 5 years from Playhouse Disney and told me they weren’t putting on the shows that were good for him! Mommy why don’t they show JO JO or Emily Yeung or Johnny and the Sprites etc. Disney should have asked the parents before changing the time! The content in between isn’t appropriate for a 5 year old!
I am soooo disappointed with the Disney Channel. My 4 year old twins would watch Jo Jo every morning when getting ready for daycare. We leave the house at 6:30 sharp. So as soon as Jo Jo was asked “what have you learned today?”, they knew it was time to get on their coats and shoes. The little ones need constant routine and now Disney has thrown them all for loops. We all just need to adjust and find a new early morning channel because Phineas and Ferb certainly isn’t worth watching.
We are extremely disappointed with Disney and their decision to change the programming on Playhouse Disney. Not all toddlers get up at 8. My daughter is up bright and early sometimes before 6 and it was nice to have Jo Jo’s Circus/Playhouse Disney on at 6 every morning. Phineas and Ferb are for the older children..at least that’s what I was always under the impression since they were on in the afternoons with the other shows on Disney like Suite Life of Cody and Zach. I wish there was a way for all of us to get in touch with Disney and express our concerns. I tried on their website, but could not find a way. I hope they do lose viewers and maybe rethink they’re decisions. Thank goodness for DVR since we have taped a lot of the shows! Thanks for listening and hope everyone else gets through this as well!
I’m really frustrated that they’ve included all the advertising in between shows. It used to be relatively commercial free and now it’s all commercials.
I’m incredibly disappointed in Disney right now.
Has anyone been able to find an email to complain to? I have been all over the Disney web-site and can’t find a way to contact them. I am soooo frustrated! I don’t understand why they are leaving working families out of playhouse disney!
AWFUL move, Disney. Like Ramona above, I just spent 45 minutes on the Disney website trying to find a “contact us” option to ask them what in the world is going on. My prediction is that they are going to create a new Playhouse Disney 24 hour channel to compete with Noggin and Sprout given the upcoming digital move. This would be great news, especially if they leave all of the ads for their awful tween shows OFF of the schedule. And BTW Disney programmers, Imagination Movers is an awful show. The little mousie is the only thing that my girls even respond to. I could handle having The Wiggles in the background — the songs were pleasant enough, and the bits were innocent and sweet — the IM reminds of a cheap, stupid imitation of The Monkees for preschoolers. If I hear that Brainstorming song one more time I think my brain will shrivel up.
Figure this out Disney before you lose most of your preschool parent audience…and there are probably lots of us considering Noggin and Sprout are doing so well.
Finally! I have been so frustrated by this change and haven’t seen any mention of it anywhere except for here. My son gets up early and the shows that are on are over his head at age 2, except for Disney. I also dislike the ads for the older kid shows. It’s ridiculous. I even tried the website for the guy who plays Johnny to see if that show is ever coming back. I would love to see an explanation from Disney on this. It’s incredible that they don’t even communicate to their audience, or at least the people who let them have an audience. I’m glad to hear I’m no the only one!
Sorry correction – glad to hear I’m NOT the only one.
http://help.savedisneyshows.org/
Is there a way to contact Disney regarding this issue? My daughter is a huge Higglytown and JoJo Fan. I am very very disappointed in Disney!
I just noticed all you posts about contacting Disney. I cou;dn’t find any either. You’re right about the commercials too. I am definitely switching gears to other networks!
IF you go to http://help.savedisneyshows.org/ – they give ways to contact Disney. The website is more about their older kids’ shows, but it does give different ways to contact Disney.
We’re missing the Doodlebops, Daniel Cook and Emily Yeung around here. I wish they had given us some warning so I could have DVRed some shows. Back to Noggin full-time I guess.
I tried contacting the Disney Channel’s media relations department this week to get information on their decision to shorten the Playhouse Disney block and find out the future of shows taken off the grid. I have not heard anything back. If I do come across any information I’ll be sure to post it.
Ooops, just realized I didn’t even get a response from Disney Channel, I got a response from Disneyland Resorts. What the heck?
We are so in agreement in trying to find a website to complain too. I worked for Disney for 5 years, this is the new management that is in. They have no concept in what is good for children. They have totally upset my child. If they want the teen crowd, make a channel for them. Disneychannel is just that, for children. Jo Jo, Johhny & Sprites, Bunnytown, Wiggles, Emily Young, Daniel Cook, Doodlebops etc where good Christian shows, that had values and we as parents did not have to worry about what is already bad “TV” programming out there. Please Disney get a clue and go back to what works.
Our whole household is very sad by the changes on Playhouse Disney. Please, Please bring back Emily Yeong, Higgleytown Heroes, and JoJo.
You know, they could at least show one Johnny and the Sprites. There are 4 Mickey Mouse spots right now. Sheesh!
We usually just put on a show and let the kid watch it without giving it a thought. Today was the first time we caught the new commercial segment within Handy Manny. We are a commercial-free household; we skip ALL commercials using our Tivo. My son’s not going to be happy that he can’t watch these shows without us in the room to skip the commercials. And I don’t have the choice to watch Noggin because I am not shelling out the extra bucks for digital and using a special converter box. Makes me wonder if the cable company was in on this.
I agree with all comments. My 18 month son loves Buunytown. On Demand use to show some episodes, but even that’s been removed. Why do these idiots at the disney station take off what are considered to be the most popular programs for toddlers? They seem to keep running the same tween shows over & over with no problem. I guess my son with soon find out who Elmo is, since PBS has a good line up in the morning.
I found this post on another site where people were discussing Playhouse Disney and it’s changes. The person who posted this said they used to work on Johnny and the Sprites.
Ok, so I now have an address-Programming c/o Disney Channel-Playhouse Disney 500 S. Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
Found a posting on another site complaining about the Playhouse Disney changes. The person posting this said they used to work at Johnny and the Sprites.
Ok, so I now have an address-Programming c/o Disney Channel-Playhouse Disney 500 S. Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
We are also very disappointed that the playhouse disney lineup has dissolved. The only show we watch now is the Wiggles. Too bad it’s on an hour later than it used to be. I miss the “old” wiggles episodes, but my 2yr old doesn’t seem to mind. She is/was really upset that the Doodlebops is no longer on. She asks all the time and it’s not even on “On Demand”.
Luckily, when this changed happened on Disney, we received the Sprout Channel thru our cable network, so we’ve been watching the line up there.
I agree, it was a bad move for Disney. I’m hoping that they’ll bring it back for summer.
I’m glad to see that we are not the only disappointed Playhouse Disney fans. My four-year-old twins have grown up thus far with JoJo, Higgleytown, and Stanley. Does anyone else remember Stanley? I really enjoyed that show. My two-year old toddler loved JoJo, Higgleytown, and the Wiggles. She is always up early, and our routine always included JoJo. (It’s too bad Bear in the Big Blue House is gone too). These shows were wholesome. I counted on Playhouse Disney for appropriate programming, especially the in between spots with Emily Yeong. My kids were able to see a variety of activities that Emily experienced. Now their are tweens and teens showing inappropriate images for my kids.
BTW, I like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but doesn’t it have two or three time slots now?
Now it’s Phineas and Ferb? For toddlers? These shows are for older kids. My kids, however won’t watch these shows because the characters are much too sassy and disrespectful. (Just my opinion)
I guess it’s PBS Kids all the way for us.
I also feel that Disney should have a convenient way for parents to leave feedback. It really is a bad move for Disney. I’m so annoyed that I might even change our vacation plans!
Of course you can’t find an email address on the US website to let Disney know that we are mad about the changes. I did find a portal on the UK address and sent a complaint. This is so sad!
Now they’ve changed their line up again and they’ve left nothing on their schedule for my kids to watch. The only thing left now is PBS Kids.
I am so upset with Disney! Who in their right mind would allow all these new inappropriate commercials and 10 minute segments of Shaun the Sheep, to be right in the middle of Playhouse Disney?? Obviously someone who does not have preschoolers! There is even a TV rating of TV7 that appears in the top left corner of that stupid Sheep show. Disney really dropped the ball on the new line up and commercials. What a shame for our children!!
My 2 1/2 yo has been very offset by the constant changes to his morning lineup. It used to work perfectly- 8:00 Little Einsteins, 8:30 Mickey and then off to preschool. All of a sudden, Little Einsteins was gone and then this new show Special Sgent Oso showed up. Needless to say the confusion in our house in the morning was endless. Does anyone know how I can send a comment with a strong suggestion to Disney regarding this matter?
I would really really like disney to go back the way things were Jo jo circus was real great the doddlebops was great jonnhy was good higglytown heros the best what they do just throw them away.Did they replace Imagination movers with johnny and jo jo circus with Phineas and Ferb Higglytown heros with Special Agent Oso. I mean dont you agree they should bring those shows back? Even my ten year old son would watch those shows thats pretty old for a gie to watch those shows. And with the wiggles I would really really really really apresheate if greg was on the wiggle show one last time (I think of him all the time) and if he cant then atleast put one of the shows that played before on.Now my son has nothing to do in the morning he hates Phineas and Ferb and hes actualy given it a chance about four times and do you guys thats reading this agrees with me whats more important disney liking the shows and puting what ever they want up there our having the child be happy.
The whole situation with Playhouse Disney is really quite sad for all the kids and parents, as well. Is it that easy for them to turn their collective backs on all their little loyal viewers? They are making a huge mistake, to say the least! I just heard that THE WIGGLES are moving to PBS Sprout (starting 8/24 from 6-9am ET). Here is the website for Sprout, announcing the move to their programming. It also allows someone to enter their zip code to find out if Sprout is available in their area: http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout/the-wiggles/wake-up-with-the-wiggles-on-sprout.aspx
Quite a sad commentary on the Disney channel…they need to take the “Playhouse” out of their name:(
I am extremely disappointed that the Playhouse Disney has been shortened. We need to beg them to bring it back. Even though I do not let my daughter watch tv a lot, I still felt most comfortable with the shows on Playhouse Disney. It is disheartening that Disney is more occupied with the tweens shows and are forgetting about the tiniest of their fans. Is there anything we can do as parents to convince Disney to bring back Playhouse?
I agree with the parents above. Disney is being greedy and commoditizing on their breadwinners like Hannah Montana and Sonny with a Chance, shows that have now been moved to late morning. I am a working mother and having educational shows like the Wiggles was both beneficial and fun for both of us. She has been watching all these beloved shows for years and now they have been taken away. It’s so disappointing because I used to laud Playhouse Disney for not having commercials in the morning. Now I see that they removed programs so they could make room for their more lucrative show horses.
It can be upseting when a child is used to a certain schedule, including favorite TV shows, then it suddenly changes. My child loves the Doodlebops and Wiggles, but she knows there are other outlets for viewing them. She has some of their videos and there are games on their computer websites. Youtube has some videos too, but I have to supervise that cause clicking on the wrong video can happen. Also, we are not Disney exclusive. She likes to watch shows on other channels like PBS kids and Nick jr. Disney is so wrong for taking these shows away, but don’t let them control you or what you watch. We all know they always try to keep pushing and pushing with inapporopriate content for kids. It’s sad for them. They forgot what’s nice for little kids. We control what our kids watch anyway and that’s bad for Disney. Sprout looks like they have a gem by getting the Wiggles. We will definitely watch them on Sprout, plus that channel is little kid friendly too!
We were very upset at the change and now watch noggin instead of disney in the morning, but now noggin is starting the same thing and not airing some shows we like and then changing the schedule every month. my 2 year old loved the doodlebops and jojos circus and i think its rediculous because playhouse disney should go on until time time for older kids to get out of school, like kids shows use to!
I was wondering where Doddlebops and Johnny and the Sprites went to. My 3 year old loved them. I hope they’ll eventually bring them back. We’ve been watching Nick Jr. and Sprout. But even Nick Jr. gets boring with their on-going play of Dora and Diego. My daughter does have a new fav show “The Fresh Beat Band”, which is really cute and takes place of the Doddlebops.