Aug 12
30
Disney Afternoon!
Do you remember what your favorite cartoons were when you were a kid? Were you a kid during the 90’s? If so, then you probably remember something known as the Disney Afternoon cartoons. These shows ran from 1990 to 1997 and then for a while in 1999. I don’t know about you, but for me, these shows were a major part of my childhood, and there are a few I can remember as being my absolute favorites while others weren’t so much. So, come with me on this trip back through time, pull out your Disney Afternoon songbook, and prepare to sing the words to those theme songs that caught our hearts all those years ago.
There were several cartoons that ran during this time. A few of my favorites were DuckTales, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, The Gummi Bears, and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers. I remember being a little kid of around four years old and these shows would start around two or three in the afternoon, and I was glued to the television. The two cartoons I remember the most fondly are DuckTales and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers. I would assume that I loved these shows because I was as familiar with the characters as I was with Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, but really now that I think about it, the story lines stuck with me. Of course, there was always Uncle Scrooge swimming in his money vault, or the Rangers trying to thwart the evil scientist, but Disney had a real flare for entertaining younger audiences, and still does.
Eventually, Disney Afternoon stopped airing as frequently in 1997, but did continue in 1999 to show some of the shows in shorter blocks of time. I remember during this time that they showed Aladdin the series at this point. It had details from the movie, but each episode was a different story. It was a lot of fun to watch. I remember watching the show for an hour before school started each morning. For me, it was a great start to my day! Now, these shows are very hard to find on the air, if they can even be found at all.
I have to admit, I was in Best Buy with my son a while back, and I found DuckTales on DVD, and I was so tempted ( I am still tempted) to buy each season and watch them with my son. I want him to see the cartoons that I grew up with and loved as a child. Cartoons today are not of the same quality as those that many of us grew up with, and it is a shame. Personally, I would be perfectly fine with a revival of the Disney Afternoon cartoons, and even the older Mickey Mouse cartoons. What better way to fill your morning, or Saturday morning than with Disney? Personally I can’t think of anything better. Now that I have you all whistling the theme to DuckTales, what was your favorite Disney Afternoon cartoon? Which one would you like to see make a return? Make your voices heard!
