7 Reasons Why Disney+ Is My Family's Best Friend Right Now

Quality time with your kids is a wonderful thing as a parent ... but sometimes, a little absence makes the heart grow fonder. These days, alone time is hard to come by when you’re all sequestered under one roof. Luckily, we have the option to get out of our heads by exploring all the offerings on Disney+.

At our house, everyone can use their respective screens in their own corners and watch whatever they want, or come together to snuggle up on the couch and watch something we all love. There's always something new to discover on Disney+, whether it's nostalgic Disney Channel movies, gorgeous nature docs, tried-and-true classics, or huge hits that are available way earlier than anyone thought they'd be, like Pixar's Onward (available TODAY) or, of course, Frozen 2. Whether it's background noise for a family project or a family bonding movie night, here are a few ways Disney+ is making all of this togetherness way more enjoyable for all of us. While you're at it, consider the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundle for an even better deal, or give another family the gift of annual subscription!

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1. The Parental Controls Are Seamless And Dreamy

The platform comes with the ability to turn autoplay on, when I need some uninterrupted time, or off, when it’s almost bedtime and you really need to make sure the “just one more” doesn’t turn into “just three more." Plus, a kids' account limits access to only G-rated content, so I know algorithms will never end up somewhere unwanted. On top of that, practically everything is downloadable, so I no longer have to explain why we can’t watch faves on necessary car rides. What more could a parent ask for?

2. It Brought Us Pixar's 'Onward' Way Early

If it weren't for the current pandemic, we would definitely have seen Disney and Pixar's newest feature Onward in theaters. But now, we have the next best thing, months earlier than expected. Adults will enjoy this heart-warming tale of two teenage elf brothers on a magical quest to spend one more day with their father just as much — if not more — than the kids.

3. It Has All The Elsa And Anna We Can Handle

In the greatest gift to the US since the Statue of Liberty, Disney+ released Frozen 2 months before it was originally scheduled. Now I can line up Frozen, Frozen 2, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, and even the LEGO Frozen series Frozen Northern Lights and spend the better part of the day in Arendelle with no repeats.

4. We Can Experience Wildlife Without Leaving The House With Kid-friendly National Geographic Content

All kids love animals, and Unlikely Animal Friends is a safe way for junior zoologists to get their wildlife fix without leaving the house.

5. Star Wars. So Many Star Wars.

I’m confident a completist could get through an entire month of binging Star Wars content on Disney+ without a single repeat. Not only do they have the entire nine movie Skywalker saga, but there are tons of series too, including 7 seasons of The Clone Wars, 4 seasons of Rebels, and a plethora of LEGO Star Wars series.

6. Vampirina: A Ghoulish Girl In A Human World

A classic fish-out-of-water story, Vampirina’s family relocated from Transylvania to Pennsylvania to open a “Scare BnB." If your kid is a little ghoulish (or just loves Halloween), they will love her mildly spooky adventures. I get a kick out of Wanda Sykes, Lauren Graham, and James van der Beek voicing the adult characters.

7. Kid-on-kid Conflict Resolution With The PJ Masks.

The PJ Masks have superpowers, of course, but mostly use their emotional intelligence to save the day from pint-sized villains like the nocturnal Luna Girl, who is fond of taking playground toys away so she can have them all to herself after sunset. Pro tip: the suggestion that your kid use “Super Gecko Muscles” to pick up their toys is usually good for a few days of cleanup help.

8. We Can Wind Down With The Wonderfully Weird Gravity Falls

Gravity Falls is one of those “kids” shows that adults find themselves still watching after their kids leave the room. Two siblings spend the summer helping their older relative run a tourist trap called The Mystery Shack where mysterious and supernatural occurrences pop up on the regular. Kristen Schaal voices one of the kids, so you know it’s got a bit of absurd humor adults will love.

What are you waiting for? Sign up for a free trial now, or give the gift of Disney+ to someone else!