Disney was full of fabulous family movies and TV shows that aired or released throughout the 2000s, but they had quite a year in 2006. Both in theaters and on cable, new franchises were thriving and drawing in happy viewers. The teen pop aura of the decade was in full force. Stars were being born left and right, but nothing compared to the instant fandom of properties like High School Musical and Hannah Montana.
Fifteen years later, here are ten Disney shows or films that came out during a very productive year at Disney. Fans of these now-classic features can enjoy reliving them on Disney+.
Hannah Montana
Miley Cyrus had the best of both worlds with a career that enabled her to become a famous singer and actress. Hannah Montana took a leaf out of The Famous Jett Jackson's book in creating a girl who lives "normally" by day and sings to packed houses by night.
There's no denying the fact that this show exploded in its heyday and still has a place in fans' hearts.
High School Musical
It's hard to believe that Disney's massive High School Musical franchise began fifteen years ago. The first film was an instant success for children of all ages and led to so many other projects.
The ever-relatable plot of breaking down social norms to follow one's dreams has driven much of Disney's youthful fare, but HSM will always be a cultural touchstone for its popularity and memorable characters.
Cars
Cars brought Pixar back to a world of personified inanimate objects after The Incredibles took a more human approach. As with some of the other Disney/Pixar properties, Cars became a huge franchise, bringing fans back to Radiator Springs time and time again.
There's something about the open road and the autonomy of motoring around that appeals to viewers of all ages even years after the film's release.
The Cheetah Girls 2
The Cheetah Girls 2 took the already-famous girl group and sent them to a singing festival in Barcelona. The Disney Channel Original Movie (also known as DCOM) is one of the ultimate tween/teen pop musicals of the 2000s, offering even more music than the first Cheetah tale.
Not unlike Raven's departure from the group in real life, Galleria begins to distance herself from them in the movie, but all is well when the four girls sing as one at the end.
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
After years of DCOMs and the beginnings of a huge series (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Disney wisely cast Brenda Song as Wendy Wu, a teen queen who learns that she is a reincarnated Yin Warrior.
Wendy has to wait on that Homecoming crown when she must battle her evil antagonist, Yan-Lo. Brenda Song, who has a black belt in Tae Kwan Do, also co-produced the movie.
Read It And Weep
Read It and Weep is one of the most intriguing DCOMs of the latter 2000s. It joins The Cheetah Girls as one of Disney's adaptations of juvenile literature and asks what happens when the contents of a personal teen journal are accidentally published.
Jamie Bartlett's journal is especially interesting since she consults with an older, wiser version of herself called Is (and Jamie and Is are played by sisters Kay and Danielle Panabaker).
Cow Belles
Cow Belles is another beloved sister effort in the DCOM rotation. Aly and AJ effortlessly play Taylor and Courtney Callum, wealthy teens who haven't a care in the world. Their father tightens his grip on the girls' financial access when they unintentionally start a fire in their kitchen just before leaving to go buy boots.
It's pretty similar to Hilary and Haylie Duff's Material Girls (also a 2006 flick), except that the dad is living in this movie. Aside from that, there are still spoiled girls, a mole in the family business, and a riches-to-rags type of journey.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Dead Man's Chest came three years after the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. In this sequel, Captain Jack Sparrow owes ghost pirate Davy Jones his soul, and Davy Jones ends up tampering with Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner's wedding plans.
The movie is considered one of the better films in the franchise (and has lots of exciting behind-the-scenes filming secrets).
Glory Road
Glory Road joined the ranks of Disney's many basketball movies to tell the story of the Texas Miners. They were the first team to have an entirely African-American lineup in the 1960s.
Coached by Dennis Haskins, the team played against Kentucky in the 1966 NCAA Tournament Championship Game and won.
Eight Below
Eight Below followed Disney's Snow Dogs (2002) with another sled dog story. The film was inspired by a true 1958 tale of dogs left behind in a Japanese expedition in Antarctica.
The movie's ending is happier than the true story's, and the more adventurous subscribers can enjoy it on Disney+.