Disney Channel Original Movies usually take place during one of two times: summer vacation or the nine-month school year. Very occasionally, there is a DCOM set during Christmas break, though that has only happened a few times.
There is nothing like a good summer DCOM. The bright colors are inviting, the music is a celebration of no school, and the storylines leave more room for a new romance or a more unique adventure. Because it's summertime, here are ten Disney Channel Original Movies that still feel like a summer vacation. Check them out on Disney+!
Camp Rock
Camp Rock (2008) was perfectly timed for summer with a June 20 release date. Its sequel, on the other hand, did not come out until early September 2010. Neither of the movies had a stellar plot, but the music from the first is still memorable. Whether it's Demi Lovato singing "This is Me" or the rest of the crew singing "Hasta la Vista," there's a moment for everyone. The scenery of the film will certainly evoke a lake-side vacation.
High School Musical 2
High School Musical 2 is another disappointingly timed film. The swimming pool-laden sequel did not air until August of 2007. Disney may have done this to give kids something to talk about as school resumed. If so, it definitely worked. Children of all ages were singing the songs of summer all year long until it was actually time to sing "What Time Is It?" again.
Horse Sense
Joey Lawrence is Michael, and Andy Lawrence is his cousin, Tommy. Michael has his mind on his rich girlfriend and the French Riviera, but Tommy wants to hang with Michael on a very short vacation to California. Instead of Disneyland and the beach, Michael leaves Tommy at home to rot watching a VHS collection, or worse, at the Kiddie Zone to play with toddlers.
Despite the poor treatment of the youngest Lawrence brother, Horse Sense (1999) is a great movie for summer. Sometimes, the vacation might not turn out as you'd like it, but helping someone becomes the most important priority.
The Even Stevens Movie
Before you take off for Mandolino, watch the Stevens family get duped on the fake island. Before everything goes awry, it looks like the ideal summer vacation. Beautiful beach, majestic resort, and everyone's favorite family. In the spirit of Even Stevens, the 2003 movie takes an unexpected twist and gives the Stevens family the worst trip they've ever had--on reality television. Definitely the flick to see after your Even Stevens rewatch.
Rip Girls
This 2000 Hawaii movie is a must-see this summer. Young Sydney (Camilla Belle) finally gets a chance to connect with her deceased mother, and she learns that she has inherited some property. The movie goes deeper emotionally than some DCOMs, with special moments like Sydney finding a surfboard with her mom's nickname, "Naniloa," written across it.
There is just enough friendship, just enough romance, and just enough villainy to form a respectable plot. This is the movie to go to for your imaginary vacation.
A Ring of Endless Light
In 2002, one of Madeleine L'Engle's books got the DCOM treatment. A Ring of Endless Light is another more serious endeavor, starring Mischa Barton and Ryan Merriman. Barton plays Vicky Austin, a 16-year-old girl who learns that she can communicate with dolphins telepathically. She is caught between two love interests as she visits her grandfather, but no one beats out Ryan Merriman. Saving dolphins, writing poetry, falling in love...what could be a better equation for a summer DCOM?
The Cheetah Girls 2
There are some arguments and some dramatic songs, but there's also Barcelona. Despite the conflict between Raven and the other Cheetahs (in the story and in real life), this movie is a good 2006 original. It keeps what fans love about the first movie but puts the Cheetah Girls in a fresh environment. While it is no history lesson on Spain, there are some nice moments infusing Spanish culture into what was, up to that point, a very American franchise.
Starstruck
2010 gave those still watching Disney Channel a stalker-inspired DCOM. Two girls chase after a pop star (Sterling Knight), and one of them even finds love with him! Though the premise is creepy, the movie has a healthy amount of beachy scenery. You won't be able to avoid singing "Something About the Sunshine" after you watch Starstruck.
Read it and Weep
This 2006 movie takes place during the school year, but its summer release date gave it a vacation vibe. There was something about a good July DCOM that made you feel relaxed, and Read it and Weep takes it a step up. Kay Panabaker's acting (and her sister's) is earnest and compelling, and her character's story (based on a book by Julia DeVillers) is an exciting angle for the Disney Channel. Jamie is an avid writer, and she accidentally publishes her journal, which becomes a best-selling novel.
The Thirteenth Year
Released in May of 1999, The Thirteenth Year was an early summer classic for Disney Channel. This one also occurs during the academic year, but school is less essential than the fact that Cody Griffin (Chez Starbuck) is turning into a merman. Chez is so cute with his co-star, Courtnee Draper, who plays Samantha. The two both have fond memories of filming the movie, and viewers still see it as a fun escape into a fantastical story. The water beckons Cody, and a birthday party, fishing gear, and rapidly appearing fins are enough to call it summer.