Each State’s Favorite Disney Channel Original Movie

No matter who you are, you likely grew up watching Disney Channel. For many of us, it felt like forever waiting for school to let out to catch the premiere of the newest Disney Channel original movie. Flicks like Camp Rock and The Cheetah Girls provided kids all over the country with a spectacular summer soundtrack, while others like Halloweentown and Don’t Look Under the Bed kept us on our toes during the spooky season.

From childhood slumber parties to dorm room binge-watches, Disney Channel Originals are an unmatched movie genre, full of timeless classics that still hold up today. Whether you’re taking a trip down memory lane on your own or sharing certain guilty pleasures with your significant other, there’s a Disney Channel original movie for everyone to enjoy. For this study, we decided to take a look at each state’s most popular Disney Channel movie.

Did your favorite movie make the cut? Keep reading to find out!

The Most Popular Disney Channel Original Movie in Every State

The most popular Disney Channel original movie varied from state to state. States like Alaska, Idaho, and Mississippi were more interested in movie spin-offs of beloved series like Kim Possible, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and The Proud Family. Other states like Alabama and Iowa sought deep cuts like Quints and Alley Cats Strike. Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular Disney Channel original movies nationwide.

Fans in Alaska searched for Kim Possible: So the Drama more than any other Disney Channel original movie. The made-for-TV movie was based on the influential Disney Channel series of the same name. Kim Possible ran from 2002 to 2007 and was renowned for its clever dialogue, fluid animation, and strong storytelling. Many argue that the series raised the bar for animated shows in the U.S., and it continues to maintain its popularity and influence today.

Virginia and Utah preferred the musical masterpieces Camp Rock and High School Musical. Both movies set the stage for some of the biggest names we know in the entertainment industry today. Camp Rock introduced a generation of fans to the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato and jump-started their careers. Meanwhile, before he was getting shredded for 2017’s remake of Baywatch, Zac Efron was East High School’s teenage heartthrob, Troy Bolton.

Hawaii’s most searched-for Disney Channel original movie was Johnny Tsunami. The 1999 movie follows a young surfer from Hawaii who moves to Vermont with his family and has to adapt to face new challenges. For many children who were struggling with a big move at the time, they found a relatable character in Johnny Kapahala, the film’s protagonist. In 2000, the movie received a nomination for the Humanitas Prize in the Children’s Live-Action Category.

The Most Popular Disney Channel Original Movie Overall

Claiming 11 states, the most searched-for Disney Channel original movie was Zombies. Zombies is a tried-and-true Disney Channel musical comedy about finding love on the other side of the tracks. This movie features the perfect combination of music, laughs, and romance set against the backdrop of idyllic Seabrook High School. This Disney Channel original movie series puts a fun spin on the classic boy (or zombie) meets girl formula, and it’s easy to see why many fans are still buzzing about it. P.S. Don’t forget to check out the latest installment in the series, Zombies 3, which just came out this June!

Second place was a three-way tie between Starstruck, The Swap, and Descendants 3. The third installment in the Descendants series is something both old-school and new Disney fans can enjoy. As the title suggests, the original movie series follows future generations of infamous villains like Maleficent, Jafar, and Cruella de Vil. The movies, based on the novels by Melissa de la Cruz, are fun new stories with nods to the Disney days of yore that the whole family is sure to love.

Other honorable mentions included hits like Get a Clue, Zapped, The Color of Friendship, Halloweentown High, and The Cheetah Girls.

Closing Thoughts

The Swap or Camp Rock? Cadet Kelly or Get a Clue? With so many childhood classics to choose from, the possibilities are endless. Whether you are revisiting these fantastic films on your own or showing your significant other the movies you grew up with, there is a Disney Channel original movie for everyone. It doesn’t matter if your favorite movie made it onto the popular list or if it wound up being one of Disney Channel’s best-kept secrets, as long as it still gives you the same thrill of trying to make it home on time to catch it from the beginning.
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Methodology

To find out which Disney Channel original movies were on everyone’s mind across the country, we turned to Google Trends to help us collect the data. We gathered 74 search terms from sources like Collider, Cosmopolitan, and D23, and used search term data from 2004 to July of 2022 to determine your state’s all-time favorite Disney Channel original movie. So, exactly what Disney Channel movies are Americans turning to for their nostalgia needs?