The 10 Best Disney Channel Original Movies on Netflix

Though it’s arguably the worst chapter of the HSM trilogy, the premiere of High School Musical 2 was the single most watched event in basic cable history. (17.2 million viewers beat the debut of Monday Night Football on ESPN!) The film gave us our first look at brunette Zac Efron and cemented Sharpay as a rightful gay icon with “Fabulous.” The lesser sequel to such a classic piece of musical theater doesn’t deserve to go higher than number 10, but getting to see Troy Bolton jump around a golf course as a weird excuse for choreography earns it a spot on the list.

Stream High School Musical 2 on Netflix

Starring the Jonas Brothers in all their shiny, purity ring glory, Camp Rock also introduced Demi Lovato into the Disney-verse as Mitchie Torres. To be honest, the main reason this movie is on the list is almost exclusively for Lovato’s performance of “This Is Me,” which is a perfect song.

Stream Camp Rock on Netflix

Brenda Song is one of the best stars that Disney Channel has ever produced. I have the facts to back this up. Please watch the 2002 Disney Channel classic Get a Clue to see a young Song shine alongside Lindsay Lohan. Wendy Wu makes the cut because it boasts the single most dramatic plot imaginable to an 11-year-old: the cutthroat competition for Homecoming Queen. Most would find it ridiculous that Wendy would choose to go to her Homecoming dance over saving the entire world from an ancient and evil spirit, but not 11-year-olds. That shit is important to middle schoolers.

Stream Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior on Netflix

This Emmy-winning movie features reigning Instagram queen Selena Gomez as Alex Russo, who accidentally wishes one of the worst wishes anyone could possibly wish — that her parents had never met. Things eventually get wished back to normal, but not until a few characters get sucked into something called “the vortex of non-existence.” Weird. But it marks the end of an era for Gomez who, quickly after this film released, devoted the majority of her time to her singing career.

Stream Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie on Netflix

Not only does this Disney Channel original star both Aly and AJ Michalka of “Potential Breakup Song” fame, but it also contains a handy expository warning that I carry with me to this day: NEVER SET A TOWEL OR CLOTH ON A STOVE. IT WILL BURST INTO FLAMES WHEN YOU’RE NOT LOOKING. I think about that scene every single time I cook something. Thanks, Disney for the fire safety. The plot is far from groundbreaking — Aly & AJ play two spoiled sisters who learn personal responsibility in the end — but there is enough slapstick comedy involving yogurt to warrant a spot on the lower half of this list.

Stream Cow Belles on Netflix

Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda and Aquanette are back to teach us:

A.) That first names can be whatever we want them to be.
B.) That friendship endures every hardship, even the schemings of foreign pop stars.

While the songs in The Cheetah Girls 2 are not as instantly recognizable as the first, the plot is one of the less contrived that Disney’s made-for-TV movies have produced. It also contains some seriously beautiful shots of Spain, as the entire movie was shot on location in Barcelona. (They even shot in Barcelona for all the scenes that take place in New York City. Don’t ask me why.) Spoiler: The Cheetah Girls: One World does not make this list. If Raven Symone isn’t singing about being a cheetah sister, then what’s the point?

Stream The Cheetah Girls 2 on Netflix

Here it is, the film that kicked off the 00’s Disney Channel Original Movie arms race renaissance. When it was released, Cadet Kelly was the most-watched DCOM premiere in history. Its star, Hilary Duff, was the first of Disney Channel’s teen idols to record an album for Disney’s record label. I’m going to take all this information and leap to the conclusion that without Hilary Duff, there would be no Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez or Zendaya. Hell, probably no Zac Efron either. Now everyone go write a thank you letter to Hilary Duff for being Disney’s prototype star. Like the other Hillary (the presidential candidate one), you were far overqualified and criminally under-appreciated. Cadet Kelly is a fantastic fish-out-of-water film about an eighth grade girl learning to appreciate both her father and stepfather, befriend people who don’t think the same as she, and twirl ribbons like nobody’s damn business. The wild success of Cadet Kelly is also the reason our top three was even allowed to be made in the first place. Praise Hilary.

Stream Cadet Kelly on Netflix

What other Disney Chanel musical has a talented and diverse cast with dreams of stardom AND a movie soundtrack that sold millions of copies?? Oh, High School Musical has all of that? Well, The Cheetah Girls did it first. And with more sisterhood. Also, The Cheetah Girls soundtrack was executive produced by Whitney Houston. So there’s that FASCINATING fact too. These New York City teens showed boys and girls everywhere what true pop stardom was: to stunt on everyone in color-coordinated cheetah print tracksuits. Watch this film to have “Cheetah Sisters” stuck in your head for the next three weeks.

Stream The Cheetah Girls on Netflix

I don’t know if you guys know this, but High School Musical was like, crazy successful. The movie’s soundtrack was the best-selling album of 2006. To date, it has sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. alone. The DCOM was followed by two sequels, one live tour, countless books and video game adaptations and interpretations for the stage and on ice. The original film is required viewing if you’ve ever wanted to see Zac Efron sing to a basketball or watch Ashley Tisdale sing to a ladder. Many will be shocked to see the quintessential DCOM coming in at number two. But there’s one more film that deserves the Disney crown.

Stream High School Musical on Netflix

Please don’t yell at me. I’m fully aware that Lizzie doesn’t technically count as a Disney Channel original because it had a theatrical release. But there were three very important points that made me place it at number one anyway:

1. The movie is based on a Disney Channel Original Series, so that’s basically the same thing.
2. It eventually aired on Disney Channel regularly, and this is where I first saw it.
3. Return to what I already wrote about Hilary. It’s what she deserves.

Do you really think the cast of High School Musical deserves to top another one of these lists? Don’t they have enough? Of course I could give it to Raven and the rest of her Cheetah Sisters. But before you call foul, I want to you go back and watch Hilary’s performance of “What Dreams Are Made Of.” If you don’t agree that it’s the best original song Disney has ever produced, then you may come for me. I welcome criticism, but this list is untouchable and essentially the law.

Stream The Lizzie McGuire Movie on Netflix