Panel Recap: The Crowd Has Spoken - Bring Back the Disney Channel Games - as Disney Channel Stars Gather on Stage Celebrating Their Roles at Destination D23

Destination D23 played host to a special panel that fans of all things Disney Channel (in a later era) absolutely loved as stars from several hit series and Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs) gathered together on stage to discuss their roles and share some stories from the productions.

Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano in various Star Wars animated productions) moderated the panel, which consisted of Mykal Michelle-Harris (Disney Jr.’s Ariel, Raven’s Home), Monique Coleman (High School Musical), Jake Thomas (Lizzie McGuire), Sway Bhatia (Zombies 4), Mia Talerico (“Good Luck, Charlie"), Janice LeAnn Brown (Wizards Beyond Waverly Place), and Jason Dolley (Good Luck, Charlie).

While the bulk of the panel was describing what it was like to be on the Disney Channel in their various array of projects, they did also reveal some of their influences in the other Disney Channel shows. As an elder Disney fan though, don’t expect anything pre-dating Lizzie McGuire. While Eckstein did mention being inspired by a visit to the Disney-MGM Studios and seeing a live taping of the new MMC (you know, the one with some the ‘NSYNC guys and Britney, and Christna, etc. etc.), the bulk of the conversation stayed well into the 2000s.

In fact, Eckstein also referred to High School Musical as the first DCOM franchise. Cetus-Lupeedus, we might have to disagree. From 1999-2004, we had THREE Zenon films (Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, Zenon: The Zequel, and Zenon: Z3. Granted, none were released theatrically or as hugely popular, which High School Musical did - but it was not the first! And try as we may and try as we might, I’m still waiting for Alley Cats Strike! To reach franchise status with multiple entries and a spin-off series.

Speaking of spin-off series - we also found it strangely odd that in such a high-profile panel as this one, that they would point out the inclusion of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers in Sway Bhatia’s experience. While we are grateful they did, as she did put work into the series, enough time has passed to prompt the question: “What was that?"

The spin-off series to the popular 90s franchise arrived on Disney+ to much fanfare in March of 2021, but shortly after its presence on the platform hit the two year mark, it was removed as part of a content purge by the company. Its deletion was part of a cost-cutting effort that saw dozens of original shows and films removed from the platform, and now, over two years later, we’re hearing about her role in the series long after anybody could go back and check it out.

The panel was also filled with some heart-felt stories but the winner of those is easily that of Jason Dolley and Mia Talerico and their experience on Good Luck, Charlie. This particular Disney Channel series launched back in 2010 and ran into 2014. In it, we follow the Duncan family and are adjusting to life with new baby, Charlotte (or “Charlie, through the eyes of sister, Teddy, who is filming video diaries for her new and younger sister.

Dolley played older (and of course, goofy and loveable) brother PJ, and (after a sizzle reel was shown) reflected on the show and the strange feeling of how time passes, watching himself literally holding someone else who was on stage with him at that moment (Tallerico) as a baby, now feet away well into her teens.

Tallerico herself shared that sentiment, pointing out that she was so young she couldn’t even remember him being present until later in her toddler years. Now, over a decade after the show concluded, Tallerico shares that she is in public high school, with some of the older classes surreally pointing out that they know who she is.

However, it was a sentiment from Dolley, echoed by Monique Coleman and others on stage, that got the crowd into the biggest frenzy of the panel. What was that? A simple reflection of his time on Good Luck, Charlie, Cory in the House, and the DCOM Minutemen that led him to discussing his presence during the infamous Disney Channel Games. The mere mention of this got the crowd cheering.

Airing from 2006 running for three years annually until 2008, the Disney Channel Games were part of the network’s summer programming that would see many cast members from Disney Channel programs and original movies sent to Walt Disney World to compete against each other in various games at the Wide World of Sports complex. Fans of an older generation might compare it to the Battle of the Network Stars.

Unlike The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, you can still find the third iteration of these games streaming on Disney+.

As the crowd roared, Dolley likened the whole experience to a summer camp, saying that he and others from the network grew closer as friends because of it, calling out Coleman in particular as they were competing together. Both, including Eckstein (since Star Wars: Rebels once aired on Disney Channel), said they would happily return should the network decide to revive the idea.

Fans of the newer content on the network were very excited to learn of an upcoming crossover episode in the second season of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place that will combine with the characters of the new Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - the new live-action series based on the Disney Jr. animated hit, Vampirina, which also stars Mykal-Michelle Harris, leading to a charming moment between her and Janice LeAnn Brown on stage reflecting on their time filming it.

The whole thing was closed with a fun montage featuring everyone doing the signature Wand ID, but - I’ll be honest - it wasn’t the greatest one that has ever been made. That title belongs to this video. 

You can see these and more of these fun little stories (and all those reels) in the full panel video below. For more of our coverage from Destination D23, including other panel recaps, be sure to head to our page, here.