As adults, many of us have fond memories of watching the Disney Channel as kids. We would be glued to our TVs every time there was a Disney original movie playing on a Friday night and it's the first channel we turned on as soon as we got home from school.
There's a reason why Disney is such a soothing place for kids. It's filled with shows and movies that bring our imaginations to life and gives us characters to relate to when we felt like we were unrelatable. The proof is in the pudding when millions of adults visit Disney parks year after year.
Looking back on our childhood, Disney had some pretty incredible shows. While the Disney Channel may have been neck-and-neck with Nickelodeon, these 10 shows have proven to be the best of the best according to fans over on IMDb. From sitcoms to reality shows to animation — keep scrolling to see if your favorite show made the list.
BUG JUICE: 7.8
Do you remember Bug Juice? Kicking off in 1998, Bug Juice was a reality show for kids. It focused on a group of kids at a summer camp and how they created friends, enemies, and crushes. It made every elementary and middle school-aged child extremely jealous.
These kids had the time of their lives away from their parents, which encouraged young viewers to want to go away to summer camp, too.
RECESS: 7.9
We all remember Recess, don't we!? After premiering in 1997 on Saturday mornings, the show quickly moved from ABC to the Disney Channel due to its raging popularity.
We got to see our favorite fourth graders live their wild lives at Third Street Elementary School. Like many elementary school-aged kids, recess is a time to let loose and shake off the morning hours or learning and testing. The show Recess depicted the same thing and had storylines that related to life outside of school, too.
The series was so good, in fact, that four films were created following the show's success.
THE WEEKENDERS: 8.0
The Weekenders truly broke grounds with its four main characters. Each was more diverse than the next with Tish being Jewish-American, Lor being Scottish-American, Tino being Italian-American, and Carver being African-American.
Many viewers saw pieces of themselves in each character since they were all so different and yet made great friends. Similar to Recess, The Weekenders started out on ABC before transferring to Disney, lasting for four seasons.
GARGOYLES: 8.0
For those who've seen Toy Story, the gargoyles in Gargoyles did a similar thing. They were still as stone during the day but come nightfall, they came alive.
Taking place in New York City, it's now the gargoyles' job to protect the city from bad guys with the help of a very cool NYC police officer. Another great thing about this show is there's some history thrown in. The gargoyles were created in the early 900's in Scotland, but after being transferred to New York City, they have to readjust to modern life.
BOY MEETS WORLD: 8.1
So many of us love and adore Boy Meets World. Fans have followed the show since these actors were kids. And now as adults, the reboot, Girl Meets World, gave us the chance to stay in touch with Cory and Topanga.
With an 8.1 rating, Boy Meets World showed us what average life was like for the Matthews family and their ups and downs. We became close to Cory and his BFF Shawn. We fell in love with Cory and Topanga's love story. And the combination of emotional and uplifting content made fans tune in every night.
DUCKTALES: 8.1
DuckTails was such a crowd-pleaser that a reboot was created in 2017, but the original show in 1987 still has fans' hearts.
For four seasons, we followed Scrooge McDuck raise his three nephews (Louie, Dewie, and Huey). As a group of adorable boy-ducks, these three were constantly going on adventures and looking for treasure. As kids, they made everyone child believe there was buried treasure somewhere nearby.
We all loved the series so much that a movie, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, was released in 1990 towards the show's end.
IN A HEARTBEAT: 8.2
In a Heartbeat was unlike any other Disney show out there. It focused on high school students being EMTs along with being "normal" students.
Going from the classroom to saving lives is a big jump for a teenager, and it inspired many of its viewers. Sadly, the show only lasted one season but fans obviously miss the show because it has a rating of 8.2.
BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY: 8.2
Bill Nye the Science Guy was iconic. Hosted by Bill Nye himself, the show was a fun way for kids to understand and like science. The show ran for five seasons and won 19 Emmy Awards.
Nye always wore a bowtie and a traditional lab coat as he performed different science experiments. Episodes were only 30 minutes long which was the perfect length of time for kids to grasp something as complex as science. The series also made Bill Nye a household name.
SO WEIRD: 8.5
Many viewers thought So Weird was super weird but they loved it all the same. The show was mainly about the life of a girl (Fiona) who traveled around the world with her mom (Molly) who seemed to always encounter strange presences from the other side. It all started when Fiona was missing her late father and wished to communicate with him, and from that moment on paranormal activity became the norm.
The show lasted for three seasons, however, Disney noted that the show will be available for streaming over on Disney Plus.
GRAVITY FALLS: 8.9
Is there anything more exciting to a young viewer than a pair of twins investigating mysteries? Gravity Falls was about a twin brother and sister duo who moved in with their uncle in Gravity Falls. Their uncle ran a tourist attraction since Gravity Falls was known for its paranormal activity. And let's be real, what sibling duo isn't going to go hunting for mysteries when in a new town?
The series only lasted two seasons but viewers were taken by the show, giving it the highest rating of 8.9.