# Disney Jr. (international)

Disney Jr. is a brand of children's television channels owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company, aimed at young children between two and seven years old. Since its American debut on February 14, 2011, the brand was launched worldwide. In most countries, the channel was formerly known as Playhouse Disney.
Disney Junior started closing internationally in 2019, mostly in Europe and Asia-Pacific, as it transitioned viewers to Disney+ and Disney Channel's morning blocks, while other versions remain.

## Background

On September 28, 1999, the Playhouse Disney brand was extended internationally with the launch of a self-branded block on Disney Channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On September 29, 2000, Disney Television International expanded the block with the launch of a channel in the country alongside the launch of Toon Disney and Disney Channel +1 on the Sky Digital platform. On April 4, 2009, Egmont Group launched a companion Playhouse Disney magazine in the United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland that focused on the channel's four most popular shows: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger & Pooh, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins. Each issue included "to do" pages and suggested activities for parents and children based on an educational theme. The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel UK & Republic of Ireland was eventually disposed of in July 2004 after reducing hours of programming. The Playhouse Disney channel available there, however, continued to air until it was replaced by Disney Junior on May 7, 2011.
On November 30, 2007, Astral Media launched a Canadian version of Playhouse Disney Channel under a brand licensing agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group; the channel operated as a multiplex channel of Family Channel, which had long maintained a programming distribution agreement with Disney Channel for the domestic rights to the U.S. channel's series until January 2016. A Canadian-French version of Playhouse Disney was launched on July 5, 2010, also by Astral Media. The English & Canadian-French channels were both replaced by Disney Junior on May 6, 2011.
The first Disney Junior to launch outside the U.S. was in Latin America on April 1, 2011, replacing the Playhouse Disney Channel, it later rebranded in most countries replacing their Playhouse Disney brands mostly in 2011, such as Canada on May 6, the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 7, Italy on May 14, France on May 28, Australia and New Zealand on May 29, the pan-CEMA feed (Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) on June 1, and Spain on June 11.
Japan and India's programming blocks were rebranded on July 3 and 4 respectively, with channels in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and South Korea on July 11, along with Germany, Austria and Switzerland on July 14, Israel on July 18, and Scandinavia and the Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) on September 10.
The Romanian channel launched on March 1, 2012, India and Japan's channels were also launched on October 1 and 15 respectively, It became available in Portugal since November 1, 2012, and Russia's block rebranded on September 1, 2013, concluding the Playhouse Disney brand.
The Hungarian feed was launched on July 1, 2015, but shut down in late 2017 due to lack of distributing for most of the Hungarian pay TV providers. It would plan to cease on October 12, but moved instead to December 5, discontinuing the Hungarian language audio track.
Disney Junior in Canada (both English and French), originally owned by DHX Media, discontinued on September 18, 2015 as Corus Entertainment acquired Disney's rights in Canada. The English version relaunched on December 1, 2015, however, La Chaîne Disney's block, Disney Junior sur La Chaîne Disney, carries most preschool shows in French.
On April 1, 2019, Disney Junior discontinued in the Netherlands, while it continues broadcasting in Belgium (particularly the Flanders), however after a year of absence, most programs returned to Mickey Mornings on Disney Channel since November 17, 2020. Some Disney Junior channels were discontinued in favor for Disney+, such as Australia and New Zealand on April 30, 2020, Italy on May 1, and the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 1.
The same closure occurred in Malaysia on January 1, 2021, the German channel on September 30, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and South Korea on October 1, Taiwan's programming block on Disney Channel on December 31, 2021, and the Brazilian feed on April 1, 2022, with the Russian block halted in December that year and in Scandinavia on April 1, 2024, due to the channel merging with Disney Channel to launch a new version of the channel.

## Current channels

| Market | Type | Formerly | Launch date | Availability | Operator |
| United States | Channel | Soapnet | March 23, 2012 (except for DirecTV) | Nationwide | Disney Branded Television |
| United States | Block (Mickey Mornings) | Playhouse | February 14, 2011 (as Disney Junior) June 1, 2020 (as Mickey Mornings) | Nationwide | Disney Branded Television |
| Latin America | Channel (North) | Playhouse | June 1, 2008 (Playhouse) April 1, 2011 | Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela | Disney Media Networks Latin America |
| Latin America | Channel (South) | Playhouse | June 1, 2008 (Playhouse) April 1, 2011 | Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay | Disney Media Networks Latin America |
| France | Channel | Playhouse | November 2, 2002 (Playhouse) May 28, 2011 | France and overseas, Haiti, Belgium, Luxembourg, Francophone Africa, Switzerland | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| France | Channel (HD) | Playhouse | May 8, 2011 | France and overseas, Haiti, Belgium, Luxembourg, Francophone Africa, Switzerland | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| CEE, Middle East, and Africa | Channel | Playhouse (except Bulgaria and Romania) | June 1, 2011 March 1, 2012 (Bulgaria and Romania) | Africa, Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Spain | Channel | Playhouse | November 16, 2001 (Playhouse) June 11, 2011 | Spain, Andorra | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Japan | Block | Playhouse | July 3, 2011 | Nationwide | The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd. |
| Japan | Channel | — | October 1, 2012 | Nationwide | The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd. |
| India | Block | Playhouse | 2006 (Playhouse) July 4, 2011 | India, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka | Disney Star |
| India | Channel | — | October 15, 2012 | India, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka | Disney Star |
| Israel | Channel | Playhouse | September 9, 2009 (Playhouse) July 18, 2011 | Nationwide | The Walt Disney Company (Israel) Ltd. |
| Benelux | Channel | Playhouse | September 10, 2011 | Belgium; formerly Netherlands | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Portugal | Channel | Disney Cinemagic | November 1, 2012 | Portugal, Angola, Mozambique | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Canada | Channel (English) | — | December 1, 2015 | Nationwide | Corus Entertainment |
| Canada | Block (French) on Disney | — | December 1, 2015 | Nationwide | Corus Entertainment |
| Germany | Block (Mickey Mornings) | Junior | February 18, 2019 | Germany, Austria, Switzerland | Disney Co. (Germany) |
| Netherlands | Block (Mickey Mornings) | — | November 17, 2020 | Nationwide | The Walt Disney Company (Benelux) BV |
^a Except for DirecTV, which replaced NASA TV, which moved to another channel and is still airing today. In DirecTV's case, Soapnet was replaced by an Informercial Channel.

## Former channels

| Market | Market | Type | Formerly | Launch date | Discontinued date | Operator |
| Romania | Romania | Block | Playhouse Disney Channel | September 2009 (Playhouse); June 1, 2011 | February 29, 2012 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Portugal | Portugal | Block | Playhouse Disney Channel | June 1, 2011 | June 2014 | The Walt Disney Company Iberia |
| Canada (original) | Canada (original) | Channel | Playhouse Disney Channel | November 30, 2007 (Playhouse); May 6, 2011 | September 18, 2015 | Under a brand licensing agreement by DHX Media |
| Canada (original) | Canada (original) | Channel (French) | Playhouse Disney Télé | July 5, 2010 (Playhouse); May 6, 2011 | September 18, 2015 | Under a brand licensing agreement by DHX Media |
| Hungary | Hungary | Block on Disney Channel | Playhouse | 2011 | July 1, 2015 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Hungary | Hungary | Channel | As a block on Disney Channel | July 1, 2015 | December 5, 2017 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Asia | Asia | As a block on Disney Channel | Playhouse | 2000 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | July 31, 2018 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Netherlands | Netherlands | Channel | Playhouse | September 10, 2011 | April 1, 2019 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Latin America | Latin America | As a block on Disney Channel (4 feeds) | Playhouse | April 11, 2011 | March 21, 2020 | Disney Media Networks Latin America |
| Australia & New Zealand | Australia & New Zealand | Channel | Playhouse | December 5, 2005 (Playhouse); May 29, 2011 | April 30, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company (Australia) Pty Ltd. |
| Italy | Italy | Channel | Playhouse | May 1, 2005 (Playhouse); May 14, 2011 | May 1, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Italy | Italy | Channel (+1) | Playhouse +1 | July 31, 2009 (Playhouse +1); May 14, 2011 | May 1, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| United Kingdom & Ireland | United Kingdom & Ireland | Channel | Playhouse | September 29, 2000 (Playhouse); May 7, 2011 | October 1, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company (UK) Limited |
| United Kingdom & Ireland | United Kingdom & Ireland | Channel (+1) | Playhouse +1 | November 3, 2007 (Playhouse +1); May 7, 2011 | October 1, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company (UK) Limited |
| United Kingdom & Ireland | United Kingdom & Ireland | Channel (HD) | Playhouse | 2011 | October 1, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company (UK) Limited |
| Latin America | Latin America | As a block on Fox Channel (2 feeds) | As a block on Disney Channel (3 feeds) | March 21, 2020 | February 22, 2021 | Disney Media Networks Latin America |
| Germany | Germany | Channel | Playhouse | July 14, 2011 | September 30, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company Limited |
| Asia | Singapore | Channel | Playhouse | March 15, 2004 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | June 1, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Malaysia | Channel | Playhouse | July 3, 2004 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | December 31, 2020 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Hong Kong | Channel | Playhouse | April 2, 2004 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Indonesia | Channel | Playhouse | April 2, 2004 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Palau | Channel | Playhouse | January 2005 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Thailand | Channel | Playhouse | January 2005 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Vietnam | Channel | Playhouse | May 2005 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Cambodia | Channel | Playhouse | June 20, 2005 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| Asia | Philippines | Channel | Playhouse | December 2005 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. |
| South Korea | South Korea | Channel | Playhouse | June 12, 2004 (Playhouse); July 11, 2011 | October 1, 2021 | Disney Channel Korea Ltd. |
| Taiwan | Taiwan | Block | Playhouse | 2004 (Playhouse); September 1, 2011 | December 31, 2021 | The Walt Disney Company (Taiwan) Ltd. |
| Brazil | Brazil | Channel | Playhouse | September 5, 2008 (Playhouse); April 1, 2011 | April 1, 2022 | Disney Media Networks Latin America |
| Brazil | Brazil | Block | Playhouse | 2002 (Playhouse);April 1, 2011 (Disney Junior);April 1, 2022 (Disney Junior nas manhãs no Disney Channel) | February 28, 2025 | Disney Media Networks Latin America |
| Russia | Russia | Block (Mickey Mornings) | Playhouse | August 2010 (Playhouse);September 1, 2013 (Disney Junior);May 1, 2020 (Mickey Mornings) | December 13, 2022 | Media-1 (80%), The Walt Disney Company CIS (20%) |
| Scandinavia | Scandinavia | Channel | Playhouse | 2006 (Playhouse); September 11, 2011 | March 1, 2024 (Denmark) April 1, 2024 | The Walt Disney Company Nordic |