By Cassandra Pinkney
We hope your summer has been as fun as ours! From brand-new movies, Disney Parks celebrations, and spectacular D23 events, this summer has truly been one for the books… All good things must come to an end, but that doesn’t mean that another good thing can’t take its place when school starts this fall!
If you want to get into the back-to-school frame of mind, look no further than Disney+. Before students head back into the classroom for another year of learning this fall, check out these 12 films and TV shows on Disney+ that are perfect for gearing up for another awesome school year!
The Simpsons Back-to-School Stream
Get ready to hit the books, Springfield-style! For a limited time, Disney+ is offering a non-stop feed of back-to-school themed episodes of The Simpsons on The Simpsons Stream. What better way to prepare for a new school year than watching 106 of Springfield’s A+ school episodes in a non-stop, 24/7 stream! And when summer is over, The Simpsons Stream on Disney+ will still be playing all 35 seasons of the series in chronological order all day, every day.
The Princess Diaries (2001)
Imagine being in high school and finding out that you’re secretly a princess—sounds cool, right? Now imagine if you still had to go to high school while managing your now busy schedule as a member of the royal family. Maybe a little less cool…
The Princess Diaries tells the story of Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway), a social outcast at Grove High School who learns that she is secretly next in line for the throne of the small European kingdom of Genovia. Her estranged grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi (Disney Legend Dame Julie Andrews), arranges for her to attend lessons intended to shape her into a proper princess, all the while Mia must continue dealing with the struggles of being a high schooler. From love triangles to run-ins with the paparazzi, she’s forced to decide if being princess of Genovia is worth all the trouble she’s going through. Eventually, she decides to accept her new title and relocates to her new kingdom to assume her new royal duties. The Princess Diaries is a great addition to any back-to-school watchlist—perfect for anyone who used to spend homeroom daydreaming about being whisked away to a land far, far away.
Recess (1997-1999)
Was recess anyone else’s favorite subject in school? If it was, we’ve got just the TV show for you! Recess is a ’90s kid staple that follows the lives of Third Street Elementary School students T.J. (voiced by Ross Malinger, Seasons 1–2; Andrew Lawrence, Seasons 2–4), Vince (voiced by Rickey D’Shon Collins), Spinelli (voiced by Pamela Adlon), Gretchen (voiced by Ashley Johnson), Mikey (voiced by Jason Davis), and Gus (voiced by Courtland Mead). The group faces all the normal issues students go through at school, plus navigating the rule of King Bob (voiced by Toran Caudell)—a sixth grader appointed himself as the school’s ruler, and Third Street Elementary’s rabid class of kindergarteners. If heading back to school makes you think, “This whomps,” give Recess a watch today!
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019-2023)
After an amazing summer at Camp Shallow Lake, the East High Wildcats return to school! High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is a mockumentary-style TV show that follows the students in the East High Drama department while they stage a production of High School Musical: The Musical as an homage to the fan-favorite movies that filmed on their school campus. The series focused on issues relatable to students and former drama club members alike—friendships, crushes, family relationships, personal identities, and more. There are also plenty of re-vamped versions of the songs you know and love from the original film series, plus lots of brand-new music for viewers to fall in love with, too. And of course, if you’re more the mood for a film to end your summer, might we suggest High School Musical (2006), High School Musical 2 (2007), and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) for your consideration?
Monsters University (2013)
“I can’t be late on my first day!” Monsters University follows the story of Mike Wazowski (voiced by Disney Legend Billy Crystal) and James “Sully” Sullivan (voiced by Disney Legend John Goodman) meeting for the first time as MU freshmen and their turbulent journey to becoming the scare floor superstars we see in Monsters, Inc. (2001). This film is a must-watch for anyone headed to college this fall. It covers practically everything a new student needs to know before stepping onto campus for the first time: dealing with roommate drama, how to cram for finals, finding friends in unlikely places, and the importance of giving every opportunity the ol’ college try. (The only thing the film doesn’t cover is whether you should major in Door Technology or Monstriology; you’ll have to speak with a misguidance counselor about that.) If your first semester of college is feeling scarier than the monster hiding in your closet, put your mind at ease with Monsters University. (But still make sure to check underneath your bed for monsters before going to sleep… you can never be too careful!)
Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1994)
Do the students in your life need a little sharpening-up before they head back to the classroom this fall? Why not get their minds working with Schoolhouse Rock! These iconic bite-sized lessons in multiplication, grammar, history, science, technology, and economics are the perfect way to get young students ready for school and are a nostalgic treat for anyone who grew up watching them in their own classrooms… Go visit your old friend Bill at Conjunction Junction or do the circulation with Interplanet Janet! And if you want an updated spin on these classic tunes, watch the recent Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong with special guest performances from Disney alums like Raven Symoné, Derek and Julianne Hough, and even The Muppets! For a fun refresher before the first day of school, check out Schoolhouse Rock!
Boy Meets World (1993-1999) and Girl Meets World (2014-2016)
Growing up is filled with lots of challenges. Whether you’re trying to find friends or find yourself, navigating the journey that is adolescents is not for the faint of heart. Boy Meets World follows 11-year-old Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) as he navigates a love-hate relationship with his teacher, George Feeny (William Daniels), and his friendships with Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), Sturat Minkus (Lee Norris), and Topanga (Danielle Fishel). It’s a coming-of-age story that has stood the test of time with its focus on the universal challenges of growing up—and Mr. Feeny’s timeless words of advice to his students. And if you want more of this story, check out Girl Meets World. Several years after Cory and Topanga moved to New York City, their daughter Riley (Rowan Blanchard) must come into her own on her own terms, just like her parents before her. If you or a student in your life are getting ready to take on the world, Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World are excellent places to start.
Inside Out (2015)
Growing up is hard. So is the first day of school. And so is the first day at a new school. Mix all these experiences together and you’ve got a recipe for quite the emotional whirlwind.
Inside Out explores the life of Riley Anderson (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) after she and her family move from her hometown in Minnesota to San Francisco for her dad’s new job. The story is told from the perspective of her five emotions—Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith), Fear (voiced by Bill Hader), Disgust (voiced by Mindy Kaling), and Anger (voiced by Lewis Black)—as they navigate how Riley is feeling during this new time in her life. Riley struggles with finding her place at her new school but is eventually able to confide in her parents about her struggles and learns to manage her emotions with their help. Inside Out is a great film for understanding how to deal with feelings that come with many of life’s biggest moments (including the small moments that feel big.)
Sky High (2005)
“In the end, my girlfriend became my arch enemy, my arch enemy became my best friend, and my best friend became my girlfriend. But, hey, it’s high school.” Sky High tells the story of Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), son of superheroes Steve Stronghold/The Commander (Disney Legend Kurt Russell) and Josie DeMarco-Stronghold/Jetstream (Kelly Preston), as he starts his first year at Sky High, a high school for teenage superheroes. Like many kids his age, Will is nervous about starting high school—after all, what’s a kid who hasn’t developed his superpowers supposed to do at a superhero high school? Get lumped in with the sidekicks, apparently.
But things change for Will when he grows into his superpowers. He leaves his sidekick friends behind and gets tangled in a messy plot involving Gwen (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), also known as Royal Pain, a supervillain that his father supposedly beat many years ago. Will has to work with friends and enemies alike to keep Gwen from exacting her revenge on the school and its students. Sky High combines the high-stakes drama of the superhero genre with the even higher stakes of a coming-of-age movie, making it a super choice for any back-to-school movie night!
Toy Story 3 (2010)
After two films and plenty of playtime, Andy (voiced by John Morris) is all grown up and preparing to leave for college. His toys are donated to Sunnyside Daycare, where Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty) gives the group a tour of their seemingly utopic new play setting. According to Lotso, Sunnyside Daycare is a place where the toys will always have children to play with and take care of them. Little do Andy’s toys know that Lotso has instituted himself as a strawberry-scented despot, forbidding the toys from escaping back to Andy, who is looking for them. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz (voiced by Disney Legend Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy’s toys eventually escape Lotso’s rule to be reunited with him just before he leaves for college. He says goodbye and gifts his toys to Bonnie (voiced by Emily Hahn), one of the Sunnyside attendees who looked after his toys.
Toy Story 3 (2010) is a film filled humor and heart that’s perfect for the whole family this back-to-school season. And a note from D23 to anyone watching this film who has students leaving for college this fall: tissues. You’re going to need lots of tissues for this film.
Teen Beach Movie (2013)
Have you spent your summer going surf crazy? Did you have a special someone falling for ya? If you’re anything like me, then Teen Beach Movie is meant to be on your back-to-school watch list!
Brady (Ross Lynch) and Mack (Maia Mitchell) spend the day surfing to distract themselves from Mack’s impending departure to a new private school the following day. Their problems don’t seem so bad after a 40-foot wave washes them into the world of their favorite movie musical, Wet Side Story. Not only do Brady and Mack need to find a way to get back to the real world, but they’re also thrust into the surf-and-turf war happening between the surfers and the bikers over highly coveted territory at Big Momma’s beachside restaurant. If you need to be transported back to summer vacation one last time before the new school year starts, Teen Beach Movie is the film for you!
We hope all students heading back into the classroom this fall have a great first day of school! All titles are streaming now on Disney+.