Disney High

The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire

By: Ashley Spencer

Narrated by: Lalaine

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

This program is read by actor Lalaine, known for her roles in Disney’s Lizzie McGuire, The Disney Channel original movie You Wish, and her role as Kate in the 1999 remake of Annie. It features a foreword and an epilogue read by the author.

The first unauthorized look at the inner workings—and ultimate breakdown—of the Disney Channel machine

For many kids growing up in the 2000s, there was no cultural touchstone more powerful than Disney Channel, the most-watched cable channel in primetime at its peak. Today, it might best be known for introducing the world to talents like Hilary Duff, Raven-Symoné, Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and Zendaya.

It wasn't always destined for greatness: when The Disney Channel launched in 1983, it was a forgotten stepchild within the Walt Disney Company, forever in the shadow of Disney’s more profitable movies and theme parks. But after letting the stars of their Mickey Mouse Club revival—among them Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling—slip through their fingers, Disney Channel reinvented itself as a powerhouse tween network. In the new millennium, it churned out billions of dollars in original content and triple-threat stars whose careers were almost entirely controlled by the corporation. Suddenly, everyone wanted a piece of the pie—and there were constant clashes between the studio, network, labels, and creatives as Disney Channel became a pressure cooker of perfection for its stars.

From private feuds and on-set disasters, to fanfare that swept the nation and the realities of child stardom, culture journalist Ashley Spencer offers the inside story of the heyday of TV’s House of Mouse, featuring hundreds of exclusive new interviews with former Disney executives, creatives, and celebrities to explore the highs, lows, and everything in between.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2024 Ashley Spencer (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“If you can scrupulously recite the lyrics to ‘Best of Both Worlds’, then this book is for you. Equal parts sentiment and scoop, Disney High is chock full of details about the child stars of Disney's once-prized asset, and the journey to questioning whether wearing those mouse ears was ever really worth it.”–Lynette Rice, bestselling author of How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy

“An unprecedented level of dish and detail! Spencer pulls back the curtain on one of modern pop culture’s most important (and drama-filled) eras.”—Omid Scobie, bestselling author of Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family

"An obsessive, loving deep dive into the 2000s-era Disney Channel that launched Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Hilary Duff, the Jonas Brothers, and many other icons. This is the book millennials have been waiting to read since childhood." —Andy Greene, New York Times bestselling author of The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s

Educational Nostalgia

Absolutely loved this book! So nostalgic to revisit so many of the series and DCOMs I loved as a kid and hear the business side as an adult who can now appreciate that angle.

Missing a conclusion

The focus of the book is more on the business side, which I enjoyed. I was afraid it was going to be heavy on teen gossip. It feels like the book just abruptly ends. I wish them was a better conclusion and summary before the epilogue.

Sold by Lalaine's narration, stayed for the tons of uncovered production info

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I found out about this book through Lalaine's Instagram. While some of this book is already public Information, I was so intrigued by all the production/branding info that this book contained.

Interview excerpts from producers, directors, costume designers, Radio Disney Djs!

I also enjoyed Lalaine's narration for the most part. You could tell she wasn't the most experienced, but her voice had that optimistic but cool, perhaps world-weary quality that only a former Disney Channel actor would possess.

In-Depth and Educational, Yet Abrupt

I love books like this - retrospectives on cultural moments and biographies - and this one was no exception. It’s immensely nostalgic for me, as I grew up alongside the shows and stars mentioned, being around 11 years old by the book’s end. The book gripped me the whole way through and led me to a lot of independent googling throughout.

However, I found that it ended abruptly and each section, or star, also ended abruptly. I wish there had been smoother transitions between the sections and especially at the end. Going straight from the cancellation of Sonny With a Chance to an epilogue was jarring and I felt that there was a missed opportunity to properly conclude that section before the epilogue.

For all who wished for a Wand ID

The perfect listen for the fans that grew up during the golden age of Disney Channel. I can’t imagine who I would be, or what my interests would be, if it wasn’t for the massive amount of time I spent watching disney channel shows and DCOM’s, reading tiger beat and j14, coating my walls in posters. This book is both heart warming and heart breaking. A great read/listen.

Inside the Machine

The initial announcement, I was ready for an attempt at an exposé by the author that would shake Disney. Just prior to release, Lalaine explained that this was a look behind the magic and that it wasn't to trash Disney or child acting. Expectations set. Cool.

Except what Ashley Spencer does is create one of the most informative understandings of not only how Disney Channel works/worked, not only how the lives of the stars from its peak era were lived, but it details how modern Disney was a machine decades in the making.

I wasn't expecting to hear how Disney shirked the home market in the 70s or how Jett Jackson's success as a minority led drama was also the reason it was pushed on its own sword by the decision makers of the day. I didn't expect how candid it would be about things like Christy Roman's boob job, and this book delivers candid while never crossing into tabloid sensationalism.

Lalaine does a beautiful job in narration. Listening to her the last ten hours has been a welcome decision by all parties involved, and I'd be happy to hear her read my tax return filings if it meant more opportunities for her as a narrator.

Ashley Spencer is a journalist, so I was ready for her to put feet on ground to do the work, but I wasn't ready to absolutely run the ground like it was her killing field. Modern journalism is mostly bloggers telling the reader how to feel or think, but Ashley is a real journalist who tells it how it is instead, and that's so refreshing in 2024.

Reads like fiction!

I’m listening to the audiobook and it’s great! It’s non-fiction that reads like fiction. Storytelling is superb and I’m wowed at the sheer number of insiders that participated in this project. The author paints a vivid picture of how a network shaped pop culture and affected those involved, either centered on the big stage, lurking behind the curtain or watching from in front of a screen. Narration by both author and Lalaine is phenomenal!