DisneyNOW - Shows & Live TV
Common Sense says
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Kindle Fire
- Free
- Entertainment
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that DisneyNOW - Shows & Live TV is the Disney Channel companion app with content from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and Radio Disney, as well as branded games. Parents can create profiles for each child with the child's favorite content. They can also limit content to Disney Junior, but there is no parent gate on the settings, so kids may figure out how to change this on their own. TV shows and movies are the same as you'd expect on the cable channels and will have some mild violence (orchestrated fights, mean behavior, monsters), teen dating, and romance. Access to TV shows and movies requires a separate cable subscription. The games (which can also be limited to Disney Junior-related content) are based on Disney Channel franchises. The content changes regularly, so parents may want to keep an eye on what is available at any given time. Read the app's privacy policy to find out about the information collected and shared.
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User Reviews
No parental control; too many ads
On but not great
What's it about?
DISNEYNOW - SHOWS & LIVE TV allows kids to enjoy their favorite Disney Channel (as well as Disney Junior, Disney XD, and Radio Disney) content on the go. There's a wide range of TV shows and movies, as well as curated selections like holiday content. Kids can even find extras like the "As Told by Emoji" videos. There are plenty of older shows as well as all the new favorites, and the offerings do change over time. To access their favorites more quickly, kids can create their own list. Some cable providers also include access to live content. DisneyNOW - Shows & Live TV includes dozens of games based on popular franchises in a range of genres, including puzzle, cooking, endless runner, and so forth. There are also a few creative endeavors, like a coloring game and one that invites kids to put together their own Bizaardvark video.
Is it any good?
For kids who are huge Disney Channel fans, this collection of TV shows, movies, and games is pretty close to nirvana. DisneyNOW - Shows & Live TV allows kids to continue to enjoy their favorite content without monopolizing the family TV. Moreover, they can extend their play into games and creative activities featuring their favorite characters. The app isn't without pitfalls, though. The advertising feels heavy-handed at times, especially when it comes to younger players, and the settings should really include an appropriate parent gate to keep little ones from switching from Disney Junior to Disney XD. In the end, the success of the app in your family will likely match your feelings about Disney Channel programming to begin with. It's an easy-to-navigate experience, so if you can't bear to listen to one more episode of Jessie, this colorful and jam-packed app might just save your sanity.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about respect. Are the characters in DisneyNOW - Shows & Live TV respectful to each other? How can you tell? What are the rules in your own house around respect?
What makes a good friend? How do you show your friends that you care about them? Has a friend ever done something unkind to you?
Talk to your kids about screen use and limits. How can kids enjoy digital media in balance with other activities?
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Kindle Fire
- Subjects: Hobbies: cooking, gardening
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: solving puzzles
Creativity: imagination, making new creations, producing new content
Emotional Development: empathy
Communication: friendship building
Responsibility & Ethics: embracing differences, learning from consequences, making wise decisions - Price: Free
- Pricing structure: Free (some content may require a paid cable subscription)
- Release date: October 7, 2017
- Category: Entertainment
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Brothers and Sisters, Misfits and Underdogs, Music and Sing-Along
- Size: 157.00 MB
- Publisher: Disney
- Version: 6.0.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 9.0 or later; Android varies by device
Themes & Topics
For kids who love streaming video and Disney content
Our editors recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.